Lunch at the Fireside Restaurant

We were one and a half couple that celebrated their anniversaries and we decided to do that at the brand new addition to the FDR Park 

The Fireside Restaurant

With a fantastic view over the Friar Straits towards Eastport, ME
the restaurant is located in the former Adam's Lodge, also known as the former "Lupine Lodge".

We had made reservation for a window seating - that was worth while,
because there are only two tables with this view.

That was the view from "our table"

Medium price range, good food and excellent service.

 My choice: Tomato bisque and a Lobster wrap

For dessert: New York cheese cake with chocolate sauce.
I was just so sorry that my dear hubby couldn't join us.

This is definitely a very good addition to the attractions on Campobello Island.

This is the day

Or better: this is the date when we arrived in Calgary, Alberta as immigrants in Canada 12 years ago.
On the same day in May we celebrated our 15th anniversary.

We left Norway with only a "small" box and a few suitcases.

Checking in for Canada

Our first dining room was a set of patio furniture.

In June the we went on our first camping trip through the Rocky Mountains .

There met the first black bear

on our way to Peyto Lake.

Peyto Lake, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Of course we went to the world famous Lake Louise.

at Lake Louise, Banff, Alberta, Canada

We went all the way across the mountains to Vancouver, BC where we picked up our "box".

When we finally got hold of our possessions we felt like "Welcome to Canada".

A year later we got sweet little Molly.

We since have enjoyed this continent very much and travelled it extensively for the last 8 winters.

Mountains, Deserts or the Beaches. It is beautiful everywhere!

Happy double anniversary!

Valley of the Palms, AZ

Yoshua Tree Natl.Park., CA

West Quoddy Lighthouse, Lubec, ME

Hummingbird rescue action

Monday I visited friends that live nearby.

When I left their house I discovered a hummingbird on the ground near my van. First I thought it was dead, but when I picked it up it was warm and stirred a little.
My friend took it in her hands and decided to take it in and see if she
was o.k.

Now I know: it is not right to keep wild animals in your home, one should contact the wildlife rescue unit. But, we know from experience that no one will come out from mainland Canada to this Island just for a hummingbird. They would tell you: put it outside and let nature go its course.

Well, the story continues like this:
My friend Rogette made a sugar solution, filled a syringe and fed the bird every 30 minutes! And it drank and drank and had bowl movements, and drank more.

By 9:30 PM Rogette called and asked me:

"What now? The hummingbird is still alive.
Its dull feathers have got a nice green shine again.
I think, it is doing way better. The main question now is:

How do I get the bird through the night?"

I went and found online and read that in order to survive the hours without food the birds go into a kind of hibernation mode. That way they live of their tiny body fat reserves until the next morning gives them a new opportunity to feed again. But it also was stressed that they cannot live of sugar water alone for more than 24 hours. They need other food too (insects and such).

Rogette decided to give the bird a chance but she didn't want to sit up all night with the bird on her lap.

I remembered having a discarded budgie cage in the garage and offered to bring it over to her house.

While dropping the cage off I took these photos:

The bird was calmly sitting in a towel and feeding now and than. It made no attempt to fly at all when uncovered.

This morning I was waiting for the dreaded call. 

Did the bird make it through the night?

She DID!

Sorry, I wasn't there to take photos of that, but

R. put the bird into the cage for the night and sat a feeder right aside of  her. Than she covered it all with a blanket.

When she lifted the blanket in the morning the bird was calmly perched on a ring dangling from the top of the cage. The water level in the feeder suggested that she had herself a breakfast already.

R. carried the feeder out on the porch and took the roof off.
It was 7:30 AM in the morning.

Out the bird went: ZOOOOOOM!

Rescue mission completed!

Thank you Rogette, for saving a tiny life!

Hummingbird Invasion!

What is going on? Usually I have observed one hummingbird at a time around my feeders. The males fiercely protect their property against intruders. But today the food sources were crowed!

three females at the feeder

I grabbed the camera in a hurry and shot through the bug screen to document that there actually where THREE around the feeder at the same time.

synchronized wings

That has never happened before at my place! Amazing.

I have heard stories that people have had up to 20 birds around there feeders, but that seemed unbelievable to me - until today. Now I see how easily that could happen.

a diving approach

There was a frenzy going on outside. They were swarming around, diving, fighting.

what about landing on top of each other?

And not only at one, no, the other feeder was equally populated. Sometimes I saw as many as four birds around at the same time.
They are just so fast, I could not manage to get that on camera. But I shot about 100 photos in no time.

swarming around the front of the house as well

I am wondering if the delayed spring with its cold weather and few flowers makes the birds hungrier than normal.
Or are there just more hummingbirds around this year?

in for the landing

two male hummingbirds

Tomorrow I will definitely put up a third feeder.

Male

Female

We must keep the hummingbirds happy. They are eating lots of mosquitos and small spiders. 

Ruby throated Hummingbird, male showing colours
while hovering over the lilacs

Stay tuned! There is another heart warming story

coming tomorrow!

An outing to Machias Seal Island, ME

Today I just HAVE to write about an outing that a good friend of mine had last Saturday.
I got her permission to write about her experience and also to use the fantastic photos that she took.

For more information just click on the "links".
Last Saturday there was a "Bird Festival" nearby and D. Fitzgerald took the opportunity to book a trip to Seal Island near Machias, Maine.
Seal Island is "the home of the Atlantic Puffin" and other coastal animals.

Their event calendar shows a lot more activities if you are interested in birding and such. 

D. too a boat ride over the frigid waters and was not disappointed.  Visitors are allowed to use observation blinds, close to where the birds are.

Atlantic Puffins, Machias Seal Island, May 24, 2014

D. also explained that ["you have to book a seat on the boat to Machias Seal Island months in advance because it is so popular. It might be fully booked now for this summer but I don't know that for sure. The puffins only stay until late August so it's a short window to see them."]

There is another page on their website that lists what other birds can be found in this area.
This side also provides information about the other type of birds found in/on
Roosevelt Campobello International Park and
Campobello Island, New Brunswick:

["Besides Alcids and Gulls, many boreal nesting species also can be found among the more than 150 bird species sighted here. The island has nesting locations of chickadees, jays, Merlin, thrushes, woodpeckers, and quite a few warblers and other songbirds. Also watch for Canada Geese, grosbeaks, and Blue-winged Teal."]

Who knows how long we will be able to have puffins around here?
It might be a one of the last decade when we may see these birds in this area.
I recently read several articles in Norwegian newspapers that they found their famous bird island "Runde", near Aasund, totally abandoned this year.

Beautiful Atlantic Puffin

It was known that the puffin population there had declined over the last 30 years to by two-third, but this spring no puffins have shown up at all. There are gone. That is scary.

Researchers attribute the disappearance to the rising ocean temperatures worldwide and collapse of the fish population in the Northern Sea.
The food sources for the puffins have disappeared and the birds starved, no new chicks are raised.
Some birds might have started to find other areas where they can survive.

Another bird seen on Seal Island are the Razorbills.

Having Fun

Mating Razorbills, Machias Seal Island, Saturday, May 24, 2014.

Hilarious! Luckily we like butter.

Now I know why we never got a divorce.

BBC has an article today about eating margarine and divorce.

We have mostly eaten butter during our whole marriage.

And I am the one who scolded my dear husband for years, every time he added too much butter onto his crusty rolls in the morning.
No more!

 Go on honey, eat butter!

And we will stay happy together for ever after......:)))
The upcoming 27th anniversary is proving it!