Last summer we left Dirleton’s verdant pastures behind and moved into the city. Although this relocation process inconveniently coincided with the final stretch of a certain major project, the move was an altogether good one and has put us even closer to the Ottawa River than we were previously (albeit some 30 km downstream). And so, the New Year’s Project is this: ongoing, informal monitoring of the nearby Britannia Bay. I’ve had my eye on it for a few months now, and it’s turning out to be quite the place — maybe even worth writing home about. So, without further delay, I present Britannia Baywatch #1.
Things have pretty much frozen up by now, and aside from some riparian bits the surface is snow-covered. When I was out today (early afternoon), the skies were clear and the temperature was around -15°C.
The winds were up, much to the apparent delight of the kiteboarding-set. Oddly enough, one sail was emblazoned with what looked like a mudpuppy (not a species typically associated with rapid aerial movement, at least as far as I know):
The strong gusts coming off the frozen bay may have deterred certain birds that frequent the stretch of shoreline I visited today. I didn’t hear a single peep until I was on my way home; it seems the Chickadees were spending their time in the lee of the Belltown Dome, while a Hairy Woodpecker was making her rounds along Haughton Street. No sign of the White-breasted Nuthacthes that I’ve seen in recent months, however.
Anyhow, we’ll see what turns up tomorrow.
