On the forest floor

A squirrel has found something to eat in the debris on the forest floor in early spring.

Juvenile Moose

Picking over the edible remains of the dogwood on the banks of the Sturgeon River.

Bursting through

The sun bursts through the mist covering Big Lake just after an early spring sunrise

Coyotes at the lake

Mom and her two pups moving though the frozen floodplain at Big Lake. (some background edits to remove distractions)

Moving along

Mom rounds up her puppies as they traverse Big Lake.

Playtime

The frozen surface of Big Lake is a big playground for these Coyote siblings.

Taking a pause

Mom and her yearling pause as they move through our area.

Keeping up

A yearling keeps up with Mom as they cross a field in Sturgeon County.

Leading the way

Mom leads her yearling across a field in Sturgeon County.

It's time

It's time for the Pileated Woodpeckers to establish a new nesting site. It was one year ago tomorrow I took this; https://www.wildstalbert.com/A-year-in-the-wild/Latest-St-Albert-and-area/i-txgnbH6/A

Hanging out

This Red-shafted Northern Flicker was in close proximity to a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers.

Barred Owl

In typical habitat of mixed forest in a river valley.

Barred Owl

After occasionally hearing a pair calling to each other over the last few weeks during my daily walks through the forest I was finally able to track one of them down. It stayed put long enough for me to get a few shots.

Woodpecker on a fallen tree

Taken on the bank of the Sturgeon River.

Lost feather

Left on a dogwood bush in the forest.

Feather in the forest

A Barred Owl has had a run in with a bush, presumably while hunting, as evidenced by the feather it left behind.

Problem solving

Having moved away from my position (sitting in the snow) Mom allows her yearlings to catch up before deciding which direction to take. Snowmobile sounds were coming from the direction they are looking here so eventually the decision was to turn and move directly away from me (into the photo).

Twins

Following Mom across a field in Sturgeon County.

Catching up

Mom is studying my intentions as she waits for her yearlings to catch up with her after the three of the emerged from the tree line.

Squirrel bark

A squirrel makes its displeasure known as I watch it devour the seeds from a pine cone.

Drifts

Scoured from the frozen surface of Big Lake, snow drifts have collected at each bank of reeds,