Winter Camping Season is Over

Last Thursday night most of Southern Ontario got hit with severe freezing rain and high winds.  As we left Waterloo on Friday the ice was beginning to fall from the trees and hydro wires but the damage had already been done.  Trees were uprooted, branches broken off and hydro poles snapped like toothpicks.  As we approached the MacGregor Point and Port Elgin area it became evident that although they had received a lot of rain, there were fewer power outages and less damages to trees.  In fact, MacGregor Point Provincial Park did not lose hydro at all.

In the Park some campsites were covered with water, including that of the campground hosts who had water running across the roadway and underneath their fifth wheel trailer.  The next day we got a photo of them digging a trench across their driveway to drain the water.

Friday evening one mature and one young female deer visited our campsite as did a couple of Snowshoe Hares on Saturday evening.  Birds (particularly Juncos) were plentiful at our bird feeders.  It was as if they knew we would soon be removing the feeders and heading homeward on Sunday.

After intermittent snow and light rain most of Saturday, the sun broke through on Sunday morning as we removed our electrical cables, satellite TV dish, bird feeders, etc. and vacated our campsite.   




Snoozing after a tiring drive



Ribs & sweet corn

Still a few small piles of snow on our camp site



Almost ready to roll



Bold red squirrel by our window feeder

 

Campground hosts draining their camp site

Winter Warriors "Farewell Brunch"

Thanks to Tom and Kerry for once again hosting the end of season Winter Warrior "farewell brunch".  To the best of our knowledge the term Winter Warriors was initiated by Frank and Lucy Spence who were winter hosts at MacGregor Point Provincial Park for a number of years.

Upon arriving at the Park yesterday afternoon we were given a list of available On-site Winter Program campsites for 2013 - 2014.  Sixteen sites are being added in Ash Woods campground in addition to the twenty-three sites already available in Birch Boulevard campground.  It's exciting to see this great program expanding.

This year's program ends April 15 so most of the campers have already removed their winter tarps, mud rooms, etc. Today's weather forecast wasn't that great when we arrived so shortly after our arrival I tackled the disassembly process.  In less than three hours the task was complete and some campers thought I had set a speed record.  Next weekend we'll remove our bird feeders, outdoor lights and electrical cables and take the RV back to Waterloo.

Today has been a particularly good day for wildlife observation.  This afternoon while returning from a short trip to Port Elgin we saw a porcupine foraging in a field adjacent to Bruce Rd. 33.  Since they are not known for being very speedy, I was able to approach it and get a couple of photos.  Unfortunately though, we believe that we missed a great photo opportunity with a Pileated Woodpecker.  While preparing to barbecue supper we noticed large wood chips around a cedar tree on our campsite.  The chips weren't there yesterday and judging from the size of them (up to 2" long) they appear to have been the work of a Pileated Woodpecker.  Shortly thereafter we got the photo of a snowshoe hare and then the deer, both on our campsite.

Tom\s "right profile"

 

Awning damage on Site 51

Porcupine in field on Bruce Rd. 33

Fresh woodpecker holes.  Top hole about 5" in height

Snowshoe hare in transition from winter to summer colouring

Deer at our campsite