Yearn to Wander
Red Deer, Alberta
Sunday would be a day of relaxing ... at Starbucks and a bird sanctuary.
We looked forward to a relaxing day in Red Deer on the Alberta prairies at about 2800 feet after a day of driving across the Rockies, part way up the Icefields Parkway, and half way across Alberta. Tomorrow we go on to Lacombe for two weeks to take care of Rusty and Rocky, two yellow labs, and their house.
Red Deer felt like a comfortable city with rolling hills, the Red Deer River and a few small glacial lakes. It's on Canadian Highway 2 and 2A in Central Alberta half way between Calgary and Edmonton. The highways, along with the parallel CP Rail tracks, tell of a robust Albertan economy that depends on agriculture and energy, and enables the lowest taxes in Canada.
After breakfast, we checked out the nearby Starbucks to use their wi-fi, but stayed for an hour chatting with several Albertans. We talked about the local weather, farming, geography, economy, and of course, local politics.
One of the many city parks looked like a nice way to spend the day outdoors. Waskasoo Park borders the Red Deer River and has two small glacial lakes in a bird sanctuary. We opted for a walk on the 4 km nature trail. A sign at the trailhead warned of Moose. They didn't come to check us out, but my first Boreal Chickadee did. What a pretty bird -- with a white stomach, grey wings, taupe shoulders, and a black head, flitting in the upperstory of a spruce tree. The lakes were good for duck watching, too, with Goldeneyes, Grebes, Loons, and our familiar Mallards.
Waskasoo Park was so enjoyable we returned the next day for a picnic lunch and a short walk around another pond to see more wildlife. A young scientist from the University of Edmonton was pulling Tansy, a non-native flower here, too. She also works mosquito patrol (biocontrol), and said she'd been called out six times this season versus the usual two . Yes, they've had lots of rain in Alberta, just like Montana. This bird sanctuary is one of several in the area, which sports a variety of birdhouses on fence posts throughout the landscape. It all reflects a strong public interest in birds and an understanding of their importance in the food chain.
Red Deer felt like a comfortable city with rolling hills, the Red Deer River and a few small glacial lakes. It's on Canadian Highway 2 and 2A in Central Alberta half way between Calgary and Edmonton. The highways, along with the parallel CP Rail tracks, tell of a robust Albertan economy that depends on agriculture and energy, and enables the lowest taxes in Canada.
After breakfast, we checked out the nearby Starbucks to use their wi-fi, but stayed for an hour chatting with several Albertans. We talked about the local weather, farming, geography, economy, and of course, local politics.
One of the many city parks looked like a nice way to spend the day outdoors. Waskasoo Park borders the Red Deer River and has two small glacial lakes in a bird sanctuary. We opted for a walk on the 4 km nature trail. A sign at the trailhead warned of Moose. They didn't come to check us out, but my first Boreal Chickadee did. What a pretty bird -- with a white stomach, grey wings, taupe shoulders, and a black head, flitting in the upperstory of a spruce tree. The lakes were good for duck watching, too, with Goldeneyes, Grebes, Loons, and our familiar Mallards.
Waskasoo Park was so enjoyable we returned the next day for a picnic lunch and a short walk around another pond to see more wildlife. A young scientist from the University of Edmonton was pulling Tansy, a non-native flower here, too. She also works mosquito patrol (biocontrol), and said she'd been called out six times this season versus the usual two . Yes, they've had lots of rain in Alberta, just like Montana. This bird sanctuary is one of several in the area, which sports a variety of birdhouses on fence posts throughout the landscape. It all reflects a strong public interest in birds and an understanding of their importance in the food chain.
ms
2010-08-15
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