Rainy Day People

Yesterday the weather reports were bad.  It was supposed to rainy, windy and cold.  But the morning was OK so we went out and saw some stuff.  Hopefully my pictures can expand on 'stuff'.

This is the Rocket Launcher from a distance

This is a snowshoe rabbit hiding behind a bush.  See his white back feet.

Look, another scoter, someone says with delight (I am not a fan of scoters)

Tundra Swan

The rain really started after lunch.  That didn't stop Rudolf, we were out there driving around, completely unable to see anything out of the back windows.  So everytime there was a bird of note, he would angle the van so we could all look out the front window.  This took quite some maneuvering on small dirt roads.

Which makes me think about roads. There are roads all over the place here.  Of course, any city had lots of roads but they usually go somewhere.  Here, long dirt roads to nowhere.  I guess they go somewhere of use to someone, I just can't figure out the use or the someone.  Or the road goes to some abandoned building after miles and miles of forest.  This is a weird place.  Anyway, all of the roads make for more comfortable birding than hiking into these remote places.  Also, randomly, an outhouse will appear, near nothing.  I have partaken of some pretty sketchy forest outhouses.  My favourite was covered in Ptarmigan poop.
And now for my scat collection (and I don't mean music)

Ptarmigan

Wolf, it is so old that only the fur is left.

Cariboo

Outhouse in the woods, miles from anywhere.

But I digress...  After some awkward front window birding, the weather had turned very ugly.  The rain was coming in hard and sideways.  We decided now was the time to visit the Eskimo Museum.  That's the name, don't blame me.  It is pretty impressive.  There are taxidermied samples of large mammals (polar bear, wolf, fox, muskox, etc).  Lots and lots of carvings.  Plus a wee gift shop.  I didn't buy much because I thought we were going to another gift shop but that didn't happen.  I am in the hands of another male guide who doesn't understand women tourists.  One of the other women asked today if we could go to a gift shop in town and Rudolf answered, only if the weather is bad.  Woe is me.

The only polar bear I am likely to see here

Out front of the museum

By dinner it was so bad out, we just stayed in for the evening.  We did have time to stop at the liquor store for Rudolf to buy us all some wine for dinner so I guess some of his shopping priorities aren't all wrong.    I spent the evening uploading pictures and reading my novel.

This morning we went out in the rain again. There were no birds.  Then Rudolf took us the former site of housing for some of the local indigenous people (Dene I think).  The birding group was obviously getting bored because a 'discussion' about residential schools broke out with two camps (one side was they were bad but not all bad, the other side was for all bad).  That went on forever until thankfully we spotted a bird worth looking at.  I don't even remember what it was but I was glad to end the tension in the van.

After lunch it wasn't raining quite as hard so there were a few more birds around. We also stopped at a dog sledding company's property and saw the dogs.  This started another semi-heated discussion in the back but I just ignored everyone this time.  I came for birds not dissent.

We stopped at a point to get a better look at the Ithica wreck.  I found out it was a coal ship from up north and it had engine trouble decades ago.  Eventually it was abandoned and just drifted onto the shore and has sat there ever since.  Nothing gets taken away here.  Did I mention the airplane.  There is a crashed airplane from the 70s just sitting on the rocks, rusting away.
Here is a very little bit of info on these two wrecks:

The plane crashed because it was so overloaded with supplies so they call it Miss Piggy

The Ithica

 While we were looking at the shipwreck, someone noticed another snowy owl right in front of us. This time it was a female.  And this time I got pictures!

Snowy Owl

Looking away

On our way back for dinner., we also spotted a fox.  That was a bonus but no pictures.  We also stopped by the port and had another look at the crane.  Which reminds me to tell you about birders.  I am  a bad birder.  I collect species and then move on.  Good birders count individual birds and sightings of those individuals.  So, those in car who like to count want to see that bird every day.  Yesterday, he was a no show, today he gave us a quick walk by.

We also stopped by the Anglican church hoping it was open.  I wanted to see it because it has beautiful stained glass donated to the north by Lady Franklin for all of the efforts of Northern Canadians toward the futile search for her lost husband, explorer John Franklin .  Alas, the church was locked so here is the worst picture of stained glass ever (from the outside) and the church.  Now that I look it up, this isn't even Franklin's stained glass.

Not Lady Franklin's stained glass 

The Anglican Church.
You can imagine how spectacular it must be inside with all of those windows in stained glass.
I think the Franklin glass is the top left.

Here is a stolen image of the real Franklin stained glass

There is a bit more history on the website where I got the picture

After dinner we were going for a walk.  But by the time we got to where we were going, it had started to rain and blow again so we only lasted for about 15 minutes before we came back to the Centre.  So, I have time to write this post before bed.  Weather is supposed to improve, cross your fingers.

Here are some more random pictures of trees and rocks (and some birds of course).

You can never have enough Ptarmigan photos.

Snow Geese

Tree facts:  That 'skirt' of branches at the base of the truck is below the snow in winter so it is protected from the winter wind.  that is why it is still green and lush, unlike the bent and bare branches above. 

PS.  It is 10:35pm and it is still light out but I am going to bed.