Wednesday Walk ~ Old Quarry Trail

The trail system in the green space around Ottawa is very accessible. The entrance to this trail starts across from the Hazeldean Mall in Kanata. Basically, you could take a bus there!

I have been visiting this trail for 25 years. In winter time, it's one of the shortest cross country ski trails when you take the shortest route - 40 minutes.

Oh yes, I remember going through this part, above, on skis! lol

We're walking around a wetland. Here, you almost can't tell what are trees and what are their reflections in the water.

This little guy is a baby red squirrel.

Here, a grey squirrel (black coloured), took off running rather than meeting us in the middle of the boardwalk.

It's not so obvious, but this is a small beaver dam and lodge. The lodge is that bump in the center closer to the back. It's an extraordinary sight when you realize you are still inside Ottawa city limits.

About now, the trail started getting mucky. It has been a wet spring. Now how are we going to get around this?

No problem. We can walk across the logs. It's either that or learn to fly!

A beautiful fungus growing on a tree.

This is when you know the logs were laid there on purpose. The mountain bikers must have a blast with this.

From the boardwalk, I had a good view down the length of the wetland - we're about 3/4 of the way around it.

I spotted the red-winged blackbird from there and zoomed in for this shot.

We crossed the wetland, here, thinking we were past the worst of the mucky parts.

Apparently we were wrong! There were still a few challenges ahead. We were thinking of this spot a few minutes later when a woman with a baby carriage passed us going the other way.

Signs of birds everywhere and I could hear a cardinal calling. I was hoping to spot some deer but didn't see any today.

Instead, we spot the parking lot in the distance.

Thanks go to @tattoodjay for the wonderful #wednesdaywalk tag.

Images

Shot with my Canon SX620 HS in Kanata (Ottawa), Canada

See you on the next walk!
@kansuze