I forgot to put in my order for Oyama’s and missed the window. That means I didn’t get my Swedish ham order in for the season. So we took a drive out to Hopcott’s meats in Pitt Meadows and picked up a fresh ham and I’ll brine it myself this year instead.
There was a break in the weather today, a bit of relief from the rain; the sun even made an appearance. You have to take advantage of those unexpectedly gorgeous days in December! So, since we were in the area, we took a drive up to Pitt Lake to enjoy the scenery.
I come up here every year in September to help with one of the salmon enhancement programs, but Kirk had never been. Since the day was so lovely and the sun had some warmth in it, we walked most of the length of the dike and enjoyed the many swans visiting the marsh and the bright reflections on the still waters.
Although I’d still prefer snow at Christmas, I’ll take this over the rain, for a day even.
Fish and Wildlife: The Pitt-Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) supports over 200 bird and 29 mammal species. The area provides important wintering, migration and breeding habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, passerine and upland species. Of particular note is the presence of Greater Sandhill Cranes feeding and nesting in and adjacent to the WMA; it is one of only two nesting sites in the Lower Fraser Valley. Other bird species include Canada Goose, Mallard, American Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Wood Ducks. Raptors, most common during the winter months, include Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Kestrel, Turkey Vulture and Osprey. Black Bear, Mule Deer and Coyote are seen regularly, and Cougar have been reported on occasion. Rare elements identified in the WMA include Pointed Broom Sedge, Two-edged Water-starwort and Sessile-leaved Sandbar Willow.
Physiography, Climate and Vegetation: This WMA is generally a flat, alluvial floodplain made up of dyked and undyked areas. Pitt Lake is the largest tidal freshwater lake in the world. There is a rare reverse delta at the mouth of the Pitt River, a result of deposition which occurs when rapidly flooding tides dam and reverse the main Fraser River outflow back up into Pitt Lake. The WMA also surrounds Pitt Polder Ecological Reserve, an area of sedge bog and two forested granitic outcrops rising 114 metres above the floodplain.
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Wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Happy holidays !!
Very nice monochrome photo with very nice reflections.
Congrats on Explore!
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