We visited the Parc once during the month. It was a mid-week forest fire smoky day so not many visitors.
The new velvet antlers were certainly coming along. Having brought carrots along (see below) we were treated to close-up views of the new adornments on the fallow deer, elk, moose (behind a fence) and caribou.
The first three pictures are male fallow deer. The first one with the "spike" antlers is a year old and growing antlers for the first time. In subsequent years his antlers will look like the others/
If you look closely you'll see an elk (whose name I have learned is Bernard) in the first picture of the second last row, has lost the back part of both sides of his antlers. There is a tear on his cheek as well. I was told by the Parc staff that Bernard disappeared one day and came back the next day with broken antlers and scratches on his face and shoulders. They searched the Parc trying to find where he could have gotten stuck that badly but never found where it was.
Fallow deer
Fallow deer
Fallow deer
Elk
Elk
Elk
Elk
Elk
Elk
Elk
Elk
Moose
Caribou
The Caribou above is an excellent example of losing one's winter coat. Two Rocky Mountain Goats also were looking shaggy losing their winter jackets. (A few of the elk above were also losing their coats)
The first elk calf we noticed that had been brought back out of the woods and was along the road with is mother.
The day we were there was "World Caribou Day" and we were allowed to get out of our cars and have a good look at the caribou.
Last month's Photostory contained a picture of very young caribou. This month two healthy, 3 week old, caribou calves were with the other caribou. A third calf was born but did not live.
Driving back from the picnic area two large elk had parked themselves front and centre to intercept cars as they came back on to the main route.
Three squirrels, a red, a grey and a black one were all enjoying a mid-morning meal of corn and sunflower seeds on a feeding table.
As in past months, the red fox was out napping at the Parc store/restaurant. The arctic foxes were busy running around their territory.
A pileated woodpecker was checking out some fallen tree trunks.
Canada geese goslings were much in evidence. two large families out for a swim and pair with two goslings on land (one of the goslings looked like it had just flopped down and bot curled up on its legs).
The coyotes were enjoying their newly enlarge enclosure. A fancy new den was being built for the bears. And a cinnamon bear was out for a swim, blowing bubbles as he moved along.
There is a pond along the edge of the trail to Old Farm that is a favourite with the frogs. We spotted many bull frogs, as well as a leopard frog still with a tail.
Bull Frog
Leopard Frog
We had bought a 60lb (27kg) bag of carrots at the Lachute market before arriving at the Parc. The deer and elk shared about 15lbs (7kg) of the bag.
