Radium Hotspring Getaway- Oct. 25-Nov.1 2020 Columbia Valley, Rocky Mountain Bighorns, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Hawk-owl, Mule Deer, Squirrels

Dian and I were getting house-bound so we decided to take a week and visit Radium Hotsprings.  We chose a nice apartment through Airbnb called  "Radium Condo with Mountain Views". It was a great location downtown with all the amenities of home.

We had heard of a festival there at the beginning of November called the Headbanger Festival, to celebrate the proliferation of Rocky Mountain Bighorns.  It was canceled this year because of Covid so it seemed like a good time to go and avoid crowds and get a discount on accommodation.  We lucked out on a week of good weather.  The day we got home the rains started.

This was our route.  

We came across two Mule Bucks.  

Although they look the same, they were two separate animals traveling together.

Dian took this shot of me with her iPhone.  We were hiking in the Columbia Valley, north of Fairmount Hotsprings.  

 On a day trip to Lake Louise, we found this Northern Hawk-owl.

This looks like a black and white shot but this is how the scenery actually appeared.  There was a forest fire here recently so there was not a lot of color.  Taken with the iPhone. The mountains at this time of the year are spectacular with the light touching of snow.  Unfortunately, I don't take enough time in trying to photograph them.

  

Main street Radium had a few Mountain Ash trees that had the Starlings going wild.  All the berries were gone in a few days.

The Starlings weren't the only ones after berries.  (iPhone shot)

The local golf course had more sheep than I have seen before.  I was hoping for some headbanging but it didn't happen.

Sheep were everywhere.  Landscaping seemed to be a favorite pastime.  One morning I was watching TV when a parade of them walked by the window.

The Columbia Valley.

I have a few theories of what is happening here.  I am going to go out on a limb (get it?) and surmise they are either trying to keep warm or one of them is afraid of heights.

Dian in the Columbia Valley

A Pileated Woodpecker landed close to us and proceeded to eat berries.

One last shot of the Columbia Valley taken with the iPhone by Dian.  We followed the trail to the end of the ridge in the distance. I rarely use the phone shots in the blog but they are better than the shots I got. 

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