One Swallow Doesn't Make A Summer

If you are reading this, a Great Time to pass the 'Link' on to Friends & Family!

Early this morning I telephoned the Leake household and in fairly short time Heather was down to The Lodge to pick me up and take me back for a 4 days stay.

Some little way outside what is the main village there is this turn off to the north,

and soon the LEAKE homestead sign hove into view.

Let me introduce you to my friends Colin Leake, currently busy in his job as Maintenance Manager on the AlCan Highway, as well as organising the next family holiday,

and his wife Heather, seen here cooking enough chicken to feed the 17 people (just a very small part of the food required for this 2 weeks trip) who will be on their upcoming holiday. This involves flying, by private light aircraft, with 1,500 pounds of kit to the Nahani River in the North West Territory, then rafting from Virginia Falls to Nahani Butte a distance of 240Km

Looking down the main entrance path the first building is

the 'Guest Room', yes this was to be all mine during my stay.

Then comes the Stables which are accommodation for Heather's 7 horses,

and in true Western style what serves as the Tack Room, a sturdy ranch fence.

The front of the main house.

the back and

2 gable ends with the

west view complete with loungers, stereo, beer fridge and these

beautiful vistas. Looking between the trees the Toad River is also visible.

An Elk scull and antlers serve as a table table.

The barbecue area.

Heather's garden complete with potatoes, rhubarb, lettuce etc.

One of a number of out-houses bedecked with Moose antlers.

The 2 Guardians of the property as carved by Colin.

Four species of Swallow in the air or perched at the same time!

Violet-green Swallow

Each cabin has its attendant group of nesting Cliff Swallow.

Cliff Swallow

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Of note, just outside of Port Nelson a Sandhill Crane was seen on a roadside verge, otherwise thus far the species of 'wildfowl' recorded here are as follows (list additions in blue):- Mallard, Northern shoveler, Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Slavonian Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Duck and American Wigeon. Other additions include Sharp-shinned Hawk, Spotted Sandpiper, Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker, Warbling Vireo and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Trip List = 145 World Lifers = 14