We started surveying a new block today. Its more west from the airport than the other survey blocks are, and you can really notice a change in the terrain. We are right on the edge of where the Hudson Bay lowlands start to end. The other survey blocks are very flat and swampy like typical Hudson/James Bay lowlands, but this new block which is about 60 miles west of the other ones is much more hilly and rocky, with much clearer water and more defined lakes. Beautiful wilderness, very much like the Muskokas, except totally uninhabited.
It made it interesting as it was my first real time flying survey in a hilly area. The hills make it a little more challenging than flatlands because you have to concentrate much more on flying the "drape" (following the contour of the land as best as possible).
I also spotted a Moose and she had 3 small calves with her. It was quite the sight. Our survey lines took us over top of them and past them a number of times, so we got several good looks - it was fantastic! They were out in a clearing by a small lake, presumably to get a drink, and our first pass directly overhead scared the mother, so she started herding her little calves back into the protection of the forest, hurredly nudging them from behind. You could tell the calves weren't quite sure what was going on. Quite the sight. They didn't go too far though, as by the time we made our next pass on the next line over they were still there just at the edge of the forest.
I have a cool job.
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Nice. To see more than a glimpse of them and be able to see maternal behaviour is pretty special. I'm guessing not many have seen that. I couldn't find a website that stated anything but one or two calves were normal. You may have seen a rare anomaly.
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