It was a cold, overcast day at the beginning of 2016 when we decided to pack up the truck and head for a day trip to MacGregor Point Provincial Park, just south of Port Elgin, Ontario. We got our warmest winter layers on, a thermos of hot water and some good tunes on the stereo. The drive up was pretty uneventful until we got past Kincardine. Then we had to slow down while traveling through some blowing snow coming off the fields along the highway. Once we got to the park we had almost all of the trails we hiked completely to ourselves.

We only hiked part of the trail since it was the last one we ventured on and Maya was getting cold and tired. The trail is 3.5 kilometres in length, which is just too long for an old dog. Maya was about 14 years old at this point so we were doing shorter walks by this time and warming her up in between.

There were only a few other footprints on the trail before we got there, including some wildlife.

This Oak Tree was still holding onto its leaves which make for a splendid dash of colour in the winter time. I love how the coniferous trees capture the snow on their needles to add to the wintery scene.

This birch tree was covered in Birch Polypores, otherwise known as Birch Brackets or Razor Strops. These edible mushrooms are found exclusively on birch trees and can last for more than a year. This fungus is used as food and as breeding sites for a large number of insects and mites.

We love to go to our favourite parks in different seasons so that we can see how different they can look. Normally this lookout would be a great spot to watch for a variety of bird species, including waterfowl.

Speaking of bird species, this birch tree has seen better days. Which large woodpecker made these holes in search of food?

Nature is beautiful and destructive at the same time. This tree and vine have obviously been wrapped up in a dangerous relationship for some time. The vine has grown, chocking the tree, while the tree has attempted to continue to grow even while being damaged.

This slow growing Yellow Birch tree has some fascinating bark. Like most birch trees the bark appears to be peeling off, but this one is pretty extreme. The bark is highly flammable, which is why it make for an amazing fire starter material. If you are looking to use it though, please take it off of a dead, fallen tree so that you don’t harm a living birch tree. The bark is a food source for rabbits and beaver, while the bugs are eaten by ruffed grouse. These birch trees are also known as Gray Birch, Silver Birch and Swamp Birch.

More huge holes found in this cedar tree. That must be one large woodpecker. Could it be a Pileated Woodpecker? What do you think?

Macgregor Point Provincial Park is one of one a few provincial parks open for the entire year. They don’t have very many camping sites for tents or trailers in the winter but they do have a section of Yurts that you can stay at. Check it out and let us know how you like it!