I’ve been trying to get back out to the St George Society Cliffs, ever since my last trip out there, to see if the Gyrfalcons had returned. Unfortunately something always seemed to get in the way. It doesn’t help that only one of the snow machines is working and Leah relies on hers as much as people down south rely on their cars. But Sunday a narrow window presented itself and I decided I wouldn’t let it pass.
It was Leah’s mom’s birthday and I had a second cake in the oven after supper. We were heading down for cake and tea after her parents got home from church, around 8:30, so that left me with about a half an hour from when the cake came out to whip out to the cliffs, check out the aerie, maybe get some photos and make it back in time to head down. It seemed like a good time for Travis to come along, and he jumped at the chance, frustrated at how long the cake was taking to bake ("Dad, you’re taking soooo long!"). Finally it was out of the oven and we were out the door, leaving the cake for Leah to ice.
We whipped out and I’m continually amazed at just how far it is, I always think of it as being just around the corner. As we got closer I could feel Travis tucking closer and closer in behind me, and sure enough as soon as we stopped he told me he was cold. Now Travis spends a lot of time outside playing, so when he tells me he’s cold I listen. I was a little surprised because, although it was -20 or so out, he was tucked in behind me and I’m a pretty big windbreak. I quickly glassed the aerie, and although there was fresh, er, whitewash there I couldn’t see a bird. A quick look at a couple of resting spots on the cliff near the nest and sure enough there was the Gyr, I believe it was the male. Looking back at the nest I could just make out the top of another bird’s head. So the pair has returned and it looks as though they might be incubating.
I tried to get Travis to have a look through the binocs, but once again he complained of the cold and I tried to get a quick photo. I snapped off what Charlie would call a "record shot" and the battery died on the camera. It wasn’t unexpected and I had another ready to change into the camera but a plaintive "Dad, I’m COLD" convinced me to put it all away and head back.
Unsharp detail from Record Shot
Once again with Travis tucked in behind me I wasn’t really worried about driving fast, thinking he was out of the wind, and I hurried back to town to get him somewhere warm, figuring faster was better. I pulled into Leah’s parents and dropped him off before heading home for Leah, Hilary and the cakes. As he got off the machine I suddenly saw just why he was cold. His pants, and snowpants on one leg had pulled up, exposing bare skin from his boot to below his knee and he was frostbit.
I don’t think, and am really hoping, that the frostbite isn’t too bad. The skin is red and puffy and slightly sore to the touch, but it doesn’t appear to be anything more than superficial. If it looks at all worse tomorrow we’ll head down to the nursing station. He’s a tough little guy, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why he didn’t say his leg was cold, or try and pull the pants down when we stopped. Next time I’ll not be so lackadaisical about his clothes and check him more often.
Comments
2 responses
Hope your little guy is doing OK. Sometimes it’s so hard to understand the logic of children – he TOLD you he was cold and as far as he was concerned, that should suffice.
He seems to be fine Trudie. The leg is sore to the touch and red, but we’re taking a bit of a wait and see attitude.
And I know he let me know that something was wrong. I must be careful not to give the impression that I think it was his fault for not being more specific in his complaint. I don’t. He’s the kid I’m the adult and I know I should have been more careful and observant. There goes the parent of the year award again.