May 9,2020, Out and About

There were lots of birds out this morning on the walk

American Wigeon

Northern Shoveller

Common Loon

Song Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

They Continue to Come!

A lot of the migratory birds are back, just to get hit with a major snow storm!

Common Goldeneye

Northern Shoveller

Great Blue Heron

Common Merganser

Common Merganser Pair

Common Merganser Drake

Great Blue Heron

Yesterday Was a Ducky Sort of Day!

It was a great day for pictures! Alas, the River is opening up and the birds are dispersing to their nesting areas. In the meantime, I had fun!

Here are a pair of Common Goldeneye

A Canada Goose making a big splash on arrival

Two male Greater Scaup

A Pair of Bufflehead

A Male Common Goldeneye

A male Hooded Merganser

Tundra Swans

The Tundra Swans are a lot bigger than the Canada Goose!

A pair of Mallards

Canada Goose Mating ritual

Three Canada Geese fighting for the right to mate

Breakup on the Athabasca

This is a view of the Athabasca two days ago. The warm weather had opened up some of the river and raised the level about one foot. 

Here is another view two days ago. Some of the ice and debris dammed this side of the river, forcing more water into the main channel, much to the enjoyment of the ducks.

Yesterday, the top view became this. The ice was starting to move from upstream and the river's two flows have equalized.

Before long, the ice was building.

Some of the ice blocks ere several feet thick. I hope the river doesn't do what it did last year and dam off the whole flow below Town. The result caused the river to overflow the banks and flooded several thousand acres, and lots of houses. It washed out sections of the flats road. People were out of their houses for several weeks. 

Back to the River

After two days of snow, it was good to get out to the Athabasca River again. We have snow forecast for the next 4 days! The River has opened up a little bit, but refreezes at night with our-26C temps.

The geese seem to be happy and there are even some mallards back!

 These two were paddling downstream

 Most of the geese appear to be paired up

My trusty Rough Collie is looking pretty good after her spring Spa Day. Washed, trimmed and looking good!

I am not sure if this is an immature Bald Eagle or a young Golden. I need to ask some experts on Alberta Birds. This was about 200 yards away at maximum magnification. The snow was too deep to get closer.

Athabasca Freeze Up

 In November the slush ice started forming and moving downstream.

The ice would start to hang up on rocks and shallow places

 More and more ice would form and pile up.

 Eventually, the channels would get narrower.

 A snowfall made for a bleary and dull day

 A Bald Eagle was still hunting the open water.

 The open water is now almost gone.

 A little hoar frost made for pretty scenes.