Spring Appears to be Delayed.. a bit!

The Magpies can smell a peanut from miles away. I think they have a secret spot where they can watch for a delivery!

 A lot of people don't like Magpies, but I find them to be very interesting, and intelligent.

 Speaking of intelligence, these sparrow find it a lot warmer sitting on the rail letting the sun warm both the front and backside. It was -20C today with a wind chill of -30! It was darn cold. At one time there were 8 sparrows on the rail.

Neither snow, sleet, hail or cold stops Daphnie from retrieving her Kong on a rope. It stopped me after about 1/2 hour.

Then, there was this lone Goose sitting in the middle of the Athabasca River. I think she is smart also because the water and the layer of air above it is probably 25degrees C warmer than sitting on the shore. She still looked miserable!

 My Black Capped Chickadee has returned with a mate. Hopefully they will nest in one of our bird houses again. I read somewhere that they need an equivalent of 250 sunflower seed per day in order to survive at these temperatures!

Okay everybody, have a great weekend and think warmer, please!

Out for a Drive

I came across this immature bald eagle watching a deer carcass. I was hoping he would come down, or fly, but no such luck.

 He was blended in quite well and I didn't see him at first.

 A very regal bird, but still a scavenger.

Also there were lots of Blue Jays

 And a Downey Woodpecker

 The Athabasca River is making ice at a good rate

 The Magpies were settling for left overs.

On the Positive Side

Yesterday was our first snow day of fall. We had a lot of moisture come down, but fortunately it was half rain and half snow, and has now pretty much melted.

The Magpies were flitting around , much like normal

 Its funny that every year after the first heavy frost or snow, the Robins descend and attack the Choke Cherry tree. I guess the cold sweetens and/or softens them.

Here is one trying to reach a clump of berries. Too dull a day to get a fast shutter speed!

On the positive side, the snow didn't stay!

What to do When it's -20C or -32C counting the wind chill factor!

Well, I guess the first logical thing to do would be to stay in with a good book. Not so. After 5 days in the above temperature, I decided to grab the camera and see how the wild life was faring.

 The Magpies seemed to be doing well, and not being bothered by the cold.

 Fluffed up and enjoying the sun. We haven't seen it for a week

 This one was face planting, probably looking for a stash of food. The pigeons were out flying about and were extremely skittish.

So much for the birds! There were lots coming to the feeders, but that is for another day. I wandered down to the Athabasca River to see what was going on. This is a picture of ice forming in the current (yep, it's cold) and being sucked under an ice bridge.

 Here is the freezing water being discharged from under the ice bridge. Think very big, unflavoured slushy!

 Just a couple of more frozen water shots. Somebody think "Spring". Please!

We are only getting about 7 hours of daylight now. Anybody in the deep South want to exchange dwellings for 3 months?

Things have been very quiet on the hunt for critters (camera wise). I just missed getting a great shot of this Red Tailed hawk. He caught me napping!

This other one was cooperative, but not in flight.

I couldn't resist this pair  of "Love Bird" Magpies.

It's starting to get cool around here, dipping down to below freezing at night. Snow is forcast for Saturday. Hope they are wrong!

A Little Rest

After a lot of driving in the last  few weeks to the Shuswap, to Red Deer, to Hinton and finally to Canmore (5 hours each way done in one day) I was due for a rest.

 The Magpies were very co-operative with some portraits and fly pasts.

 I particularly like this one.

 More Kestrels have move in. I counted nine today.

 They are very graceful! I need to catch one in the stoop. No luck so far, or too far away!

 This Kestrel was a little shaky on the landing. 

 Just a few more Magpies to finish the day off.

Life Goes On!

After 10 days of record breaking temperatures +12C  (53F) we are back to normal and under a snow fall warning. We are expected to get 10 to 20 cm (up to 8 inches) of snow.

 Daphne is starting to like it outdoors and will probably feel quite happy with more of the white stuff.

 Brooklyn is, well, Brooklyn. Laid back and indifferent

 The magpies have been teasing the dogs, landing just out of reach and flying just ahead of them.

 As you can see, the snow is just starting.

Score one for the magpie!

The birds are Back.

Well, some of them anyway. During the snow and extreme cold, they have been notoriously absent. I guess they were hunkered down somewhere. The Magpies came back today (6 of them) and were very hungry. Sorry for the multitude of pictures, but I am trying to play camera catch up. In other words I have been click free for 4 days!

Early Morning Feed

Yesterday was one of those all day snow, but warm days. There was hardly a bird showed up at the feeder. First thing this morning the Magpies showed up. 

 Oh, come on! Don't be shy!

 The other two that showed up first did not want these two to feed and originally drove them off.

 Regular little, well, not so little puff balls at this time of year! -16C ( 3.2F) today :-{