The last few days have been cold and snowy, so limited travelling.
Some trips to the St. Clair River have revealed some waterfowl at the usual locations, but nothing special.
I have done quite a bit of touring of country roads, but birds are very scarce. Roadside at Reid Conservation Lands, I came across a unique sight of a pair of Ring-necked Pheasants! Although a non-native bird, any birds these days are likely are released or escaped birds.
These ones showed no fear.
A couple of days ago, I toured a few roads in the old Dover Township, but again very few birds. The occasional Snow Buntings or Horned Larks were encountered.
I have had no luck in coming across owls of any sort, but a fairly regular Eastern Screech-Owl was safely tucked in a Wood Duck box.
I have done a few short walks, but the deep snow limits one's efforts! Yesterday was a clear and crisp day.
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| Common Milkweed at Wilkesport |
Today, I needed a change in scenery and went into Middlesex and briefly into Elgin County. Upon arriving at the misery, I saw an adult Golden Eagle perched up ahead, not in a good position. It was harassed by crows and soon took flight. I took a very poor photo through the windshield as it flew away. It was a good start, but downhill from there!
Golden Eagles are regular winter residents in the Skunk's Misery area. Here is a better photo of one from years back.
South of Wardsville, I toured around the "Beattie/Gibb Loop".
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| Distant raptor along the river |
The standby Fox Sparrow is still coming to the feeders, making for a bright spot here each day.
As always, I will include some history stuff! While in Sarnia late Wednesday for a LWI meeting, I took a photo of the steam locomotive at Centennial Park. It has been a fixture there since my youth. It is one of the mountain class locomotives built in the 1940's for CN Railway. They were nicknamed "bullet-nosed Bettys".
It was retired in 1963 and brought to Sarnia.
One of its sister locomotives still exists and has run on occasion in the past. Back in 1974, the 6060 was on a special run in the area from Petrolia to Sarnia and back. A rail line does not run through Petrolia, but a spur line was built off the main CN line to downtown Petrolia. It has long-since vanished.
My family took advantage of this special run.
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| Coming into Sarnia |
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| At Sarnia |
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| At Petrolia |
The 6060 is currently in Alberta going through a long restoration process that started in 2020.
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