Relief! Some Recent Walks

 Today's weather was certainly a welcome relief.  The temperature went above zero for the first time in several weeks!

This morning, I managed to go for a long walk under sunny skies (weather forecast was a bit wrong...turned out nice!).  In recent weeks, I had not been able to go for any lengthy walk due to the weather or cold or snow.  Weight gain......

My place of choice was the frozen Sydenham River starting at W. Darcy McKeough dam.  I had not done this in many years.  It is certainly something different and interesting to do.

Some scenes.......

Just north of the dam at the bend

There was practically no birdlife (no surprise this winter), but I was more focused on the fresh air and exercise.  Here are some scenes along the way.

I walked up to the next concession.

Smith Line bridge

One of the birds was a Red-breasted Nuthatch.  I did not get a photo, but here is the one in my yard this winter.

Along the way, I noticed remnants of a paper wasp nest.  The outer covering had blown off, exposing the inside.  Kind of neat-looking!

Neglected pic-nic table along the way:

Sunday was a nice day for a drive, as I went into Elgin County.  Again, not many birds, but I needed a change in scenery and a couple of moderate walks.  I went as far as John E. Pearce Provincial Park south of Wallacetown.

I walked the trail at the Storey Wetland.

No owls in the woods, but then they are scarce this winter.  Deer were prancing about though, and these two briefly stopped to take note of my presence.

On the way back, I stopped by Clear Creek Provincial Nature Reserve.  Coming up along Duart Road, a Common Raven was perched in a tree.  As usual, it flushed before I could get a photo.  It is quite standard to find a raven around these parts anymore.

Here are some scenes.

The trail passes by the famous old fallen beech tree.

Here is a photo way back when it was still alive.

At one point, I noticed some imprints in the snow.  Obviously a bird had come down to grab something.  Possibly an owl?

There have been some trips out to the St. Clair River, but it is mostly iced in.  Recently, open water is from north of Cath's Cart Park to south of Courtright. Here we find lots of waterfowl.

Yesterday, I stopped at the CF Industries warm water outlet where the concentration was.  I picked out four Trumpeter Swans here, and possibly a fifth.  Unable to get decent photos of anything since I sat in the car, not wanting to flush anything.

Two Trumpeters here with a Mute counterpart

There were too many Mute Swans, and a few Tundra Swans.

There was one Canadian Coot swimming around.  I recently had two at Cathcart Park.  Probably the "least common"bird here.