Blue Sky and Birds

Sun and shadows are
so welcome now that the snow
has melted again

~ carliewired

At 7:30 I was sipping coffee in the kitchen. Sun was streaming in making rainbows on the walls. -2 C outside - but who cares! There's blue sky and that white stuff is gone! 

I drove to Bankside in Fish Creek Provincial Park. I was on my second cup of coffee at 9:30. There were a few more people out using the paths and walkways today. We are all encouraged by the sunshine. 

Many birds were in evidence. They were soaking up the sunshine, too. There was a huge flock of Franklin's gulls on the river's sandbars. Their black head and white eye is very distinctive. Yellowlegs were wading in the shallows, so named for the colour of their legs. Goldeneyes, very common on our prairies, were fishing in the river. The males have a round white patch on each cheek. The Bufflehead males have a big white wedge at the back of their heads. I managed to catch one in the main channel of the river. I caught a handsome merganzer preening himself on the water. His lady is very different in colour, with a crested rusty head. I missed her. 

It was 12 C by noon and we're looking forward to a great improvement in weather and temperature over this week. Fingers crossed!