Spring-When It Changes, the Changes are Big

My winter boots are still on the carpet by the door. I used my winter coat just a week ago. I wrote about the ice on my most frequented pond last week.It looked dismal then but now it looks absolutely fabulous! I got away with jeans and a t-shirt yesterday and it was HOT-definitely shorts weather. It is as if we have  moved right into summer but after a delay Spring has arrived in Alberta, with the wooden stems on the bushes turning bright red and yellow and the buds are just starting to open. I can smell the earth and the woods and the smoke from the barbeques.

The pond is alive and well with the sight and sound of Canada geese, Lesser Scaups, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards, a Muskrat, Red-necked Grebe, American Wigeons and a couple of young women in bikinis.

Sorry, no bikinis here, just the birds. Oh, I am so in my element! I found ducks and geese right at the waters edge  nesting, with the male a short distance away guarding the female.I was impressed with the camouflage, was very close before I saw them until the gander or drake appoached me and quacked or hissed and I backed off , respectfully. The geese were staking out their territory and all were displaying breeding behaviour, a few nesting on the two islands but a couple right beside the walking path.

Here are some shots that I got. Sometimes the light was harsh and I tried to get partially in the shade or with the sun behind me.First the Lesser male and female Scaups. Local naturalists John Acorn and Chris Fisher, in the field guide “Birds of Alberta”  describe the male scaup as looking” like an oreo cookie, black at both ends with white in the middle.”

Male Lesser Scaup

Female Lesser Scaup

Red-Necked Grebe

Nicely -camouflaged Female Mallard Duck

Resting but attentive male Mallard

Male Common Goldeneye Rising in the water

Female Goldeneye Take-Off

Talking Female Mallard

A Canadian Goose Chase

American Crows are Back

Male American Wigeon (did not see any females)

So nice to have Spring come back. I am curious to see when the babies will hatch this year and when I will see the first warblers.Happy shooting, everyone!