Bokeh

A couple of Echinacea flowers growing in the garden at the Calgary Zoo on September 30th. No need to post a brightly coloured, warm flower photo today for those who live in Calgary - this comparatively mild weather feels really good and is definitely making all the Christmas Bird Counts this year far more enjoyable : ) I was on my fourth one yesterday, taking part in the High River Count, about an hour's drive south of Calgary. No luck for some of us with the rare Red-bellied Woodpecker, though. A total of five species of owl were seen by the various small groups in total - birder friend, Terry, and I saw a Snowy Owl and one Great Horned Owl. And now I am totally exhausted from all these counts - always forget just how much walking is involved in these long days, though thankfully yesterday was all by car, apart from just a few steps. A delicious pot-luck supper was held at the Polo Centre in High River at the end of the day, while the total numbers and species were being calculated. Have to go to my volunteer shift today (nothing to do with birding, ha) - it will be so hectic and non-stop (not that it isn't every time!), but will be extra stressful and challenging because of Christmas. And then, all being well, I will have two and a half days in which to run errands and "prepare" for Christmas, lol! Just three or four Bird Counts left between now and the end of the first week in January. Three of the four "free" days in between them in the first week of the New Year will be taken up with getting all my heating ducts vacuumed out and the next day getting a new heating furnace and water heater installed, plus a doctor's appointment the following day. I am so looking forward to these things being over : )