Resting in the meadow

This morning, it's SNOWING! And it's settling, unfortunately. We really can't complain, though, as we have just enjoyed a wonderful fall.

Yesterday afternoon, 1 November 2015, was mostly cloudy with a short windy and drizzly period. Though the temperature was 8°C, it felt cold and, once again, I wore two fleece jackets, a fleece vest and a light jacket! Bebo Grove is one of the coldest places in the city, so I made sure I was prepared. The morning had been nice and sunny, which is why I decided to meet a few friends for a birding walk. However, the rain started shortly before I was ready to leave home and I was very tempted to change my plans. Glad I didn't, as the rain stopped and I would have missed seeing this handsome Mule Deer buck and two others, in a grassy area. They were busy feeding on the dead leaves and twigs and eventually decided to lie down and rest for a while. Our two-and-a-half hour walk took us through the area at the bottom of the stairs, then eastwards to bridge 4 and then west from the picnic area. Bird numbers were certainly way down.

"The most noticeable differences between white-tailed and mule deer are the size of their ears, the color of their tails, and the configuration of their antlers. In many cases, body size is also a key difference. The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the whitetail's is not. Mule deer antlers are bifurcated; they "fork" as they grow, rather than branching from a single main beam, as is the case with whitetails. Each spring, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. Shedding typically takes place in mid-February, with variations occurring by locale. Although capable of running, mule deer are often seen stotting (also called pronking), with all four feet coming down together." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule_deer

The other thing I would have missed is a Great Horned Owl, seen in one of the photos I've posted today. Not sure if it's the same one I photographed recently in the same area - I think it could be. It would have been so easy to not see this owl, as it was sleeping on top of a low, broken tree surrounded by a tangle of branches. Not the best photo, but it gives an idea of how easily these owls can hide. Two other friends had just returned to the parking lot after going for a walk and they offered to walk back to show us where they had seen this owl, so that helped. Thanks, David and Melanie!

Adding the list of bird species seen, compiled by our leader, Bernie. Thanks for a very enjoyable walk, Bernie!

1. Coopers' Hawk -1
2. Bald Eagle -2
3. Ring-billed Gull-8
4. Great Horned Owl-1
5. Hairy Woodpecker-3
6. Northern Flicker-1
7. Blue Jay-2
8. Black-billed Magpie-4
9. Common Raven-7
10. Black-capped Chickadee-30
11. Boreal Chickadee-1
12. Red-breasted Nuthatch-4
13. White-breasted Nuthatch-1
14. Bohemian Waxwing-27
15. Pine Grosbeak-8
16. Pine Siskin-12