Canada's new National Bird - the Gray Jay

Today, 23 December 2016, we are having a heavily overcast day and the snow is steadily falling. Just noticed that there is a Snowfall Warning in effect. The temperature is -6C (windchill -11C). I don't think I need to go out, though, unless to the mailbox. Wish the old days were still here, when the mailman actually put mail in the mailbox right by your front door, instead of everyone having to use community boxes.

I had my Christmas yesterday, 22 December, with my daughter. We drove south of the city to the Saskatoon Farm and had a delicious breakfast. She is in so much pain that we can't go for a drive to look for Snowy Owls or old barns. She has an appointment next month and is more than ready to take the absolute earliest date for her surgery. On the way to drop her off at home, we called in at the Glamorgan Bakery - a well-known bakery that we have used for the last few decades. It always feels good to see their traditional cookies, Cheese Buns, cakes and pies. Thanks, Rachel, for a lovely few hours spent together - the best Christmas gift possible.

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After two years, nearly 50,000 votes and thousands of public and expert comments, the Gray Jay is the bird that has finally been chosen as the National Bird of Canada. For all the reasons this bird was chosen, see the link below.

www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/meet-our-national-bird-...

www.calgaryherald.com/news/national/98hardy+intelligent+g...

This photo was taken three years ago, on 15 December 2013, when friends and I drove out to Kananaskis and along the Smith-Dorrien-Spray Trail. They were really hoping to see Moose that day. For me, seeing anything from scenery to maybe a bird or two, is more than enough to keep me happy : ) The only birds we saw were a couple of Ravens and two (or was it three?) Gray Jays (seen in the photo above) and a beautiful male Spruce Grouse. The latter was down on the road when we first saw it in the distance, eating gravel to help its digestive system. Wouldn't you know it, just at that moment, a vehicle came from the opposite direction around a corner, and the bird flew up into a tree and "hid" behind a tangle of branches. You know how that goes - any birder / photographer will have had many similar experiences. I was able to take photos, but nothing too brilliant. Just thrilled to see the Grouse, though, especially a male.

There was a lot of snow on the ground out there, though not on the trees. The road itself had been ploughed, which made driving easier. In one spot, the snow plough must have ploughed a little closer to the snowbank along the edge of the road and then drifting snow had been blown on top. Our front wheels started out in snow that was maybe an inch deep, but the deeper snow pulled the car closer and closer to the snowbank - and into the ditch we went!! We were only driving slowly, thank goodness. The snow came well up my side of the car and there was no way I could open the door and get out. Within just a matter of minutes, on this quiet mountain road where we had seen little traffic all day, several cars all came at once. Everyone stopped, discussed the situation, and within a very short time, one of them attached a rope and had us pulled out of the ditch. To say we were very thankful and grateful is an understatement! Can't thank all those people enough for rescuing us - it was later in the day and I knew that light would be fading, and I had visions of us having to spend a very cold night in the car! So, it felt wonderful to once again be on solid ground! For years, I have read about how dangerous this gravel road is, especially in bad weather, but I'd never pictured ending up in a snowbank and ditch, lol. This was just one moment of bad luck. One that thankfully ended safely, so we were able to laugh about it afterwards.

Reported by CBC News on 21 December 2013:

"December (2013) SNOWFALL in Calgary has broken a 112-year record according to the city. The City made the announcement in a tweet Saturday morning after weeks of on-and-off heavy snowfall left many residents complaining about the lack of snow removal in parts of Calgary.

"A total of 43.8 cm of snow has fallen in Calgary this month. We haven’t seen this much snow in 112 years!" tweeted the City."