Well, hello there

This shot was taken four days ago, on 6 December 2015, when I went on a two and a half hour walk in Fish Creek Park with three friends. The weather was beautiful and sunny and I think it actually got up to 9C in the city, Crazy weather for December, but I love it!

Not a whole lot of bird life to be seen, but we did see a juvenile Bald Eagle, which is always a pleasure to see. Will add our leader's list of species below. My friend also had a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches and a little Downy Woodpecker fly down to her hand. Always amuses me how different the individual birds can be. Some are so quick and grab the first thing, others take a second or two to try the different pieces before making up their mind. Some land very gently on your hand, others less so.

"A common feeder bird with clean black, gray, and white markings, White-breasted Nuthatches are active, agile little birds with an appetite for insects and large, meaty seeds. They get their common name from their habit of jamming large nuts and acorns into tree bark, then whacking them with their sharp bill to “hatch” out the seed from the inside. White-breasted Nuthatches may be small but their voices are loud, and often their insistent nasal yammering will lead you right to them." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/id

"Due to a lack of water fowl and a number of fisherman in the waters north of the boat launch it was decided to go south under the 22X bridge to the edge of Lafarge Meadows. Winds were calm, skies a sun/cloud mix, temps +4 to +6C.

1. Canada Goose - 36
2. Mallard - 110+
3. American Wigeon - 1
4. Common Goldeneye - 19
5. Bufflehead - 3
6. Common Merganser - 3
7. Bald Eagle - 1 juv.
8. Killdeer - 2
9. Feral Pigeon - 5
10. Northern Flicker - 1
11. Downy Woodpecker - 2
12. Black-billed Magpie - 5
13. Common Raven - 2
14. Black-capped Chickadee - 10
15. White-breasted Nuthatch - 4

White-tailed Deer - 3

Leader: Janet Gill"