Fish Creek Park 2

I know there's not all that much to this photo, and I keep deciding not to post it, but there is just something (colour and light) that brings me back to it. Makes me think of a little tropical fish swimming in the sea.

Just messing about down at the park. They have a couple of wooden picnic shelters there with these two large round holes. Not all that many fall leaves on the trees now.

This is the kind of day we had today! Gloomy, wet and miserable. Luckily, the rain did stop later in the day. It was the 75th Parks' Anniversary celebration this afternoon and I took this photo of this 100-year-old barn that we passed on a short nature walk. It is not used at all - though a stable had horses there till fairly recently. I really hope they don't pull down this old structure. It really is an attractive building.

LOL, look at the size of those feet and claws (especially the hind claw) - all the better for climbing down tree trunks head first! Saw this guy down in a local park this morning, when I went to check on the male Great Horned Owl, whom I found doing his regular guard duty not far from the nesting tree. A few degrees below freezing and overcast today.

We had such a wonderfully mild day today, with gorgeous blue sky. Took myself off to the park for a Family Day walk and was thrilled when I found one of the teeny Northern Pygmy-owls again, just a few minutes into my walk! I heard Chickadees making quite a noise, went over to peer into the trees, and found myself looking into the eyes of this little guy. And it is a GUY because a few minutes after I took this photo, he flew about six feet into the next tree and mated with a female, right before my eyes!!! I can't believe how lucky I have been this week - one treat after another. I would imagine that they could nest in this area, which is so exciting. Can only imagine how tiny the young ones must be, as the adults are only the size of a popcan!

I was so lucky this morning to see two Northern Pygmy-owls (rare to uncommon), one at each of two different locations in the park. I started out with my usual group, but ended up staying at the second location with several photographers that I had met up with. The birds were high up and quite a distance away, but I am posting my photos because the two birds are in different surroundings compared to various previous images of these teeny owls. Remember that they are only the size of a popcan, so when they are far away, that blob of brown is VERY small, LOL! Often, I can't really even see which way the bird is facing, so it is rather hit and miss as far as photos are concerned. After catching its prey (a tiny rodent), the owl flew deep into this Spruce tree and all but disappeared. When I peered in, the main thing I saw was one tiny, bright yellow, piercing eye! I needed to be about a foot taller, unfortunately, to get a somewhat better photo!

I was so lucky this morning to see two Northern Pygmy-owls (rare to uncommon), one at each of two different locations in the park. I started out with my usual group, but ended up staying at the second location with several photographers that I had met up with. The birds were high up and quite a distance away, but I am posting my photos because the two birds are in different surroundings compared to various previous images of these teeny owls. Remember that they are only the size of a popcan, so when they are far away, that blob of brown is VERY small, LOL! Often, I can't really even see which way the bird is facing, so it is rather hit and miss as far as photos are concerned.

Took this photo this afternoon on a VERY cold walk (-16C), looking through an archway in a wooden picnic shelter in a local park. You can almost feel as if you were there if you view this in large size. There were several inches of fresh snow, just enough to make me aware of muscles (in my legs) that I didn't realize I had! One of these days, colour WILL return to my photos!

This afternoon, I called in at my local park and searched for the two Great Horned Owlets. When I went down in the pouring rain yesterday, all I could find was Dad, but no sign of Mom or the young ones. I had the feeling that the babies had fledged and become branchlings, but could see no sign of them. Photographer Phil told me that he had seen them out of the nest yesterday (or was it the day before?), so my gut feeling was correct. I was about to go home today, after a fruitless - or should I say, owless? - search, when my eyes caught sight of two very fluffy "behinds", LOL! They were perched way, way up in a tall tree, motionless (asleep, I suspect). After a while, they began to move and I managed to get a few distant photos. They must be around six weeks old, I think. Very unsteady on their feet when moving along the branch and I witnessed a few balance problems. At one point, I even let out a very loud gasp. Very cute to see. Oh, and Phil, they are MY owls, not YOURS, LOL! Thanks for your comment on my previous owlet image that had the long narrative (about malicious gossip) below it - hilarious, and I'm still smiling! Thanks for SHARING your information - the more eyes, the better : )