Despite a forecast of rain, there was almost no rain during our walk in this 9 degree overcast morning.
We were rewarded with 34 species of birds:
Species list: horned grebe, red-necked grebe, double-crested cormorant, great egret, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, long-tailed duck, common goldeneye, bufflehead, ring-billed gull, Caspian tern, rock pigeon, mourning dove, belted kingfisher, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, barn swallow, tree swallow, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, American robin, ruby-crowned kinglet, European starling, yellow-jumped warbler, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow. (34 species)
A few Horned Grebes were present:


The Red-breasted Mergansers and White-winged Scoters have moved on but we did have a good selection of waterfowl:





Female Red-winged Blackbirds are very attractive at this time of year:


Other birds:



















Some botany:


Some park scenes:




This morning’s group:

NATURE POETRY
The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,
And drinks, and gapes for drink again.
The plants suck in the earth and are
With constant drinking fresh and fair. – Abraham Cowley (1618–67)
Miles Hearn