A highlight of any winter walk is the sighting of a Snowy Owl. We had a long look at a distant “snowy” on this sunny -1 degree morning. I am sometimes tempted to spend about $12,000 for camera equipment which would deliver more precise photos of birds that are far away.

There was a “raft” of over 200 Greater Scaup in the bay and a few individuals elsewhere:

Species list: mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, American black duck, redhead, greater scaup, bufflehead, common goldeneye, long-tailed duck, red-breasted merganser, snowy owl, herring gull, ring-billed gull, ruby-crowned kinglet, American crow,house sparrow, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, American tree sparrow.  (20 species)

Park scenes:

This morning’s group:

NATURE POETRY

O Winter, ruler of the inverted year,
Thy scattered hair with sleet like ashes filled,
Thy breath congealed upon they lips, thy cheeks
Fringed with a beard made white with other snows.      – William Cowper (1731–1800)

Miles Hearn