Instead of heading east today, I went straight north to Lake Simcoe. The lake is still frozen at this moment:

Near Jackson’s Point there is a lovely trail leading through a wetland.

Wooded swamps like this are perfect habitat for the Barred Owl.

I heard several Blue Jays and a Crow making a lot of fuss at one point and I got a photo of one of the jays.

A large clump was evident just below the jay and I thought that it must be foliage. What a pleasant surprise to find that it was a Barred owl.

Other large owls in Ontario have yellow or orange eyes but the Barred Owl has dark eyes.

I also had Ring-billed Gull, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch and American Robin on this 6 degree, overcast day.

Some Botany:

Trail views:

NATURE POETRY

The year draws in the day
And soon will evening shut:
The laurels all are cut,
We’ll to the woods no more.  – A. E. Housman (1859–1936)

Miles Hearn