It’s been a rainy week. Five of my eight walks have taken place in wet or very wet conditions. This morning’s 8 am walk at Marie Curtis Park began in very windy, dark and drizzly conditions as you can see from this group photo which I took from the inside of my car.

Not wanting to use my camera in this weather, I left it in the car.

For the first part of the walk, we were blown about by strong wind gusts. Few birds were in sight. Eventually we made our way into the forest and I was prepared to chat about all of the resident Witch Hazel. Then, there it was, a very colourful small red-headed bird walking about on the ground very close to us. I reached for my camera – oh no – no camera. We all had the pleasure of its company for about 5 minutes as it poked about unconcerned by us.

This was a Common Redpoll, a five inch long bird which breeds in the far north but becomes very nomadic in the winter months. It was still there for the 11:30 walk but quickly fled. Here are some internet photos:

As if this wasn’t enough, the birding gods smiled on us once again as we came across a Bald Eagle sitting high in a tree enjoying a luncheon of fresh squirrel. Sigh … still no camera.

Here are some internet photos:

For the 11:30 walk I took my camera in a plastic bag and got a few photos but not of Redpoll or Eagle.

We did have a murmuration (a large group) of Starlings:

Other birds:

Park views:

Group photos:

8 am group at walk’s conclusion:

11:30 group:

NATURE POETRY

Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft 
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft; 
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.      – John Keats (1795–1821)

Miles Hearn