One Fine Spring Day

The spring equinox may still be three weeks away, but I had a great spring walk this morning. I watched a single Red-winged Blackbird male (an early migrant?) and some mallards feeding on the mud flats. They all scattered at a crow’s alarm call- just before a Cooper’s Hawk cruised by.

I also spent some time watching a dipper feed in the spawning channel. There were at least six dippers feeding on the creek and channel over the winter, but now it seems that two of the dippers are feeding as a pair – noisily chasing other dippers away. Last year’s dipper nest is gone but there are no signs yet of any re-building efforts. Will there be dippers nesting there again this year?

I love this time of year, when so much returns, wakens or sheds its winter habits. There could, of course, still be a late winter cold snap. But it is easy when sitting outside in the warm sun to believe that spring is truly here.

Dipper in the spawning channel

Female Mallard dabbling

Red-winged Blackbird on the mud flat

Mallard Male feeding

Dipper submerging its head to feed

all photos and writing copyright J.A. Siderius 2015. If you want to use any photos just ask and give me credit please. You can visit me at http://www.sideriusphotos.ca to see more of my photos.