Hello May! What a Welcome!

Please continue to read!  I promise there are snow-free photos ahead!  It is what it is and the snow was not going to keep me home even though I am so whited out and over it!  The covering was thin yet it was that heavy wet stuff that sticks.  Surely this snowfall will help with at least putting a tiny dent in the draught conditions.  The trail marker has the design of a crocus at the top and seeing it looking like this, I knew the crocuses in the ground would be hard to spot.

The wide path up the middle of the Hill looked to be the best route to follow.  It's easy to tell which way the wind was blowing when the storm came through. It was not a cold morning, yet cold enough for the snow to not melt right away.

This Savannah Sparrow went about their morning business as if it was a sunshiny bright spring day.  The song it sang was sweet, it flirted around with two others and they all picked at the branches and in the ground for breakfast.   

There is a purple crocus under there somewhere!

The buds on this tree were so colourful.  

With this moisture, those buds will be bursting open in no time!

This was a morning well spent covering double digit distance all before the snow melted.  It was a very quiet morning, I am sure others are just over the snow as I am and preferred to wait for the greener pastures.

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That snow the day prior eventually melted offering up a nice shade of green.  I had a couple of hours to pass very early this morning so ventured to Confluence Park just as the new day was dawning.  I arrived at this location along the trail just as the alpenglow peaked!  It was a pretty sight so I took it all in while it lasted then moved on down the trail.  

It was early enough that the Mom Robin was still sitting on her nest.  Her and her sweetie had not yet gone off to search for snacks.  I made a mental note of where this nest was so I could check out the area now and then.  

A few trees over, I saw this Robin!  It looked so pleasingly plump!  Once I got home I did some googling.  From what I learned, I would say this is the male Robin guarding over the nest.  When the males are being protective they plump up their chest.  It was a chilly morning and to keep warm, they will also plump up their chest.  It looked so big, maybe he is double plumped, protecting and keeping warm.  

On the way back along the trail, I noticed the Robins were no where to be seen so I snuck into the bush to look in the nest,  It was empty.  I will be back and I am sure they will be too!  Stay tuned!

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Over the past couple of days while the snow fell and the wind blew, I passed time inside building "my little cabin in the woods"!  This is my latest macrame project.  While "out & about" I have been collecting small broken tree branches from the ground to use as hangers.   On this twig hang separate projects, a cabin and two trees.  It tells one story, I love staying in a little cabin tucked away in the trees.

I brought that macrame project with me to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary for the photo shoot.  After immediately taking care of that business, it was then time to be a birder.  There were lots of sights and sounds and  happenings as this day, as there is every day at this time of year at this location.  Photographing Black-Capped Chickadees has fallen by the wayside in favour of focusing on the new arrivals.  Yet, I could not pass up this one as it posed right before my eyes.  

I have seen a few Red-Winged Blackbirds over the past while but this was the first time I was able to get a decent photo of one.  

The Yellow-Rumped Warblers are plentiful these days.  What I learned this season is that there are variations of them.  I believe this is a "myrtle" as opposed to an "audubon".  I won't go into the detail, but the "myrtle" has less yellow markings.  

a Tree Swallow keeping one eye on me

These are just a few of my sightings.  I also saw four coyotes in a group, one stood guard over the other two and one appeared to be a pup.  They were in an open area but that open area was on the other side of dense bush and thick trees.  I was not able to capture good photos.  When I am back there, I will be on the lookout.   

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On this morning, before heading off to Carburn Park, I stopped by the Robin's nest to see what was going on. Since no one was home, I snuck into the bush to have a look in the nest. This is what I saw!  The Mother and Father were probably out and about enjoying breakfast.  I did more googling and learned they will go for breakfast early in the morning and then return to the nest.  She will sit on the nest, lay another egg while he watches over.  That should go on for three or four days. 

After capturing a photo of the Robin's nest, I quickly got out of there and headed on over to Carbun Park to see what was happening at the Eagle's nest.  When I arrived the Mother was out of the nest, perched on a branch above it.  I waited and watched.  I saw movement in the nest.  I waited, patiently I must add.  About twenty minutes after arriving to the viewing spot, the Eaglet popped up from the nest.  Oh my goodness, what a sweet moment.  

that ball of fluff is the Eaglet flapping its wings

I was so enthralled in watching the Eaglet, I was not paying attention to anything else, until I heard something behind me.  When I turned around, there was a Bobcat about twenty feet away, looking at me.  As soon as I turned, it turned and walked away.  I froze in the spot for what seemed like eternity but in reality was a mere second or two.  This was all I could muster up, after unfreezing and then shaking, in snapping a shot.  It's the Bobcat walking away from me.  I settled down, then got on with the morning, all the while being extra vigilant.  

This Beaver was busy nibbling on snacks at the edge of the river.

The Savannah Sparrow stayed tucked in the trees yet the space was wide enough to capture this clear photo between the branches.  These Sparrows are the cutest things.

Then, just like that, this House Finch swooped down in front of me.  

This Park was a happening place this morning!  Many birders were out and it was nice chatting with them.  We exchanged stories on our sightings, of course, I told about the Bobcat.  One did see it but the others had no idea a Bobcat hung out in the neighbourhood.  What a fulfilling morning it was!

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When the showers began to fall into the afternoon, I took out my watercolour supplies and created this painting from the photo I took in the morning.  While I declared this project complete, I doubt the Robin's project is complete. she will probably lay more eggs.  I will monitor the nest and if the coast is clear to have another peek inside, I will go for it.   Maybe I will go for another watercolour painting later with more eggs!