on the 20th day of December......

......I made my last visit to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary for 2025! Before heading there, I painted the Sugarplum Fairy for the 20th day of Advent.  The instructor suggested doing a test painting on other paper before painting the real thing. I should have heeded her advice but I was too big for my britches.  The Fairy does not look happy as she sits lopsided! Day 18 is a tree called the Western Australian Christmas Tree and Day 19 is brussel spouts which is not a Christmas dinner tradition for me yet is for many around the world. 

Today was the only opportunity I had to visit The Sanctuary one last time this year and it happened to be one of the coldest days so far this season.  At -21 C with a windchill of -31 C (-5.8F with a windchill of -23.8F), I bundled up and braced against the cold while embracing it too.  

Ducks & Geese huddled up at the edge of the river!

These are a female and male Mallard Ducks that were actually performing the mating dance.  

My photo is clear, I snapped the shot through fog hoovering over the river.

Whatever it takes to stay warm!

This is a fluffed up White-breasted Nuthatch!

Whatever it takes to stay warm!

I first saw this adult Bald Eagle.....

.....then I saw this Juvenile Bald Eagle and I wondered....

.....could they be the Adult and Eaglet I saw on May 18th!  I often wondered if that Eaglet survived and began to live its best life!  I am going to let my mind believe it did and I saw it today. I accept the sighting as a wonderful Christmas gift on this 20th day of Advent.

I left that area holding close to my heart, the sighting of the Juvenile Bald Eagle.  I then came upon some action playing out, from what I next saw, I knew why the Young Buck and..... 

all the other Deer were standing on guard!  

Right in front of me, this Coyote came under the wire on the fence and headed down the trail.....

.....following behind this Coyote that was carrying a Canada Goose! Neither looked in my direction, they walked down the trail then veered off into the bushes on the left which happened to be where the Buck and the Deer were.  I watched the Coyotes go into the bush and settle down with the Goose.  I snapped my shots then I was off.  This was not a scenario I cared to be in the middle off.  

After taking off and moving down the trail quite a distance, I felt OK with stopping to enjoy the scenery again before calling it a day and heading on home.  A very narrow section of the creek remains open.  I enjoyed seeing how the icy crystal flowers lined the waters edge.  

oh how dainty yet hardy these beautiful creations are 

So, I am not dainty yet I am hardy!  Two hours after arriving and bracing against the cold yet embracing it, I was ready to cover the last kilometre to my vehicle then hit the road to home.  On this 20th day of December, I was gifted many wonderful sights from Mother Nature!  

Once I got home, I curled up on my sofa under a blanket and just like I shared in my last post, 

I had visions of Christmasy Mountain Scenes dancing in my head!

I used a tutorial to learn how to paint trees like these! 

I added the mountains and included many trees!