seven swans a swimming December 6, 2025

There were about ten plus seven swans a swimming rather than just seven that arrived back at Carburn Park for the winter so the plan for today was to go see them for myself.  While that was the main purpose, I would check in on the Carburn Bald Eagles also.  I was last here two weeks ago, the weather changed over that period of time so I expected the area to have a very different look and feel.  After crossing the bridge I looked back to see the sun was on the verge of rising. 

The light pillars caught my eye during this sunrise!  

following the trail towards the river

the paved path towards where the Bald Eagles hang out

There was nothing to see while scanning the tree tops across the way, no Eagles, no obvious nests, not even another person near me along side the fence.  A temperature of -17C with a wind chill making it feel like -24C keeps most people at home or moving fast.  As I was getting ready to leave in search of the Swans......

......a Juvenile Bald Eagle flew in. It landed in the tall trees at the left in the above photo.  Its perching place was deep in the trees.  I watched for a few more minutes then went on my way.

This Trumpeter Swan was my muse for the watercolour painting at the first of this post. 

It was a challenge to photograph them, the cold air created a foggy like look over the water.  

Also the Canada Geese plus the Ducks stayed close by.

There were mostly Adult Swans with a couple of Juveniles.  

This Juvenile stuck close by this Adult. 

Common Goldeneye, Canada Goose, Juvenile Trumpeter Swan

Canada Goose near ice with snow on its back and ice on its bill

Female Common Merganser

a frosty view 

As I followed the trail along the River, I saw the line up of Geese and Ducks at the shore seeking shelter.  There were no small birds around other than one Female Downy Woodpecker and lots of Magpies.  Maybe as the temperature rose, the little ones would appear but I was not waiting around.  The gloves and mittens I choose for today were not doing their job, I called it a day and aimed for my vehicle.

As I was driving out of the parking lot, an Adult Bald Eagle flew overhead heading for the usual hangout area.  Dang... but I was not going back, I was heading home!  I felt content with seeing the Trumpeter Swans.  The drive home along the "Deerfoot 500" was just as sketchy as the drive there. I breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed once I pulled into my parking park at home!

colourful when it's white November 25, 2025

The thick carpet of white left behind from yesterday's snowfall filled my mind with colourful thoughts!  It's a time of year when the chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis is higher.  The alert went off through the night so I looked out, the Northern Lights were dancing up there yet they were on the dull side.  It took this big snowfall to get my heart dancing to the tune of the Christmas Spirit. With all this dancing talk.....

.....it was time to put my feet in motion!

Weeks have passed since I wandered through the Birth Forest then strolled along The Creek at Confluence Park.  It was as far as I was brave enough to drive in my vehicle which is now a month old.  It's still too new to take unnecessary chances.  With multiple layers on, wearing my warmest hat and spikes on my boots, I was ready to dance through the new white gold!  

The sun was up high enough to add a pinkish tinge to the tops of the trees.

While wandering through the forest, I looked for the Great Horned Owl whoooo usually visits this location around this time of year but it was no where to be seen.  I will keep my eyes open anytime I drop by the Park over the next month or so.  After capturing a selfie, I descended down into the valley to follow the trail along Nose Creek. 

 

The Creek is open in sections with lots of ice formed in other areas.  

I like how the tinges of pink add a hint of colour !

Where ever there was a place that snow could accumulate, it accumulated!  

At every pole along this fence, a snow wave was formed!  

There were about twenty of these.

I like the snow crystals formed on the icicle that is hanging under a metal railing!

every twig looked like this

Not only was there no Owl, there were no Coyotes nor Deer, but there were three Mallard Ducks.  Two males accompanied this female.  They were in a small section of the Creek that had open water.  You can see where the water becomes ice.  Fog was rising from over them so the photo is a bit blurry. 

in the fog

By the time I was nearing the end of being "out & about", I knew I had quite the collection of wonderful fun photos.  Oh and how about that collection of frost of my hair!  All this white today definitely added loads of colour to my day!  

 

mood of the day October 31, 2025

 Then just like that Hallowe'en arrived!  

This morning's look and feel offered up perfection for the mood of the day.  I squeezed into rush hour traffic to venture down the "Deerfoot 500" to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary to cover some kilometres on foot, to "forest bathe", to bird spot and to come away feeling like I got a full dose of nature.  I arrived to see everything covered in a very thin light layer of frost.

the other youngster was not as curious so dashed off

It was early and even though that adventure on the "Deerfoot 500" woke me up, I was not quite up to snuff with making ID's.  All the while, I thought I was admiring a Muskrat.  There was a baby boom of them this summer and I thought this was just one of the many.  

It was when I saw it swimming a bit later, I knew it was something other than a Muskrat. It was a very similar size to one.  I asked a City Parks Person who happen to be strolling my way, he told me it's a baby Beaver.  An ID can be made by checking out the tail.  

White-breasted Nuthatch

male Common Goldeneye

Muskrat

small sections of light layers of ice are forming 

frostiness

While I was snapping shots, I realized all my photos were dull in colour, muted shades with no vibrancy.  I wondered would any of the scenery shots be cause for an "oh wow"!  Once I got home and loaded the photos onto my big screen, I vocalized "OH WOW"!  I like the look of frostiness and light layers of ice. The photos fit the bill for a mood ideal for Hallowe'en!

looking up

I like when things are looking up and I like looking up things and just plain looking up!  This past while it feels like life is looking up.  It took motivation and work, it took putting plans in place, it took being optimistic and always looking on the bright side, while at times it took looking up things to find ways to make sure that life could be looking up.  

While life it looking up, I am doing lots of looking up.  That comes with the territory of being a planner, a birder plus being interested in trees and cloud formations. This past while, while just plain looking up, I admired how trees created canopies.  A few weeks ago the canopies were full and colourful with beautiful blue peeking through.  This is my creation of that canopy creation!  

Today's plan was to venture down to Carburn Park where I could do lots of looking up.  I would be looking up for birds with hopes I would have success. The local bird count is dismal.  What's here now will probably stay for the winter.   

Three Siberian Larch Trees are near the entrance to the trail leading to the river. Two have lost most of their needles yet this one remains vibrant, a few bright lights help with the vibrancy.  Parks People are getting winter decorations in place while the weather is still user friendly.  

I like visiting here to see vistas like this! 

While meandering along, I was looking up more than looking anywhere else, that was until I heard a splash.  This muskrat appeared a few seconds after I heard the splash, then he was gone just as quick with another splash.  One of the things I ended up looking up was why do their tails stick straight out of the water sometimes.  I learned it's for balance. 

 

I spent some time looking up at this male Downy Woodpecker.  

I wanted my photo to show the red, so I had to pack my patience while he moved about. 

While looking up at this Black-capped Chickadee, 

I ended up snapping the shot at the split second the sun shone in its eye.  

At another location while looking up because I heard a sound, a Doe darted towards me. She scared me so I took off in the other direction while she just as quickly followed me.  Finally she darted again but this time into the woods.  I returned from where I came to see if I could discover what that sound was that I heard.  Looking up was not needed, there stood a Buck right off the trail.  It scared me so I took off in the other direction but thankful it did not follow me.   

A little later I spotted the Buck again and he spotted me! I learned the locals call him "Downturn".  One of the small antlers growing off the main antler is curled downwards which is very unusual.  They always grow upwards. I was happy the Doe was elsewhere and all that darting was done.  

I spoke too soon!

Not long after the Doe & Buck episode, I saw a female Mallard Duck dart after the male.

There was not much birding activity that had me looking up today.  I mentioned at the first of this post that awhile back the tree canopies were full and colourful with beautiful blue peeking through.  Now that the trees have lost most of their leaves, today while looking up I didn't see full and I didn't see colourful but I certainly saw lots more beautiful blue peeking through!  I created this painting to make a pair of paintings showing tree canopies then and now.

There is so much to see and learn wherever and whenever you are doing some sort of looking up!