On this spectacular late winter morning, I wandered down to one of my favorite nearby haunts - the beaver ponds along the Kootenay River, opposite South Slocan. The birds were letting me know that spring was coming: robins and sparrows singing, flickers yelling, redwing blackbirds chirring. It's the season of pairing up, and I came across a few happy waterfowl couples, including these hooded mergansers, who were hanging out in an ice-free corner of the pond.
These mallards were enjoying the sunshine in another pond, the male resplendent in his iridescent green cap.
This pair of common goldeneyes was floating down the main channel of the Kootenay River.
In a different pond again, I came across a pair of Canada geese, floating amid reflections from the surrounding poplar and red-osier dogwood stems.
On the walk back, I noticed a flock of Bohemian waxwings in the top branches of a big cottonwood tree.
They were sallying for some kind of insects that must have been buzzing around at an altitude of 50 metres or so. Quite cool to watch.
What a joy to spend a few hours of this glorious (13 degrees C!) day with my avian friends. As much as I enjoy the winter, I'm always excited to see the return of the warmth and the birds as the land reawakens from its winter sleep.
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