I took a short trip to Elk Island today to see if the ice has come off Astotin Lake.  It turned out to be a great excursion for birding.  On the way I saw a red tail hawk carefully perched at the top of a poplar tree.  As I slowed, it glanced my way but did not fly away.

There were many pairs of mallard ducks in the ponds along the way as well as in the park itself.  A number of small hawks were perched along the roadside ditches.  They were not close enough for me to get an ID without binoculars.

At Astotin Lake, a killdeer ran along the edge of the beaver pond.  It was not afraid.  I opened the window to get a couple of photos and it began singing its sweet song.  At the same time, I heard the familiar calls of the red winged blackbirds and the Canada geese.  I could have listened to that natural symphony for hours.

I left the park and continued on a road trip that eventually looped back home.  The best sighting of the day was in field east of Lamont where snow geese and Canada geese were feeding in a farm field.

I arrived home in the early afternoon.  I was surprised to find one purple finch, the first of the season.  There were also a number of dark eyed juncos. 

It was a great day to see a number of birds that returned to this area.  My only wish was that the light would have been better so that my photos would have been better in quality.

On my travels I stopped at a favorite farm supply store.  They had rubber boots on sale so I treated myself to a new, colorful pair that reach all the way up to my knee.  They will be great for exploring the trails and ponds on rainy days ahead.  I'll be outside rain or shine.