R.I.P. singer David Bowie.

Thinking about my daughter as I type my descriptions this morning. She should be in surgery in about 45 minutes' time. Supposed to be just day surgery and hopefully it won't turn into anything more. More anxious than I would perhaps normally be, after we lost her sister one year and eight days ago.

Yesterday, 10 January 2016, I joined a group of friends to go for an afternoon birding walk at Carburn Park. The weather was much warmer than the previous day's trip east of the city to look for Snowy Owls and Short-eared Owls, when it was around -23C in the morning. The sun was shining and I just needed to get out.

The next photo, also taken yesterday, shows the challenge to photographers - most of the birds are always on the far side of the river! At least this beautiful White-tailed doe and four others were close enough to photograph for a moment. Someone feeds them regularly in this park, which isn't good, so now they sometimes approach people (still very warily), hoping to be fed.

Thanks so much, Janet and Bernie, for an enjoyable walk and seeing 21 bird species. As always, the coffee and soup afterwards at Tim Horton's was just as enjoyable as the walk itself.

FFCPPSoc. Birding,Carburn Park , 1315-1600, Sun, 10Jan2016. Sunny, calm, -2°C.

Canada Goose-50
Mallard-200
Redhead-4 (3 f/1 m.
Greater Scaup-1 f.
Bufflehead-100
Common Goldeneye-400
Barrows X Common Goldeneye-1 m. hybrid
Barrow's Goldeneye-5 (4 m./1 f.).
Common Merganser-10
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER-1 juvenile m.
PIED-BILLED GREBE-1
Bald Eagle-10+
KILLDEER-7.
Downy Woodpecker-5
Northern Flicker-2
Black-billed Magpie-20
AMERICAN CROW-10
Common Raven-8
Black-capped Chickadee-20
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
Common Redpoll-12

Eastern Gray Squirrel, black morph-4
White-tailed Deer-5