Santa on the side of a shed - a photo on Flickriver

            Friday, 10 January 2020: temperature this morning is -19C (windchill -26C).  Sunrise is at 8:36 am, sunset at 4:51 pm.  A dangerous Deep Freeze has arrived here and will stay for the next week, with temperatures dropping as low as -28C, windchills as bitterly cold as -35C.  Nightime temperatures for next Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be -36C!  Stay warm, everyone!

This photo was taken on 27 December 2019, when seven of us (in the group I was in) took part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley area.  Our time was spent travelling in two cars, driving the back roads SW of the city and calling in at various acreages/ farms.  Thanks so much, Joe and Dave, for being the two drivers.  This was so much appreciated! 

We left the city around 7:30 am, and the car in which I was riding drove south to Okotoks to pick up a brand new participant, who I think had a most enjoyable day out with us.   Happy to have you come along with us, Ralph, and it was great that you had a new experience at one of our stops - having a tiny Chickadee fly down to your hand.  Not even just a regular Black-capped Chickadee, but a less common Mountain Chickadee. 

Our drive then turned westward and we met up at Millarville with the other carload of birders.  Unlike last year, when the Count day was a heavily overcast day, yesterday was sunny and beautiful.  The snow was magnificent, with huge crystals that took one's breath away.  I was unsuccessful at photographing them up close, unfortunately.  Though the day started off at -19C, it did warm up as the day wore on.

It was good to have our long-time friend, Rod Handfield, meet us at his cabin and accompany us for part of the Count.  Rod has allowed some of us to explore his forest for quite a few years.  The mushrooms and other fungi that grow there are amazing, though depending on the year's weather.  This fall, after so much rain, we were totally in awe at what we found.

At lunch time, we were welcomed into the home belonging to Jeanette, to eat our sandwiches and enjoy cheese and crackers and hot coffee.  This stop allows us to warm up for a little while, which is much appreciated.

As usual, we met with nothing but pleasant landowners, so willing to allow us to wander their properties.  Last year, one of them, Doug J, had the highlight of the day for us - a Steller's Jay!  The status of the Steller's Jay in Alberta is "locally uncommon year-round".  No luck yesterday, though.  No Wild Turkeys yesterday, either, which was a little disappointing.

Tomorrow is the next Count, for the Cochrane Wildlife Reserve/Water Valley area.  Four of us in my group will be heading north of Cochrane at such an unearthly hour!  Will have to set my alarm clocks for about 4:45 am.  Weather forecast for tomorrow is for overcast and "a few flurries" which, here, tends to mean "a few inches" of the white stuff.  We shall see ....

Taken on: December 27, 2019

Sets appears in: • Sheep River/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count, 27 December 2019 • Nikon Coolpix P900 more » • Sheep River Christmas Bird Counts, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 • Christmas « less

Groups appears in: • PHOTOGRAPHERS OF CANADA • Christmas Card Wannabees more » • A Very Flickr Christmas « less

Camera: NIKON COOLPIX P900, f/5.0, 1/125 sec, 57.1mm, ISO 140 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	NIKON COOLPIX P900
Aperture:	f/5.0
Exposure Time:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:	57.1mm
ISO:	140
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 12.0 Windows
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