February 2026
We continue to have frigid temperatures, wind chill effects and frequent snow flurries. After watching from the warmth of our apartment, it was time for us to get closer to the wintering ducks diving in the river – despite the cold.
We bundled up against the wind and snow and headed out earlier this week to search for ducks on the river. It doesn’t seem as cold when there are birds to see and photograph!
Canada Geese are present along the Thames in winter. These geese no longer migrate as they did in the past.
Tagging along in a flotilla of Common Mergansers was a male Golden Eye. The male mergansers are striking in their contrasting plumage and bright red bills. In bright light, the males’ black feathers are revealed to be dark, iridescent green. Female and non-breeding male Common Mergansers have completely different plumage from adult males – grey bodies, reddish-brown heads and white chin patches and breasts.
We were delighted to find a small flock of Hooded Mergansers farther up the river. According to allaboutbirds.org, they court in groups of one or more females and several males. In the courting display, males raise their crests to expand the white patch, sometimes jerking their heads back while emitting a croak. We didn’t hear any croaking. Perhaps these were practice runs…
We caught sight of a Bald Eagle as it flew through the falling snow. On our way out of the river valley, we listened for small birds in the trees. All was quiet, even in the bushes that usually shelter flocks of House Sparrows. Very few birds flew into the feeder mounted on a neighbourhood building. It is likely that most were tucked away out of the wind and cold.
Wandering Bee Flowers
For some colour, here are the June flower bouquets from Wandering Bee flower farm.
Music – A feast of rock big bands
For a few years in the early 1970s, there were three successful bands with large horn sections, Lighthouse, Chicago, and BS&T (Blood, Sweat & Tears with David Clayton-Thomas). While there are some decent live recordings, we can do better with studio and cover versions of their songs. Leonid & Friends have specialized in covering (and sharing on YouTube) the songs of Chicago.
