Kind of a Random Post

It's been a while, so I thought I would write a little something to let you know that I'm still around and doing my best to keep this blog active. 

I've been busy lately with work at home as well as preparation for exams.  On top of that, it's naturally a slower time of year for birding and outdoor exploration.  Last Sunday, I did manage to make it to the Thames River in St. Marys.  The usual crowd of mallards, black ducks and canada geese was present.  I also saw four common mergansers, my first ones for this winter.  They can usually be counted on to show up at the larger rivers in our area around this time in the winter. 

Driving between St Marys and Tavistock yesterday, I saw a red-tailed hawk and my first rough-legged hawk.  I wish now that I had spent more time observing it, but when I saw it at first I didn't think anything about it.  Looking through the field guide when I arrived home, I noticed that there was limited variety around here for dark hawks.  Other field marks such as the light patches on the tail matched with rough legged, a common species around here, but a first for me since I started a life list. 

That being said, my life list on this blog is somewhat inaccurate.  There are birds that I have seen in the past before the life list came into being.  I have added some of them to the list in cases when I can confirm the identity.  However part of the fun for me is to 'refind' (if that's a word) some of these birds and then add them to the list.  I have seen common loons on Manitoulin Island in the past, but haven't put them on the life list because I live close enough to have the chance to visit manitoulin again sometime and then I have something to watch for.  Some birds from my trip to Alberta I have added here, because I don't get out west all that often.  It all boils down to how sure I am of the ID and how likely I am to see one again.

These mild days where the temperature hangs around one degree Celsius reminds me of those days to come this spring when birding is at it's best.  I admit I like winter, but it gives me something to look forward to.