Friday, 19 March 2021: our temperature is PLUS 7C (windchill PLUS 4C) just before 10:00 am. Sunrise is at 7:41 am, and sunset is at 7:47 pm. Sunny.
Just a few more days and I will be getting a cortisone shot in my left knee. One has to rest for a couple of days afterwards and then take it easy for up to two weeks after that. Knowing that, I decided that I had better make the most of a sunny, though somewhat hazy, day and go for a drive. There are so many things that I need to get done before I get the shot, but how much I actually get done remains to be seen. I have only ever had these shots once before, around three years ago.
So, my plan was to call in at the Saskatoon Farm first, so that I could enjoy a good breakfast. I was so glad that I did go, as I found out that three little yellow ducklings actually belong to a Muscovy Duck. She was sitting on a nest last time I visited, but I hadn't really thought ahead about what her babies would look like. I think whitish would have been my guess. The ducklings kept snuggling up to the female. When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Paul, the farm boss, and I asked him about the young ones. Sure enough, they belonged to the Muscovy duck. Apparently, 18 eggs were laid, but only these three hatched.
As always, a visit to the farm puts a smile on my face. It starts off, or ends, my day, in such a great way. Actually, I went there twice yesterday, the second time to grab a much-needed coffee, to keep me awake for the rest of my drive home.
From my morning visit, I drove a little further south and went to see an American White Pelican at Frank Lake. Unfortunately, the gate doesn't open for a while yet, so people have to walk as far as the outflow channel. The light was awful and all the birds were so far away. Just tiny black specks in the distance that, without binoculars or, better yet, a spotting scope, remained anonymous. At least I saw the Pelican, a true survivor! It had overwintered at Frank Lake because of an injured wing, though it seems to have healed now. Hard to imagine how this bird survived the brutal winter weather, including with windchills down as low as -40C at one point. Eventually, and hopefully, many other Pelicans will arrive at the lake, so this one will once again have company of its own kind.
"The strange, warty-faced Muscovy Duck causes confusion for some bird watchers, as it's very distinctive and quite commonly seen, yet does not appear in some field guides. Truly wild individuals are restricted to south Texas and points south, but domesticated versions occur in parks and farms across much of North America.
Domestic varieties—heavier, less agile birds with variable plumage—live on farms and in parks in warm climates around the world, where they can be confusing to bird watchers.
The word “Muscovy” may refer to the Muscovy Company (incorporated in London in 1555), which transported these ducks to England and France." From AllAboutBirds.
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youtu.be/8faKgqFrWeI
Friday, 19 March 2021: our temperature is PLUS 7C (windchill PLUS 4C) just before 10:00 am. Sunrise is at 7:41 am, and sunset is at 7:47 pm. Sunny.
Just a few more days and I will be getting a cortisone shot in my left knee. One has to rest for a couple of days afterwards and then take it easy for up to two weeks after that. Knowing that, I decided that I had better make the most of a sunny, though somewhat hazy, day and go for a drive. There are so many things that I need to get done before I get the shot, but how much I actually get done remains to be seen. I have only ever had these shots once before, around three years ago.
So, my plan was to call in at the Saskatoon Farm first, so that I could enjoy a good breakfast. I was so glad that I did go, as I found out that three little yellow ducklings actually belong to a Muscovy Duck. She was sitting on a nest last time I visited, but I hadn't really thought ahead about what her babies would look like. I think whitish would have been my guess. The ducklings kept snuggling up to the female. When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Paul, the farm boss, and I asked him about the young ones. Sure enough, they belonged to the Muscovy duck. Apparently, 18 eggs were laid, but only these three hatched.
As always, a visit to the farm puts a smile on my face. It starts off, or ends, my day, in such a great way. Actually, I went there twice yesterday, the second time to grab a much-needed coffee, to keep me awake for the rest of my drive home.
From my morning visit, I drove a little further south and went to see an American White Pelican at Frank Lake. Unfortunately, the gate doesn't open for a while yet, so people have to walk as far as the outflow channel. The light was awful and all the birds were so far away. Just tiny black specks in the distance that, without binoculars or, better yet, a spotting scope, remained anonymous. At least I saw the Pelican, a true survivor! It had overwintered at Frank Lake because of an injured wing, though it seems to have healed now. Hard to imagine how this bird survived the brutal winter weather, including with windchills down as low as -40C at one point. Eventually, and hopefully, many other Pelicans will arrive at the lake, so this one will once again have company of its own kind.
© All Rights Reserved
Friday, 19 March 2021: our temperature is PLUS 7C (windchill PLUS 4C) just before 10:00 am. Sunrise is at 7:41 am, and sunset is at 7:47 pm. Sunny.
Just a few more days and I will be getting a cortisone shot in my left knee. One has to rest for a couple of days afterwards and then take it easy for up to two weeks after that. Knowing that, I decided that I had better make the most of a sunny, though somewhat hazy, day and go for a drive. There are so many things that I need to get done before I get the shot, but how much I actually get done remains to be seen. I have only ever had these shots once before, around three years ago.
So, my plan was to call in at the Saskatoon Farm first, so that I could enjoy a good breakfast. I was so glad that I did go, as I found out that three little yellow ducklings actually belong to a Muscovy Duck. She was sitting on a nest last time I visited, but I hadn't really thought ahead about what her babies would look like. I think whitish would have been my guess. The ducklings kept snuggling up to the female. When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Paul, the farm boss, and I asked him about the young ones. Sure enough, they belonged to the Muscovy duck. Apparently, 18 eggs were laid, but only these three hatched.
As always, a visit to the farm puts a smile on my face. It starts off, or ends, my day, in such a great way. Actually, I went there twice yesterday, the second time to grab a much-needed coffee, to keep me awake for the rest of my drive home.
From my morning visit, I drove a little further south and went to see an American White Pelican at Frank Lake. Unfortunately, the gate doesn't open for a while yet, so people have to walk as far as the outflow channel. The light was awful and all the birds were so far away. Just tiny black specks in the distance that, without binoculars or, better yet, a spotting scope, remained anonymous. At least I saw the Pelican, a true survivor! It had overwintered at Frank Lake because of an injured wing, though it seems to have healed now. Hard to imagine how this bird survived the brutal winter weather, including with windchills down as low as -40C at one point. Eventually, and hopefully, many other Pelicans will arrive at the lake, so this one will once again have company of its own kind.
© All Rights Reserved
Friday, 19 March 2021: our temperature is PLUS 7C (windchill PLUS 4C) just before 10:00 am. Sunrise is at 7:41 am, and sunset is at 7:47 pm. Sunny.
Just a few more days and I will be getting a cortisone shot in my left knee. One has to rest for a couple of days afterwards and then take it easy for up to two weeks after that. Knowing that, I decided that I had better make the most of a sunny, though somewhat hazy, day and go for a drive. There are so many things that I need to get done before I get the shot, but how much I actually get done remains to be seen. I have only ever had these shots once before, around three years ago.
So, my plan was to call in at the Saskatoon Farm first, so that I could enjoy a good breakfast. I was so glad that I did go, as I found out that three little yellow ducklings actually belong to a Muscovy Duck. She was sitting on a nest last time I visited, but I hadn't really thought ahead about what her babies would look like. I think whitish would have been my guess. The ducklings kept snuggling up to the female. When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Paul, the farm boss, and I asked him about the young ones. Sure enough, they belonged to the Muscovy duck. Apparently, 18 eggs were laid, but only these three hatched.
As always, a visit to the farm puts a smile on my face. It starts off, or ends, my day, in such a great way. Actually, I went there twice yesterday, the second time to grab a much-needed coffee, to keep me awake for the rest of my drive home.
From my morning visit, I drove a little further south and went to see an American White Pelican at Frank Lake. Unfortunately, the gate doesn't open for a while yet, so people have to walk as far as the outflow channel. The light was awful and all the birds were so far away. Just tiny black specks in the distance that, without binoculars or, better yet, a spotting scope, remained anonymous. At least I saw the Pelican, a true survivor! It had overwintered at Frank Lake because of an injured wing, though it seems to have healed now. Hard to imagine how this bird survived the brutal winter weather, including with windchills down as low as -40C at one point. Eventually, and hopefully, many other Pelicans will arrive at the lake, so this one will once again have company of its own kind.
© All Rights Reserved
Friday, 19 March 2021: our temperature is PLUS 7C (windchill PLUS 4C) just before 10:00 am. Sunrise is at 7:41 am, and sunset is at 7:47 pm. Sunny.
Just a few more days and I will be getting a cortisone shot in my left knee. One has to rest for a couple of days afterwards and then take it easy for up to two weeks after that. Knowing that, I decided that I had better make the most of a sunny, though somewhat hazy, day and go for a drive. There are so many things that I need to get done before I get the shot, but how much I actually get done remains to be seen. I have only ever had these shots once before, around three years ago.
So, my plan was to call in at the Saskatoon Farm first, so that I could enjoy a good breakfast. I was so glad that I did go, as I found out that three little yellow ducklings actually belong to a Muscovy Duck. She was sitting on a nest last time I visited, but I hadn't really thought ahead about what her babies would look like. I think whitish would have been my guess. The ducklings kept snuggling up to the female. When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Paul, the farm boss, and I asked him about the young ones. Sure enough, they belonged to the Muscovy duck. Apparently, 18 eggs were laid, but only these three hatched.
As always, a visit to the farm puts a smile on my face. It starts off, or ends, my day, in such a great way. Actually, I went there twice yesterday, the second time to grab a much-needed coffee, to keep me awake for the rest of my drive home.
From my morning visit, I drove a little further south and went to see an American White Pelican at Frank Lake. Unfortunately, the gate doesn't open for a while yet, so people have to walk as far as the outflow channel. The light was awful and all the birds were so far away. Just tiny black specks in the distance that, without binoculars or, better yet, a spotting scope, remained anonymous. At least I saw the Pelican, a true survivor! It had overwintered at Frank Lake because of an injured wing, though it seems to have healed now. Hard to imagine how this bird survived the brutal winter weather, including with windchills down as low as -40C at one point. Eventually, and hopefully, many other Pelicans will arrive at the lake, so this one will once again have company of its own kind.
© All Rights Reserved