Common Goldeneye found

 

Today I experienced my first sighting of s male Common Goldeneye for the spring of 2018.

It was in the company of two male Hooded Mergansers.

Hoded Mergansers for Camera critters

spring has been a disappointment so far.  It is slow in unfolding.  Our weather has not been springlike and perhaps that is why I have seen very few ducks.  I have found Hooded Mergsnsers only twice.  Earlier this week Ifound three males together in one location.

I am linking today with viewingnaturewitheileen.ca
\Have a wonderful weekend everyone and may it warm up soon.

My first spring duck sighting,a male Hooded Merganser

The same time period, the same location, the same species: This is what I love about nature, .loyaltly, dependability faith in it’s return migration. Every year at this time I go to the same location to stand on a highway bridge overlooking a river to find that HoodedMergansers have returned to the river . In 2017 , I saw the first mergansers there in the river on March the 10th. This year, 2018, I saw the first Hooded Merganser on March the 13th! Yes! I was standing on the bridge with my camera and I saw a dark speck in the distance and so I took a picture of the speck with my 75- 300 zoom lens.

After downloading my pictures at home I cropped

and zoomed on the distant speck and was delighted when I realized it was a male Hooded Merganser!!
I am anxious to return to that location as I expect ( hope) to find a male Common Goldenye there! However we have been experiencing a nor 'easter with a bit of now which is now blocking our driveway and we have not gotten our car out yet.  The storm warning has now ended and the rain which is expected this afternoon will ease the driveway s situation somewhat! And soon I can return to my bridge viewing location.

Bringing my birding activities indoors for the winter.

I don't like winter, especially the cold temperatures! This winter I have seen very few birds at our bird feeders, plus with the ice and snow on the ground I have had faced difficulties keeping the feeders refilled ( As I have a tendency to fall easily with precarious underfooting). And problems all winter long with a painful shoulder condition has kept me from driving out as much as I usually do, looking for birds,So what to do about birding? I solved my birding interests by turning to quilt making!  This winter I have made two bird quilts. The first quilt I have made was using a Birds in the Air pattern. I have just recently had it quilted by a professional who uses a longarm quilting machine.

  She did a lovely job . The Birds in the Air quilt is large measuring 58" by 82 "

And now all I have to do to complete the quilt is to put on the binding, I might be a while before I get to sewing on the binding as I am still working on quilting the second bird themed quilt I have made this winter. I have decided to quilt the second quilt myself and am still working on that task.

  My second quilt is about Crows.  I call it  The Crow Quilt and I have loved making it!

The Crow Quilt shown above measures 39" by58"

I am quilting the Crow quilt myself and my dining room table could easily be renamed the quilting table as it has seen very little use for dining this winter as it has been  all about birds.

I think I have discovered the perfect solution to getting through the dreaded winter months... quilt making, and I am almost looking forward to next winter, when I plan on making a couple more or so quilts.  but my birding activities and interest remains  as I am now busy with my daily spring duck hunt.  We saw a duck on Monday but I haven't been able to find it since but each morning I focus my activities on my hunt and my camera is very bird hungry.  Maybe this morning will be my lucky day!

Ladybug for Saturday Critters

My critter today is small but mighty in terms of predicting
the approach of spring!! The same window in our kitchen which  faces a south-westerly  direction is always the window of choice each year for our first ladybug sighting. We just saw the one on our window and my husband removed it carefully by sliding

a sheet of paper under it, then sitting the paper on our kitchen table for a better picture-taking location.  After the photo session the lady was returned to the window.  In recognition of this uplifting seasonal event I am using my Ladybug mug today for my morning coffee. 

I think perhaps next winter I shall make a Ladybug mugrug to celebrate this optimistic eventful sighting!
I am linking today with Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at, viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca