Superb Owl Sunday!

Just in time for Superb Owl Sunday, we unexpectedly found a Long-eared Owl sunning on a very, very cold day! I think this is the best view I have ever had of this well camouflaged species.

The drain at the Suncor Nature Way provided shelter for 2 new species for this year's bird list. Above is an American Wigeon. These ducks are also known as "Baldpates" because the white stripe resembles a bald man's head. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds)

We made a few visits to the Suncor Trail before finding this male Wood Duck. Hard to imagine that something so colourful can hide so well!

Seeing this Glaucous Gull is almost as hard as finding a Polar Bear in a snow storm! Although they have a shorter wing span than the Great Black-backed Gull (mentioned in a recent post), they are probably the heaviest gull in the world, weighing over 5 pounds. (Cornel Lab, All About Birds)

We were pleased to find a Horned Lark "willing" to have his picture taken from the side of the road. His "horns" are even visible.

We found a flock of exactly 460 Common Redpolls.

How do I know there were 460?...Because Deryl counted each and every one of them!