Cranes on Christmas Day!!
Merry Christmas! 🎄
We didn't have any big family commitments today so were able to sneak out for a walk along the Suncor Trail and into Wawanosh Wetlands this morning. A "Christmas present to us" was finding 31 Sandhill Cranes standing in the field between the Suncor Trail and highway 402!
I continued to take photos as we got closer. They were standing about 300 feet south of the trail and eventually took flight. Luckily, they turned toward us as they headed west!
A Red-tailed Hawk sat on a light/camera post over the 402. (Taken from the south side of Wawanosh Wetlands.)
Deryl spotted a large female Cooper's Hawk looking for her next meal. Her feathers were well fluffed. When fluffed, layers of air between the feathers provide insulation on cold days.
A Northern Shrike has returned to the Suncor Trail again. One has stayed in the area for at least 3 winters.
There were several Northern Cardinals and sparrows flitting along the fence row along the north-side field. One White-crowned Sparrow and Cardinal flew a little closer for a photo. White-crowned Sparrows prefer to remain low at the edges of brushy habitat, hopping on the ground, staying within the safety of shrubs and trees.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/id
That is amazing!
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