Had a lovely opportunity to take a break and go for a long walk this past Sunday. So good to carve out that down time, and breathe in the first small glimmerings of Spring and sunshine. Left me feeling a little punch-drunk from the sudden renewal all around me.
One of my favourite places in the river valley is a little spot I have christened ‘Chickadee Lane’ … for obvious reasons (my thanks to John for shooting these):
I am really quite smitten with these little creatures. I’d have no problem spending an entire day watching them, and enticing them to closer contact with seeds.
I have another love of the avian persuasion as well … and these beautiful animals were in no short supply on the afternoon of our walk either, much to my delight.
Crows fascinate me. Such intelligent creatures, and I find them really elegant and beautiful as well.
This particular afternoon, there were so many crows in the valley, it was quite raucous at times. It was all about pairing off, and new nests, and who was hanging out too close to someone else’s turf. And many of them were keenly aware of the camera, and of being watched. There was one group of about 7 crows on a single tree – likely unmated juveniles – that categorically refused to let me get one shot of them all together. Quite coy, that lot … but others were more than content to be photographed, and seemed on occasion to be posing for me. The bird in the last image of the set above was very interested in everything I was doing – and became quite preoccupied with watching me – so much so that I as able to get that shot of him sizing me up.
Every thing seemed to hum that afternoon – a flurry of movement and noise from all sorts of animals, warm sun, blue sky. The start of Spring and activity, after a long. cold hiatus. Buds starting to pop on poplar and willow, fuzzy heads insisting that it’s really time, NOW. As though the land itself heaved a great sigh of relief, and began a slow catlike stretch in the warm afternoon sun.
A welcoming.