Signs of spring

I made yet another attempt to find the elusive Gray Partridge today, with no luck. What I did find was 40 Canada Geese hunkered down in a nearby field along Maple Grove Road. They were feeding on a corn "snow fence." As they took flight I managed to capture this photo.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/800, f/16, 70 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full Frame

After that visit to Kanata, I headed back to the Fletcher Wildlife Garden to check out the duck pond and the feeder. It was a productive trip...once I got "unstuck" from the driveway into the FWG (thank you CAA!!!).

The duck pond was full of mallards. Unfortunately, I couldn't get quite low enough to get many good shots because of the height of the snow around the pond. The light was also pretty harsh given the time (due to the little tow truck delay).

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/200, f/18, 180 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full Frame

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/200, f/18, 240 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full Frame

Spring must be almost here - I heard and saw my first red winged blackbirds of the season.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/500, f/16, 210 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Cropped from Horizontal

Saw this little fellow at the FWG today, too. I think it's a female American Goldfinch with her winter plumage. [UPDATE: Super-Birder Ethan Meleg confirmed my ID...I was right!]

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/400, f/16, 300 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Cropped from Horizontal

I'm not sure about this one...a female house sparrow, maybe? [UPDATE: Super-Birder Ethan Meleg confirmed my ID...I was right!]

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/500, f/18, 300 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full Frame

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 640, 1/200, f/13, 300 mm
Fill Flash
Manual Mode, Handheld, ~70% crop

And here is evidence of the "stuckness." The people I trapped in the garden were awfully friendly, helpful and patient (perhaps because they are also Nikon photographers!).



So...here's to hoping spring comes soon so that these ruts melt away and let us have freer access to the FWG and the trails at the Arboretum.

- Frances