I'm falling behind again ....
Five days ago, on 9 May 2024, I finally made it as far as the Saskatoon Farm, SE of Calgary. I hadn't been there since mid-December 2023, partly because the Farm closed before Christmas for about two and a half months and the last few weeks have been messed up because of the excruciating pain of bursitis that developed on my right side. Along with that, i needed dental surgery to remove a broken tooth. I am now gradually getting out on the occasional drive, and it feels wonderful - well, more so mentally than physically.
It is still too early for the outdoor plants to be in bloom, but there was lots of colour inside the large greenhouse. The large enclosure inside the greenhouse that housed a Wild Turkey or two, various kinds of chickens and endless bunnies has been moved to the smaller, outside enclosure that is joined to the building. No bunnies, though. A late breakfast was enjoyed at the Farm, and kept me going for a few hours, driving a bit further SE.
After my first sighting, a distant Swainson's Hawk sitting in a tangle of branches, I was happy to see a Say's Phoebe that was perched on barbed-wire. I can't remember if I've ever seen one before, years ago, and I don't have a photo of one on Flickr. A Vesper Sparrow was the next bird I saw, and then a Brewer's Blackbird.
Driving a bit further, I came across a small herd of Mule Deer, crossing the road ahead of me. Managed to capture a short video of them jumping the fence.
After a very quick drive around the loop at Frank Lake, I started heading home, stopping at one wetland where I had enjoyed a number of Yellow-headed Blackbirds on a recent visit. This time, there was just one.
Two more Swainson's Hawks were seen as I continued on the homeward stretch. These hawks always make my day, especially if one happens to be sitting on a fence post.
We have been getting quite a lot of rain, with more to come. All cars have to be removed from the parking lot tomorrow for gravel clearing, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, unless it is raining. As usual, I will have to kill at least most of those hours by travelling outside the city.
