Late afertnoon/early evening of Saturday, 21 May 2022, I rode out to the Chappell Marsh Conservation area again. I spotted a few smallish shorebirds out on the flat, dried up area that once was a marsh, but they were too far off to clearly identify. I also spotted a pair of greyish-brownish ducks. Initially I thought it might be two female Mallards. After a bit more careful observation, I was pretty sure they weren't, but had no idea what they WERE! So I took notes and made very rough sketches and when I got home I figured out I'd seen a pair of Gadwalls. I've since seen a few more again at the Chappell Marsh and others in the Northeast Swale.
Gadwalls in the Birbs of Saskatchetoon Sketchbook
my very rough sketch and notes. These aren't meant to be sketches that I'll directly make a good copy from. There more like a visual shorthand to jog my memory and remind me of what I'd seen - hopefully - enough to be able to find it in one of my bird books.
(okay.... they're AMANDA's bird books...)
(maybe some of them came from my folks when they downsized... so they COULD be said to be mine..?)
(except they probably gave them TO Amanda...)
These are the two I initially saw at the Chappell Marsh on the Saturday... Luckily I had the good binoculars and could see them quite well.
These are a pair I saw a few days later when I rode out to the swale with Keiran.
Another I saw this past weekend.
Eight more to get caught up. If I see five more I will have enough to completely fill the sketchbook!?
Then I guess I start a second!? Will I see enough to FILL a second!?
Cool
ReplyDeleteI was out today and saw a number of birds, including a big heron in a local beaver pond; I watched it fish a bit (well, I noticed it head down towards the water, stillness, then a sudden lunge, but I couldn't tell if it got anything). Didn't try to take any photos though.
Thanks!
DeleteI usually see a heron or two each year along the river somewhere. Not so far this year, though!