Our Mountain Ash trees didn’t fruit at all this past season. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I don’t know if it was an early freeze or being caught in the worst drought in the recent memory of our province that did them in, but they didn’t produce berries last year. Berries that the local avian population depend on for a food supply. The dried, wizened berries left on the one tree are from the previous season and they are so unappetizing that the birds left them alone until now.
The robins came back this week, and they made a beeline for the dessicated fruit on the Mountain Ash when they realized there was no other food to be had. After a winter of no birds in the trees, it’s nice to have something feathery to point a lens at again.
AB, 2024-04-03 (Canon EOS R5)
Strathmore, AB, 2024-04-03 (Canon EOS 10D)
Besides my pair of late evening bird shots, I also took a run at some reflection shots on the meltwater in the irrigation canal during my lunch walk. My wife was out walking early in the morning and she came back with some lovely reflection photos from a tree near Tom Sadler Bridge. By my lunch break, the Chinook Wind had ramped up, and it definitely disturbed the water in the irrigation canal, so I had no such luck.
It’s also worth noting that not only were there birds back today, there was some ice in the irrigation canal as well. It had completely disappeared before the last cold snap, but now it’s back and taking its sweet time to disappear. Depressing.
I grabbed a few shots of the ripples on the open water just to prove I had made it out of my house and past the front sidewalk today, then headed back for home as the wind chill was murder on my hands.
Forecasters predict that the temperature will drop overnight and remain around freezing for the next few days. There will also be more snow, but it is hopefully warm enough now that it won’t stick around. I’m dreading it as I am beyond burned out with winter and have no idea what I will shoot if it snows. Whatever. I’ll make it outside anyhow. A bad day with a camera, right?
Today’s images were made using a Canon EOS R5 with a Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM lens or a Canon EOS 10D with a Canon 70-300 EF IS USM f4-5.6 Mk I. The camera used is indicated in the caption.
