Afternoon at Hermitage Park

Yesterday was a wonderful day for getting a few ducks that previously seen were to far for my camera to capture. I was excited to finally get a decent photo of a pair of ring-necked ducks. Amazing that the identifying feature of the neck ring is not easily seen, though the bill rings are. 

The  Canada geese are not shy in Edmonton parks. With fighting for nesting terrritory they are a little testy and hiss a lot at each other if they have a mate to defend from other suitors. It was interesting to watch but as they were quite close and I had my long lens on this was the only charge I captured. 

Common Merganser pair, I love the punk head-do of the female. I had no problem getting good photos of females last year so happily I now have a mated pair together. The female is so delicate of face. I believe I have become addicted to the excitement of birding. What a way to spend a day out in nature, looking, really looking at what gifts there are to be seen in the natural world around us. I believe cities need more open space and natural uninhibited parks for the birds and animals to co-exist with us as with major urban sprawl they are losing ground, and in the end we all suffer the loss.