McArthur Island Park - The Slough

No bright sunrise to
greet me this morning, just light
behind the grey clouds

~ carliewired

I was feeling the press of time this morning, so I left home at 6:30. It was 0 C and rather grey and gloomy. 

I am expecting a company to arrive to install flooring today, but I've heard nothing from them as to time. I felt I should make this camera jaunt a quick one to be sure to be home at 8 AM. 

I had a quick look at the slough at McArthur Island. I was happy to see some open water and the ducks it had attracted. There were some new arrivals. Several common mergansers were enjoying the water. The males look very dashing in white and black. No females present today. These males are probably working their way north to their breeding grounds. 

I saw one lone northern pintail. The chocolate brown head on the male is distinctive with the white line up the neck. I didn't notice any females but they are so like the female mallard that I may not have noticed. This is a long range migrator with more than a million of them moving along the Pacific Flyway as far north as Alaska. 

There is a lot of activity along the slough. I spotted a robin, my first of the year, but he was far too quick for me. The birds are pairing up and there's a lot of male aggression displayed. 

I took a shot across the frozen slough to my mountains in the east. I stopped on the bridge for a look at the flock of mallards enjoying the bit of open water they could find below the bridge. 

I'm home for the day. It would be great to have flooring all installed today. I'd like a pot of soup. Perhaps my daughter may join me. 

We have a mainly cloudy day with a chance of some showers and a high of 9 C.