Waking up to a wintery wonderland was quite a surprise for us living here on the west coast of British Columbia.  I had to get out and feel the crunch of snow under my feet, breathe in crisp cold air and watch  as the  sun created a landscape of glistening drops on the trees and bushes as it slowly melted the snow. I did not find a snowman out there at Serpentine Fen but I did see some wonderful sights.

A double crested cormorant drying its wings as they do not have waterproof  feathers, a cormorant that successfully  caught a fish, Eurasian collared doves and a variety of ducks.

A red tailed hawk perched high in a tree surveying the surrounding fields and marshes. These birds of prey are  legally protected in Canada, Mexico and the US. They can be captured at a young age to be trained to hunt  in the art of falconry.

Click on a photo for a larger view.