I encounter a suitable number of people walking their dogs on the Riverside trails and lately the dogs have drawn my attention to other wildlife through their people. Last week I met a woman whose dog seemed interested in something off the path … which turned out to be the beaver below. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a clearer shot but it was wonderful to see.

Before that on November 29 which I think might have been the first time I took the mirrorless camera with me, I noticed a man standing with his two dogs on the foot bridge, looking at something. It turned out to be a relaxed Coyote lolling on what is a temporary beach on the other side of the river.

That cloudy morning at the end of November made for a beautiful sunrise, such as I saw it far away from the lake over the tops of houses.

I have seen this Eastern Bluebird a few times, just off the paved path, and managed some photos on the 29th (first below) and then again in better light with the old Canon lens last week (second group below). Either way, I have been excited to see this bird so often, gives me hope to see more in the spring.

Those indefatigable Mallards make excellent use of the low water levels in the river.

Along with the photograph at the top of the post, here are some more of the two Downy Woodpeckers I encountered on December 8 as they were foraging peacefully together and then not so peacefully.

Fungus, unusual tree bark and uprooted trees intrigue me.

Another one of those ground-feeding Dark-eyed Juncos.

It was still quite chilly on the 8th, enough for some small ice formations in the river.

A Downy Woodpecker and a Fox Squirrel from 11-29.

A female Northern Cardinal, fluffed up against the cold.

A barely visible White-breasted Nuthatch…

Hofmann Tower through the trees…

As luck would have it, I am stuck inside on this beautiful Sunday morning when I had intended to go out for an early walk, but because my repaired lens is on a FedEx truck somewhere “out for delivery” I have to sit here and wait for its arrival “by end of day.” After all this, I don’t dare take the chance to sign indirectly for it and have it left on the front porch.

Yesterday I was going to have my trees trimmed, but due to gale force winds of 45-50 mph which kept knocking over one of my empty rain barrels even though I had put several weights on top of it to keep it stable, the tree trimming has been postponed until tomorrow morning, so that will be one more good birding morning spent inside. You are right to question why I am writing about this when I could be having Real Problems.

It will be great to get my many trees trimmed after I put it off for so long, they need it badly. And as I sit here hanging out with my indoor crowd, I’m thinking I have a lot to be thankful for and a couple days missed in the wilds of suburbia are not forever. … By now you are probably praying for me to go back out and take enough pictures to keep me silently slaving over them. I hope you are safe and well, wherever you are, and cheerfully caught up in holiday distractions.