spring has sprung

It is the first day of Spring, though it is hard to tell by going outside. The sun is shining but it is barely 1C. Much is being made of the memories of last year at this time when the temperature was 23C. One of 8 days when the temperature was over 20C. We have not had any days of 20+ temperatures in March this year.

But, I didn't care. I woke up this afternoon feeling 1,000 times better than I have for the past 12 days. The nasty flu is gone. The tendinitis is still there, but we can't have everything happening at once, can we?

And I actually felt like going out for a walk (rather than simply dragging my butt outside because I thought I should make the effort). AND I even felt like taking photos. I haven't done much photography for what seems like forever. Not sure why (the tendinitis made me a bit wary - I have dropped too many cameras in the past so know how clumsy I already am) but I just could't be bothered. Maybe it was too cold. Or too dreary. Any excuse would do. I crawled back into bed and wallowed in my laziness.

The fresh air was invigorating and I made my way to the marina to see how many swans were still hanging about. Many of them will have moved on to their northern habitat by now, but there were still quite a few in the bay. That was when I discovered the battery in my camera had died. I'm guessing from inactivity. Luckily I still had my point and shoot as a back up. I was hoping to get a shot of a bufflehead, or maybe a long tailed duck. Or a goldeneye.  Swans and mallards are lovely creatures, but, well they are around all the time and so get to be a little ...  dare I say it, boring. The migrating ducks are the exciting sightings. Buffleheads are adorable little things, but they are divers and their constant disappearing acts are frustrating when trying to photograph them.  

I did manage a goldeneye 

seen here with a swan for size comparison

and then I saw him

hiding amongst the mallards

my heart skipped a beat

I held my breath

while I quietly cursed my dead battery

a wood duck!!

surely the most colourful duck in the northern hemisphere

seriously,

I almost cried with delight I was so happy

my batteries have now been recharged