Thompson River Views

A day dawned with such
promise...blue sky and sunshine to
lure me from my home

~ carliewired

I rolled out of bed at 6:30 just in time to see the sun come up beside my mountains. The temperature on my deck was a miserly -3 C. I decided to take my time with my first big mug of coffee. 

I was out the door at 8 and on my way to Mission Flats to see what I could find on this lovely morning. I never know how long the sunshine will last these days. I thought it best to get on with my photos. I noted that vehicles parked in my neighbourhood had frozen windshields this morning. 

My first catch of the morning was a Swainson's Hawk perched on a hydro pole near the river. I'd spied him in a tree, but when I parked underneath him and aimed, he took off to the power pole on the other side of the road. He was doing me a favour because the light was better and he gave me this lovely profile. These birds winter as far south as South America. They love our grasslands. 

My second catch was a bit ominous. I had pulled the truck over to a spot where I've stopped to photograph eagles on the river's sandbars. When I looked over the bank there was a late model car wedged under the bushes on the river bank. I didn't like the look of that at all so I made a call to report it. I wasn't walking down there to take a closer look. I will leave that to the professionals! 

I got shots of the Thompson River with views to Kamloops Lake, across to Cinnamon Ridge and back towards the city. A curious crow came to see what I was up to, squawking all the while. His friend joined him and they watched me carefully. 

I stopped again beside the river when I found one eagle up in a tree. My first attempt failed when he flew off to another tree as I walked up to him. I got a second chance when I drove up, rolled down my window and aimed from the front seat. He turned his head to look straight at me. 

On the return drive home I found one Canada goose looking out over the river. The sky looked hazy when I looked across Rabbit Island to my mountains. A vehicle covered with new snow passed me on the bridge. Winter had another go at us and those in upper elevations had the evidence. 

I'm home for the day. It will be a quiet one. I need to finish my quilted hearts that I will release during the week. 

We have a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 9 C. There's a chance of showers and a risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon.