By the left, quick march

There were several of these beautiful Black-necked Stilts in one of the huge ponds at the fairly new Ralph Klein Park, on the eastern edge of the city limits. A group of us made a visit there on Sunday morning, 21 April 2013 - my very first time out there. We also drove along by the Shepard slough and area. Weather was very poor, but we saw a few interesting birds, including a very, very distant Ferruginous Hawk perched on a tall lamp post along the entrance driveway to the Park. In Alberta, these very large Hawks are rare to uncommon from April to September, and not close to the city. There was a single Red-breasted Merganser at the most distant edge of one of the ponds, too. So far away, I could only see it through someone's scope. I think everyone loves the Stilts - such elegant, smart colours.