RBG Arboretum, Hamilton. ON. December 25th. 2020. While most folks were still hanging around in their Christmas-morning pyjamas, I decided to take the opportunity to photograph a number of familiar sites in new-fallen snow. The effort was magically worthwhile, my footprints were the first along quiet woodland trails. We’d received about 3 inches overnight, it had fallen lightly in still airs and stayed where it touched down.
This place is close to a large and noisy city that had all but stopped for Christmas morning. Perhaps it was the soundlessness of the place that had made sight more important, to look with purpose rather than just seeing. Or maybe it was just the size of an immature Bald Eagle on a treetop, that made it all but impossible to miss. But there it was, a little way ahead of me, dark, impassive and watching over a white world waiting for opportunities.
As I took a moment to scan the lake for other bird life, registering a handful of Mute Swans and a Great Black-backed Gull. An adult Bald Eagle came from the north passing in front of us and drawing the juvenile off its perch to follow. Here they are my Christmas Day Birds.
Merry Christmas Peter – beautiful siting of the bald eagle.
What a wonderful Christmas present! Thank you.