Random photos from phone and camera

I'm departing for Colorado in less than a week, and life is too busy at the moment for me to post frequently.  Here are some of the photos I took since the last post (and also some photos before that taken with my phone that I didn't upload to my computer until yesterday).

April 22th - Sky-watching.

Looking at the dramatic clouds.


And then I looked at the water below and saw a creature moving along the edge of the water.  I only had my phone at that time and this was the best picture I got.  I think it was a Muskrat.

April 23rd - One of the first things I saw that morning was a Mallard on a neighbor's roof.  It was a strange sight.

April 25th - Went for a walk to Sawmill Creek and then to McCarthy Woods.

Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris)


Northern sweet-coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus) - my first time seeing this plant.


A cluster of flower buds.


Over at the west side of McCarthy Woods, the Sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) are in bloom.


Blue flower.


White flower with some blue.

April 26th - Went for a walk along Rideau River on Sunday.  I only had my phone with me and a Nikon D70S (more about why I had this camera later), but I saw three pairs of Wood Ducks, a bird-of-prey, and a Great Blue Heron.  Wildlife viewing is always more interesting when you don't have your proper camera with you.

This bird flew over a couple of people in front of me.  I used my phone to snap some pictures.  I originally thought it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, but the picture below suggests that it was a Merlin.

The mask-like patterns on the face suggest that this was a Merlin.


Great Blue Heron - first sighting of the year.