LaSalle was teeming with its usual winter waterfowl this morning.  Common Goldeneye, White-winged Scoter, Greater Scaup and a few Common Merganser dove offshore.  Bufflehead and American Coot used the confusion of ducks and geese for cover as they scooted in for a share of the handouts.  At the far end of the marina, a raft of Canvasback could be seen huddling together in the middle of the bay.

It began to rain as I left the marina, and by the time I hit the top of the escarpment near Stoney Creek it had become a very wet, driving snow.  A hunting American Kestrel kept me entertained while I sat in the car waiting for the weather to improve.

Eventually the snow began to abate, and I headed down the tracks with another newly arrived birder in search of the Hawk Owl.  He was in the same group of trees I’d found him previously, and after two more trips back to the car (once for the baseplate I’d forgotten, and again for another sketchbook when I realized I’d used up my last page on the kestrel), I hung around to enjoy him for a good hour.