Dark times...

Sadly, these dark days are rotten as far as allowing me many birding opportunities.
However, I can report the following sparse sightings, or in the case of the first, hearings. Last night, I could hear the honking of numerous trumpeter swans from the yard. They didn't sound like they were flying, as the sound didn't alter in consistency. Presumably, these swans were over toward Quennell Lake and the sound was being carried by the breeze. It must be at least 1 kilometre away!
Anyhoo - as for stuff I've seen with my actual eyes... 3 varied thrush again at the feeders this morning along with 40+ dark-eyed juncos and a Steller's jay.
A high flying buteo over the office today was presumably a red-tailed hawk.
It was quiet down at Mafeo Sutton Park at lunchtime with just a handful of bufflehead, common goldeneye, the usual cormorants and a couple of red-breasted mergansers.

Our pals David and Susan have been enjoying having an Anna's hummingbird practically glued to their feeder, just off Bowen Road in Nanaimo, for a while.
Well, maybe not glued as much as frozen.
During the recent extreme cold snowy spell, the hummer was almost permanently in residence on their balcony - as evidenced by the accompanying photo.