White-winged Crossbill

Just a very heavily cropped image that I wanted to add to my Birds of Alberta set, for my own record of the sighting. I have several other, closer photos of them previously posted, but very poor quality, too. This image was taken at Votier's Flats in Fish Creek Park, on November 27th.

Yesterday morning, a group of us did a three-hour walk at Carburn Park, mainly walking along the edge of the Bow River. A Long-tailed Duck was spotted near the far side of the wide Bow River - always a thrill to see one. I happened to catch sight of a small bird in flight near the bushes at the water's edge and. I am really bad at being able to tell what small birds in flight are - this one turned out to be an American Pipit (some of the very best, most experienced birders in this group!) One of the birders did a bit of research when he got home and e-mailed the following information about our good sighting. The only photo I managed to get makes the Crossbill image above look like an image fit to be hung in the best of Galleries, lol! However, experienced birders can tell something from a profile, no matter how poorly captured.

"I looked at the Alberta winter bird records (on the web) - they go back ten years. The list I saw is compiled by Richard Klauke based on AB bird postings, so is likely not definitive. An American Pipit has only been recorded in the winter of 2002/2003. It is not on the "core list" of 111 Alberta winter birds. The site does not specify where it was seen or how many back then." Thanks, Andrew.