Western Kingbird

Thought I would take a quick break from posting photos recently taken in Waterton Lakes National Park and, instead, add three photos taken yesterday, east of the city. (Adding for my own record - this Kingbird photo is my main photo today, i.e., the very last photo uploaded. If you see the wetland scenic shot as my main image, then Flickr is playing tricks again, as it has done several times recently!).

Just had this reply on the Help Forum:

"For Your contacts that look at Your photostream the order of the photos depends on which order they choose. If they choose "date taken" they will see the photos in this order and not in the order "date uploaded". I didn't know you could change the order view on someone's else's photos.

"An eye-catching bird with ashy gray and lemon-yellow plumage, the Western Kingbird is a familiar summertime sight in open habitats across western North America. This large flycatcher sallies out to capture flying insects from conspicuous perches on trees or utility lines, flashing a black tail with white edges. Western Kingbirds are aggressive and will scold and chase intruders (including Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels) with a snapping bill and flared crimson feathers they normally keep hidden under their gray crowns." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Kingbird/id

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_kingbird

I remember seeing a very distant Western Kingbird quite a few years ago, but wasn't able to get a shot of it. Then, last July, I saw one in the Frank Lake area and managed to get a very poor photo. Yesterday, I was lucky to see a pair of these birds and this one sat for a second or two on an open branch. In and around Calgary, we get the Eastern Kingbird.

A large group of us went east of Calgary to a friend's wonderful property out on the prairies. Down an embankment from her house and extensive yard lies a beautiful wetland, which is part of their property. The temperature yesterday was 32C (90F), but there was a very welcome, gentle breeze, which made it bearable. Much more pleasant than inside my house, which felt like an oven.

We spent a few hours watching and photographing the distant birds, with some people making a very careful list of the birds seen at this location. An absolute little gem of a place, with 57 species of birds seen (as usual, there were many that I did not see, without binoculars). I will add the list compiled by our leader, Gus Yaki.

1. Canada Goose-7
2. Gadwall-150
3. Am. Wigeon-22
4. Mallard-7
5. Blue-winged Teal-150
6. Cinnamon Teal-30
7. Northern Shoveler-55
8. Northern Pintail-4
9. Green-winged Teal-5
10. Canvasback-1
11. Redhead-2
12. Lesser Scaup-24
13. Bufflehead-4
14. Ruddy Duck-1 f.
15. Am. White Pelican-1
16. Great Blue Heron-1
17. Black-crowned Night-Heron-1
18. White-faced Ibis-22
19. Swainson’s Hawk-3
20, Red-tailed Hawk-2
21. American Coot-1
22. Killdeer-26
23. Black-necked Stilt-25
24. American Avocet-85
25. Greater Yellowlegs-25, Southbound Autumn Migrants.
26. Lesser Yellowlegs-40, “ “ “
27. Solitary Sandpiper-4, “ “ “
28. Willet-8
29. Marbled Godwit-10
30. Baird’s? Sandpiper-1, “ “ “
31. Wilson’s Phalarope-26
32. Franklin’s Gull-800
33. Ring-billed Gull-3
34. California Gull-1
35. Forster’s Tern-2
36. Black Tern-2
37. Mourning Dove-3
38. Northern Flicker-1
39. Least Flycatcher-2
40. Western Kingbird-2
41. Eastern Kingbird-1
42. Warbling Vireo-1
43. Black-billed Magpie-8
44. Tree Swallow-10
45. Bank Swallow-7
46. Barn Swallow-2
47. House Wren-2
48. American Robin-10
49. European Starling-40
50. Yellow Warbler-2
51. Clay-colored Sparrow-1
52. Red-winged Blackbird-40
53. Yellow-headed Blackbird-11
54. Common Grackle-12
55. Brown-headed Cowbird-3
56. Baltimore Oriole-2
57. House Sparrow-40

Many thanks, Lyn, for inviting us to come and see your beautiful property! What a treat. You certainly have an amazing variety of birds. Thanks, too, to the friends who gave me a ride - always greatly appreciated!