Ibis iridescence

Yet again, I'm having to dig into my archives. I've only been able to get out on two walks since the car accident I was involved in (but not at fault) on 28 November 2015, and barely got any new photos. Today, I have had to cancel another volunteer shift and will have to cancel a dental appointment for tomorrow, just so that I can do things like phoning my Insurance Company. Hoping I don't need to go and report it to the Police. Also need to make an appointment to take my car in to be looked at. Yesterday morning, just as I was arrivng at the meeting place for a morning birding walk, I noticed a slight rattling sound. Then, in the evening, the rattle was much worse, sometimes sounding like one metal piece was scraping against another. Such a pain at any time, but December is a really bad month to be without a drivable car!

I have been meaning to add one of the photos I took of very distant White-faced Ibis to my Marsland Basin album. The birds were so far away, so all I could get were fully-zoomed, cropped, poor images. People are doing everything they can to protect this beautiful wetland, so I wanted to include a photo of these special birds that have been seen there, for the record.

On 28 June 2015, 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 on this day 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!