Mom and her new baby
Almost ready to fledge
Along a country back road
Eastern Kingbird
Needed a change of colour
Yesterday's treat - a Bobolink
I think he caught a beautiful Tiger Moth : )
Northern Shoveler pair
Why this bird is called a Grosbeak
Everyday beauty
Meadow Creek area, Benchlands
Spotted Coralroot / Corallorhiza maculata
There WAS a fence between us
Such good parents
Red-edged petals
Couldn't have chosen a better perch myself : )
Grasshopper Sparrow / Ammodramus savannarum - OR i…
Sleeping down at the pond
Such an elegant bird
Female Bobolink / Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Clay-colored Sparrow / Spizella pallida
A closer view - male Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird female with bokeh
Hollyhock buds
Such cute little hands and feet
American Robin in the countryside
Cow Parsnip / Heracleum maximum
Female Mountain Bluebird / Sialia currucoides
Barn Swallow
Wilson's Snipe hiding in the grass
Male and female Purple Martins / Progne subis
Treat of the day - Black Morel
Camouflaged Wood Frog
Time to preen
Great Horned Owl owlet, Ellis Bird Farm
Red-necked Grebe
I'm baaack ...
Dame's rocket
Busy Barn Swallow
Collecting food for his babies
White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys
Gaillardia on red
Made my day : )
Purple Martin condominium
Farm seed elevator, Ellis Bird Farm, Alberta
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Way down the fence line


Just slipping this photo in - not as a main photo, as I have many much better shots - as a record of seeing this particular owl. It was hunting from a fence line that went away from me across a field, so I couldn't get a better angle.
I have missed so many of the birding walks (and botany walks) this year and there is just one more birding walk left and then they come to an end till the end of August/beginning of September. The afternoon walk two days ago, on 12 June 2016, was very enjoyable, as was a stop at the Good Earth cafe afterwards : ) Will add our leaders' final list of species seen - thanks for a great walk Janet, Bernie and Stephen!:
FFCPPSoc. Birding West end of South Glenmore Park, Calgary. 1:15-4:15 PM. Sun. June 12/16. Gusting West winds 30 - 40 Km/hr, 21 to 23C, Sunny skies.
1. Great Blue Heron - 1
2. Swainson's Hawk - 1 seen by BD pre-walk
3. Franklin's Gull - 60
4. Great Horned Owl - 2 juveniles
5. Downy Woodpecker - 4 (including pair seen at nest sight feeding young)
6. Eastern Phoebe - 2
7. Least Flycatcher - 4 heard
8. Red-eyed Vireo - 4 heard
9. American Crow - 7
10. Tree Swallow - 3
11. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2 including one flying into nest
12. White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
13. House Wren - 3 heard
14. American Robin - 1
15. Veery - 2 heard
16. Cedar Waxwing - 3
17. Yellow Warbler - 6 (5 heard, 1 seen)
18. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 heard
19. Clay-coloured Sparrow - 4
20. White-throated Sparrow - 2 heard
21. Red-winged Blackbird - 13
22. Brown-headed Cowbird - 5
23. American Goldfinch - 4
24. House Sparrow - 1
White-tailed Deer - 1
Least Chipmunk - 1
Red Squirrel - 1
Swallow-tailed Butterfly - 8
As usual on our birding walks, I take very few photos, so after this walk, I decided I would drive to a wetland in SW Calgary to check on the Red-necked Grebes. The light was harsh and I had to look into the sun and couldn't even tell if there were any babies. Obviously the wrong time of day to go there.
From there, I decided to go SW of the city and check on Bluebirds, Snipe and maybe even a Great Gray Owl if I was very lucky. Only stopped at one Bluebird box and the parents were busy bringing insects to feed their babies. Every now and then, a baby would peer out of the small hole, so I know it won't be long till they fledge. An American Robin flew to the fence post next to the male Bluebird at one point, as if to ask for its photo to be taken, too. What a sight to see the two birds together - brilliant blue and bright red.
Driving along one road to search for an owl, I noticed a truck pulled over in the distance. I always slow right down when I see a vehicle stopped, just in case it is a photographer taking photos of something interesting. I never want to spook a bird or animal and spoil a photographer's fun. I was so focused on the truck, looking to see if there was a driver pointing a camera, that at first I didn't notice the person standing the other side of the road OR the owl sitting on the fence! When I realized it was a friend, I pulled over, got out and took a few photos. I don't know if this was one of the two Great Grays that I had seen within the last 10 days or so. It is possible either way. Also spotted two distant Bobolinks chasing each other and then disappearing - no chance for a photo.
"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl
I have missed so many of the birding walks (and botany walks) this year and there is just one more birding walk left and then they come to an end till the end of August/beginning of September. The afternoon walk two days ago, on 12 June 2016, was very enjoyable, as was a stop at the Good Earth cafe afterwards : ) Will add our leaders' final list of species seen - thanks for a great walk Janet, Bernie and Stephen!:
FFCPPSoc. Birding West end of South Glenmore Park, Calgary. 1:15-4:15 PM. Sun. June 12/16. Gusting West winds 30 - 40 Km/hr, 21 to 23C, Sunny skies.
1. Great Blue Heron - 1
2. Swainson's Hawk - 1 seen by BD pre-walk
3. Franklin's Gull - 60
4. Great Horned Owl - 2 juveniles
5. Downy Woodpecker - 4 (including pair seen at nest sight feeding young)
6. Eastern Phoebe - 2
7. Least Flycatcher - 4 heard
8. Red-eyed Vireo - 4 heard
9. American Crow - 7
10. Tree Swallow - 3
11. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2 including one flying into nest
12. White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
13. House Wren - 3 heard
14. American Robin - 1
15. Veery - 2 heard
16. Cedar Waxwing - 3
17. Yellow Warbler - 6 (5 heard, 1 seen)
18. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 heard
19. Clay-coloured Sparrow - 4
20. White-throated Sparrow - 2 heard
21. Red-winged Blackbird - 13
22. Brown-headed Cowbird - 5
23. American Goldfinch - 4
24. House Sparrow - 1
White-tailed Deer - 1
Least Chipmunk - 1
Red Squirrel - 1
Swallow-tailed Butterfly - 8
As usual on our birding walks, I take very few photos, so after this walk, I decided I would drive to a wetland in SW Calgary to check on the Red-necked Grebes. The light was harsh and I had to look into the sun and couldn't even tell if there were any babies. Obviously the wrong time of day to go there.
From there, I decided to go SW of the city and check on Bluebirds, Snipe and maybe even a Great Gray Owl if I was very lucky. Only stopped at one Bluebird box and the parents were busy bringing insects to feed their babies. Every now and then, a baby would peer out of the small hole, so I know it won't be long till they fledge. An American Robin flew to the fence post next to the male Bluebird at one point, as if to ask for its photo to be taken, too. What a sight to see the two birds together - brilliant blue and bright red.
Driving along one road to search for an owl, I noticed a truck pulled over in the distance. I always slow right down when I see a vehicle stopped, just in case it is a photographer taking photos of something interesting. I never want to spook a bird or animal and spoil a photographer's fun. I was so focused on the truck, looking to see if there was a driver pointing a camera, that at first I didn't notice the person standing the other side of the road OR the owl sitting on the fence! When I realized it was a friend, I pulled over, got out and took a few photos. I don't know if this was one of the two Great Grays that I had seen within the last 10 days or so. It is possible either way. Also spotted two distant Bobolinks chasing each other and then disappearing - no chance for a photo.
"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl
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