Such an elegant bird

Well, hello, SUMMER! It has felt like summer here for so many weeks already, but now summer has really arrived today, 20 June 2016.

It was the annual May Species Count on the weekend of 28 and 29 May 2016. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park, Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow. On the Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We were also happy to see seven Rose-breasted Grosbeaks elsewhere during the day.

We stopped at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park and ate our picnic lunches and then did a short walk to look for Calypso Orchids. I took too long to try (in vain) and get a sharp photo of a little group of fungi, that I missed the orchids, but that's OK, as I have seen them plenty of times before.

After the Count came to an end, I drove a few of the back roads again, taking a few more shots of the Wilson's Snipe - a favourite of mine - and this beautiful Tree Swallow.

“Handsome aerialists with deep-blue iridescent backs and clean white fronts, Tree Swallows are a familiar sight in summer fields and wetlands across northern North America. They chase after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns, their steely blue-green feathers flashing in the sunlight. Tree Swallows nest in tree cavities; they also readily take up residence in nest boxes. This habit has allowed scientists to study their breeding biology in detail, and makes them a great addition to many a homeowner’s yard or field.” From AllABout Birds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/id

I will add the final list from our leader, Gus Y - 70 bird species seen, wow!

"The count goes May 28-29: Calgary birders have been out in force every May since 1979, contributing to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America. Last year (2015) we found 212 species. The count circle is the same as previous years, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard, and includes a variety of environments." From NatureCalgary.

"May species count, Terr. #22, Priddis Area: Plummers Rd, from Hwy 22 to #762, SW of Calgary, 0730-1530, Sun. 29May2016. 58 km. Mostly sunny, becoming overcast at noon, S wind, becoming gusty, 10 -20 kph. 13-18°C.

Canada Goose-45
Gadwall-2
American Wigeon-6
Mallard-29.
Blue-winged Teal-16
Cinnamon Teal-8
Northern Shoveler-3
Green-winged Teal-4
Redhead-6
Ring-necked Duck-12
Lesser Scaup-29
Bufflehead-5
Hooded Merganser-1 f.
Ruddy Duck-11
Ring-necked Pheasant-3
Great Blue Heron-1
Swainson’s Hawk-2
Red-tailed Hawk-6
American Kestrel-2
Sora-6
American Coot-10
Killdeer-5
Spotted Sandpiper-8
Wilson’s Snipe-10
Wilson’s Phalarope-4
Black Tern-22
Mourning Dove-1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1
Red-naped Sapsucker-1
Black-backed Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-3
Western Wood-Pewee-5
Least Flycatcher-6
Easterm Phoebe-1
Easterm Kingbird-1
Gray Jay-2
Clark’s Nutcracker-1
Black-billed Magpie-6
American Crow-4
Common Raven-5
Tree Swallow-86
Cliff Swallow-6
Barn Swallow-2
Black-capped Chickadee-3
Mountain Chickadee-1
Boreal Chickadee-2
Red-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Wren-9
Mountain Bluebird-29
American Robin-13
Gray Catbird-2
European Starling-8
Tennessee Warbler-11
Yellow Warbler-6
Cape May Warbler-1
Chipping Sparrow-8
Clay-coloured Sparrow-13
Savannah Sparrow-4
Song Sparrow-1
Lincoln’s Sparrow-4
White-throated Sparrow-1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak-7
Black-headed Grosbeak-1, or hybrid.
Red-winged Blackbird-178
Western Meadowlark-2
Yellow-headed Blackbird-2
Brewer’s Blackbird-7
Brown-headed Cowbird-6
Baltimore Oriole-4
American Goldfinch-5
Richardson’s Ground Squirrel-11

Muskrat-1
Mule Deer-1
White-tailed Deer-4
Boreal Chorus Frog-10+
Green Comma Butterfly-2
Western White-1
Tiger Swallowtail-2

Gus Yaki"