Two of the Nanton grain elevators
Ruddy Duck male
American Coot
Another of my roommates at Asa Wright Nature Centr…
Changeable velvetberry / Stachytarpheta mutabilis?
Spectacled Thrush, Asa Wright, Trinidad
Yellow Oriole, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad
The veranda at Asa Wright, Trinidad
Golden Tegu, Asa Wright, Trinidad
Is this a female Violaceous euphonia, Trinidad?
White-lined Tanager female, Asa Wright, Trinidad
Masked Cardinal / Paroaria nigrogenis, Trinidad
Green Honeycreeper male, Asa Wright, Trinidad
Mist, rising from the rain forest, Asa Wright Natu…
The wonderful, tiny Tufted Coquette, Trinidad
Torch Ginger bud, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinid…
Tufted Coquette, Asa Wright Nature Centre
Scarlet peacock butterfly / Anartia amathea, femal…
Fungi on our hike to the Oilbirds
Fungi on our hike to the Oilbirds
Fungi on our hike to the Oilbirds
Near the Oilbirds' cave, Asa Wright, Trinidad
Violaceous euphonia male, Asa Wright
Frank Lake bird blind
Black-crowned Night-Heron being harassed
A slight touch of blue
Yellow-headed Blackbird male
Reeds and reflections
Red-winged Blackbird male
The look that says: "Please feed me"
One of Nanton's grain elevators
A hazy view with Dandelions
Beyond the fence
Springtime colour
Eared Grebe
Ride him, Cowboy!
Yesterday's treat!
Sweet little Mountain Bluebird
Too big for the nest box hole : )
Hey, lady, I said NO photos!
Trying to impress the ladies
Uninvited, but enjoyed, guest
One of two cute owlets
White-tailed Deer, young buck
Mom and her two branchlings
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Showing off all his "bling"


Last night, I added five extra photos, trying to catch up a little, otherwise I will never get back to the last two days of my Trinidad images. I am posting three more photos this morning.
In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id
www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...
I do prefer to photograph Bluebirds that have no bands on them, but the ones I usually see do have a band. This particular male was being studied and the person involved used brightly coloured bands so that she (he?) didn't need to approach the bird closely in order to tell which individual it was. I don't know if all the bands were added at the same time or not. I don't like to see that many, wondering how much their weight might affect the bird. I photographed this male a year ago at the same location, too, and he seems to be just fine. I'm always amazed how any bird can fly to warmer places for the winter and then find its way back to an exact spot. Wish my sense of direction was that good, instead of being almost non-existent!
What a great day our group of four people had on 28 May 2017, taking part in the annual May Species Count. We travelled in just one car, which worked out well. On the 2016 May Species Count, we had been unable to find a Great Gray Owl, but then I drove back to the area the next day, and found two of them. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first. So, it was a thrill yesterday to see one of these spectacular owls - seen in previous photo posted today.
This Count's owl was on a fence post when we first saw it. As is usually the case with these owls, it was focused on finding a Meadow Vole for a snack and in fact did catch one while I was watching. It moved to a few different fence posts in its search. Once it had caught its prey, it ate it there, down on the ground - with its back to us, of course. I was kind of hoping it would fly back up to the fence with it, but it didn't.
While I was taking photos, various people came along the road, a couple in cars, but most were cyclists out for a long ride on such a beautiful, sunny day. The owl basically ignored everyone, giving just a quick glance at us every once in a while. Their concentration never fails to leave me in awe.
My small group found 72 species of bird on this 2017 Count - amazing, really. Three pairs of great eyes - plus me : ) Part of our Count covers some of my favourite roads, so it is not surprising that I enjoy it so much. Once the Count had finished, I drove a few of the roads again on my way home, mainly focusing on two pairs of Mountain Bluebirds that I had enjoyed watching last year. The male in this photo has four different bands on its legs, more than one usually sees. Needless to say, I went home feeling very happy after a long day of birding, and oh, so tired!
Two days later, on 30 May 2017, I was out for the day south of the city with my Daughter (a belated day out for my birthday and Mother's Day), to Nanton and a few roads nearby and then making our way to Frank Lake and finally ending up at the Saskatoon Farm, where we decided to have an early supper. My favourite kind of day, so thank you, Rachel, as always!!
In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id
www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...
I do prefer to photograph Bluebirds that have no bands on them, but the ones I usually see do have a band. This particular male was being studied and the person involved used brightly coloured bands so that she (he?) didn't need to approach the bird closely in order to tell which individual it was. I don't know if all the bands were added at the same time or not. I don't like to see that many, wondering how much their weight might affect the bird. I photographed this male a year ago at the same location, too, and he seems to be just fine. I'm always amazed how any bird can fly to warmer places for the winter and then find its way back to an exact spot. Wish my sense of direction was that good, instead of being almost non-existent!
What a great day our group of four people had on 28 May 2017, taking part in the annual May Species Count. We travelled in just one car, which worked out well. On the 2016 May Species Count, we had been unable to find a Great Gray Owl, but then I drove back to the area the next day, and found two of them. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first. So, it was a thrill yesterday to see one of these spectacular owls - seen in previous photo posted today.
This Count's owl was on a fence post when we first saw it. As is usually the case with these owls, it was focused on finding a Meadow Vole for a snack and in fact did catch one while I was watching. It moved to a few different fence posts in its search. Once it had caught its prey, it ate it there, down on the ground - with its back to us, of course. I was kind of hoping it would fly back up to the fence with it, but it didn't.
While I was taking photos, various people came along the road, a couple in cars, but most were cyclists out for a long ride on such a beautiful, sunny day. The owl basically ignored everyone, giving just a quick glance at us every once in a while. Their concentration never fails to leave me in awe.
My small group found 72 species of bird on this 2017 Count - amazing, really. Three pairs of great eyes - plus me : ) Part of our Count covers some of my favourite roads, so it is not surprising that I enjoy it so much. Once the Count had finished, I drove a few of the roads again on my way home, mainly focusing on two pairs of Mountain Bluebirds that I had enjoyed watching last year. The male in this photo has four different bands on its legs, more than one usually sees. Needless to say, I went home feeling very happy after a long day of birding, and oh, so tired!
Two days later, on 30 May 2017, I was out for the day south of the city with my Daughter (a belated day out for my birthday and Mother's Day), to Nanton and a few roads nearby and then making our way to Frank Lake and finally ending up at the Saskatoon Farm, where we decided to have an early supper. My favourite kind of day, so thank you, Rachel, as always!!
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