A welcome addition to our Christmas Bird Count
Feeding frenzy - is the top right bird a Hoary Red…
The birding blind at Frank Lake
King of silos
Hungry Moose
Common Redpoll with an orange spot
Always a treat
Snow-capped
Happy Christmas Eve!
Beautiful and, oh, so cute
Not quite Santa's reindeer
A simple, natural Christmas
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate!
The final stage of an Artichoke
Back-lit White-tailed Deer
Barn with the fallen cupola
A welcome splash of colour
Pine Grosbeaks
Glorious scenery for a Christmas Bird Count!
Mountain Chickadee / Poecile gambeli
Pine Grosbeak female
Trudging through the snow
Last night's snow .... and -29°C (windchill -38°C)
Birders on an Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Common Redpoll
Here comes the snow
Unexpected, and very welcome, Moose
The difference four days make
Farm cat
Under a Chinook arch
Handsome Mulie buck
A sunrise sky that lasted till sunset
"Just" a little House Sparrow
Fine old house
When the land turns white
I spy with my little eye
Little country church
Looking across the prairie
Young White-tailed Deer
Before the next snowfall
One of my favourite barns
Handsome - Norwegian Fjord Horse?
Wild Turkey at the Cochrane Ecological Institute
Blacksmith at work, Cochrane Ecological Institute
Colourful shed at the Cochrane Ecological Institut…
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244 visits
In search of an owl - with permission


HAPPY WINTER, everyone! Today, we are one day closer to spring.
Two days ago, on 19 December 2017, it was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for High River, a town to the south of Calgary. I am adding the report by Gus Yaki, the leader of our small group of 7, travelling in two cars. What Gus did not add, because he did not stay for the delicious Potluck supper after the Count, is that the forecast snow (Snowfall Warning in effect) arrived in full force in the evening and the drive back to Calgary was most unpleasant. Looks like there could be about 10" of the white stuff on top of my fence today. Thanks so much, Lorrie and John, for being so kind and picking me up in the early morning and driving me all day long, and then dropping me off for the Potluck and returning later to collect me ready for the three of us to return to Calgary. Appreciated more than I can say! Thanks, also, to Greg Wagner for organizing the Count - as usual, great job! Last, but not least, many thanks to those who organized and prepared such a wonderful feast for us all to thoroughly enjoy at the end of the day! I left home around 7:00 am and arrived home about 8:15 pm, finally getting to bed at 2:00 am and eventually waking up at noon yesterday, which is why I posted so late yesterday! Was I tired after a full day out, especially after only two hours sleep the previous night!
I should also add my thanks to the various property owners who very kindly gave us permission to wander round their farmyards in search of any birds. Being allowed to do this adds so much more interest to our Count day, and we really appreciate it.
One exciting sighting was a beautiful female Moose, maybe two years old! This was the very first sighting ever of a Moose in our SE quadrant of the High River Count circle. From a distance, she was barely noticeable through the falling snow.
Common Redpolls were enjoyed at some feeders. They gave me the first opportunity to take photos this season. Much as I prefer photos without feeders, I am very glad for this chance. They are such dainty little birds, and fast-moving. It always looks like a feeding frenzy when they are at the feeders.
"High River CBC, SE Quadrant, including Frank Lake. 0800-1545, Tue, 19 Dec2017. Light overcast, light snow beginning at 1100. N Wind 10kph, -07 to -06°C. Ground bare initially, 3 cm at end. Little Bow River, mostly open.
Mallard-500
Northern Shoveler-1 f.
Northern Pintail-2
Common Goldeneye-3
Gray Partridge-8
Bald Eagle-1 ad, on Frank Lake
Prairie Falcon-1
Rock Pigeon-56
Great Horned Owl-6
Snowy Owl-1
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-17
Common Raven-4
Song Sparrow-1
Snow Bunting-150
Common Redpoll-790
House Sparrow-202
Ring-necked Pheasant tracks by observation blind.
Gord Fraser, on W side of Little Bow, just N of 594 Av, had 40 Gray Partridges this a.m.
Coyote-4
Skunk track by observation blind
Meadow Vole-1
Mule Deer-6
Moose-1 f.
Participants:
Km by Car- 58
Km on foot -5
Total km - 63
Time by car – 2 hrs
Time on foot-5 hrs
Total party hours-7 hrs"
Two days ago, on 19 December 2017, it was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for High River, a town to the south of Calgary. I am adding the report by Gus Yaki, the leader of our small group of 7, travelling in two cars. What Gus did not add, because he did not stay for the delicious Potluck supper after the Count, is that the forecast snow (Snowfall Warning in effect) arrived in full force in the evening and the drive back to Calgary was most unpleasant. Looks like there could be about 10" of the white stuff on top of my fence today. Thanks so much, Lorrie and John, for being so kind and picking me up in the early morning and driving me all day long, and then dropping me off for the Potluck and returning later to collect me ready for the three of us to return to Calgary. Appreciated more than I can say! Thanks, also, to Greg Wagner for organizing the Count - as usual, great job! Last, but not least, many thanks to those who organized and prepared such a wonderful feast for us all to thoroughly enjoy at the end of the day! I left home around 7:00 am and arrived home about 8:15 pm, finally getting to bed at 2:00 am and eventually waking up at noon yesterday, which is why I posted so late yesterday! Was I tired after a full day out, especially after only two hours sleep the previous night!
I should also add my thanks to the various property owners who very kindly gave us permission to wander round their farmyards in search of any birds. Being allowed to do this adds so much more interest to our Count day, and we really appreciate it.
One exciting sighting was a beautiful female Moose, maybe two years old! This was the very first sighting ever of a Moose in our SE quadrant of the High River Count circle. From a distance, she was barely noticeable through the falling snow.
Common Redpolls were enjoyed at some feeders. They gave me the first opportunity to take photos this season. Much as I prefer photos without feeders, I am very glad for this chance. They are such dainty little birds, and fast-moving. It always looks like a feeding frenzy when they are at the feeders.
"High River CBC, SE Quadrant, including Frank Lake. 0800-1545, Tue, 19 Dec2017. Light overcast, light snow beginning at 1100. N Wind 10kph, -07 to -06°C. Ground bare initially, 3 cm at end. Little Bow River, mostly open.
Mallard-500
Northern Shoveler-1 f.
Northern Pintail-2
Common Goldeneye-3
Gray Partridge-8
Bald Eagle-1 ad, on Frank Lake
Prairie Falcon-1
Rock Pigeon-56
Great Horned Owl-6
Snowy Owl-1
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-17
Common Raven-4
Song Sparrow-1
Snow Bunting-150
Common Redpoll-790
House Sparrow-202
Ring-necked Pheasant tracks by observation blind.
Gord Fraser, on W side of Little Bow, just N of 594 Av, had 40 Gray Partridges this a.m.
Coyote-4
Skunk track by observation blind
Meadow Vole-1
Mule Deer-6
Moose-1 f.
Participants:
Km by Car- 58
Km on foot -5
Total km - 63
Time by car – 2 hrs
Time on foot-5 hrs
Total party hours-7 hrs"
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