Birding east of Calgary, 6 October 2018

Yesterday, 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual, on these bird trips, every bird was far, far away, but I was able to zoom in on these Greater White-fronted Geese. Always a joy to see them when they migrate. The "white-fronted" refers to the patch of white around the bill. Another bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not ot get a photo. However, I have just checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, Yesterday, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this morning, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature is -4C (windchill -9C). This snow photo was taken at Elliston Park. Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! The Nikon P900 is a heavy camera! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. A bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this morning, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature is -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! The Nikon P900 is a heavy camera! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. A bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull - the darker, closest bird. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this morning, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature is -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. A bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this morning, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature is -4C (windchill -9C). This photo was taken at Elliston Park, with its blanket of snow. Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. A bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this morning, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature is -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. Luckily, this Yellowlegs wandered somewhat closer, so that I could actually see the feather detail on it. Another bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

Just added 13 extra photos this evening, as a record of how fall 2018 looks and feels just like winter! Not the kind of photos I particularly enjoy taking or posting, but they serve as a record of this birding trip east of the city. Decided to get the remaining photos out of the way in one go. More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this evening, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature was -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. Luckily, this female duck wandered somewhat closer, so that I could actually see the feather detail on it. Another bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

Just added 13 extra photos this evening, as a record of how fall 2018 looks and feels just like winter! Not the kind of photos I particularly enjoy taking or posting, but they serve as a record of this birding trip east of the city. Decided to get the remaining photos out of the way in one go. More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this evening, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature was -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. Luckily, this female duck wandered somewhat closer, so that I could actually see the feather detail on it. Another bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.

Just added 13 extra photos this evening, as a record of how fall 2018 looks and feels just like winter! Not the kind of photos I particularly enjoy taking or posting, but they serve as a record of this birding trip east of the city. Decided to get the remaining photos out of the way in one go. More snow fell last night and it is still snowing very lightly this evening, 9 October 2018. Shortly before noon, our temperature was -4C (windchill -9C). Last night, I finally took another look at the photos I took way back in May, on our two-week trip to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec). I have only edited and posted photos from the first day there and a few from our second morning. I really need to get busy on this huge task and I think I may have to post far too many photos at a time. Will do this later in a day or at night, when most people are probably off Flickr. Many photos are simply "for the record" shots and not of good quality. I will see how long I can keep this up, though, as editing and posting photos does not help with the inflammation in my shoulder rotator cuffs. Nor does holding up a camera and taking photos!! On 6 October 2018, I joined a few birding friends for another day out east of the city. The weather was beautiful, and so different from the freezing cold trip that was held about a week earlier. As usual on these birding trips, almost every bird was far, far away. Luckily, this female duck wandered somewhat closer, so that I could actually see the feather detail on it. Another bird I was happy to see was a Thayer's Gull. I was thinking that I had never seen one before, or at least not to get a photo. However, I checked my photostream and discovered a photo of a juvenile that I took on 25 March 2018. The Thayer's Gull is now called an Iceland Gull. "The darker-winged “Thayer’s” gull of the west used to be considered a different species; the two were lumped in 2017." Like many people, I just don't "do" Gulls. A lack of interest in them does seem to be fairly widespread, On this day, however, our leader, Terry Korolyk, who is a Gull expert (along with tremendous knowledge on hybrids and all birds/wildlife), found several huge flocks of various Gulls at different locations, along with other bird species, including a few more Rusty Blackbirds (whose numbers are declining). A delight to see a few distant Swans, a Wilson's Snipe, Greater White-fronted Geese, Yellowlegs and an assortment of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thank you, Terry, for yet another enjoyable and interesting trip. Thank you, also, for the ride.