Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Zonotrichia leucophrys

AND SO ENDS DAY 10 of our two-week birding holiday to Point Pelee (Ontario) and Tadoussac (Quebec) in May 2018! Day 11 sees us in that tiny boat, named Juno, that I posted today. It took us right out to the middle of the St. Lawrence Seaway to see one special island that was literally covered in Razorbills and Common Mures - two birds that I had never seen before. After that, Day 12 sees us travelling slowly back to Quebec City (ready to fly back to Calgary the next day), stopping en route at a wonderful place called Cap Tourmente, where we were thrilled to see 50,000 Snow Geese, on the ground, in the air, near and far. We even had time to stop and quickly photograph a barn or two on our long drive : ) On 16 May 2018, after a morning walk, we spent a little time watching and photographing some of the birds that visited our friend's garden. We also had lunch, ready for driving down to the dry dock soon after lunch. This was going to be a big day for the people of Tadoussac, as it was going to be High Tide, which happens twice a year, and the water was going to gradually overflow the entrance gate and flood the dry dock. Everyone was busy making final preparations on their boats for this event, and everyone was eager to see whose boat would be the first one to become afloat and make it out of the dock into open water. One of Anne B's brothers and his wife had a small boat and it was just about at the furthest point of the dry dock. Slowly, the water rose, and after maybe two hours (?) Alan and Jane's boat was ready to sail out, making them the winners. It felt so good to see a small community come together in this unusual, friendly contest. While we were waiting for the tide to be at its highest, we had fun watching a beautiful little Magnolia Warbler feeding frantically on the ground, not far from our feet. I loved these Magnolia Warblers - I had never seen one before this holiday. So beautiful and so cute. All the birds who migrate had only just arrived on the coast, after flying across a huge body of water. They were exhausted and so hungry. Same thing at Point Pelee, Ontario, the week before. "The magnolia warbler is found in the northern parts of some Midwestern states and the very northeastern parts of the US, with states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin comprising its southernmost boundaries. However, it is mostly found across the northern parts of Canada, such as in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. During the winter, the warbler migrates through the eastern half of the United States to southern Mexico and Central America. The warbler breeds in dense forests, where it will most likely be found among the branches of young, densely packed, coniferous trees. The magnolia warbler migrates to the warmer south in the winter, wintering in southeastern Mexico, Panama, and parts of the Caribbean. In migration it passes through the eastern part of the United States as far west as Oklahoma and Kansas. During migration season, the magnolia warbler can be found in various types of woodlands." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_warbler

And Day 9 is DONE! NOTE: Yesterday, 3 February 2019, the temperature just after noon was -27C (windchill -38C!). That is -16.6F (windchill -36.4F). Today, 4 February, has been the third day in a row that has had frigid temperatures. Any routine birding wallks have been cancelled day after day, which very, very rarely happens. A nasty shock after enjoying so many milder winter days for quite some time this winter. Despite the dreadful cold, people are still going out birding on their own (i.e. not the groups). Just amazes me - guess it's a harmless addiction compared to most addictions! For me, it's no big deal if I haven't been able to go out the last three days to look for birds - it really isn't the end of the world, and I have so many things to get on with at home! This evening, I posted 15 more photos from Day 9, and that brings Day 9 to a close. Tomorrow, I can move on to day 10 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec in May 2018. I will have only Day 10, 11 and 12 to sort, edit and post. Day 9, 15 May 2018, involved a local morning walk, not far from our friend Anne's home. Just before 10:00 am, we drove to near the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre in Tadoussac and followed the Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail. Not the greatest weather, including for photography. However, it was a delightful trail, much of it along a wooden boardwalk (which had quite a few steps). After this outing, we spent some time at our friend's house, watching the birds that came to her garden and then, later on, went for a short, local walk. I really enjoyed photographing these White-crowned Sparrows - they seemed reasonably cooperative. "Walk along Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail, a forest trail by the ocean with marvellous views of the surrounding coast and skyline. The wooden boardwalk leads you behind the wharf to the mouth of the Saguenay River. The trail provides an easy walk, stretching just under a kilometer (0.6 mi), or you can climb freely over the rocky shoreline for a more adventurous route. The point offers an ideal atmosphere for a picnic by the water. Look out into the distance to catch a glimpse of minke whales, while seals and belugas come close to the shore to feed." From link below. www.inspirock.com/canada/tadoussac/sentier-de-la-pointe-d...

NOTE: Today, 3 February 2019, the temperature just after noon was -27C (windchill -38C!). That is -16.6F (windchill -36.4F). Needless to say, it has been a day, just like yesterday, to stay home. Any birding wallks for yesterday and today, also tomorrow, were cancelled, which very, very rarely happens. A nasty shock after enjoying so many milder winter days for quite some time this winter. This evening, I have just posted nine more photos from Day 9, I had hoped to completely finish Day 9 today, but still have maybe half a dozen or so more bird and fungus images I'd like to add. Hopefully, I can finish them tomorrow, and then move on to day 10 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec in May 2018. I will have only Day 10, 11 and 12 to sort, edit and post. Day 9, 15 May 2018, involved a local morning walk, not far from our friend Anne's home. Just before 10:00 am, we drove to near the Marine Mammal Interprretation Centre in Tadoussac and followed the Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail. Not the greatest weather, including for photography. However, it was a delightful trail, much of it along a wooden boardwalk (which had quite a few steps). After this outing, we spent some time at our friend's house, watching the birds that came to her garden and then, later on, went for a short, local walk. "Walk along Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail, a forest trail by the ocean with marvellous views of the surrounding coast and skyline. The wooden boardwalk leads you behind the wharf to the mouth of the Saguenay River. The trail provides an easy walk, stretching just under a kilometer (0.6 mi), or you can climb freely over the rocky shoreline for a more adventurous route. The point offers an ideal atmosphere for a picnic by the water. Look out into the distance to catch a glimpse of minke whales, while seals and belugas come close to the shore to feed." From link below. www.inspirock.com/canada/tadoussac/sentier-de-la-pointe-d...

Just added 7 photos tonight, taken in May 2018, when four friends and I took a two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec. This photo and the Evening Grosbeak are out of order, taken on Day 6 and Day 9, but I was missing posting a few bird photos. These two images were both taken in the garden of Anne B's property in Tadoussac, Quebec. The remaining five photos were taken on 14 May 2018, when we drove NE of Tadoussac along the coast, stopping at several places, including Les Bergeronnes and Pointe-à-la-Croix, to search for birds. At the latter location, there is a huge, metal cross that makes a beautiful landmark. While wandering over the very colourful rocks at Pointe-à-la-Croix, we were lucky enough to see 4 Lapland Longspurs. This was the first time I had ever seen this species. At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, Ontario, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )

It has happened again - my photo-posting is all in reverse to what it was before. I stay up far too late at night and so get up late most mornings. Eventually, I hope I can get back to posting reasonably early in the day. Anyway, I have now reached Day 7 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec, so I guess I am very roughly half way through. Maybe another six or so photos to post and then I can edit and upload photos taken on a whaling trip we went on in the afternoon of this day, 13 May 2018. In the morning, we went for a birding walk along the cliff towards the village of Tadoussac. In the afternoon, we did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world. Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000. But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below. www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : ) Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677

After posting several horribly distant photos of birds, I thought I would jump ahead three days and post a close shot of this White-crowned Sparrow on the fence. "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world. Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000. But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below. www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac A few days ago, I started on photos taken during the week friends and I spent in Quebec, 12-18 May 2018. Some photos were taken in the small, coastal village of Tadoussac itself, others were taken in the wonderful garden of the home in which we stayed all week, and the rest were taken on several drives we made further along the coast. Unfortunately, so many of my garden bird photos will have to be deleted, as there was no room for me right by the window, so I had to take the shots from further inside the room and that definitely did not work! The background of this shot, especially, is not nice for the eyes. Though we have lots of Blue Jays back in Alberta, I rarely get a photo of one. The one morning, I made sure that I got to the window first and was able to get some reasonable images : ) For many of them, I used my Panasonic FZ1000, which only has a small zoom, but I like the quality of images taken with it. I had to give up trying to use the faulty Nikon B700 (prism in viewfinder was out of place) - I was just wasting precious time and photo opportunities, and ending up with ruined photos (camera was since returned and money refunded). Though I prefer a more natural setting, I am happy to take fence or feeder shots if they mean I can see the beautiful details of the birds up close. Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677 At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )

The three photos that I have posted this morning were all taken at our friend's summer cabin in Tadoussac, Quebec, on 12 May 2018. A couple of days ago, I started on photos taken during the week we spent in Quebec, 12-18 May 2018. Some photos were taken in the small, coastal village of Tadoussac itself, others were taken in the wonderful garden of the home in which we stayed all week, and the rest were taken on several drives we made further north along the coast. Unfortunately, so many of my bird photos will have to be deleted, as there was no room for me right by the window, so I had to take the shots from further inside the room and that definitely did not work! This one was OK. The one morning, I made sure that I got to the window first and was able to get some half decent images : ) I used my Panasonic FZ1000, which only has a small zoom, but I like the quality of images taken with it. I had to give up trying to use the faulty Nikon B700 - I was just wasting precious time and photo opportunities, and ending up with ruined photos (camera was since returned and money refunded). Though I prefer a more natural setting, I am happy to take fence or feeder shots if they mean I can see the beautiful details of the birds up close. Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677 At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. We made several trips to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )

Well, I'm back - but I hardly know where to start with organizing and editing photos! This morning, I quickly grabbed three to upload, the first two showing the two main places where four friends and I spent the last two weeks. We left Calgary airport on 6 May and flew to Toronto. There, we rented a van and did the long drive to Point Pelee for four whole days of birding. We stayed at the Best Western Hotel, which is close to Point Pelee National Park. It fills up very quickly (with birders) and our rooms were booked months ago. Our four days walking at Point Pelee were interesting and I, for sure, saw various things I had never seen before, including my very first Raccoon : ) Various friends had told me that the Warblers at Pelee were fantastic - so many and numerous species, and so close. Have to disagree with the "closeness" when we were there! I don't have binoculars as a camera(s) is enough for me to carry around, so I know I missed all sorts of birds. Though my Warbler count was lower than my friends', I was happy to at least get a few distant photos of some species. So many of my shots are awful, but I will still post some of them, just for the record of seeing them. Some photos are so bad that I doubt anyone can ID them. We covered several different trails at Pelee, and also drove to a few places somewhat further afield, such as Hillman Marsh. If you are unfamiliar with this Conservation Area, just wait till you see a photo of the old barn that was there. I couldn't believe my eyes! I was in so much pain that I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk across a grassy area to take a few photos. However, it was so unusual and beautiful, that I reckoned I could try and move forward inch by inch - and crawl (ha, ha) if necessary. Another place we enjoyed was Rondeau National Park. One amazing and totally unexpected sighting just outside Pelee was a very distant male Snowy Owl sitting in a fieldl!! We walked every single day that we were at Pelee and the areas mentioned above, seeing not just birds, but a frog/toad, snakes that we suspect were mating, several Painted turtles, a few plants (including both white and red Triliums, that I had never seen growing wild before, and a couple of Jack in the Pulpit plants). The Friends of Point Pelee have food available that one can buy. They also have a shuttle bus that one can take from the Visitor Centre all the way to the southern tip of Pelee, which is the most southern part of Canada. They also have birding walks each day (there is a charge). On 9 May, we spent the morning from 6:00 am to 11:00 am on a birding walk at Pelee with guide, Tom Hince, whom we had contacted while we were still in Calgary. At the end of our stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds, including many of these little White-crowned Sparrows. Here, in and around Calgary, I so rarely see one of these birds, though I do hear them singing sometimes. We made several trips to see different places, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese. Breathtaking! We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos. Think I had better stop typing! As I add more photos, I can add bits of extra information. We only arrived home fairly early yesterday evening, and I am so tired and have things to see to, like laundry. I was up any time from 4:45 am to 6:00 am each morning, many hours earlier than I usually get up, being such a dreadful night owl! Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )

What a miserable, wet day we are having today, 10 June 2017. Continuous rain and much cooler. The day after this trip, Thursday, we had a really bad storm, with high winds and torrential rain. Lots of small branches were strewn all over my street and conditions were probably worse in many places. This morning, I am again posting four photos taken three days ago, on 7 June 2017, when I went out for the day with seven friends, to Kananaskis. We drove west of the city into the eastern edge of the mountains, stopping at a few different places, including Forgetmenot Pond and Elbow Falls. Elbow Falls is a very popular area, within easy reach of Calgary. The huge parking lot tends to fill up completely, especially at weekends. The devastating flood of 2013 destroyed the picnic area and trails at this location, but it is still a beautiful place to visit. hikingwithbarry.com/2014/01/01/elbow-falls-flood-kananask... www.albertawow.com/hikes/Elbow_Falls/Elbow_Falls.htm Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It is just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. While we were eating our picnic lunch, this little White-crowned Sparrow was feeding down on the ground and came fairly close to us. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 What a great day we had! It was one beautiful find after another, and I think we all must have arrived back home at the end of the day, feeling happy and content. Dorothy and Stephen, as always, you planned a wonderful day for us and you even managed to arrange with the weatherman for beautiful sunshine and warmth, with an occasional welcome slight breeze. I still can't believe how lucky we were, seeing so many interesting things. In fact, I'm finding it difficult to decide what was the highlight for me. The Harlequin Duck, the distant Common Nighthawk, the Morel mushrooms, the small cluster of beautiful brown jelly cup fungi?? And so on .... Great to spend a day with such a pleasant group of keen, interested people. Thanks so much for such a great day - my favourite kind of day : ) Thank you, also, for the ride and for the donuts you brought along for everyone to enjoy. Nice to end our day with a stop at the Cinnamon Spoon cafe in Bragg Creek, for a very welcome coffee.

This little White-crowned Sparrow landed on a rock at the bottom of Red Rock Canyon, on our last day in Waterton Lakes National Park, 10 July 2016. One rapid shot taken from the bridge, which didn't come out as sharp as I would have liked - it was a long way down. After this, we followed the path above the creek and continued as far as Blakiston Falls. I really enjoy this walk - just a comfortable distance for me, and we see some interesting things along it. At the Falls, we saw an American Dipper's nest with one baby Dipper visible and either one or both adults flying back to the nest with food. We could also see several patches of Yellow Monkeyflower growing on the rocky wall at the falls and then spotted a couple of Orange False Dandelion flowers as we walked away from the falls. Three great sightings. Six days ago, late afternoon, (I think around 5:15 pm), on 10 July 2015, I arrived back home from my holiday of the year - this two and a half day trip to Waterton National Park. It was wonderful to again be surrounded by such magnificent scenery, go on a few pleasantly slow walks/hikes with plenty of time to look for, and photograph, wildflowers, insects, and a few birds and animals. Lots of great company with (22) people, some of whom I already knew and lots of new faces, too. The trip was organized by Nature Calgary. Everyone was free to go wherever they wanted each day, but for the two nights, we stayed at the very basic Canyon Church Camp, off the Red Rock Parkway. Dorm-style cabins (about which I will say nothing, lol!), but they do have showers and even flush toilets at the camp. We were fed so well - lots of variety and good food. We were given two breakfasts and two suppers, plus a packed lunch for the two days. Our thanks go out to the lady (can't remember her name, sorry, but she was also there for us in July 2015) who cooked and prepared these meals for us! They were so much enjoyed and greatly appreciated! Thank you SO much, Janet, for driving your friend and me to and from Calgary and around the park some of the time, too. To say that I appreciated it is a huge understatement!! Our thanks, too, to Andrew for organizing this trip so brilliantly, as usual! A great time was had by all. Andrew, I am SO happy and relieved that you were finally able to find a bear (and her cub) - yes, we came across the same ones shortly after you saw them. Not sure if they were two of the three I had seen at more or less the same location the previous morning, 9 July 2016. If it was the same female, then her second cub must have been really well hidden in the tangle of bushes and trees yesterday. We didn't get a good view, though I did take a handful of photos, including when the cub looked towards us for a split second. I had never seen such a young cub before, so I was thrilled to bits. Can't forget to add my huge thanks for finding me a Lazuli Bunting yesterday, too, at some unearthly hour (well, 7:30 am). No idea how on earth you managed to spot such a small bird from so far away - just a tiny speck in the far, far distance. Also was delighted that you found two Nighthawks flying high overhead at the Nature Conservancy area by the Waterton Springs Campground. So, I guess you and I both returned to Calgary feeling really happy : ) "Waterton Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also an International Peace Park, and a Biosphere Reserve. No other park in the world has these three designations. Waterton Biosphere Reserve as it is officially called, was designated in 1979 under what is called the internationally recognized "Man and the Biosphere program" of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), that sure is a mouthful. Biosphere Reserves are designed to promote and demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature." www.wediscovercanadaandbeyond.ca/2010/11/red-rock-canyon-...

On 14 May 2016, I went on a morning walk with birding friends. We met at the Boat Launch in Fish Creek Park and walked in the Sikome and Lafarge Meadows areas. This included checking on the usual Great Horned Owl family - all four members were way up high in the trees, more or less hidden from view. On the return walk, I happened to be walking at the back of the group. I heard a bird that caught my attention and when I stopped to look, I found this little White-crowned Sparrow sitting deep within the low branches of a coniferous tree. "White-crowned Sparrows appear each winter over much of North America to grace our gardens and favorite trails (they live in parts of the West year-round). The smart black-and-white head, pale beak, and crisp gray breast combine for a dashing look – and make it one of the surest sparrow identifications in North America. Watch for flocks of these sparrows scurrying through brushy borders and overgrown fields, or coax them into the open with backyard feeders. As spring approaches, listen out for this bird’s thin, sweet whistle." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/id "this species of Sparrow is the most studied Sparrow in North America. It has given science tremendous insight on physiology and geographic variation in song dialects" From Birds of Alberta by Fisher and Acorn. After this walk, I drove a short distance to see a different family of Great Horned Owls, presumably the same pair of adults that we had seen last year, nesting near the Bow Valley Ranch. Amazingly, this pair had four - yes, four! - owlets this time. Somewhat better views than of the first family, at least for the short time I was there. Bird list from the leader of our morning walk, Melanie S.: Fish Creek PP--Boat Launch, Calgary, Alberta, CA 14-May-2016 9:00 AM - 12:10 PM Protocol: Traveling 3.5 kilometer(s) Comments: 10 to 15 deg C. Sunny. Nature Calgary field trip, leader Melanie Seneviratne. 46 species (+1 other taxa) Canada Goose 24 Gadwall 8 American Wigeon 10 Mallard 22 Blue-winged Teal 4 Northern Shoveler 1 Canvasback 1 Redhead 7 Lesser Scaup 6 Common Goldeneye 2 Common Merganser 2 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 4 American White Pelican 5 Great Blue Heron 1 Osprey 4 Northern Goshawk 1 Flew over car park as we were leaving. Swainson's Hawk 4 American Coot 4 Spotted Sandpiper 4 Wilson's Snipe 1 Franklin's Gull 3 California Gull 1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2 Great Horned Owl 4 2 adult 2 juveniles Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 2 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Black-billed Magpie 2 American Crow 2 Common Raven 5 Tree Swallow 250 Barn Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 20 Black-capped Chickadee 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 12 European Starling 10 Clay-colored Sparrow 2 White-crowned Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 1 Red-winged Blackbird 30 Yellow-headed Blackbird 6 Brewer's Blackbird 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 5

This little Sparrow was singing away in the garden at Lake Louise on 30 August 2013. We happened to arrive at the lake just before it decided to rain. Can't complain, though, as the weather was so enjoyable for a good part of the day. Driving west from Calgary, we soon saw that the mountains (eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains) were looking rather hazy. Before too long, we found ourselves driving through very low, thick cloud and the mountains, there one moment, had partly disappeared the next. This went on for a long time and I began to wonder if we would even be able to see the beautiful mountains the further west we went. Eventually, the clouds lifted and the sun shone. Later in the day, the grey clouds started drifting in and we did get some rain, but we had already seen the "best" things. We were able to go inside the Chateau Lake Louise and wander around while the worst of the rain fell. It did clear, giving me a chance to take photos looking out over Lake Louise. Our furthest destination was Peyto Lake (and just a little further). It had been 30+ years since I had seen Peyto Lake so, needless to say, I was just thrilled to bits to get a chance to go there, thanks to good friend, Sandy! "White-crowned Sparrows appear each winter over much of North America to grace our gardens and favorite trails (they live in parts of the West year-round). The smart black-and-white head, pale beak, and crisp gray breast combine for a dashing look – and make it one of the surest sparrow identifications in North America. Watch for flocks of these sparrows scurrying through brushy borders and overgrown fields, or coax them into the open with backyard feeders. As spring approaches, listen out for this bird’s thin, sweet whistle." From AllAboutBirds. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-crowned_Sparrow www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/white-crowned_sparrow/id

Another view of one of the little White-crowned Sparrows that I saw in a nearby bush along the edge of Vermillion Lakes, Banff, on 3rd July. This was the first time I had ever been close to one of these Sparrows, so I enjoyed being able to see what it really looked like.

I'm not sure about the ID (American Tree Sparrow) I've given. Just managed this quick shot of a not very pleasant pose before the bird disappeared, but hopefully it will be enough for a definite ID. It was seen at West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, on 15 September 2012. Thanks to Matthew and Zunzuncito for correcting my ID. Much appreciated! www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/id

This was one of several little White-crowned Sparrows that were making themselves heard and seen on Plateau Mountain on July 17th. This one flew to a colourful, dead branch, with the distant blur of a nearby mountain slope in the background. Can't believe I've been fortunate enough to get back to Plateau Mountain twice this summer, thanks to friends! www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/white-crowned_sparrow/id

Yesterday, I spent the day in Banff with a friend, following part of the Fen Trail through the forest and walking the short distance to Vermillion Lakes. In the afternoon, we visited the Cascade Gardens at the far end of Banff's main street. I don't usually get a chance to go to Banff, in the Rocky Mountains, so this was a wonderful treat, thanks to my friend! The two little White-crowned Sparrows that I was watching from maybe 5' or 6' away, were in one of the bushes along the edge of the lake, near the edge of the road. I've never been that close to one of these birds, so I loved having the chance to really see what they look like. Unfortunately, the bush was a tangle of thin branches, but I did manage a few shots through an occasional clear gap.

Well, maybe not quite, LOL, but I'm not too likely to ever get a close shot of one of these pretty little White-crowned Sparrows. I just thought this little one made a cheery, spring photo, despite being such a distant shot (definitely not the kind of photo I like taking!). This one was perched along the bank of the Bow River at Carburn Park this morning. I had wanted to go searching for a Mountain Bluebird afterwards, but - it rained and hailed : )

Finally, a half decent photo of a White-crowned Sparrow! This little guy/gal flew to the top of a small bush when I arrived at Forgetmenot Pond yesterday morning. This is at the far end of the Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66), in the mountains. The scientific name "leucophrys" is Greek for "white eyebrow". Apparently, "this species of Sparrow is the most studied Sparrow in North America. It has given science tremendous insight on physiology and geographic variation in song dialects" From Birds of Alberta by Fisher and Acorn.