Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Lafarge Meadows

This evening, I have posted a dozen photos taken yesterday evening, 30 July 2019, on a birding walk in Fish Creek Park. The Black-crowned Night-Heron was the highlight for us. A few other species were seen, but many were distant and either I didn't bother to try and get photos, or else I have posted them just for the record. I rarely go on an evening walk, but yesterday evening was beautiful weather for walking, and, as always, it was nice to spend time with friends. Thanks, Anne B., for giving up your evening for us! Today, we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch. We have a hot day tomorrow, 29C (to feel like 31C). With my place feeling like an oven, I might just have to make use of my car's air-conditioning. A drive also might help take my mind off a very painful toothache, caused by two teeth I had filled about a month ago. I hadn't had toothache for many, many years - now I remember what it's like.

This evening, I have posted a dozen photos taken yesterday evening, 30 July 2019, on a birding walk in Fish Creek Park. The Black-crowned Night-Heron was the highlight for us. A few other species were seen, but many were distant and either I didn't bother to try and get photos, or else I have posted them just for the record. I rarely go on an evening walk, but yesterday evening was beautiful weather for walking, and, as always, it was nice to spend time with friends. Thanks, Anne B., for giving up your evening for us! Today, we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch. We have a hot day tomorrow, 29C (to feel like 31C). With my place feeling like an oven, I might just have to make use of my car's air-conditioning. A drive also might help take my mind off a very painful toothache, caused by two teeth I had filled about a month ago. I hadn't had toothache for many, many years - now I remember what it's like.

Two days ago, on 19 June 2018, there were two walks I wanted to go on - an afternoon botany walk at Griffith Woods, especially as I have missed most of the walks this session; and a birding walk in the evening at Lafarge Meadows in Fish Creek Park. Usually, I don't do two walks on the same day, as it is just too much walking for me. I photographed this male American Wigeon at the Fish Creek Park location. We were also lucky enough to see two Black-crowned night-herons there, though they were far, far away. A Great Blue Heron stood at the river's edge, fishing. The group of 8 of us saw 39 bird species in total. When I checked the list on ebird just now, there was no mention of a Gadwall, so now I'm wondering if this photo shows a Gadwall or an American Wigeon! After the evening walk, a few of us went to Tim Horton's for coffee and chat. Coffee doesn't usually keep me awake, but I guess I'm not normally drinking it at 10:00 pm! Despite feeling tired out from two walks, I was also 'wired' and it was 6:00 am before I finally fell into bed the next morning. An hour later, I was awake, so yesterday was definitely a slow day at home.

We have an overcast, windy day here today, 22 June 2017. The temperature is only 9C (windchill 5C). Yesterday, I had wondered whether to finally go for a drive and take a few garden flower photos today, but I've changed my mind. Usually, I never go out on local evening bird walks, as I am always too tired to walk for 2 1/2 - 3 hours (with lots of stopping and observing) by that time of the day. However, on 20 June 2017, my place was so uncomfortably hot that I just had to get out for a while. The walk was at Lafarge Meadows in Fish Creek Park. Some good birds were seen, though all of them, except for this male Yellow-headed Blackbird, were far, far away and no good for photos. This bird had what looked like a delicate damselfly in its beak. Just as we arrived back at the parking lot, a storm blew in - really, a dust storm! An interesting experience. So many days recently have been windy, which of course plays havoc with taking photos of birds and plants. I saw last night that a huge amount of damage had been caused north of Calgary by this storm.

I never go out on local evening bird walks, as I am always too tired to walk for 2 1/2 - 3 hours (with lots of stopping and observing) by that time of the day. However, yesterday, 20 June 2017, my place was so uncomfortably hot that I just had to get out for a while. Yesterday's walk was at Lafarge Meadows in Fish Creek Park. Some good birds were seen, though all of them were far, far away and no good for photos. I happened to notice this flower off the main road. I remember seeing it once before, and still don't know what it is. It was on quite a tall, thin stem. The closest I've come, is perhaps Milkvetch. Just as we arrived back at the parking lot, a storm blew in - really, a dust storm! An interesting experience. So many days recently have been windy, which of course plays havoc with taking photos of birds and plants.

Two days ago, on 23 September 2016, I had a few errands that needed to be run and then I called in at Fish Creek Park, hoping that I might just see the juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons that some people are still seeing down there. Totally out of luck, though I did see a Belted Kingfisher perched off in the distance. Luckily, I had seen the Night-Herons a few weeks ago, during a birding walk. Also, got a couple of rapid shots of this little Yellow-rumped Warbler. "Yellow-rumped Warblers are impressive in the sheer numbers with which they flood the continent each fall. Shrubs and trees fill with the streaky brown-and-yellow birds and their distinctive, sharp chips. Though the color palette is subdued all winter, you owe it to yourself to seek these birds out on their spring migration or on their breeding grounds. Spring molt brings a transformation, leaving them a dazzling mix of bright yellow, charcoal gray and black, and bold white." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/lifehis...

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. This Clay-colored Sparrow stayed long enough to get a quick shot. 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 a beautiful little White-crowned Sparrow sitting deep within the low branches of a coniferous tree. "The Clay-colored Sparrow’s buzzy song is a signature sound of the vast shrublands of the northern prairie and Great Plains. Though they’re not brightly colored, their pale tones and overall clean, crisp markings help set them apart from other sparrows—especially useful on their wintering grounds, where they often flock with other species. These active birds tend to forage within the branches of shrubs or on the ground beneath cover. Though still very numerous, their numbers have slowly declined over the past 40 years." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clay-colored_Sparrow/id 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

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

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 14 May 2016, when 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. Later today, I will add the list of bird species seen. 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. Not much in the way of wildflowers to photograph, though I did stop to take a quick shot of this Early Cinquefoil flower. Early Cinquefoil is one of the first wildflowers to grow here in the city each spring. It is a native plant that grows in dry, open areas (prairie). Some plants have pinnately compound leaves, while other Early Cinquefoil plants have palmately compound leaves. This plant is a member of the Rose family. Low-growing with very small, brightly yellow flowers. The following link is to a page about Early Cinquefoil on a website done by one of our two botany leaders - Karel Bergmann. Thanks, Karel for all the time and effort you put into your site and, of course, for leading some of our botany outings. botany.cz/en/potentilla-concinna/ I will add the bird list from our leader, 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

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 14 May 2016, when 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. Later today, I will add the list of bird species seen. 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. Stopped long enough to take a photo of this iridescent Tree Swallow during our walk. There are so many of these birds everywhere at the moment, and plenty of swarming insects for them to feed on. "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 AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/id Bird list from our leader, 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

Amazing, our temperature yesterday, 19 April 2016, got up to 27C! We have been having summer weather and it's only spring. The temperature in Calgary climbed high enough yesterday to top a century-old weather record. "According to Environment Canada, the previous record high for Calgary on April 19 was recorded at the Calgary International Airport in 1910 when it was 26.7 C. Calgary had tied that record by 2 p.m. and beat it at around 5 p.m. by reaching 27.5 C." globalnews.ca/news/2647710/calgary-poised-to-break-100-ye... The weather was beautiful on 7 April 2016 and I finally got out for a walk in Fish Creek Park with birding friends. We started off at the Boat Launch, checking the Bow River for any waterfowl, then walked to the first storm water pond. From there, we walked down the path by the river, where, among other things, we spotted a little male Tree Swallow working at his nest cavity. Also a Black-capped Chickadee doing exactly the same thing. At one point, we heard a rustling in the dead leaves on the ground and then caught sight of a Meadow Vole. We even heard one litte squeak : ) Our last stop on our walk was to check on the pair of Great Horned Owls. Dad was sleeping in a tree not far from the nest tree and Mom was on the nest. We couldn't see any sign of the young ones. The Balsam Poplar trees were full of bright red (male) catkins - they always look so beautiful, especially when seen against a blue sky. We saw one flower on our walk - yellow, and I think it was Silverweed, if I remember correctly. When I returned home later, I was welcomed by another yellow flower - my first Dandelion of the season : ) After the bird walk, I had intended going straight home, but on the spur of the moment, I turned on to the small road leading down to Bankside (still in Fish Creek Park). Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am meant to go somewhere, that there is a reason, and usually it ends up with my seeing something beautiful. Well, on this day, the 'something' was a gorgeous male Ring-necked Pheasant (actually, two of them)! On the drive to the parking lot, I had already seen another male, but the second one ended up crossing the path, giving a much closer view. As soon as I got out of my car, I recognized a lady in the distance - it was friend, Shirley, who had already spotted this bird. A fisherman mentioned it to us, as well. After watching the very well-hidden bird, we were treated to a clear view when it walked across the path ahead of us. Such a spectacular bird! I will add the list of species seen on the first walk, compiled by our leaders: Spring Birding, Boat Launch, FCPP, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu07Apr2016. Sunny, calm, 3 – 15°C. Combined results of three groups. Canada Goose-20 American Wigeon-2 Mallard-20 Common Goldeneye-10 Common Merganser-5 RED-TAILED HAWK-1 WILSON’S SNIPE-1 FRANKLIN’S GULL-5 Ring-billed Gull-15+ Rock Pigeon-2 Great Horned Owl-2 Downy Woodpecker-6 Hairy Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-7+ Black-billed Magpie-3 Common Raven-3 TREE SWALLOW-3. One male was excavating nest-hole Black-capped Chickadee-10,One pair were excavating nest-hole White-breasted Nuthatch-2+ American Robin-4 European Starling-40+ SONG SPARROW-2+ RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-3 m. Meadow Vole-1 Muskrat-2

The weather was beautiful on 7 April 2016 and I finally got out for a walk in Fish Creek Park with birding friends. We started off at the Boat Launch, checking the Bow River for any waterfowl, then walked to the first storm water pond. From there, we walked down the path by the river, where, among other things, we spotted a little male Tree Swallow working at his nest cavity. Also a Black-capped Chickadee doing exactly the same thing. At one point, we heard a rustling in the dead leaves on the ground and then caught sight of a Meadow Vole. We even heard one litte squeak : ) Our last stop on our walk was to check on the pair of Great Horned Owls. Dad was sleeping in a tree not far from the nest tree and Mom was on the nest. We couldn't see any sign of young ones. The Balsam Poplar trees were full of bright red (male) catkins - they always look so beautiful, especially when seen against a blue sky. We saw one flower on our walk - yellow, and I think it was Silverweed, if I remember correctly. When I returned home later, I was welcomed by another yellow flower - my first Dandelion of the season : ) After the bird walk, I had intended going straight home, but on the spur of the moment, I turned on to the small road leading down to Bankside (still in Fish Creek Park). Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am meant to go somewhere, that there is a reason, and usually it ends up with my seeing something beautiful. Well, on this day, the 'something' was a gorgeous male Ring-necked Pheasant (actually, two of them)! On the drive to the parking lot, I had already seen another male, but the second one ended up crossing the path, giving a much closer view. As soon as I got out of my car, I recognized a lady in the distance - it was friend, Shirley, who had already spotted this bird. A fisherman mentioned it to us, as well. After watching the very well-hidden bird, we were treated to a clear view when it walked across the path ahead of us. Such a spectacular bird! I will add the list of species seen on the first walk, compiled by our leaders: Spring Birding, Boat Launch, FCPP, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu07Apr2016. Sunny, calm, 3 – 15°C. Combined results of three groups. Canada Goose-20 American Wigeon-2 Mallard-20 Common Goldeneye-10 Common Merganser-5 RED-TAILED HAWK-1 WILSON’S SNIPE-1 FRANKLIN’S GULL-5 Ring-billed Gull-15+ Rock Pigeon-2 Great Horned Owl-2 Downy Woodpecker-6 Hairy Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-7+ Black-billed Magpie-3 Common Raven-3 TREE SWALLOW-3. One male was excavating nest-hole Black-capped Chickadee-10,One pair were excavating nest-hole White-breasted Nuthatch-2+ American Robin-4 European Starling-40+ SONG SPARROW-2+ RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-3 m. Meadow Vole-1 Muskrat-2

Yesterday's weather was beautiful and I finally got out for a walk in Fish Creek Park with birding friends. We started off at the Boat Launch, checking the Bow River for any waterfowl, then walked to the first storm water pond. From there, we walked down the path by the river, where, among other things, we spotted a little male Tree Swallow working at his nest cavity. Also a Black-capped Chickadee doing exactly the same thing. At one point, we heard a rustling in the dead leaves on the ground and then caught sight of a Meadow Vole. We even heard one litte squeak : ) Our last stop on our walk was to check on the pair of Great Horned Owls. Dad was sleeping in a tree not far from the nest tree and Mom was on the nest. We couldn't see any young ones yesterday morning. The Balsam Poplar trees were full of bright red (male) catkins - they always look so beautiful, especially when seen against a blue sky. We saw one flower on our walk - yellow, and I think it was Silverweed, if I remember correctly. When I returned home later, I was welcomed by another yellow flower - my first Dandelion of the season : ) After the bird walk, I had intended going straight home, but on the spur of the moment, I turned on to the small road leading down to Bankside (still in Fish Creek Park). Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am meant to go somewhere, that there is a reason, and usually it ends up with my seeing something beautiful. Well, yesterday, the 'something' was a gorgeous male Ring-necked Pheasant (actually, two of them)! On the drive to the parking lot, I had already seen another male, but the second one ended up crossing the path, giving a much closer view. As soon as I got out of my car, I recognized a lady in the distance - it was friend, Shirley, who had already spotted this bird. A fisherman mentioned it to us, as well. After watching the very well-hidden bird, we were treated to a clear view when it walked across the path ahead of us. Such a spectacular bird! I will add the list of species seen on the first walk, compiled by our leaders: Spring Birding, Boat Launch, FCPP, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu07Apr2016. Sunny, calm, 3 – 15°C. Combined results of three groups. Canada Goose-20 American Wigeon-2 Mallard-20 Common Goldeneye-10 Common Merganser-5 RED-TAILED HAWK-1 WILSON’S SNIPE-1 FRANKLIN’S GULL-5 Ring-billed Gull-15+ Rock Pigeon-2 Great Horned Owl-2 Downy Woodpecker-6 Hairy Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-7+ Black-billed Magpie-3 Common Raven-3 TREE SWALLOW-3. One male was excavating nest-hole Black-capped Chickadee-10,One pair were excavating nest-hole White-breasted Nuthatch-2+ American Robin-4 European Starling-40+ SONG SPARROW-2+ RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-3 m. Meadow Vole-1 Muskrat-2

Yesterday's weather was beautiful and I finally got out for a walk in Fish Creek Park with birding friends. We started off at the Boat Launch, checking the Bow River for any waterfowl, then walked to the first storm water pond. From there, we walked down the path by the river, where, among other things, we spotted a little male Tree Swallow working at his nest cavity. Also a Black-capped Chickadee doing exactly the same thing. At one point, we heard a rustling in the dead leaves on the ground and then caught sight of a Meadow Vole. We even heard one litte squeak : ) Our last stop on our walk was to check on the pair of Great Horned Owls. Dad was sleeping in a tree not far from the nest tree and Mom was on the nest. We couldn't see any young ones yesterday morning. The Balsam Poplar trees were full of bright red (male) catkins - they always look so beautiful, especially when seen against a blue sky. We saw one flower on our walk - yellow, and I think it was Silverweed, if I remember correctly. When I returned home later, I was welcomed by another yellow flower - my first Dandelion of the season : ) After the bird walk, I had intended going straight home, but on the spur of the moment, I turned on to the small road leading down to Bankside (still in Fish Creek Park). Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am meant to go somewhere, that there is a reason, and usually it ends up with my seeing something beautiful. Well, yesterday, the 'something' was a gorgeous male Ring-necked Pheasant (actually, two of them)! On the drive to the parking lot, I had already seen another male, but the second one ended up crossing the path, giving a much closer view. As soon as I got out of my car, I recognized a lady in the distance - it was friend, Shirley, who had already spotted this bird. A fisherman mentioned it to us, as well. After watching the very well-hidden bird, we were treated to a clear view when it walked across the path ahead of us. Such a spectacular bird! I will add the list of species seen on the first walk, compiled by our leaders: Spring Birding, Boat Launch, FCPP, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu07Apr2016. Sunny, calm, 3 – 15°C. Combined results of three groups. Canada Goose-20 American Wigeon-2 Mallard-20 Common Goldeneye-10 Common Merganser-5 RED-TAILED HAWK-1 WILSON’S SNIPE-1 FRANKLIN’S GULL-5 Ring-billed Gull-15+ Rock Pigeon-2 Great Horned Owl-2 Downy Woodpecker-6 Hairy Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-7+ Black-billed Magpie-3 Common Raven-3 TREE SWALLOW-3. One male was excavating nest-hole Black-capped Chickadee-10,One pair were excavating nest-hole White-breasted Nuthatch-2+ American Robin-4 European Starling-40+ SONG SPARROW-2+ RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-3 m. Meadow Vole-1 Muskrat-2

This is far from being a good photo, which is why I am slipping it in as the third photo this morning. Usually, I rarely ever see these Black-crowned Night Herons and when I have seen one, it has been a large speck in the distance. This one was high up in a tall tree and, as you might guess from the photo, the light was not good. Unfortunately, you can't tell that it has beautiful, bright orange eyes. I will add a previously posted, better image of this bird, taken at the same location on 7 October, in a comment box below. This photo was taken on 9 October 2015, when I decided to drive to the east end of Fish Creek Park and walk down to the Lafarge Meadows area to see if there was any sign of this Night Heron. Two days earlier, I had been lucky enough to see it closer, in a small pond and in much better light. This time, it was much more difficult to find. "Black-crowned Night-Herons are stocky birds compared to many of their long-limbed heron relatives. They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. In the light of day adults are striking in gray-and-black plumage and long white head plumes. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt, and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-crowned_Night-Heron/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-crowned_night_heron

These two trees always catch my eye when I go on a walk with friends to Lafarge Meadows, at the eastern end of Fish Creek Park. The walk goes along the Bow River - well-known for good fishing! This photo was taken on 4 October 2015, and enough leaves were still on all the trees to give a golden glow. The Beaver chose a nice spot to built its lodge : ) We didn't see a whole lot on this walk, which was an afternoon walk instead of a morning walk, though we always enjoy seeing a Bald Eagle. Two people on the walk were lucky enough to see the rare (in Alberta) Hooded Warbler, though I have seen it there since then. Will add our leaders' (Janet, Bernie & Stephen) list: 1. Eared Grebe - 4 2. Pied-billed Grebe - 1 3. Double-crested Cormorant - 9 4. Canada Goose - 135 5. Mallard - 52 6. Gadwall - 1 7. American Wigeon - 45 8. Ring-necked Duck - 12 9. Bald Eagle - 1 immature 10. Merlin - 1 11. American Coot - 180 12. Ring-billed Gull - 20 13. Northern Flicker - 2 14. Black-capped Chickadee - 14 15. Black-billed Magpie - 3 16. American Crow - 1 17. Common Raven - 6 18. American Robin - 17 19. HOODED WARBLER - 1 (seen by only 2 out of 10 although we spent 30 minutes in the area. Merlin seen in same area) 20. White-throated Sparrow - 1

This photo was taken two days ago, on 11 October 2015, during a morning walk in very high winds, at Lafarge Meadows, Fish Creek Park, with friends. The hope that the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron might still be at a small pond or perched high up in a nearby tree was enough to make me get up early and push me out the front door. Also, I wondered if the rare (in Alberta) Hooded Warbler might still be around in that area. No sign of the Night Heron (maybe it was sheltering from the strong wind), but we did see the little Warbler again. It is such a difficult bird to spot and photograph, though I did end up with a single shot - I think even worse than the photo I posted the other day, lol! This little White-breasted Nuthatch was seen near the beginning of our walk. I'm supposed to be doing a lot more walking, so I felt virtuous by the time I got back home. I will add our leader, Howard Heffler's report of the outing: Even though it was Thanksgiving, six people showed up for a walk from the boat ramp to Lafarge Meadows. Of course the Hooded Warbler that had been reported by several observers all week was a good reason to be a bit late to get the turkey in the oven. And good fortune prevailed as we had excellent, albeit fleeting, views of this little cutie! Other highlights included a Northern Shrike perched near the top of snag beside the trail and a Rough-legged Hawk riding the riding the wind on the other side of the Bow River. We recorded 26 species: Canada Goose 9 Gadwall 4 American Wigeon 207 Mallard 40 Lesser Scaup 65 Bufflehead 12 Common Goldeneye 3 Common Merganser 1 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Great Blue Heron 1 Bald Eagle 2 Rough-legged Hawk 1 American Coot 400 Greater Yellowlegs 5 Ring-billed Gull 50 Rock Pigeon 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Northern Shrike 1 Black-billed Magpie 6 American Crow 30 Common Raven 4 Black-capped Chickadee 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 European Starling 40 Hooded Warbler 1 Howard Heffler

Unfortunately, poor quality - 48x zoom plus cropped - but we were happy to see this majestic Bald Eagle pretty much out in the open in a distant tree. Taken yesterday, 11 October 2015, during a morning walk in very high winds, at Lafarge Meadows, Fish Creek Park, with friends. The hope that the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron might still be at a small pond or perched high up in a nearby tree was enough to make me get up early and push me out the front door. Also, I wondered if the rare (in Alberta) Hooded Warbler might still be around in that area. No sign of the Night Heron, but we did see the little Warbler again. It is such a difficult bird to spot and photograph, though I did end up with a single shot - I think even worse than the photo I posted the other day, lol! I'm supposed to be doing a lot more walking, so I felt virtuous by the time I got back home. I will add our leader, Howard Heffler's report of the outing: Even though it was Thanksgiving, six people showed up for a walk from the boat ramp to Lafarge Meadows. Of course the Hooded Warbler that had been reported by several observers all week was a good reason to be a bit late to get the turkey in the oven. And good fortune prevailed as we had excellent, albeit fleeting, views of this little cutie! Other highlights included a Northern Shrike perched near the top of snag beside the trail and a Rough-legged Hawk riding the riding the wind on the other side of the Bow River. We recorded 26 species: Canada Goose 9 Gadwall 4 American Wigeon 207 Mallard 40 Lesser Scaup 65 Bufflehead 12 Common Goldeneye 3 Common Merganser 1 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Great Blue Heron 1 Bald Eagle 2 Rough-legged Hawk 1 American Coot 400 Greater Yellowlegs 5 Ring-billed Gull 50 Rock Pigeon 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Northern Shrike 1 Black-billed Magpie 6 American Crow 30 Common Raven 4 Black-capped Chickadee 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 European Starling 40 Hooded Warbler 1 Howard Heffler