Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: farm cat

Collected my computer from the store this evening, after two days without it. The technician was unable to duplicate the problem I was having, so I have to keep an eye on it and see if I can give him more info on when the issue happens - the issue being that my computer freezes, my photo stays on the screen, but the mouse disappears and stops working, as does the tiny blinking light on the front face off the computer tower. Couldn't turn the computer off or make anything work, each time it happened. Now I have to hurry and get everything ready for an early start tomorrow morning, for another long-day Christmas Bird Count, west of the city. The three photos that I posted this evening were all taken on 18 December 2018, when I took part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of High River, south of Calgary. As usual, my lens turned to anything else that caught my eye, Including old barns, old cars, and farm cats. I'm not sure, but I think this is a long-haired Calico cat. The weather was beautiful for us, which makes the difference. No snow on the ground either, which makes our searches so much easier. The Count last year had awful weather with a dreadful snow storm blowing in while we were having a Potluck supper. I was just so thankful that I wasn't the one driving back to Calgary in the dark and the blowing snow. What we birding people do for the sake of citizen science, ha! This year, we were unable to book the usual community centre for a Potluck supper afterwards, which was such a shame. It always makes a great ending to a long day of birding when we can get together afterwards and eat and chat.

With a lot of snow forecast for 8 of the following 10 days, I feel very lucky that my daughter and I had such a beautiful day on 17 December 2017, for our Christmas get-together. It was such weird weather, as the colour of the sunrise sky lasted all day, till we left just before sunset. A gorgeous Chinook Arch crossed the sky, staying the whole day. Some of the fields were bare, and others had a light dusting of snow on them. The day started with breakfast at the Saskatoon Farm - always enjoyable. They do close from the end of the day on 23 December and open again in the morning of 17 January. A well-earned break for everyone who works there. As always, we walked around the grounds to look for things to photograph and, as usual, we were in luck - dead Sunflowers, cats, dogs, even a little House Sparrow that was inside one of the greenhouses. From there, we continued south to the area east of High River and drove some of the usual back roads; ones that I had driven just four days earlier. Of course, we were hoping that we might find a Snowy Owl, though I knew not to get our hopes up. Before too long, my daughter spotted our first Snowy Owl of the season - the tiniest speck of white that I could barely see with the naked eye, but it was a Snowy and that was all that mattered. Later in the day, she somehow spotted a second one; again, the tiniest speck perched on a very distant fence post. A few minutes before this second sighting, my daughter spotted two handsome Mule Deer bucks - looked like father and son - lying down next to a metal grain silo, near the edge of the road. They stayed there for a while, which was surprising, as males tend to be far more skittish. Eventually, they stood up and walked off into the field. Of course, we couldn't resist taking shots of any old barns, sheds and houses that we came across. Altogether, a great day that was much enjoyed. Thank you so much, Rachel, for spending the day with me, and doing something that we both love! These are my absolute favourite days in the year.

My daughter and I both agree that the Saskatoon Farm has the cutest cats and dogs, who wander all over the Farm, indoors and out. They are one of my favourite things to photograph when I am there. This grey cat is such a beauty. With a lot of snow forecast for 8 of the following 10 days, I feel very lucky that my daughter and I had such a beautiful day on 17 December 2017, for our Christmas get-together. Since then, we have had so much snow and, at the moment, temperatures have plunged. For tomorrow, Christmas morning, the temperature is forecast to be -24C (windchill -30C). For two upcoming, out-of-city Christmas Bird Counts, the temperature is supposed to be -18C (windchill -25C) and -21C (windchill -28C)! It was such weird weather on the day my daughter and I went off for the day, as the colour of the sunrise sky lasted all day, till we left just before sunset. A gorgeous Chinook Arch crossed the sky, staying the whole day. Some of the fields were bare, and others had a light dusting of snow on them. The day started with breakfast at the Saskatoon Farm - always enjoyable. They do close from the end of the day on 23 December and open again in the morning of 17 January. A well-earned break for everyone who works there. As always, we walked around the grounds to look for things to photograph and, as usual, we were in luck - dead Sunflowers, cats, dogs, and the many little House Sparrows that were inside one of the greenhouses. From there, we continued south to the area east of High River and drove some of the usual back roads; ones that I had driven just four days earlier. Of course, we were hoping that we might find a Snowy Owl, though I knew not to get our hopes up. Before too long, my daughter spotted our first Snowy Owl of the season - the tiniest speck of white that I could barely see with the naked eye, but it was a Snowy and that was all that mattered. Later in the day, she somehow spotted a second one; again, the tiniest speck perched on a very distant fence post. A few minutes before this second sighting, my daughter spotted two handsome Mule Deer bucks - looked like father and son - lying down next to a metal grain silo, near the edge of the road. They stayed there for a while, which was surprising, as males tend to be far more skittish. Eventually, they stood up and walked off into the field. Of course, we couldn't resist taking shots of any old barns, sheds and houses that we came across. Altogether, a great day that was much enjoyed. Thank you so much, Rachel, for spending the day with me, and doing something that we both love! These are my absolute favourite days in the year.

With a lot of snow forecast for 8 of the following 10 days, I feel very lucky that my daughter and I had such a beautiful day on 17 December 2017, for our Christmas get-together. Along with the snow will come much colder temperatures, too, unfortunately. It was such weird weather, as the colour of the sunrise sky lasted all day, till we left just before sunset. A gorgeous Chinook Arch crossed the sky, staying the whole day. Some of the fields were bare, and others had a light dusting of snow on them. The day started with breakfast at the Saskatoon Farm - always enjoyable. They do close from the end of the day on 23 December and open again in the morning of 17 January. A well-earned break for everyone who works there. As always, we walked around the grounds to look for things to photograph and, as usual, we were in luck - dead Sunflowers, cats, dogs, even a little House Sparrow that was inside one of the greenhouses. From there, we continued south to the area east of High River and drove some of the usual back roads; ones that I had driven just four days earlier. Of course, we were hoping that we might find a Snowy Owl, though I knew not to get our hopes up. Before too long, my daughter spotted our first Snowy Owl of the season - the tiniest speck of white that I could barely see with the naked eye, but it was a Snowy and that was all that mattered. Later in the day, she somehow spotted a second one; again, the tiniest speck perched on a very distant fence post. A few minutes before this second sighting, my daughter spotted two handsome Mule Deer bucks - looked like father and son - lying down next to a metal grain silo, near the edge of the road. They stayed there for a while, which was surprising, as males tend to be far more skittish. Eventually, they stood up and walked off into the field. Of course, we couldn't resist taking shots of any old barns, sheds and houses that we came across. Altogether, a great day that was much enjoyed. Thank you so much, Rachel, for spending the day with me, and doing something that we both love! These are my absolute favourite days in the year.

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count for 2016 was held on 30 December. This year, 2017, there will be no Count for Nanton. The person who organized this annual Count for seven years is no longer able to do it and, most unfortunately, no one else has stepped forward to take over. Mike, you did a wonderful job, which was greatly appreciated! Feel so sad, as this was my favourite Count each year and basically was my Christmas. Mike's parents have been amazing, always having some kind of breakfast ready for us and then, at the end of the day, preparing a delicious supper for everyone to thoroughly enjoy, while catching up with fellow birders and adding all the bird lists together. A truly delightful family. I absolutely love the area my small group of friends covered each year - in the SW quadrant of the Count circle - and I will miss this so much. Many of my favourite winter photos have been taken in this area on these Counts. The Count for 2016 was held on 30 December. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well, know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting. Including farm cats! On the 2015 Count, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. The 2016 Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these back roads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. The 2016 Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you! It's going to feel very different this year (2017), not seeing any of you, but I hope you know how much everyone appreciates all the enjoyment you have given to each and every birder the last few years.

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count for 2016 was held on 30 December. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting. Including farm cats! Last year, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. This Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads (though I've never driven them myself), but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you!

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count for 2016 was held on 30 December. Nanton is roughly 98 km / 61 miles S of Calgary. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Unfortunately, Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers are dwindling in Alberta. Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, farm cats, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting. Last year, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. This Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. A few Sharp-tailed Grouse were also a treat. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group of 7 people (in two cars)! After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads (though I've never driven them myself), but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you! I will add Andrew Hart's eBird report for this trip, in a comment box below.

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count for 2016 was held on 30 December. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting. Including farm cats! Last year, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. This Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads (though I've never driven them myself), but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you! I will add Andrew Hart's eBird report for this trip, in a comment box below.

The day before yesterday, 20 December 2016, was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of High River, roughly 40 minutes' drive south of Calgary. This is one of my favourite Counts and I'm so glad that I managed to take part. I wasn't sure if I would feel well enough to go, thanks to the dizziness/light-headedness that I've had the last nine days. Had a doctor's appointment yesterday and was told that the problem was the tiny "rocks" that a person has in the inner ear. Apparently, it's a very common problem and hopefully it will either right itself or will be helped by exercises. Anyway, I didn't have to drive for the Count and there was not much walking - just around the various farms we called in at on our route. I don't know where all the farm cats were on this day, but I think the one in my photo plus another at the same farm were the only ones we saw. This beautiful cat was very active and, in the end, the only way I finally managed to get a photo was when Lorrie picked it up. The Count started at 8:00 am and my small group (seven of us in two cars) started at Frank Lake. I think we finished somewhere around 4:00 pm, and then met up with everyone else who had different routes at the meeting place to hand in the lists of species seen. The Potluck supper was delicious! Thank you so much to the ladies of High River who had prepared this for us. Many thanks to Greg Wagner, too, for organizing yet another great Count. Thanks, Lorrie and John for driving the car I was in! I will add our leader's list of species that my small group saw, in a comment box below. For me, the six Great Horned Owls (3 pairs) were the highlight of the day. The saddest thing we found was a dead Great Horned Owl that was in one of the huge Spruce trees in someone's yard. We couldn't tell the cause of death.

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count that took place on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count. As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and acreages. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I think the highlight of the day, certainly for me, was all the beautiful Pine Grosbeaks that we saw. We had been told about a farm family who had lots of these Grosbeaks at their feeders, and we are so glad that we arranged to call in. We also saw a Gray Jay there, to add to our species list. My small group of 4 friends and myself, travelling in two cars, did see 5 Golden Eagles, too, which was a thrill, but they were way off in the distance and I couldn't get any even remotely close photos I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we happened to be very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home. After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it on our next visit. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for this year's Christmas Count, in about two and a half weeks' time!

Hello, winter - again! Our forecast is "Temperature deep dive, snow on the horizon for Alberta." This morning, it is -1C (windchill -4C) and it has just started snowing at 10:00 am. Looks like we should have this kind of temperature for the next two weeks. I'm so glad I went on a birding walk yesterday and did some grocery shopping. The cat in this photo was the mother of three young kittens that my daughter and I saw at the Saskatoon Farm almost a year ago, on 21 December 2015. They were the cutest little things, having free run of the place. One spot, that was very obviously a favourite, was the pile of boxes in bright, shiny, sparkling wrapping, placed under the Christmas tree. Constantly on the move, the kittens were not easy to photograph at all. The 'gifts', loosely joined together by a string of tree lights, gradually moved away from the tree, sliding over the wooden floor. What absolute fun for these little kittens - and for any young girls that came to visit the Farm and were drawn like magnets to these irresistible cuties. On 21 December 2015, my daughter and I had our Christmas get-together. Like last year, she asked if I wanted to spend the day out of the city, looking for Snowy Owls (and other things). We were both so happy to at least see a (very distant) Snowy Owl, which she cleverly spotted, even though we had hoped to find a much closer one. Thank goodness, the previous year, my daughter and I did see and photograph beautiful Snowies E and NE of the city that were nice and close. Finding one of these magnificent birds of prey was not the only purpose in our minds, though. It was our Christmas get-together, and we had a great day, in beautiful sunshine and in one of my favourite areas to explore. We had first planned to go NE of the city, but my daughter, waiting for her surgery on 11 January 2016, didn't feel up to travelling that far. So, plans changed and instead, we went to the Saskatoon Farm for breakfast. This interesting place is maybe a 20-minute drive SE from the southern edge of Calgary. You can collect your own Saskatoon berries in season, look around their outside green houses, and their inside gift shop full of unusual things, and buy special baking, jams, teas and so on. They also have a restaurant that offers delicious food. www.saskatoonfarm.com/ Afterwards, we then went a bit further, to drive some of the roads east of High River, hoping to possibly find a Snowy Owl. We went as far as Mossleigh, where we stopped to take a few quick photos of the three grain elevators and then found a group of several old barns that I don't remember seeing before. They were off the main road, but fortunately the narrow gravel road had enough snow packed on it that the short drive was very smooth. From there, we also stopped at the little wooden church at Dinton. Later in the afternoon, we couldn't resist the temptation to call in at Glamorgan Bakery on the way home and buy a few Christmas goodies, followed by a desperately needed food shopping trip. I just hadn't had a chance to go grocery shopping and had run out of even basic things. This was a huge relief, especially as I knew that I would be having a very long day on 23rd December, taking part in the Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count. Thanks so much for a great day out, Rachel. The best kind of day, as far as I am concerned : ) Many thanks, too, for the beautiful, very carefully chosen (as always!) Christmas gifts.

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January. The Count that took place on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count. The weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms. Love seeing all the farm cats and dogs! We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! This year, my small group had 5 people, in two cars. Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we were very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home. After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!

R.I.P. singer David Bowie. Thinking about my daughter as I type my descriptions this morning. She should be in surgery in about 45 minutes' time. Supposed to be just day surgery and hopefully it won't turn into anything more. More anxious than I would perhaps normally be, after we lost her sister one year ago. Completely different circumstances. Update: they are keeping her in the hospital overnight, to keep an eye on her. I don't have any details yet as to what they did or found. I know I won't be sleeping at all tonight. Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January. The Count that took place on 3 January 2016 was part of the 2015 Bird Count. As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and acreages. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! This year, my small group had 5 people, in two cars. Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we happened to be very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home. After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!

Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count that took place three days ago, on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count. As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms. Love seeing all the farm cats and dogs! We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we were very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home. After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!

We saw this unusual sight on 12 February 2015, which was spent SE of the city, with friends Cathy and Terry. I think this has to be the first time I've ever seen a cat on the roof of an old barn. My friends picked me up around 7:00 am and I think I was home somewhere around 7:30 pm, after a great day of searching for owls, barns, and anything else that caught our eye. The weather was beautiful, as you can see in this photo.. The temperature reached a brief high of 13C around 1:00 and 2:00 pm, which felt so good, especially for mid-winter. Many of the roads we travelled along were roads that I had driven on myself, some of them a number of times. A few of the roads were new to me, which was a treat, including a "trail" that was so deeply rutted and snow-covered that I'm amazed that we ever got out of there! This track and another backroad that was new to me led to a few old barns that I really appreciated being shown. I think my friends were amused that I fell asleep on this very rough track - after only an hour and a half's sleep the previous night, on top of always being very sleep-deprived, I'm really not surprised. It's strange how some fields in the whole area were more or less bare and yet others had a lot of snow covering the stubble, with piles of snow lining the edges of the road. As far as wildlife was concerned, we saw 11 owls - 8 Snowy Owls and 3 Great Horned Owls. The Snowies, other than the one perched on the "Wrong Way" sign that I posted yesterday, were all extremely distant, so my photos are of white specks in a nice setting, ha. If I hadn't been with two people who can spot "everything", I'm sure that I would never have found most of these owls! Other birds included a flock of Snow Buntings, plus two individuals that were perched on a fence - haven't checked yet to see if I have a sharp enough photo. Another bird we saw was a beautiful Falcon perched on an electricity pylon - not a large bird, so presumably a Prairie Falcon, not a Gyrfalcon. Also a group of Grey Partridge that suddenly flew before we had noticed them. We had to deal with a lot of heat distortion during the day, so some photos are far from sharp. Many thanks, as always, Cathy and Terry, for a great day out, including the delicious chili you made and brought along. A fun and rewarding day! Really appreciated being with you, doing what we all enjoy so much. Thanks, too, for patiently giving me time to photograph the various barns we came across!

THIS year's annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton (roughly 98 km / 61 miles S of Calgary) was so different from last year's Count, with more snow mainly seen only from the higher roads, making the roads so much easier to drive, and temperatures that were much milder (-7C). As usual, I didn't get many birds photos, but I was very happy to get a shot or two of Sharp-tailed Grouse. I absolutely love the scenery on this Count, so I was able to get a few shots to show some typical landscapes. I usually manage to get the odd photo of a farm cat, too. The LAST Nanton Count was originally supposed to have taken place on 28 December 2013, but the weather forecast warned of a Flash Freeze, and so it was postponed till 5 January 2014. The weather was bright and sunny for us that day. However, photos taken on that day did not show how brutally cold it was! On the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! It did eventually warm up a few degrees and thankfully, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. The only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and homesteads. One backroad in particular had too much snow on it, so we had to leave that one out. Also, there was just too much snow in many of the farmyards, so we weren't able to check out all the trees and bushes as thoroughly as we would like to have done. After the Count, we returned to the meeting place at the home of Leah and Bill, where they had prepared a delicious supper that they so generously provide each year for us (as well as a breakfast snack). You couldn't wish for a nicer family (includes their son, Mike, who puts in a lot of effort organizing this annual Count each year). I'm posting Andrew Hart's E-bird Summary of our small (just four of us in one car) group's day (leader Tony Timmons). Won't be of interest to most of you, but it helps me remember what we see from year to year! Andrew Hart BirdLog Checklist Summary for: Dec 14, 2014 Number of Checklists: 7 Number of Species: 14 Checklists included in this summary: (1): Williams Coulee Date: Dec 21, 2014, 8:20 AM (2): CA-AB-Cayley - 50.3485x-114.0250 - Dec 21, 2014, 8:57 AM Date: Dec 21, 2014, 8:55 AM (3): Nanton general area Date: Dec 21, 2014, 9:45 AM (4): CA-AB-Nanton - 50.3330x-113.8737 - Dec 21, 2014, 11:18 AM Date: Dec 21, 2014, 11:18 AM (5): Nanton general area Date: Dec 21, 2014, 11:52 AM (6): Williams Coulee Date: Dec 21, 2014, 2:20 PM (7): Nanton general area Date: Dec 21, 2014, 2:30 PM 36 Sharp-tailed Grouse -- (2),(3) 6 Golden Eagle -- (1),(3),(5),(6) 3 Rough-legged Hawk -- (2),(3),(6) 102 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) -- (3),(4) 1 Hairy Woodpecker -- (1) 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) -- (4) 1 Merlin -- (4) 1 Prairie Falcon -- (1) 27 Black-billed Magpie -- (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(7) 42 Common Raven -- (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(7) 11 Black-capped Chickadee -- (3),(4) 4 European Starling -- (4) 21 Common Redpoll -- (4) 38 House Sparrow -- (2),(4),(7) Andrew Hart" I will also add leader Tony Timmons' account - simpler to read : ) A few of the numbers are slightly different in each summary, though I'm not quite sure why. We were so lucky to see so many Golden Eagles this Count. "Nanton Count-Area D Species 14 Rough-legged Hawk 3 Golden Eagle 5 Merlin 1 Sharp-tailed Grouse 46 Rock Pigeon 106 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Northern Shrike 1 Black-billed Magpie 36 Common Raven 44 Black-capped Chickadee 11 Common Redpoll 21 European Starling 4 House Sparrow 38 Prairie Falcon 1 Seen in Williams Coulee, included in Area B Tony Timmons"

When we take part in the various annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, we often call in at farms and homesteads to ask for permission to take a look around their yards, hoping to find a few birds. I always enjoy trying to capture a few farm cat and dog images. This beautiful cat was seen on 17 December 2013, during the High River Bird Count.

Another of the many cute farm cats we met while doing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count on January 2nd, south of Calgary, around the Nanton area. I'm sure that the cats we saw on this day were cuter than cats we see elsewhere, ha. I've placed the image in just a very approximate location on my map, as I don't have an address for this location. Just in case anyone is wondering where on earth Nanton is : ) Our weather forecast - aren't we lucky? : ) I'm hoping it will be the light, fluffy kind of snow rather than the fine, powdery kind with no obvious individual snowflakes. I think I've only been out walking maybe three times in the last three weeks, which is not good. "An intense low is expected to pack a punch for Alberta residents beginning Friday afternoon. This will bring a significant change to weather conditions this weekend. Substantial snowfall accumulations are in the forecast, with most areas seeing anywhere from 10 to 15 centimeters. Higher amounts are expected outside of Edmonton and along the Alberta, Saskatchewan border. Watches and warnings have been implemented across several communities. “The storm will pick up intensity starting Friday afternoon, this will include heavy amounts of snow and gusty winds,” explains Brian Dillon, a meteorologist here at The Weather Network. According to Environment Canada, northwesterly winds will be particularly strong with gusts potentially reaching 60 km/h." www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&s... Stay warm, everyone, and drive safely - if you really have to go out. And now it's back to urgent e-mails and thinking about what I want to write, to be read out at my brother's funeral.