Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Chlidonias niger

Well, 24 hours ago, I was so relieved that I was all caught up with my recent photos, leaving me with just the last few days of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas to sort through, edit and post. Then, yesterday, I happened to check the weather forecast and discovered that we were in for a few days of rain. That settled it, I knew I had better go for a short drive, and ended up going to my 'usual' places. Four of the birds I saw and was able to photograph were a Wilson's Snipe, a Black Tern on a fence post, a Mountain Bluebird against a field of yellow, and a female American Goldfinch who was hanging out with a pair of Bluebirds. By the time I got out SW of the city, a few dark clouds were rolling in and it was windy. I remember the wind slightly ruffling the Snipe's feathers, but the other three birds were having a hard time keeping their balance, especially the Tern. Though these birds didn't come with the excitement of being lifers for me, I get just as much enjoyment from finding and taking photos of these birds that I have seen before, many times over the years. Which is just as well, as I so rarely see a new bird species, except for when I am fortunate enough to go on special trip like the one to South Texas. It also feels good to be able to share a few 'better' photos, when I post so many that are just record shots : )

HAPPY SPRING, everyone! Here, today is heavily overcast and the forecast is for showers this afternoon and tomorrow, and a few snow flurries for Sunday. The temperature is 0C (windchill -3C). Ha, almost noon, and I've just noticed that it's snowing. Good, it looks as if Flickr may be working OK this morning. All day yesterday, my photos were obviously not showing up on most people's Contacts' Photos page. I know some people were having the same problem. I'm digging into my archives for all three of my photos today. I haven't been getting out much with my camera, and on the days I have been out, there hasn't been much to photograph. Hopefully, that will change soon. It is so rare that I get a cold, but I know I have been run down the last while, and I came out in a cold a couple of days ago. This photo was taken SW of Calgary on 12 June 2014. That day, I was so happy when I came across a couple of Black Terns perched on fence posts. Usually, they are flying at top speed in every direction possible, including dive-bombing! I was sitting in the "safety" of my car : ) The Black Tern is a small, dark, graceful Tern, found in freshwater marshes. It eats insects as well as fish. In breeding plumage it has a dark head and chest and gray wings. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tern www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Tern/id

A shot from my archives, taken on 12 June 2014 along one of the backroads SW of the city. I will be digging into my archives a lot more during the next few months of winter as it gets colder and colder and our world turns white and stays white till spring. That day, I was so happy when I came across a couple of Black Terns perched on fence posts. Usually, they are flying at top speed in every direction possible, including dive-bombing! I was sitting in the "safety" of my car : ) The Black Tern is a small, dark, graceful Tern, found in freshwater marshes. It eats insects as well as fish. In breeding plumage it has a dark head and chest and gray wings. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tern www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Tern/id

I was so happy when I came across a couple of Black Terns perched on fence posts. Usually, they are flying at top speed in every direction possible, including dive-bombing! I was sitting in the "safety" of my car : ) Taken along one of the backroads SW of the city, on 12 June 2014. The Black Tern is a small, dark, graceful Tern, found in freshwater marshes. It eats insects as well as fish. In breeding plumage it has a dark head and chest and gray wings. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tern www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Tern/id

I don't usually even try to take photos of birds in flight - not the easiest thing to do with a point-and-shoot camera, I find. While I was watching something else, I tried a couple of shots of these fast-flying Black Terns, and one or two seemed not too bad. Seemed a shame to delete them, so will hang on to them. Taken at a pond SW of Calgary on 14 July 2013. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tern www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Tern/id

I was so lucky yesterday when I came across a couple of Black Terns and a few juveniles perched on fence posts. Usually, they are flying at top speed in every direction possible, including dive-bombing! I was sitting in the "safety" of my car. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tern www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Tern/id

Black Terns are common in Alberta from May to September. There were up to 14 of these Black Terns landing on these rocks at MacKenzie Lake the other day. The Black Tern "dips, dives and swoops, picking insects neatly off the water's surface or catching them in mid-air." ("Birds of Alberta" by Fisher and Acorn).

These birds are common in Alberta from May to September. These were seen on MacKenzie Lake.