Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: May Species Count

Think I've found the ID! I believe this is a Mustard White butterfly / Pieris oleracea. Last night, I tried to find the ID for this plain white butterfly, but no luck. I couldn't remember if it is simply a spot-less Cabbage White or something different. Seen in Brown-Lowery Provincial Park. "The Mustard White is found though out the boreal region of Canada. It is found in both deciduous and coniferous forest. There are two generations per year in Alberta, the first is out in mid-May and the second in July. The dark under wing veins may be reduced (ie pale) or absent in the second summer generation. (Bird et al, 1995 & Acorn, 1993)." From Insects of Alberta. www.insectsofalberta.com/mustardwhite.htm It was the annual May Species Count on 28 and 29 May 2016. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park, Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow. On Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We stopped at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park and ate our picnic lunches and then did a short walk to look for Calypso Orchids. I took too long to try and get a sharp photo of a group of fungi that I missed the orchids, but that was OK, as I have seen them plenty of times before. After the Count came to an end, I drove a few of the back roads again, taking a few more shots of the Wilson's Snipe. I will add the final list from our leader, Gus Y - 70 bird species seen, wow! "The count goes May 28-29: Calgary birders have been out in force every May since 1979, contributing to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America. Last year (2015) we found 212 species. The count circle is the same as previous years, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard, and includes a variety of environments." From NatureCalgary. "May species count, Terr. #22, Priddis Area: Plummers Rd, from Hwy 22 to #762, SW of Calgary, 0730-1530, Sun. 29May2016. 58 km. Mostly sunny, becoming overcast at noon, S wind, becoming gusty, 10 -20 kph. 13-18°C. Canada Goose-45 Gadwall-2 American Wigeon-6 Mallard-29. Blue-winged Teal-16 Cinnamon Teal-8 Northern Shoveler-3 Green-winged Teal-4 Redhead-6 Ring-necked Duck-12 Lesser Scaup-29 Bufflehead-5 Hooded Merganser-1 f. Ruddy Duck-11 Ring-necked Pheasant-3 Great Blue Heron-1 Swainson’s Hawk-2 Red-tailed Hawk-6 American Kestrel-2 Sora-6 American Coot-10 Killdeer-5 Spotted Sandpiper-8 Wilson’s Snipe-10 Wilson’s Phalarope-4 Black Tern-22 Mourning Dove-1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1 Red-naped Sapsucker-1 Black-backed Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-3 Western Wood-Pewee-5 Least Flycatcher-6 Easterm Phoebe-1 Easterm Kingbird-1 Gray Jay-2 Clark’s Nutcracker-1 Black-billed Magpie-6 American Crow-4 Common Raven-5 Tree Swallow-86 Cliff Swallow-6 Barn Swallow-2 Black-capped Chickadee-3 Mountain Chickadee-1 Boreal Chickadee-2 Red-breasted Nuthatch-2 House Wren-9 Mountain Bluebird-29 American Robin-13 Gray Catbird-2 European Starling-8 Tennessee Warbler-11 Yellow Warbler-6 Cape May Warbler-1 Chipping Sparrow-8 Clay-coloured Sparrow-13 Savannah Sparrow-4 Song Sparrow-1 Lincoln’s Sparrow-4 White-throated Sparrow-1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak-7 Black-headed Grosbeak-1, or hybrid. Red-winged Blackbird-178 Western Meadowlark-2 Yellow-headed Blackbird-2 Brewer’s Blackbird-7 Brown-headed Cowbird-6 Baltimore Oriole-4 American Goldfinch-5 Richardson’s Ground Squirrel-11 Muskrat-1 Mule Deer-1 White-tailed Deer-4 Boreal Chorus Frog-10+ Green Comma Butterfly-2 Western White-1 Tiger Swallowtail-2 Gus Yaki"

Sorry - a blurry shot that looks even blurrier than it did late last night, but I did want to add it to my Brown-Lowery Provincial Park album, as a record of when these mushrooms were growing. It was the annual May Species Count two days ago and the day before, so I've had no time for anything else the last few days. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park, Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow. On Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We stopped at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park and ate our picnic lunches and then did a short walk to look for Calypso Orchids. I took too long to try and get a sharp photo of these fungi that I missed the orchids, but that's OK, as I have seen them plenty of times before. After the Count came to an end, I drove a few of the back roads again, taking a few more shots of the Wilson's Snipe. I will add the final list from our leader, Gus Y - 70 bird species seen, wow! "The count goes May 28-29: Calgary birders have been out in force every May since 1979, contributing to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America. Last year (2015) we found 212 species. The count circle is the same as previous years, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard, and includes a variety of environments." From NatureCalgary. "May species count, Terr. #22, Priddis Area: Plummers Rd, from Hwy 22 to #762, SW of Calgary, 0730-1530, Sun. 29May2016. 58 km. Mostly sunny, becoming overcast at noon, S wind, becoming gusty, 10 -20 kph. 13-18°C. Canada Goose-45 Gadwall-2 American Wigeon-6 Mallard-29. Blue-winged Teal-16 Cinnamon Teal-8 Northern Shoveler-3 Green-winged Teal-4 Redhead-6 Ring-necked Duck-12 Lesser Scaup-29 Bufflehead-5 Hooded Merganser-1 f. Ruddy Duck-11 Ring-necked Pheasant-3 Great Blue Heron-1 Swainson’s Hawk-2 Red-tailed Hawk-6 American Kestrel-2 Sora-6 American Coot-10 Killdeer-5 Spotted Sandpiper-8 Wilson’s Snipe-10 Wilson’s Phalarope-4 Black Tern-22 Mourning Dove-1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1 Red-naped Sapsucker-1 Black-backed Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-3 Western Wood-Pewee-5 Least Flycatcher-6 Easterm Phoebe-1 Easterm Kingbird-1 Gray Jay-2 Clark’s Nutcracker-1 Black-billed Magpie-6 American Crow-4 Common Raven-5 Tree Swallow-86 Cliff Swallow-6 Barn Swallow-2 Black-capped Chickadee-3 Mountain Chickadee-1 Boreal Chickadee-2 Red-breasted Nuthatch-2 House Wren-9 Mountain Bluebird-29 American Robin-13 Gray Catbird-2 European Starling-8 Tennessee Warbler-11 Yellow Warbler-6 Cape May Warbler-1 Chipping Sparrow-8 Clay-coloured Sparrow-13 Savannah Sparrow-4 Song Sparrow-1 Lincoln’s Sparrow-4 White-throated Sparrow-1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak-7 Black-headed Grosbeak-1, or hybrid. Red-winged Blackbird-178 Western Meadowlark-2 Yellow-headed Blackbird-2 Brewer’s Blackbird-7 Brown-headed Cowbird-6 Baltimore Oriole-4 American Goldfinch-5 Richardson’s Ground Squirrel-11 Muskrat-1 Mule Deer-1 White-tailed Deer-4 Boreal Chorus Frog-10+ Green Comma Butterfly-2 Western White-1 Tiger Swallowtail-2 Gus Yaki"

Each year, a small group off us call in at this particular property, SW of Calgary, when we are taking part in the annual May Species Count. The owner wasn't home, unfortunately, though someone further down the road had told us that he was home. We stood near the front of his home and noted any birds that were around, but didn't see any of the Evening Grosbeaks that we had seen a previous year(s). This gentleman has this wonderful old English phone box in his garden, and a bright red English mailbox set into a stone wall. There is also a bright red fire hydrant on his lawn (and he does have dogs, lol) - wonder if that was from England, too. Visiting this property always makes me feel like I'm back in England, where I was born and spent my first 22 years. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_telephone_box On this day, 31 May 2015, eight of us covered a large area SW of Calgary, checking out the backroads, ponds, wetlands, sloughs. The highlight each May is calling in at a wonderful property (Barb's) where we are able to see some great species, including Evening Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and this year, a tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird male. A little House Wren was also flitting about in the trees. We had a great day, stopping en route at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park to eat our lunch. This year, we didn't go into the park to look for Calypso Orchids, partly because a week ago, we did call in and found several of the small, pink Orchids. The temperature was 12C - 23C, with blue sky. Total distance travelled was 93 km and our total number of bird species was 63. After the Count, we called in at a little tea place and enjoyed relaxing with welcome cups of coffee. Thanks so much, Monica, for treating us all to this and for driving your daughter and myself around all day - greatly appreciated! The list, compiled by our leader, Gus Yaki, is long, but I will add it here, for my own memory. I'll add that, as usual, there were a lot of the birds that I didn't see - I don't use binoculars and also so many of the birds seemed to be the seen from the opposite side of the car, lol.

This very quick shot is of one of the very small, Blue butterflies that arrive each spring. There are a few different ones, and I'm not good at telling which is which, so won't attempt to identify this one. It was seen at one of our stops on 31 May 2015, during the annual May Species Count. Eight of us covered a large area SW of Calgary, checking out the backroads, ponds, wetlands, sloughs. The highlight each May is calling in at a wonderful property where we are able to see some great species, including Evening Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and this year, a tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird male. We had a great day, stopping en route at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park to eat our lunch. This year, we didn't go into the park to look for Calypso Orchids, partly because a week ago, we did call in and found several of the small, pink Orchids. The temperature was 12C - 23C, with blue sky. Total distance travelled was 93 km and our total number of bird species was 63. After the Count, we called in at a little tea place and enjoyed relaxing with welcome cups of coffee. Thanks so much, Monica, for treating us all to this and for driving your daughter and myself around all day - greatly appreciated! I'll add that, as usual, there were a lot of the birds that I didn't see - I don't use binoculars and also so many of the birds seemed to be the seen from the opposite side of the car, lol.

Quite a few of the more recent photos that I've posted have come from my archives, including this one, showing a small clump of Early Blue Violets. These early spring flowers were growing at one of the private properties a small group of us visited during the May Species Count, on 25 May 2014. This spring (2015) appears to have been delayed. A few days ago, a group of us went on our first Botany walk of the season, at Bebo Grove in Fish Creek Park, but there was nothing in bloom and barely any sign of plants growing. It had snowed the previous two (?) days, but the snow had already melted. "These fragrant, bluish-purple flowers are up to 2 cm across. "Medicinally, early blue violet was used as a poultice for bruises, and a violet syrup was made to relieve epilepsy, inflamed eyes, insomnia, jaundice, and sore throats. In modern times, violets have been used to colour and flavour medicines." www.naturewatch.ca/english/plantwatch/species_details.htm...

Each year, we call in at this particular property SW of Calgary when we are taking part in the annual May Species Count. The owner wasn't home, unfortunately, so we just stood near the entrance to his place and noted any birds that were around, including some beautiful Evening Grosbeaks : ) This gentleman has this wonderful old English phone box and a bright red, English mailbox set into a stone wall in his garden. There is also a bright red fire hydrant on his lawn (and he does have dogs, lol) - wonder if that was from England, too. Visiting this property always makes me feel like I'm back in England, where I was born and spent my first 22 years. This year, there was also a little Dark-eyed Junco that sat for a while, giving a chance for photos. Probably the best chance I've ever had, to photograph a Junco.

This was a tiny mushroom, maybe half an inch across its cap, and growing on a long, thin, white stem, found growing on cow dung. It seems to be attached to this piece of dead grass, so I couldn't remove it, as it was such a fragile fungus. Seen on 31 May, when a few of us did the May Species Count at the Whaleback, 171 km south of Calgary. Rained pretty much all day, but the scenery was amazing : ) Sorry, everyone, it's another post and dash day. It's the annual Bus Trip for a group I belong to amd we are heading NW of the city to near Red Deer, to visit three wetland areas. When I checked the forecast late last night, it was for thuinder showers this morning and this afternoon ... sigh. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry the background is rather hard on the eyes, lol, but it is so rare for me to see a Spotted Sandpiper and to get any kind of photo of one, that I did want to add this one to my Birds of Alberta set. Taken on 29 May 2011 during our out-of-town (SW of the city) May Species Count. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/spotted_sandpiper/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Sandpiper

"Just" a little Pine Siskin - even though people seem to see them all the time, especially at their feeders, I rarely get a chance to see one properly, and almost never to get a photo. This one was seen on our recent May Species Count south west of the city at someone's feeder.

Agh, all my descriptions for today's photos have disappeared! I know they all showed up before. Anyway, was out on a May Species Count today in the Priddis area, just south of the city. We saw 50 species of bird, including this and several other Wilson's Snipes. Taken from inside the car in heavy rain and dull light : )