Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Crow family

We have been under a heat warning recently, and yesterday's temperature got up to either 31C or 32C. It was just unbearable in my place and I needed to get out for a short drive and be in the air-conditioning of my car. We have also been having rain on some days, which was desperately needed. As I headed out west yesterday, I could see that I was heading towards a grey sky and, sure enough, the rain started. Not the best sort of day for photos, but I managed to get a few to keep me happy. All of the roads were my usual roads, though the views from them all had smoke haze. I'm not sure which wildfires this smoke is coming from - down in the US, or British Columbia, or from fires in our own province? I haven't noticed a smokey smell, though. Last summer, 2017, was dreadful for smoke and heat. This young Magpie was one of several in a family along one of the backroads. Love its fluffy feathers. It only rested on this fence post for a few seconds. Other than a few of the usual birds, such as Brewer's Blackbirds, Cedar Waxwings and Eastern Kingbirds, the only bird that was different was a Wilson's Snipe that was at the far water's edge of a large pond. Too far for even remotely decent photos, but it made a change to see a Snipe on the ground and not on a fence post.

The Black-billed Magpie tends to look like a black and white bird from a distance, but when the light catches it in just the right way, the iridescent colours show very nicely. They can be seen everywhere, and lots of them. They are usually accompanied by a comment such as "It's just a Magpie", lol. However, they really are beautiful birds, especially in the sunlight. On 27 May 2015, I had a volunteer shift and afterwards, as the sun was shining, I called in at the Reader Rock Garden. There was rain in the forecast so I thought I'd better make the most of the blue sky while I could. Alberta is bone dry everywhere, with wildfires especially further north. So, much as I really dislike the rain, we desperately need it. From the Garden, I drove through the adjoining Union Cemetery and then another nearby cemetery, and then called in at a wetland in SW Calgary, where I got a quick shot of this Magpie. "Black-billed Magpies are familiar and entertaining birds of western North America. They sit on fenceposts and road signs or flap across rangelands, their white wing patches flashing and their very long tails trailing behind them. This large, flashy relative of jays and crows is a social creature, gathering in numbers to feed at carrion. They’re also vocal birds and keep up a regular stream of raucous or querulous calls." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-billed_Magpie/lifehistory

Yes, it's "just" a Magpie, but ....they are still beautiful birds, especially when the wing feathers catch the sunlight. Usually, they just look black and white birds. Although these birds are seen everywhere, within the city and outside, I find they are surprisingly difficult birds to photograph. This one was seen at the Reader Rock Garden on 4 September 2013.

Not exactly the best photo of a Magpie, but there is still something I like about it, including the fact that it reminds me of a very cold photo walk on Monday (-27C, windchill -36C). Magpies that I come across don't usually sit still, but this poor, fluffed up one looked almost like it was frozen to the branch. Seen at Sikome, Fish Creek Park, on 16th January, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Magpie

Clark’s Nutcrackers live in the mountainous areas of the Western United States and Canada, so I only see these when out in the mountains, including Harvey Heights, Canmore (near Banff). Taken on the annual Banff/Canmore Christmas Bird Count on December 17th. Really bad light that day, and this is one of the only photos that came out well enough to post. Not to be confused with the Gray Jay, with similar colouring but a much shorter bill. "•The Clark's Nutcracker has a special pouch under its tongue that it uses to carry seeds long distances. The nutcracker harvests seeds from pine trees and takes them away to hide them for later use. •The Clark's Nutcracker hides thousands and thousands of seeds each year. Laboratory studies have shown that the bird has a tremendous memory and can remember where to find most of the seeds it hides. •The Clark's Nutcracker is one of very few members of the crow family where the male incubates the eggs. In jays and crows, taking care of the eggs is for the female only. But the male nutcracker actually develops a brood patch on its chest just like the female, and takes his turn keeping the eggs warm while the female goes off to get seeds out of her caches." www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clarks_Nutcracker/lifehistory/ac en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark's_Nutcracker