Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: broken branch

This photo was taken on 4 February 2016, when I was on a 3-hour birding walk with friends, in Weaselhead. Unfortunately, it was heavily overcast - though there was no sign of the sun, it wasn't that cold. Many of our temperatures this winter have been so ridiculously mild. It's supposed ot get up to PLUS 15C this afternoon (9 February 2016)! Whatever happened to the -20Cs and -30Cs? Makes you wonder what our summer is going to be like! It was a good day for Pine Grosbeaks and I just caught this beautiful male with barely enough feather detail. Like most of my photos from that day, this one came out grainy, but I just loved his colour. "One of the larger members of its family, the Pine Grosbeak is a bird of the boreal forests, found across northern Eurasia and North America, and south into the mountains of western Canada and the United States. A large, unwary finch, it makes periodic winter irruptions into southern Canada and northern United States. It is the largest and rarest of the "winter finches." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Grosbeak/id The following is a list of the species seen: FFCPPSoc. BIRDING, Weaselhead Natural Area, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu, 04Feb2016. Heavy overcast, NW wind 15kph, -2 to 3°C. Combined results, 2 groups. 1. Bald Eagle-1 ad 2. Downy Woodpecker-5 3. Hairy Woodpecker-2 4. Northern Flicker-1 5. Blue Jay-3+ 6. Black-billed Magpie-3 7. Common Raven-5 8. Black-capped Chickadee-20 9. Boreal Chickadee-3 10. Red-breasted Nuthatch-1 heard 11. White-breasted Nuthatch-2 12. Bohemian Waxwing-1 13. Pine Grosbeak-40+ 14. House Finch-8+ 15. White-winged Crossbill-1 16. Common Redpoll-150 17. Pine Siskin-50 18. American Goldfinch-1 Coyote-1 Red Squirrel-8 White-tailed Deer-4+

A closer look at the Slime Mold image that was included in yesterday's mosaic. When someone touched it, it turned this orangy brown colour. Photographed on 17 August 2012 at Rod Handfield's property, west of Millarville (SW of Calgary).

When a phone call came just before 1:00 p.m. yesterday, letting me know that this owl had been found in Carburn Park, I was sitting at my computer, still not dressed and no breakfast! I don't think I've ever got ready so fast in my life (slight exaggeration!), my heart beating so quickly : ) What an absolute thrill to set eyes on this tiny owl, so perfect - and perched amongst a mass of tiny branches, immediately above the trail. With a bit of manoeuvering, I was able to get zoomed shots without the branches, but with more distant shots that was not possible. Love the fine feathers on its face. Three of us were also privileged to watch a huge pellet being thrown up. The owl was sitting in almost the same site where one was first found in the year 2000 and again in 2005. If it is the same bird, it is at least 12.5 yrs old. Before I found the owl location, I came acoss two or three White-tailed Deer on a nearby trail through the trees, including a beautiful buck (will post a photo maybe tomorrow). As if all this wasn't enough for one afternoon, I noticed a Jack Rabbit in its white winter coat, sitting on the grass outside my place when I got out of my car. S/he just sat there and let me take quite a few shots, which was great. "Adults Saw-whets are 17–22 cm (6.7–8.7 in) long with a 42–56.3 cm (17–22.2 in) wingspan. They can weigh from 54 to 151 g (1.9 to 5.3 oz) with an average of around 80 g (2.8 oz), making them one of the smallest owls in North America. In relative size to other birds they are close to the size of an American Robin. After an online "Critter Vote", the Saw-whet Owl became the new star of Telus' mobility campaign in the summer of 2011." Some of you may have seen this very cute TV commercial : ) youtu.be/GaeFUeusM7w www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl/id/ac en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl I have to stay home today and wait for an inspector from the city to come and check the installation of my new heating furnace. The Government is offering a rebate at the moment and an inspection has to be made first.