Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Scolopaci

I couldn't decide last night if this was a male, female, juvenile - I think perhaps a female? Taken at a slough (pond) SW of Calgary on 14 May 2013. I find them a challenge to photograph because of their habit of swimming in small rapid circles (see info below)! Sometimes, it is placed in a monotypic genus Steganopus rather than Phalaropus. "The Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) is a small wader. This bird, the largest of the phalaropes, breeds in the prairies of North America in western Canada and the western United States. It is migratory, wintering around the central Andes in South America. It is a unique, dainty shorebird with lobed toes and a straight fine black bill. The breeding female is predominantly gray and brown above, with white underparts, a reddish neck and reddish flank patches. The breeding male is a duller version of the female, with a brown back, and the reddish patches reduced or absent. When feeding, a Wilson's Phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water. The bird will reach into the outskirts of the vortex with its bill, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein. The typical avian sex roles are reversed in the three phalarope species. Females are larger and more brightly coloured than males. The females pursue males, compete for nesting territory, and will aggressively defend their nests and chosen mates. Once the females lay their eggs, they begin their southward migration, leaving the males to incubate the eggs. Three to four eggs are laid in a ground nest near water. The young feed themselves." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_Phalarope -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm always happy if I come across a Wilson's Snipe perched on a fence post : ) When they are on the ground amongst dried grasses, they are almost impossible to see, their feathers make such perfect camouflage. Noticed this one when I went for a short drive SW of the city on 10 May 2013 - and it had even chosen a reasonably photogenic, lichen-covered perch. I was just waiting for the bird to turn slightly more sideways, when - you guessed it! - a truck came barrelling down the noisy, gravel road in the opposite direction, and off flew the Snipe, lol. Happy to get any shots, though. "Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird. This species was considered to be a subspecies of the Common Snipe (G. gallinago) until 2003 when it was given its own species status. Wilson's Snipe differs from the latter species in having a narrower white trailing edge to the wings, and eight pairs of tail feathers instead of the typical seven of the Common Snipe. Its common name commemorates the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. Adults are 23–28 cm in length with a 39–45 cm wingspan. They have short greenish-grey legs and a very long straight dark bill. The body is mottled brown on top and pale underneath. They have a dark stripe through the eye, with light stripes above and below it. The wings are pointed." from Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_Snipe www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wilsons_Snipe/id A friend pointed out yesterday that I have a dead car headlight, so I can't go anywhere till I have had it (and the other one) replaced. When I called in at a car place late yesterday afternoon, it was getting too late for them to do it, so I must go back earlier this time. This morning started off nice and cool and rather overcast. Not sure if the sun is struggling to come out.