Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Magpie

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.

Ha, I'm hoping this photo is not showing up as my main photo for this morning. Posting it only as a record of a two and a half hour walk I did yesterday morning, in Fish Creek Park. I rarely get any photos that are worth posting on these walks and this is about the 'best' of the handful I took. I have missed the two previous walks with friends so thought I really must try and get out on this one. We met near the Bow Valley Ranch and, after walking down as far as Annie's cafe to look for any birds that were around, we then headed across the field to the Bow River. We turned around once we reached the first storm-water pond, which is where I took this zoomed in shot of a few of the birds seen there. The forecast at the moment is for mixed precipitation tonight and tomorrow morning and scattered flurries for Friday (22 September). Our temperature shortly before noon today is 7C, but next week is supposed to be back in the mid to high teens, which would be wonderful!.

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.

Yes, I know, it's "just" a Magpie, but ....they are still beautiful birds, especially when the wing feathers catch the sunlight. Taken in Canmore, near Banff, on 15 December 2012, during the annual Audubon Banff/Canmore Christmas Bird Count. My small group of seven people covered SW Canmore, Territory #1, walking for eight hours. I came home with very few bird photos that day, so "even" a Black-billed Magpie was welcome. Total number of species that my group saw was 17.

This beautiful Coyote was outside the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, way, way off in the distance in the Inglewood Wildlands (i.e. just a huge expanse of wild, grassy land). When I met up with friends early yesterday morning, for a three-hour walk at the Sanctuary, we were so lucky to see this sight from the parking lot. The animal chose to stand on top of this monument (not the right word, but can't think what the other word is, ha) which has some interesting designs on the stones. One beautiful sighting is always enough for me and I would have been happy to have gone home straight after this - well, to the Zoo, actually, as it is only a very short drive from the Sanctuary, and that is where I went after our long walk. Spring Break is coming up very soon, and that will not be a good time to visit the Zoo, ha. "The Inglewood Wildlands was acquired by Petro-Canada in 1985. A former Gulf Oil refinery, the Wildlands began as an extensive environmental clean-up project in order to protect the Bow river and surrounding habitats and has since grown into a river valley mosaic of grasslands, shrubs, and riparian woods. Since the clean-up began in 1978, more than 1.5 million litres of sub-surface oil have been removed. In 1992, along with the clean-up, the development of the site as a wilderness habitat and educational vehicle began to take shape. With the help of Petro-Canada, eight Calgary Rotary clubs, Ducks Unlimited Canada, The City of Calgary, and the Inglewood Community, the Inglewood Wildlands has developed into a 78-acre sanctuary where both young and old can gather to experience the original river valley while learning how environmental protection and sustainability are important aspects to a sound future." www.api.org/Environment-Health-and-Safety/Environmental-P... A cute bit of video (taken from Kelly-Sue) about a Banker who catches a dozen tiny ducklings as each one jumps from a high ledge. Mom then leads them off to the nearest water. www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video?... "HOLD YOUR CLICKS A MOMENT PLEASE ........" I'm seeing very few photos from my contacts on my home page today. Or maybe hardly anyone is posting photos at the moment? I don't think that's the case, though. Also, the views stats are all messed up again (not just for me), on 13th, 14th March as well as today. Flickr knows about this glitch and is supposedly working on fixing it.

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

Though these birds look black and white, they have beautiful irridescence in their feathers. Photographed at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary on June 19th. Even though these birds are everywhere, they are so difficult to photograph. I was so lucky that this one flew to a low bush by the edge of the lagoon at the Sanctuary, so the water gave a decent background and I was able to get the closest shot yet of a Magpie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Magpie

We saw several baby Magpies on our walk this morning - you can tell which are the young, as they have short tails, unlike the adults. Balancing on a thin branch requires a bit of learned skill, but I managed to get a quick shot of a partially spread wing in the meantime.

The sun was shining just right on this Magpie this morning, showing off the beautiful, irridescent feathers.

Thought the water of the lagoon looked a little like painted, corrugated metal this morning. After a drive just east of the city, I decided I would do a short walk at the meeting place and this Magpie was exploring the water's edge.