Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: banded

In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays." www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i... It was the annual May Species Count on the weekend of 28 and 29 May 2016. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park at Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow. On the 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 a few 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 and Mountain Bluebirds, including the male in this photo. I will add the final list from our leader - 70 bird species seen, wow! - in a comment box below. "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.

Wednesday, 10 June 2015, was only what I would call a "magical" evening! Normally, I never go out in the evening - usually just too tired and there are all sorts of things needing to be done on my computer. However, having driven SW of the city the previous day and noticing a baby Mountain Bluebird poking its head out of its nesting box, I knew that any time now that it and its siblings would be suddenly gone. Since then, I have been back one time and a Tree Swallow poked its head out of the Bluebird nesting box, letting me know that this Bluebird family had fledged and moved away. The male Bluebird seen in this photo was taken at a different location the same evening. In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays." www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i... It was early evening when I left home on 10 June, after a volunteer shift and a haircut. Really, I was just going to check on the Bluebirds and was not expecting to see all that much else.That's how the evening started, but as the evening progressed, the world seemed to come alive with bird song and activity. It has been a long, long time since I've experienced that, if ever. Though my trip was mainly just to check on the Bluebirds, I was also lucky to see an American Robin sitting on a barbed-wire fence just a couple of feet away from a brilliant blue male Bluebird (not this one). Talk about colour! They were way down the road, so I was only able to get a very distant shot. Also saw a number of Snipe that I love photographing. When I reached the point where I was going to turn around and head for home, I saw yet another Snipe perched on a fence. Just a few feet from it, on the same fence, was a beautiful Swainson's Hawk! After posing for a while, both birds took off, with the Hawk in hot pursuit of the Snipe. I couldn't see how the chase ended, but hopefully the world is not missing a Snipe. Closer to home, I suddenly spotted a beautiful female Moose at a small wetland, right before I turned on to the main highway. Not sure if it's because I took my first photos (including this one) of her from inside the car, across the passenger seat, but most were blurry. Eventually, she left and started walking along the road away from the highway. I crawled along, watching her way in the distance. She kept walking from side to side of the road and then stopped to lick some salt off the road, bending her front legs to kneel in what looked a very awkward move : ) At this point, I stopped my car and turned on the hazard flashing lights, as she wasn't too obvious in the shadows from the trees at the edge of the road. I can see how easily a collision can happen! Fortunately, only one car came along, from behind my car, and the guy slowed down and was smiling. Took a while, but eventually the huge, majestic animal leapt over a barbed-wire fence and sauntered off into the trees. Driving back to the highway, I stopped to watch three or four young White-tailed Deer having fun at the same wetland. One of them was standing in the water and would occasionally stamp one of its front legs to make a splash and then bound away a few feet. Funny to watch and so good to see it playing so happily. So, it was quite the evening, to say the least! I drove all the way home with a big smile on my face.

Spent ages last night trying to find out the name of this mountain in Glacier National Park, Montana, US, but had no luck. Quite spectacular, though, with its banding. Wish I was there right now, especially when I glance through my window and see snow everywhere. Not snowing today, thankfully.

I am so utterly exhausted this morning after an amazing evening of watching licensed bird banders band some of the owls I know, and then having to drive home in the worst rain storm I have ever experienced! This morning, I am in agony every inch of my upper body from gripping the steering wheel so hard for so long. Phil and Rob, so glad you were both able to come along, too. However, no thanks are passed your way for missing the turn to the only paved road going south, resulting in a nightmare drive north of Calgary and then all the way home on the dreaded Deerfoot Trail!!! You couldn't see the road or vehicles - all you could see was a faint red blur from the rear lights of the car in front of you. It was very windy, too, which didn't help, and we were surrounded by a lightning storm. Must go online and read various newspaper reports of the storm, ha. This is Richard, the main licensed bird bander who came down to Calgary from near Edmonton yesterday evening. He had so generously invited me to join him and several other banders while they banded a Northern Hawk Owlet and 1 adult Great Gray Owl (male) and three of his four adorable Owlets. This is one of the the latter, looking quite curiously at Richard : ) Unfortunately, it was extremely foggy yesterday evening (very unusual) and the rain drizzled the whole time. My camera lens was permanently fogged up, and I couldn't take many photos, and I wasn't expecting any of them to turn out at all. Fortunately, a few did, including this one of Richard, which I love. Just look at those owlet legs, one of which is now sporting a little bit of "bling". Not sure if this little Owlet is the same one as I posted yesterday or one of its siblings, when, with permission, I photographed the owlets - looking nice and dry. I even got the chance to hold some of the owls, which was just amazing. There's nothing like holding a warm little body just a few inches away and having the owl(et) turn and stare at you, ha. Absolutely priceless. Richard, thank you SO much for such a wonderful evening - one I will think of often and will never forget! You obviously love what you are doing : ) And there is worse weather on its way?? www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/Tornadoes+spotted+stor...

This is one of two Great Gray Owl adults that were banded by licenced bird bander, Richard Chamberland, who came down to Calgary from near Edmonton on the evening of June 5th. He and a few others banded the first adult on their way to meeting the rest of us. The adult male in my image has four owlets, who all looked as bedraggled as Dad. Can you believe I held this amazing owl?? I still find it hard to believe! Such an amazing feeling. The weather was awful, fog and rain and low light - not what my little point-and-shoot camera likes at all! I had to use flash to get a few of my photos, including this one (which I really didn't like doing). I wasn't expecting any photos to turn out, but was so happy that a few of them did. Thank you so much for inviting me, Richard - an experience of a lifetime!

Took a short drive SW of Calgary a couple of days ago, just to get out, but without doing a long drive. I was hoping that I might just come across a Great Gray Owl - gosh, those birds are addictive, lol! No owls, though, but I did come across a pair of fairly cooperative Mountain Bluebirds, which is always a treat. This female was usually perched facing me, but every once in a while she turned so that I could see the beautiful touches of blue in her feathers. She has four bands on her legs, which I believe is the maximum given, each one meaning a different study that is carried out. "Mountain bluebirds will not abandon a nest if human activity is detected close by or at the nest. Because of this, mountain bluebirds can be easily banded while they are still in the nest." From Wikipedia. I was just reading this Newsletter by the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society from spring 2010. Numbers of Bluebirds up till 2010 just kep getting fewer and fewer. I don't know what the success rate has been in the last two years, but it would be so sad if we lost this beautiful species of bird! Thanks to the many dedicated Bluebird Monitors, some of whom monitor the nesting boxes on their route for many years, there is still hope. www.bluebirdtrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Spring-... In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays." www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...

This is one of the four Great Gray Owlets that I was lucky enough to see being banded on the evening of June 4th., when licenced Owl Bander, Richard Chamberland, came down from near Edmonton. He and four other Banders were able to band a Northern Hawk Owlet, two adult Great Gray Owls and three of the four Great Gray Owlets. The weather was about as miserable as it could have been, with fog and rain, so birds and humans alike were looking pretty bedraggled. My lens was permanently fogged up and wet and the light was atrocious, so I was very lucky that any of my photos came out. It was the most amazing feeling to actually hold one of these owlets, also Dad, and the little Northern Hawk Owlet. This curious owlet and a sibling were standing on a low log, watching the activity going on. As usual, thankful for good zoom : )

A look at a Northern Hawk Owlet that licenced owl bander, Richard Chamberland, along with four other banders, banded on 5 June 2012. Richard came down from near Edmonton for the evening, and banded this owlet and two Great Gray adults and three Great Gray Owlets. Taken on a foggy, rainy evening, dreadful light, with a lens that was wet and fogged up. A miracle that any of my photos turned out - though a little "help" needed to be added : ) Unfortunately, I had to keep stopping taking photos, as I couldn't see a thing through my lens and was unable to clear it. Just so happy, though, to have the ones that I could rescue. Still can't believe I got to hold this beautiful owlet, as well as one of the adult Great Gray Owls and one of the Great Gray Owlets. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hawk-Owl www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Hawk_Owl/id

I posted a similar photo the other week, of licenced Owl Bander, Richard Chamberland (of The Owl Guys"), with a Great Gray Owl owlet (or should that be Great Gray Owlet?) on his shoulder, but I did want to add this photo to my Birds set. This little owlet had just been banded. Taken in dreadful weather - low light, fog and rain : ) When I got up this morning, I heard "noises" up on the roof of my building. I guess they must be starting on replacing the roof. I got no notice that they would be doing this today, and I'm still waiting for a residential street parking permit. We are supposed to move our cars from the parking lot, I believe, so I'm not sure how I will get round that. What a pain! I'd better gulp down some breakfast, grab my camera (of course!), and get myself ready in case I have to leave suddenly.

A well-cropped image of a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, seen south west of Calgary about 10 days ago. Usually when I see Bluebirds, they are perched in separate places, not side by side as in this photo.

When I got home (on 19th June) and looked at this photo on my computer, I got quite a surprise when I saw that this female Mountain Bluebird was wearing four leg bands! No sign of this pair when I cruised the backroads the other day. Only saw three or four Bluebirds at all, and from a great distance, so it looks like I've missed any chance of trying to get closer and better photos of these beautiful little birds for this year.

This little bird had flown into someone's window and needed to recover. A few days later, it was banded and then released, but not before I was able to take a few photographs.