Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: explore2014April01

Photographed this handsome Redhead breeding male on 13 May 2011. On the rare occasion that I do see one, usually they are far, far away. If I remember correctly, it was at a wetland in SW Calgary. "The Redhead (Aythya americana) is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan. The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip. The breeding habitat is marshes and prairie potholes in western North America. Loss of nesting habitat has led to sharply declining populations. Females regularly lay eggs in the nests of other Redheads or other ducks, especially Canvasbacks. Redheads usually take new mates each year, starting to pair in late winter." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redhead_(duck)

It almost feels strange looking at a photo of a mushroom after all these months of winter. Came across this one that I hadn't posted and wanted to add it to my Fungi of Alberta set. Taken at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, SW of Calgary, on 10 September 2010.

"Just" a little female House Sparrow, but I love photographing these birds when I get the chance. They have such a beautiful feather pattern. This one was seen at the Calgary Zoo on 10 October 2011. It's easy to forget that the House Sparrow is an introduced species here: "One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Sparrow www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/house_sparrow/id It's a really crummy day out there, yet again. STILL snowing and as dreary as can be. I was supposed to go on a birding walk this morning, but can't face the thought of having to clear the snow off my car and then walk for three hours in -13C (windchill -20C) temperatrures. Been doing it for six months now, and enough is enough, ha. The rest of the week looks like it's expected to be much better, thank goodness. Stay warm, everyone! This photo is in the following SETS: BIRDS OF ALBERTA 8 www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157633662858024/ HOUSE SPARROWS www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157629130904671/ CALGARY ZOO 5 www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157632014191699/ EXPLORE www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157594372373773/