Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: explore2014April08

This photo was taken a couple of days ago, 6 April 2014, when I went with a group of 10 friends to Frank Lake for several hours. This was a "by car" day with barely any walking. Sometimes when we pull over and get out, I can be found looking in the opposite direction to everyone else, taking a photograph of something totally unrelated to birds, lol. You need binoculars or a scope to see most of the birds we come across, which I don't have, but I can never resist the scenery. Many of the fields are clear of snow now. It's +12C as I type and it's supposed to get up to +20C this afternoon! Will add Tony Timmons' report for the day - thanks, Tony, both for writing up the list and for taking us down to one of my favourite areas outside the city: "Eleven people were on the trip today, birding Frank Lake and area. We tallied 35 species. Most of the lake is still covered in ice. As many as 10,000 Northern Pintails were seen in the fields,sloughs and flying overhead. Two hundred swans were feeding in the fields. Of note were two Eurasian Wigeons spotted in the shallow sloughs. Canada Goose Tundra Swan Trumpeter Swan Gadwall American Wigeon Eurasian Wigeon Mallard Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Ruddy Duck Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Rough-legged Hawk Coot Killdeer Ring-billed Gull California Gull Great Horned Owl Horned Lark Robin Rock Pigeon,Magpie,Crow,Raven,Starling,House Sparrow" As you can see from the list, birds are returning after being elsewhere all winter. Only very distant views of them all, except for one Great Horned Owl on her nest - impossible to get a proper shot because she is hidden by a tangle of branches.

Mountain Bluebirds are back in Alberta, including the odd one or two that have been seen within the city limits of Calgary. I haven't been out for a drive to look for them yet, so am posting an old photo taken on 7 June 2012, when I went for a drive SW of the city. Each year, it's such a thrill to see the very first splash of brilliant blue, after six months or more of ice and snow on the ground. They are such gorgeous little birds. 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... Interesting, I've just installed the wireless keyboard and monitor that came with my computer. This is the first wireless one I've ever had. Something else to get used to, I see, ha. I did have to Google to find out just how to install it. The arrow keys are in a different place and it took me by surprise when the usual delete button had disappeared. I never learned how to type, so it's always hit and miss, and I need the delete button constantly : ) I can see, though, that it's going to be great not having a mouse cord getting in the way every time I try and type something. I do like the feel of the slim keyboard and it's wonderful to have numbers and letters on all the keys once again - several had worn off my old keyboard, which sure didn't help with my poor typing skills!