Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: nonmigratory

This was more or less the only photo I ended up with after a long walk in South Glenmore Park yesterday afternoon, 18 February 2018. It was so cold and a slight wind made the windchill plunge. However, a handful of us braved the weather and managed to find at least several species of bird. This little Black-capped Chickadee was one of several, feeding on Sunflower seeds. These little Chickadees are just 24 hours away from death, and need to collect enough fat in order to survive. Such busy little birds. This is not my favourite walk, partly because it is so long, but I needed the exercise and I wanted to spend time with my friends. Some of us went for coffee afterwards - and a bowl of special Mac & Cheese was especially welcome after being out in the cold for so long. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

This photo was taken yesterday morning, 20 January 2018, when I went on a walk in Carburn Park with birding friends. I always find that a walk along the Bow River gives very few photo opportunities, as the birds are too far away for photos, but it is a lovely park in which to spend time. They are also too far away for me to ID them, as I don't use binoculars. The always loyal Black-capped Chickadees flew in to see if anyone had any food. They were in luck, as this park, unlike Fish Creek Park, does not forbid the feeding of birds. Friend, Janet, was ready waiting, with a few seeds and nuts in her hand. As you can see, the sun was shining and actually it wasn't cold. Always good to spend time in great company, including going for coffee/lunch afterwards at the local Tim Horton's. Many thanks, Howard, for leading the group! "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

All three photos posted today were taken yesterday, 5 November 2017, when I joined a few birding friends for a walk in Carburn Park. Afternoons are usually not the best time of day to see birds so, as usual, we saw far fewer species than the morning groups - 19 species of bird. Though cold, it was a beautiful afternoon to be out in nature. It was cold enough for there to be a few clusters of small ice pillars along the edge of the Bow River - something I always enjoy seeing. Carburn Park is a very popular place for birding in the city, offering water and woodland species. According to eBird, a total of 211 species have been recorded within the park. In comparison, at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary (the top Hot Spot in the city) 252 species have been recorded. In the Weaselhead Natural Area, 227 species have been seen. These little Chickadee are just 24 hours away from death, and need to collect enough fat in order to survive. Such busy little birds. There were about 10 of them yesterday, following us along some of the paths. Over the years, I have taken many photos of them, but I so rarely go for walks any more. From now on, I know it will be much harder to make myself put on all my winter layers, including struggling to get ice grippers on to my winter boots, and leave the comfort of my home. The main roads had been cleared, and were very reasonable to drive on yesterday. I do enjoy going for coffee and a chat after these walks. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

All three photos posted today were taken yesterday, 19 October 2017, when I joined birding friends for a walk in South Glenmore Park. The setting is beautiful, but usually the birds are out in the middle of the Glenmore Reservoir or near the far side. The main reasons I go for a walk there is just to enjoy the views over the water and to catch up with friends. If I'm lucky, I might come home with a couple of bird photos. Not the best lighting, but I thought this little Chickadee's pose was quite cute. It looks like it is checking, before flying off, that there is not a better seed in friend Pam's hand. They can be picky eaters. These birds are just 24 hours away from death, and need to collect enough fat in order to survive. Such busy little birds. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

On 26 November 2016, friends and I were so very lucky. On a walk in Fish Creek Park, we found not only an owl, but two owls, and different species - a Great Horned Owl and a teeny, popcan-sized Northern Pygmy-owl. It had been almost two years since I last saw a Northern Pygmy-owl. That one, also, had been seen in Fish Creek Park. On 26 November, it was near the top of a very tall tree, so my photos were fully zoomed and cropped and I posted one just for the record. The Great Horned Owl, however, was seen nice and low and out in the open. The bird was large and fairly pale, so we think it was probably a female. After taking a few photos through the trees, we continued our walk and I was able to get a few shots from a different angle, just before she closed her eyes and went to sleep. The forest was so quiet, with so few birds. This little Black-capped Chickadee gave me a chance for a couple of quick photos, as did a Red-breasted Nuthatch. I go on so few walks, and tend not to take many photos of our more common little birds. “A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn.” From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/id "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee

This photo was taken a couple of days ago, on 14 November 2016. I don't usually go on a birding walk on a Monday, but the weather forecast for that day looked somewhat better than the forecast for the next few days. We have had a bit of snow since then - a warning from a friend of mine who was on a walk in Fish Creek Creek Park yesterday, letting me know that the paths are "super slippery" with ice under the thin layer of snow. Cold weather doesn't bother me as much as ice underfoot! "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm Our walk took us from Votier's Flats in Fish Creek Park, eastwards in a loop, and then we walked along the river westwards as far as bridge 5(?). It was a quiet morning as far as seeing many birds, though we were happy to see an American Dipper walking, feeding and dipping in the cold water of the creek. I will add the list of species seen in a comment box below. After this long walk, I decided to drive south a short way to see if there was any sign of the Long-tailed Weasel that many of my friends have been seeing, but, once again, I was out of luck.

First of all, has anyone heard anything from, or about, our amazing Flickr friend, Snowinglightly? Today is the 12th day since she suddenly stopped commenting here on Flickr, For years, she has been such a loyal friend, leaving such long, thoughtful and very creative comments on people's photos every single day. To suddenly stop like this, is making me very concerned. The only time I remember her not commenting, for maybe four days in a row, was when she had ended up in hospital. Twelve days would be more than enough time to sort out any computer problems or to have to replace a computer, so I don't think that would be a reason. I have left messages in various places, but so far, still don't know any answer. If you happen to know, could you PLEASE let me know? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Early yesterday, 3 November 2016, I had been on a birding walk at Burnsmead, Fish Creek Park, all morning with friends, seeing various birds that were just distant silhouettes and much too far away for photos. This little Black-capped Chickadee - the only bird seen close - flew down to the hand of a lady who had never had a Chickadee on her hand before, so I wanted to get a photo for her. I had been on a similar walk two days earlier, seeing only distant birds. Yesterday, though, I decided that I needed to see something close enough to photograph, so after the walk, I drove south a little way to look for a Long-tailed Weasel that people had been seeing all last week - but, as usual, not on the day that I went, lol! After 45 minutes of waiting, there was still no sign of the little Weasel yesterday. So, my usual plan of desperation took me to a wetland in the SW of the city, where I can usually see Mallards. Sure enough, there were two pairs hanging out together, and I really appreciated their giving me the chance to take a few photos. They were swimming in and out of sunlight and shadow, giving totally different photos. I will add the list of species seen at Burnsmead, complied by our leaders, in a comment box below.

This photo was taken yesterday morning, 14 April 2016, when I was on a walk with friends in Carburn Park. Judy, i hope you see this photo of a little Black-capped Chickadee with a sunflower seed in its bill. It wasn't being very cooperative, lol, which is why it has its back turned towards me. Better than nothing, though. I almost didn't bother to go on this walk, as it was such a gloomy, overcast day, along with an occasional bit of light drizzle. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id The large group divided into three smaller groups, and each group didn't necessarily see every species on our main leader's final list. The list is long, but it might just give someone an idea of what is being seen at that park at the moment. Also helps to jog my own memory. "FFCPPSoc. Spring Birding, Carburn Park, Calgary, 0915-1215, Thu 14Apr2016. Cloudy, light sprinkle, N wind 15 kph. 4 – 8°C. Combined results of three groups. Canada Goose-70 Wood Duck-2 American Wigeon-8 Mallard-50 GREEN-WINGED TEAL-5 Common Goldeneye-40 Common Merganser-128 OSPREY-1 Bald Eagle-2 ad.. Sharp-shinned Hawk-1 COOPER’S HAWK-1 RED-TAILED HAWK-3+ Merlin-1 FRANKLIN’S GULL-15 Ring-billed Gull-30+ California Gull-1 Herring Gull-6+ Rock Pigeon-1 Downy Woodpecker-8 Hairy Woodpecker-1, excavating nest cavity Northern Flicker-12 Black-billed Magpie-10 American Crow-2 Common Raven-2 TREE SWALLOW-2500+ NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW-1 Black-capped Chickadee-8. Red-breasted Nuthatch-4, excavating nest. White-breasted Nuthatch-1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET-3 American Robin-60 European Starling-100+ Bohemian Waxwing-10 SONG SPARROW-2 Dark-eyed Junco-2 Red-winged Blackbird-3 House Finch-3 RED CROSSBILL-4+ White-winged Crossbill-1+ Pine Siskin-2 House Sparrow-12 Eastern Gray Squirrel-3 Muskrat-2 JUMPING MOUSE sp.-1"

HAPPY EASTER weekend, everyone! Thank heavens for Black-capped Chickadees!! They are there to greet us, no matter what! Such tough little guys, though they are always only 24 hours away from death if they can't get enough fat stored in their body to last overnight. This was a quick shot, taken at Bebo Grove in Fish Creek Park, on 29 October 2013. We were seeing so few birds this time last year and so few species when we went on our birding walks. There were no cones on many of the coniferous trees, meaning that there was no food for birds such as Crossbills last winter, and birds such as Common Redpolls and Crossbills were non-existent. That's why I say "Thank heavens for Chickadees"!! "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 16 January 2016. The weather was dull, cold and most unpleasant, yet three of us turned up at a meeting place, ready to go on a day trip west of the city. Apparently, 8 other people got the message that this trip had been cancelled at the last minute, lol. I, however, was already outside, clearing the snow off my car, to drive across the city. After waiting for just over an hour, we decided that instead of going home, we would go for a walk at nearby Baker Park. I had heard of this park, mainly because there used to be Great Horned Owls there, but I had never been. The park was much larger than I was expecting, and a very pleasant place to walk. A beautiful mix of trees makes a wonderful habitat for birds, most of whom seemed to have more sense than we had, keeping hidden from the cold, miserable weather. We did see a few Black-capped Chickadees, though, and Bohemian Waxwings and White-winged Crossbills. I may have a fourth photo from yesterday morning to post sometime, but that's it! Still, it was fun spending the morning with friends and enjoying a very late breakfast at the Angel's Cafe, which really hit the spot.. Thanks so much for driving us to Baker Park, Darlene. I really appreciated the chance to finally visit this area. I didn't think the forecast looked particularly good for today, either, so had decided that I would probably join a group of friends for a birding walk this afternoon. However, the sun is actually out at the moment and it is supposed to be a mix of sun and cloud for this afternoon, so I might just make myself do a drive out of the city, if I'm ready in time. Not a drive I look forward to, but maybe I will be rewarded by finding an owl?

Just a quick shot taken yesterday afternoon, 6 December 2015, when I went on a two and a half hour walk in Fish Creek Park with three friends. The weather was beautiful and sunny and I think it actually got up to 9C in the city, Crazy weather for December, but I love it! "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id Not a whole lot of bird life to be seen, but we did see a juvenile Bald Eagle, which is always a pleasure to see. Will add our leader's list of species below. My friend also had a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches and a little Downy Woodpecker fly down to her hand. Always amuses me how different the individual birds can be. Some are so quick and grab the first thing, others take a second or two to try the different pieces before making up their mind. Some land very gently on your hand, others less so. "Due to a lack of water fowl and a number of fisherman in the waters north of the boat launch it was decided to go south under the 22X bridge to the edge of Lafarge Meadows. Winds were calm, skies a sun/cloud mix, temps +4 to +6C. 1. Canada Goose - 36 2. Mallard - 110+ 3. American Wigeon - 1 4. Common Goldeneye - 19 5. Bufflehead - 3 6. Common Merganser - 3 7. Bald Eagle - 1 juv. 8. Killdeer - 2 9. Feral Pigeon - 5 10. Northern Flicker - 1 11. Downy Woodpecker - 2 12. Black-billed Magpie - 5 13. Common Raven - 2 14. Black-capped Chickadee - 10 15. White-breasted Nuthatch - 4 White-tailed Deer - 3 Leader: Janet Gill"

In the afternoon of 8 November 2015, I pushed myself out the front door to go on a walk with birding friends. Knowing that I'm supposed to do a lot more walking than I do (which cuts into my Fickr time, sorry!) and also seeing that the weather forecast was for snow the next day, made the decision that much easier. We met at Votier's Flats in Fish Creek Park and walked eastwards to Shaws Meadow, where we climbed the hill up to the houses that border the park. Managed to catch just this one quarter-decent shot of this speedy little Black-capped Chickadee when it flew down to someone's hand when we were walking through the forest down below. It looks like it may have picked out a piece of nut rather than a Sunflower seed - nuts do tend to be the favourite. Actually, looking at this photo again, I think that that IS a Sunflower seed, seen from the wide end : ) "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id The following is the final list of 14 bird species prepared by our leaders, Gus, Janet, Bernie and David: Bald Eagle-1 ad. Sharp-shinned Hawk- Ring-billed Gull-2 Downy Woodpecker-2 Hairy Woodpecker-1 Northern Flicker-2 Black-billed Magpie-8 Common Raven-11 Black-capped Chickadee-30+ Boreal Chickadee-2 Red-breasted Nuthatch-8 White-breasted Nuthatch-3 Red Crossbill-1 m Dark-eyed Junco-1 Red Squirrel-1 Mule Deer-4 After the walk, four of us went for coffee at Tim Horton's. I always enjoy this, just as much as the walk itself.

On Sunday afternoon, 1 November 2015, it was mostly cloudy with a short windy and drizzly period. Though the temperature was 8°C, it felt cold and, once again, I wore two fleece jackets, a fleece vest and a light jacket! Bebo Grove is one of the coldest places in the city, so I made sure I was prepared. The morning had been nice and sunny, which is why I decided to meet a few friends for a birding walk. However, the rain started shortly before I was ready to leave home and I was very tempted to change my plans. Glad I didn't, as the rain stopped and I would have missed seeing a Great Horned Owl. Not sure if it's the same one I photographed recently in the same area - I think it could be. It would have been so easy to not see this owl, as it was sleeping on top of a low, broken tree surrounded by a tangle of branches. Two other friends had just returned to the parking lot after going for a walk and they offered to walk back to show us where they had just seen this owl, so that helped. The other thing I would have missed seeing was a handsome Mule Deer buck and two others, in a grassy area. They were busy feeding on the dead leaves and twigs and eventually decided to lie down and rest for a while. Our walk took us through the area at the bottom of the stairs, then eastwards to bridge 4 and then west from the picnic area. Bird numbers were certainly way down. Adding the list of bird species seen, compiled by our leader, Bernie. Thanks for a very enjoyable walk, Bernie! 1. Coopers' Hawk -1 2. Bald Eagle -2 3. Ring-billed Gull-8 4. Great Horned Owl-1 5. Hairy Woodpecker-3 6. Northern Flicker-1 7. Blue Jay-2 8. Black-billed Magpie-4 9. Common Raven-7 10. Black-capped Chickadee-30 11. Boreal Chickadee-1 12. Red-breasted Nuthatch-4 13. White-breasted Nuthatch-1 14. Bohemian Waxwing-27 15. Pine Grosbeak-8 16. Pine Siskin-12

Thank heavens for Chickadees!! They are there to greet us, no matter what! Such tough little guys, though they are always only 24 hours away from death if they can't get enough fat stored in their body to last overnight. In certain natural areas of the city, where they are very used to people, these little Black-capped Chickadees will happily fly down to a person's hand - in this case, a fellow birder's hand. The light and colour are rather strange and there is too much graininess thanks to the very poor light conditions, but there was still something I liked about this photo. Taken on 27 October 2015, when I went on a three-hour walk in Fish Creek Park, from Bebo Grove to Shannon Terrace and back, with birding friends. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id The following is the final list of species seen, compiled by the leaders of the groups: Canada Goose-40+ Swan sp., -14 Merlin-1 Downy Woodpecker-8 Hairy Woodpecker-4 AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER-3 Northern Flicker-1 Pileated Woodpecker-2+ Blue Jay-10 Black-billed Magpie-15 Common Raven-6+ Black-capped Chickadee-50+ BOREAL CHICKADEE-2 Red-breasted Nuthatch-15 White-breasted Nuthatch-3 Brown Creeper-3 Golden-crowned Kinglet-2 Townsend’s Solitaire-2 American Robin-8 Pine Grosbeak-5+ House Finch-6 Red Crossbill-8 White-winged Crossbill-30+ Common Redpoll-3 Pine Siskin-10+ Red Squirrel-18 White-tailed Deer-1 Mule Deer-4

Yesterday, 7 June 2015, was a hot day – way too hot for my liking. Today, the forecast is for 30C this afternoon. I wasn’t keen on the idea of being out in the sun for three hours, but neither could I have stayed in my place one more minute - it feels like an oven! Decided to join birding friends for a walk at the west end of South Glenmore Park and we had a lovely, leisurely walk, stopping often to look at, or listen to, a variety of birds. I think my favourites were a pair of colourful American Goldfinch. It was also fun to see this little Black-capped Chickadee looking out from its nest cavity. Will add Janet and Bernie’s bird list below, for my own memory. There were quite a few species of wildflower as well. I so rarely go on a walk, so I tend to miss many of the wildflowers. Thanks for such an enjoyable afternoon, both of you! A stop afterwards at the Good Earth café was so much appreciated, too. 1. Great Blue Heron - 1 2. Canada Goose - 40 3. Mallard - 5 4. Gadwall - 2 5. Swainson's Hawk - 1 6. Franklin's Gull - 30+ 7. Woodpecker sp. likely Sapsucker - 1 8. Olive-sided Flycatcher -1 9. Least Flycatcher - 12 10. Red-eyed Vireo - 2 11. Black-billed Magpie - 1 12. American Crow - 4 13. Common Raven - 1 14. Tree Swallow - 4 15. Black-capped Chickadee - 2 @nest site. 16. House Wren - 11 17. American Robin - 6 18. Cedar Waxwing - 6 19. Yellow Warbler - 10 20. Chipping Sparrow - 1 21. Clay-coloured Sparrow - 4 22. Baltimore Oriole - 1 23. Red-winged Blackbird - 3 24. Brown-headed Cowbird - 3 25. House Finch - 3 26. American Goldfinch - 5 27. House Sparrow - 2 Least Chipmunk - 1 Muskrat - 1 Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly - 10+ Blue Azure - 1 Alpine sp. Butterfly - 15+ Janet & Bernie

Four days ago, on 15 April 2015, my parking lot was going to be spring-cleaned, which meant that all cars had to be out of the lot by 7:30 am. I don't have a 2015 street parking permit, so I had to leave home at 7:30 and find something that would use up the few hours before my volunteer shift. I didn't want to risk being late for that, so decided to stay within the city rather than go driving some backroads. The owls in Fish Creek Park ended up being my destination. I had only been there twice in many weeks and seen Mom on my first visit and then Mom with two of her three owlets on the second. When I arrived four mornings ago, there was no sign of the "paparazzi" - I had been expecting there to be at least a few photographers and people out for a walk. This time, I was able to see all three owlets as well as Mom and Dad. Late afternoon, after my volunteer shift, I called in again for a while on my way home. This little Black-capped Chickadee was busy at a nearby cavity – not sure if it had chosen this place for a nest, but it was a rather nice cavity, at least from the outside. “A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn.” From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/id "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee

Thank heavens for Black-capped Chickadees!! They are there to greet us, no matter what! Such tough little guys, though they are always only 24 hours away from death if they can't get enough fat stored in their body to last overnight. Took this photo yesterday, when I decided to call in at a local park and get a bit of fresh air and sunshine. I hadn't been down there for a couple of days, so wanted to take a quick 15-minute walk while I had the chance. Bumped into a couple of people I know, who had been looking for the tiny Northern Pygmy-owl, without any luck. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id I have to take my car in to be fixed - hopefully I can drop it off this afternoon ready to be repaired tomorrow. The car "beeper" keeps going off for no reason at all, which is really annoying and embarrassing. Also have to get the car door locks fixed, too - makes me wonder if the two things are connected. I had really hoped to not have to spend much on this car, which will be 16 years old next month, but it's not turning out that way.

Thank heavens for Chickadees!! They are there to greet us, no matter what! Such tough little guys, though they are always only 24 hours away from death if they can't get enough fat stored in their body to last overnight. This was a shot taken while waiting in a local park to see if the Long-tailed Weasel would appear, on 17 November 2014. I called in again very briefly yesterday afternoon, 29 November 2014, but no sign of the Weasel. I had just picked up my vehicle with its new set of winter tires, the first ones I have ever had, and as the car place was just down the road from the park, I thought it would be a good idea to see how my car felt with different tires on, before driving home on the main roads. When I got home, I was reading the info report from the garage. Apparently, all four All-Season tires have multiple sidewall bulges and are no longer safe for use - cannot be remounted in the spring. I only bought them in either March or June 2012, so they are roughly two and a half years old, that's all! I should add that the tire place I went to for my set of new winter tires came highly recommended by staff and volunteers at the place I volunteer. Excellent reviews on-line, too. It's -22C (windchill -28C) this morning, so hopefully every single little Chickadee finds enough seeds under the new snow that fell the last couple of days. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id