Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: 8 May 2016

JELLYFIELDS - warning! A few days ago, I did a Google search to see what blogs have used my photos. Many of them asked permission before hand, but, needless to say, others did not. If you post photos anywhere on the Internet, that is unfortunately just a fact of life. I just scrolled down, clicking on each one in turn. When I clicked on one website in the search result list, I discovered that not only were a lot of my photos being displayed, but they were also mixed in with a pile of pornographic videos and photos. According to someone on the Flickr Help Forum, these photos were probably taken from the Jellyfields website before they disabled right-click. Not impressed one bit, I contacted Jellyfields and asked for all my photos to be removed from their site. James was in touch with me immediately and, after getting me to confirm that the displayed photos were mine, said they will remove my photos as requested. He was surprised that nature/wildlife photos would be stolen and added to a porn site, but that is exactly what has happened. Haven't yet found a way to contact the porn site, Tumview.com to demand my photos be removed. I should add that Jellyfields does refer photos back to Flickr, saying to check what the copyright is for each photo. Who needs all this hassle?!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is one of the few shorebird photos I took this spring and summer. I'm sure there were plenty of birds to be seen, but I just didn't seem to go to areas where you find shorebirds. This Stilt walking through a small 'pond' near Frank Lake on 8 May 2016. Perhaps 'large puddle' would describe the body of water more accurately. I love these elegant Black-necked Stilts, often found feeding around American Avocets. "A striking black-and-white bird with very long, thin red legs, the Black-necked Stilt is found along the edges of shallow water in open country." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/lifehistory en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_stilt My plan on 8 May 2016, was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I would never make it in time and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibility of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on this very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts and a couple of different shorebirds. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but many of them were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks and several Ruddy Ducks. The male Ruddy Ducks were busy trying to impress the females - these small guys are so funny to watch, especially during the breeding season, as they seem to have lots of character and a real attitude. The males have quite a stunning, chestnut coloured body and sky-blue bill. After Frank Lake, I called in at a slough that used to be so good for shorebirds, only to find that there was not a drop of water left. The whole area was white ground (salt?). So disappointing, as last year I had White-faced Ibis walking just 8 or 10 feet from my car, and I had been longing to go back again this spring! On this day, I didn't see any Ibis at all, but someone I was talking to had seen one earlier. There were so many Yellow-headed Blackbirds - everywhere! They were in quite large groups, flying from fields over the road ahead of me, in fields amongst the stubble, and at one location they were feeding on the ground at the feet of cows. Just as I was leaving the area to start my drive home, the rain arrived. Greatly needed, though we need a whole lot of precipitation to do any good. At this time, Alberta was a tinder box, ready to go up in smoke.

Such sad news from the Calgary Zoo just now (16 May 2016): "We are deeply saddened to share that silverback gorilla, Kakinga, passed away Saturday night at the age of 37. Often called the zoo’s gentle giant, Kakinga was an exceptional silverback; a kind, loving, protective and diligent leader. Our Veterinary team has determined he died as a result of developing a large tear in his aorta which caused the sac around his heart to become filled with blood and ultimately stopped his heart. This is one of the well-recognized causes of mortality in gorillas, especially males. Kakinga was born December 1, 1978 at the Jersey Zoo in the United Kingdom and arrived at the Calgary Zoo in 1984. After nine years, he transitioned into the role of silverback, or leader of the troop in 1993, a role he held for the past 23 years. During his time as silverback, he fathered 13 offspring, eight of which are surviving with the most recent being born just this past March at our zoo. Of those eight, five are males and three are females. But Kakinga is known for more than just his impressive genetics. His calm and gentle natured endeared him to all zoo staff who cared for him. He was very involved in his role as leader of the troop, acting as a peacekeeper, a protector and in some very tender moments, a father." From the Calgary Zoo. "Western Lowland Gorillas are part of a Species Survival Program authorized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Their last chance for survival may be a few gorilla sanctuaries in Africa, zoos, and other captive environments and breeding programs throughout the world." From the Calgary Zoo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My plan on 8 May 2016 was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I would never make it in time and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibity of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on the very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts, a Willet and a couple of different shorebirds. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but many of them were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks and several Ruddy Ducks. The male Ruddy Ducks were busy trying to impress the females - these small guys are so funny to watch, especially during the breeding season, as they seem to have lots of character and a real attitude. The males have quite a stunning, chestnut coloured body and sky-blue bill. "Ruddy Ducks are compact, thick-necked waterfowl with seemingly oversized tails that they habitually hold upright. Breeding males are almost cartoonishly bold, with a sky-blue bill, shining white cheek patch, and gleaming chestnut body. They court females by beating their bill against their neck hard enough to create a swirl of bubbles in the water. This widespread duck breeds mostly in the prairie pothole region of North America and winters in wetlands throughout the U.S. and Mexico." From AllAboutBirds. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruddy_Duck www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ruddy_duck/id

My plan two days ago, on 8 May 2016, was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I would never make it in time and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibity of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on the very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts and a couple of different shorebirds. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but many of them were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks and several Ruddy Ducks. The male Ruddy Ducks were busy trying to impress the females - these small guys are so funny to watch, especially during the breeding season, as they seem to have lots of character and a real attitude. The males have quite a stunning, chestnut coloured body and sky-blue bill. Did you know the following? I don't think I knew until last year! "The part of a bird's leg between what appears to be a backward-facing 'knee' and what appears to be an 'ankle' is called the tarsus. In fact the bird's true knee is always hidden under the feathers, and the apparent 'knee' (the 'tarsal joint') is the ankle and heel. Therefore the tarsus is really the part of the foot between the heel and the ball, so that a bird stands on its toes." "A striking black-and-white bird with very long, thin red legs, the Black-necked Stilt is found along the edges of shallow water in open country." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_stilt After Frank Lake, I called in at a slough that used to be so good for shorebirds, only to find that there was not a drop of water left. The whole area was white ground (salt?). So disappointing, as last year I had White-faced Ibis walking just 8 or 10 feet from my car, and I had been longing to go back again this spring! Yesterday, I didn't see any Ibis at all, but someone I was talking to had seen one earlier. There were so many Yellow-headed Blackbirds - everywhere! They were in quite large groups, flying from fields over the road ahead of me, in fields amongst the stubble, and at one location they were feeding on the ground at the feet of cows. Just as I was leaving the area to start my drive home, the rain arrived. Greatly needed, though we need a whole lot of precipitation to do any good. Alberta is a tinder box, ready to go up in smoke. In fact, yesterday, I saw on the News that there was a small wildfire in Edmonton.

My plan two days ago, on 8 May 2016, was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I would never make it in time and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibity of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on the very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts and a couple of different shorebirds. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but many of them were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks and several Ruddy Ducks. The male Ruddy Ducks were busy trying to impress the females - these small guys are so funny to watch, especially during the breeding season, as they seem to have lots of character and a real attitude. The males have quite a stunning, chestnut coloured body and sky-blue bill. "Ruddy Ducks are compact, thick-necked waterfowl with seemingly oversized tails that they habitually hold upright. Breeding males are almost cartoonishly bold, with a sky-blue bill, shining white cheek patch, and gleaming chestnut body. They court females by beating their bill against their neck hard enough to create a swirl of bubbles in the water. This widespread duck breeds mostly in the prairie pothole region of North America and winters in wetlands throughout the U.S. and Mexico." From AllAboutBirds. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruddy_Duck www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ruddy_duck/id

My thoughts continue to be with all the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta, who are being devastated by a massive wildfire at the moment. All 88,000 people were forced to flee the city, many leaving everything behind. Now, much-needed rain and cooler temperatures are helping somewhat. It is still out of control, but slowly moving eastward. "Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:28 AM - After a week of fighting a devastating wildfire that sent thousands of Fort McMurray residents fleeing, it seems firefighters have been holding the line -- and the weather has actually been cooperative." From The Weather Network. www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/weather-factoring... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My plan yesterday, 8 May 2016, was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I was going to be late and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibity of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on the very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts and a couple of different birds including the one in this photo. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. I'm hoping someone might just see this shot and be able to let me know what species it is. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but they were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks. "Piercing calls and distinctive wing markings make the otherwise subdued Willet one of our most conspicuous large shorebirds. Whether in mottled brown breeding plumage or gray winter colors, Willets in flight reveal a bold white and black stripe running the length of each wing. These long-legged, straight-billed shorebirds feed along beaches, mudflats, and rocky shores. Willets are common on most of our coastline—learn to recognize them and they’ll make a useful stepping-stone to identifying other shorebirds." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Willet/id After Frank Lake, I called in at a slough that used to be so good for shorebirds, only to find that there was not a drop of water left. The whole area was white ground (salt?). So disappointing, as last year I had White-faced Ibis walking just 8 or 10 feet from my car, and I had been longing to go back again this spring! Yesterday, I didn't see any Ibis at all, but someone I was talking to had seen some earlier. There were so many Yellow-headed Blackbirds - everywhere! They were in quite large groups, flying from fields over the road ahead of me, in fields amongst the stubble, and at one location they were feeding on the ground at the feet of cows. Just as I was leaving the area to start my drive home, the rain arrived. Greatly needed, though we need a whole lot of precipitation to do any good. Alberta is a tinder box, ready to go up in smoke. In fact, yesterday, I saw on the News that there was a small wildfire in Edmonton.

My thoughts continue to be with all the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta, who are being devastated by a massive wildfire at the moment. All 88,000 people were forced to flee the city, many leaving everything behind and many will be returning to nothing. Now, much-needed rain and cooler temperatures are helping. "Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:28 AM - After a week of fighting a devastating wildfire that sent thousands of Fort McMurray residents fleeing, it seems firefighters have been holding the line -- and the weather has actually been cooperative." From The Weather Network. www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/weather-factoring... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My plan yesterday, 8 May 2016, was to join friends for an afternoon walk at Carburn Park. Closer to the time, I knew I was going to be late and decided at the last minute that I would instead go for a short drive SE of the city. I knew that I was far more likely to see a few closer birds and get some photo opportunities if I went SE. I stayed around Frank Lake for most of the time. When I checked the weather forecast before I left, I knew that there was a possibity of rain later on. I totally forgot to check how windy it was going to be, and ended up barely being able to hold my camera steady enough to try and get a few shots. The strong wind was causing mini waves both on the lake itself and also on the very small slough I stopped at, creating a few neat water patterns. Shorebirds included the always beautiful American Avocet and Black-necked Stilts and a couple of different birds including the one in this photo. I don't see shorebirds very often and I am not good at IDs for them. I'm hoping someone might just see this shot and be able to let me know what species it is. A pair of Killdeer were making a lot of noise, as usual. Saw several kinds of ducks, but they were too far to get any photos worth keeping. I was happy to see a pair of Canvasbacks. After Frank Lake, I called in at a slough that used to be so good for shorebirds, only to find that there was not a drop of water left. The whole area was white ground (salt?). So disappointing, as last year I had White-faced Ibis walking just 8 or 10 feet from my car, and I had been longing to go back again this spring! Yesterday, I didn't see any Ibis at all, but someone I was talking to had seen some earlier. There were so many Yellow-headed Blackbirds - everywhere! They were in quite large groups, flying from fields over the road ahead of me, in fields amongst the stubble, and at one location they were feeding on the ground at the feet of cows. ust as I was leaving the area to start my drive home, the rain arrived. Greatly needed, though we need a whole lot of precipitation to do any good. Alberta is a tinder box, ready to go up in smoke. In fact, yesterday, I saw on the News that there was a small wildfire in Edmonton. "The breeding habitat of the Yellow-headed Blackbird is cattail (Typha spp.) marshes in North America, mainly west of the Great Lakes. The nest is built with and attached to marsh vegetation. They nest in colonies, often sharing their habitat closely with the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). During the breeding and nesting season the males are very territorial and spend much of their time perched on reed stalks and displaying or chasing off intruders." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-headed_blackbird www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-headed_blackbird/id For the sound: youtu.be/6-Pk-VMtZM0