Album Birds of Alberta 3 from Anne Elliott

Rare to uncommon

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:50:27 +0000

I keep coming across yet another unposted photo of the tiny (popcan-sized), rare to uncommon, Northern Pygmy-owl, seen in a local park, LOL. Was longing to go over to the park again today to see if the two owls were to be seen, but used self-discipline instead and got a few other things done.

Little owl - way, way up

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:36:01 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I was so lucky this morning to see two Northern Pygmy-owls (rare to uncommon), one at each of two different locations in the park. I started out with my usual group, but ended up staying at the second location with several photographers that I had met up with. The birds were high up and quite a distance away, but I am posting my photos because the two birds are in different surroundings compared to various previous images of these teeny owls. Remember that they are only the size of a popcan, so when they are far away, that blob of brown is VERY small, LOL! Often, I can't really even see which way the bird is facing, so it is rather hit and miss as far as photos are concerned.

Little owl - in the Spruce tree

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:38:27 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Stellar's Jay

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 02:47:07 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Today, 5th January 2008, I went on an outing to the Sibbald, Exshaw, Canmore and Harvie Heights areas in the mountains. There wasn't much snow to be seen until we got further into the mountains. I was very happy that we were lucky enough to see a Stellar's Jay at Harvie Heights (near Canmore). Back in February, I had seen one in exactly the same place! Very difficult to get a photo of these birds, so I was pleased that even this very distant, cropped shot captured the bird suffiiciently to tell what it is. This bird is the provincial bird of B.C.. In Alberta, Stellars are spotted most often in the Rockies and this is a wintering one. They are locally uncommon year-round.

"These birds have glossy blue plumage; black head and nape; large, black crest; white streaks on the forehead and chin; wings and tail are accentuated by dark blue." From Birds of Alberta by Fisher and Acorn.

Great Horned Owl

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:45:19 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I went for a walk in Fish Creek Park this afternoon, kind of hoping that I might just be lucky enough to see the Bobcat that a friend saw two or three days ago. No luck today, but when I heard a sound as if something had fallen, I glanced up at a nearby tree and found myself looking into the eyes of this Great Horned Owl. I don't remember ever seeing one down in that area before, so I was very surprised as well as very happy.

Ruffed Grouse

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:51:30 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

On Monday, 31st December, I took part in the 2007 Christmas Bird Count in the Sheep River/Turner Valley area, south of Calgary. The weather was an absolutely perfect winter's day! On one of our stops for taking a short walk, we were so lucky to have this Ruffed Grouse fly into a tree close to the path. The lighting wasn't the best, but you can still see the rather intricate feather patterns on this bird. A good sighting! These birds are common year-round in Alberta, which doesn't necessarily mean that you will be lucky enough to see one. The Ruffed Grouse is named for the black "ruffs" on the sides of its neck. Displaying males erect these black patches to impress females". From "Birds of Alberta" by Fisher and Acorn.

Downy Woodpecker female

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:33:31 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

No bright red spot of colour on the back of its head, so this little Downy is a female. Shot through glass : )

So, birds DO have eyelashes!

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:40:10 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I didn't see this Bald Eagle take a bath in the tiny creek that runs through its enclosure, but its feathers do look as if the bird has bathed. This majestic bird came over to where I was standing, just the other side of the single fencing, and stayed by me for ages, which was rather strange.

Choice of accomodation

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:37:56 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Sometimes, the little Burrowing Owls in the Conservatory of the Calgary Zoo fly and sit right up high on the air-conditioning (?) pipes and machinery in the roof of the Arid Room. I must admit I hadn't noticed just how rusty the pipes are - but all that will change dramatically when the Zoo starts and completes a major reconstruction project for this building. I would imagine that all these small owls will be returned, and to new, strange surroundings. Should be amazing, though! At the moment, a whole new, outdoor Eurasian Marsh area is being built. That, too, should be beautiful and interesting. This Zoo is constantly changing, so we are very lucky!

Snowy Mama

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:07:15 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Now that the pair of Snowy Owls in the enclosure near the Tigers at the Calgary Zoo no longer have their three youngsters from two years ago living with them, hopefully, Mom and Dad will produce a new set of young ones this year.

Northern Flicker

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:15:27 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Another view of the Northern Flicker that I saw in Fish Creek Park the other day, this one showing the pattern on its upper tail. I think my favourite part of a Flicker is the black spotted breast.

Northern Flicker

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:17:12 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Today, I'm posting a REAL Northern Flicker, unlike the stuffed one I photographed at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary's display and then posted yesterday. The one above was busy finding and eating ants non-stop in a local park and was almost impossible to photograph. Unfortunately, it stayed on the leaf and twig littered grass, so the background is much too messy. Such a spectacular bird!

Feed me

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:58:02 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

"Just" a Canada Goose (I needed a change, ANY change, from the Northern Pygmy-owls, LOL!) who hoped I would feed it some seed from the seed-vending machine at the Calgary Zoo. Guess who forgot to take a couple of 25c coins with her yesterday!

Please don't feed me - I'm already stuffed

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:01:32 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

The Northern Flicker belongs to the Woodpecker family and is a very attractive bird.

"The Northern Flicker spends much of its time on the ground, feeding on ants and other land insects." From 'Birds of Alberts' by Fisher and Acorn. Most of the Northern Flickers we see here are hybrids.

Look me in the eyes

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:39:00 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

This magnificent Bald Eagle was behaving a little differently today. Every once in a while when I go to the Zoo, one of the three Bald Eagles is down at ground level taking a bath in the tiny stream. Today, this Eagle came over to where I was standing (the other side of the chain link fence) and just stayed there, until I left. It would have been very easy for it to peck at my camera through the fence, as I was only a few inches to a foot away. (Well, that beak is capable of MUCH more than a peck, LOL!). Always amazing to see one of these birds so close.

From afar

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:34:55 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Imagine trying to photograph a can of pop that is high up in a tall tree, then you'll get an idea of the challenges that are faced when photographing one of these teeny, rare to uncommon, popcan-sized Northern Pygmy-owls. Lots of cropping needed, to be sure, LOL! They are such beautiful birds.

Hairy Woodpecker

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:40:15 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Came across this female Hairy Woodpecker while I was on a walk in a local park four days ago. Only managed a distant photo of her. I was watching a Gray Jay quietly moving from Spruce tree to Spruce tree. A little Red Squirrel was harassing it.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:49:52 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I know, I need to find some different species of birds to photograph, LOL! I never used to get much in the way of photos of these little Red-breasted Nuthatches, but have been a bit luckier recently.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:25:00 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I liked the bright red and the black and white stripes against the snow. This is one of the photos I took yesterday afternoon when I had more or less given up hope of seeing one of the Northern Pygmy-owls. Didn't want to go home with an empty memory card, LOL!

The little one

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:25:51 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Just had to post one photo of the tiny Northern Pygmy-owl, taken this afternoon. Called in at this part of the park after a three-hour walk along the Bow River. Four other people had already found one of the owls by the time I arrived. This is a female, with a bill that is partly orange - from staining, or perhaps just an individual variation? The trees that these owls perch in have so many tiny branches that it is (almost) impossible to get a photo without any thin twigs in it somewhere.