Photos, videos and docs of Anne Elliott, with the keywords: "AvianExcellence"

Wood Ducks

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 18:00:52 +0000

Normally, I don't go on any evening bird walks, but I had been meaning for ages to get over to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. It always feels like a long drive across the city, but I thought this particular bird walk, on 22 August 2017, would actually get me over there. I'm really glad I went, not just seeing friends, but also these two Wood Ducks that were reasonably close. I don't see Wood Ducks very often and usually, when I do see them, they are far away. The light wasn't as good as I would have liked, so my photos are not as sharp as they could have been, but I'm still happy to get them.

"The Wood Duck is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Duck/id

We saw 24 species of bird, including 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Bald Eagles, 1 Osprey, 1 Merlin, 8 Wood Ducks, and an American Goldfinch. Thanks, Janet, for a very enjoyable two and a half hour walk on such a beautiful evening!

Yesterday's absolute treat - the size of your fist!

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 15:55:03 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Such an awful quality image, taken in really bad light and in the woods, and close to being a black silhouette - but still so cute and precious. I rescued it the best I could, but thank goodness I have an album full of much better photos of Northern Pygmy-owls. It was, of course, amazing just to see this one yesterday, during a long walk in Fish Creek Park - longer than it should have been, due to our destination area being closed with yellow warning tape because there was a Black Bear in the area. Makes me smile, as I know Bears can't read and can walk, so who knows what part of the park it was in yesterday. I don't know how someone spotted this tiny owl when it was first seen, far away and through the trees. We took a few photos, feeling grateful to be looking at this tiny, fist or popcan-sized predator, and then, suddenly, it flew towards us and landed closer. If only the sun had been shining.

"The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it’s a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots." From AllAboutBirds. They also love Meadow Voles.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id

"This Northern Pygmy-Owl appears to have eyes in the back of its head. But why? One theory is that large false eyes may create the illusion that the owl is much bigger than its 6 and 3/4-inch size. A more current theory is that the false eyes help protect the pygmy-owl's true eyes. Small birds will mob this diurnal owl, even striking it, directing some attacks at its eyes. If the large false eyes can take the brunt of these attacks, little harm will come to the Pygmy-Owl's vulnerable true eyes." From birdnote.org.

birdnote.org/show/pygmy-owls-false-eyes

The last Northern Pygmy-owl that I saw (actually, two of them) was on 27 December 2016, after a group of us had finished a day of birding for the annual Audubon Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count. Was able to get much better photos on that occasion.

I'm glad I went on yesterday's walk, as it snowed again last night and it is another dreary day today, 10 November 2017. The temperature is a balmy -1C.

Sweet young owl

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 15:08:04 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

This young, light-coloured Great Horned Owl was just so perfect and seemed to be a great character. Three adults tethered nearby were also quite pale in colour. I know some people feel that photographing birds that are not out in the wild is cheating. I kind of agree, though I think it's fine as long as someone says where it was taken. I have seen and photographed many owls in their natural habitat, but I still love seeing them at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta.

This summer (2017), we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. Most have been either too hot thanks to our endless heatwave - until very recently, when it has turned cold and even wet - or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August 2017 looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet. It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.

Though the forecast was for sun all day, there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.

Amazingly, I managed to make myself get up early that morning, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the back roads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.

Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. So happy to have been down there again, though.

Handsome Wood Ducks

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 18:51:54 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Normally, I don't go on any evening bird walks, but I had been meaning for ages to get over to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. It always feels like a long drive across the city, but I thought this particular bird walk yesterday evening, 22 August 2017, would actually get me over there. I'm really glad I went, not just seeing friends, but also these two Wood Ducks that were reasonably close. I don't see Wood Ducks very often and usually, when I do see them, they are far away. The light wasn't as good as I would have liked, so my photos are not as sharp as they could have been, but I'm still happy to get them.

"The Wood Duck is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Duck/id

We saw 24 species of bird, including 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Bald Eagles, 1 Osprey, 1 Merlin, 8 Wood Ducks, and an American Goldfinch. I will add the complete list that Andrew Hart compiled, in a comment box below. Thanks, Andrew! Thanks, too, Janet, for a very enjoyable two and a half hour walk on such a beautiful evening!

Spiked hairdo

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:11:00 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Needless to say, this is not a photo that was taken in the wild! I would never be able to get such a close shot or even a close view like this, unless the bird was captive for one reason or another. This bird had just had some flight training and was given a hosepipe shower to cool off.

This particular Bald Eagle resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta. This is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, too, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too.

I often see Bald Eagles flying wild, both in the city and in the surrounding areas. Usually when I see one, it is flying or perched far away. Too far away to see any detail at all, which is why I love going to this Centre, to see raptors up close.

"Once a common sight in much of the continent, the bald eagle was severely affected in the mid-20th century by a variety of factors, among them the thinning of egg shells attributed to use of the pesticide DDT. Bald eagles, like many birds of prey, were especially affected by DDT due to biomagnification. DDT itself was not lethal to the adult bird, but it interfered with the bird's calcium metabolism, making the bird either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs. Female eagles laid eggs that were too brittle to withstand the weight of a brooding adult, making it nearly impossible for the eggs to hatch. It is estimated that in the early 18th century, the bald eagle population was 300,000–500,000,[118] but by the 1950s there were only 412 nesting pairs in the 48 contiguous states of the US. Other factors in bald eagle population reductions were a widespread loss of suitable habitat, as well as both legal and illegal shooting. DDT was completely banned in Canada in 1989, though its use had been highly restricted since the late 1970s." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle

This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The forecast for this day looked good, sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet!

The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Shortly after leaving home, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.

Amazingly, I had managed to make myself get up early on the morning of 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving the backroads rather than the highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove just one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took, except for photos at the Centre.

Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 8,500 km in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. After doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!

Talk about baby fluff!

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:02:38 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Amazingly, our temperature this morning (around 10:30 am, 14 August 2017) is only 12C! It is supposed to go up to 15C this afternoon. Yesterday, the air quality was not good, with smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, and it rained overnight. A 70% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, which would be great. I found the smoky air yesterday just too much, even though I was indoors all day.

Not the sharpest photo, but I just have to laugh when I look at this Short-eared Owl owlet. What a sight! There were two of them inside the Visitor's Centre at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre when I visited there on 3 August 2017. Above them, on the wall, a sign said "I am two months old,,,". I don't know if they were siblings or not, but I do know that owls lay their eggs a few days apart. Even so, these two owlets looked very different, the other one looking a fair bit older, and without all the wayward curls.

This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.

The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.

I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.

Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 8,500 km in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!

Curious

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 16:55:37 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I will add that this photo of two little Burrowing Owls was taken in captivity and not in the wild. I'm not sure if the front one is the female who is a foster mother to several babies who were brought into the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre. The owl that is peeping round the pipe is a young one. Only once have I ever seen Burrowing Owls in the wild, way down in south-eastern Alberta. What a thrill that was - many birders never get such a chance, so I know I'm very lucky.

""As a result of its ENDANGERED Species status in 1995, it has the focus of a variety of conservation efforts. Operation Burrowing Owl and other projects involving habitat preservation with landowners have been created. Populations are monitored by Fish and Wildlife departments. They have been reintroduced into the British Columbia interior, where it was extirpated. Outlook would improve if larger areas of habitat were preserved and harmful pesticides were banned in all areas of their range. Numbers could increase if an increased tolerance to burrowing mammals develops (i.e. badgers) – provides homes for the Burrowing Owl. Outlook: perilous." From burrowingowl.com.

burrowingowl.com/visit/index.php

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrowing_Owl

This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for six days ago looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.

The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.

Amazingly, I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.

Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 8,500 km in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Think I'd better contact the dealership and ask about this. Almost a year sounds far too long to not have an oil change. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!

Purple Honeycreeper male, Trinidad

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 16:14:18 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I still have photos to go through and post from the last one and a half days of our Trinidad & Tobago trip. It looks like I will be doing this during the winter months! Decided to grab a photo last night - not the best quality image, but just about fit to post, especially as many of my photos came out far worse.

I think this was my favourite bird to see during our five day stay at the Asa Wright Nature Centre, on the island of Trinidad (off the coast of Venezuela). I had seen photos of them before six friends and I went on this adventure, and I was hoping so much that we would see one. I need not have worried, as there were many of these small, purple/blue birds each day. Just love their bright yellow legs and feet.

"The purple honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus) is a small bird in the tanager family. It is found in the tropical New World from Colombia and Venezuela south to Brazil, and on Trinidad. A few, possibly introduced birds have been recorded on Tobago.

The purple honeycreeper is 4.5 in (11.5 cm) long, weighs 0.42 oz (12 g) and has a long black decurved bill. The male is purple with black wings, tail and belly, and bright yellow legs. Females and immatures have green upperparts, and green-streaked yellowish-buff underparts. The throat is cinnamon, and there is a blue moustachial stripe. The call of purple honeycreeper is a thin high-pitched zree.

This is a forest canopy species, but also occurs in cocoa and citrus plantations. At the upper limit of its altitudinal range, it frequents premontane rainforest, usually rather low-growing (33–50 ft/10–15 m) and full of epiphytes and mosses.

The purple honeycreeper is often found in small groups. It feeds on nectar (particularly from bromeliad and similar flowers, to which its bill shape is adapted), berries and insects, mainly in the canopy. It is a bold and inquisitive bird, responding readily to the call of the ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) by coming out of cover and searching for the presumed predator to mob it. The female purple honeycreeper builds a small cup nest in a tree, and incubates the clutch of two brown-blotched white eggs." From Wikippedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_honeycreeper

This adventure was only the second holiday of any kind, anywhere, that I have had in something like 30 or 35 years! The other holiday was a wonderful, one-week trip with my great friends from England, Linda and Tony, when we went down south to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons in September 2012. I have had maybe half a dozen weekends away, including to Waterton National Park, which have helped keep me going.

Six birding/photographer friends and I decided that we would take this exciting trip together (from 12-21 March 2017), spending the first two or three days on the island of Tobago and then the rest of the time at the Asa Wright Nature Centre on the nearby, much larger island of Trinidad. We decided to take a complete package, so everything was included - accommodation at both places, all our food, and the various walks and day trips that we could choose from. Two of my friends, Anne B. and Brenda, saw to all the planning of flights and accommodations, which was so very much appreciated by the rest of us. I could never have done all this myself! We were so lucky with our flights, as we were just in time to get Black Friday prices, which were 50% off!

What a time we had, seeing so many beautiful and interesting things - and, of course, everything was a lifer for me. Some of these friends had visited Costa Rica before, so were familiar with some of the birds. There was a lot more to see on Trinidad, so we were glad that we chose Tobago to visit first and then spend a longer time at Asa Wright. It was wonderful to be right by the sea, though, at the Blue Waters Inn on the island of Tobago. Just gorgeous.

The Asa Wright Nature Centre, on Trinidad, is such an amazing place! We stayed in cabins up or down hill from the main building. Really, one doesn't need to travel away from the Centre for birding, as so many different species visit the Hummingbird feeders that are right by the huge, open veranda, and the trees of the rain forest high up the mountainous road. The drive up and down this narrow, twisting, pot-holed road was an adventure in itself! Never would I ever do this drive myself - we had a guide who drove us everywhere in a van/small bus. I had read many accounts of this road, lol! There was enough room for two vehicles to pass each other, and the honking of horns was almost continuous - either to warn any vehicle that might be coming fast around the next bend or as a sign that drivers knew each other. The drive along this road, from the coast to Asa Wright, took just over an hour each way.

Even after five weeks, I still miss the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and even the Rum Punch that appeared each evening. I never drink at all, so I wasn't sure if I would even try the Punch - glad I did, though, as it was delicious and refreshing. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all served buffet-style, with a great variety of dishes from which to choose. To me, pure luxury. So very, very grateful to have been invited to be part of this amazing adventure.

This is a video that I found on YouTube, taken by Rigdon Currie and Trish Johnson, at many of the same places we visited on Trinidad and Tobago. Not my video, but it made me feel like I was right there still. Posting the link here again, so that I won't lose it.

youtu.be/BBifhf99f_M

I also came across the following 27-minute YouTube video of the flora and fauna of Trinidad, filmed by John Patrick Smith in February 2015.

youtu.be/6HHBm9MIxnk

Mountain Bluebird female

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 17:26:20 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Another smoky day here in Calgary (21 July 2017), with a temperature of 20C this morning and cloudy. The air quality yesterday was expected to reach High Risk, but it seemed to be bearable late in the afternoon. So, I took a drive along some of my favourite roads SW of the city, seeing a few of the 'usual' things. I really hope that rain will arrive soon to help the firefighters in British Columbia and in Alberta, too! So much devastation.

This photo is of one of my 'usual' Mountain Bluebird females. I'm not completely sure, as I haven't been able to get there much recently, but I suspect that they have had a second set of young ones. Dad appeared while I was there, carrying a huge caterpillar in his beak. I was so happy to see them, even more so as I haven't been seeing all that much in the way of birds recently. Sorry if you are tired of seeing Bluebird photos!

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...

Palm Tanager / Thraupis palmarum, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:05:57 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

"The palm tanager (Thraupis palmarum) is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Nicaragua south to Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil. It also breeds on Trinidad and, since 1962, on Tobago. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is known by colloquial names such as the "palmiste" and the "green jean".

Adult palm tanagers are 19 cm (7.5 in) long and weigh 36 g (1.3 oz). They are grey to dull olive-green. The flight feathers are blackish, and the long tail is blackish edged with green. A yellow wingbar shows in flight. Sexes are similar, although females may be somewhat paler.

Palm tanagers are social, restless but unwary birds which eat a wide variety of small fruit. They also regularly take some nectar and insects, including caterpillars. The song is fast and squeaky." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_tanager

This adventure was only the second holiday (or was it actually my third?) of any kind, anywhere, that I have had in something like 30 or 35 years! The other holiday was a wonderful, one-week trip with my great friends from England, Linda and Tony, when we went down south to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons in September 2012. I have had maybe half a dozen weekends away, including to Waterton National Park, which have helped keep me going.

Six birding/photographer friends and I decided that we would take this exciting trip together (from 12-21 March 2017), spending the first two or three days on the island of Tobago and then the rest of the time at the Asa Wright Nature Centre on the nearby, much larger island of Trinidad. We decided to take a complete package, so everything was included - flights (we were so very lucky to get Black Friday prices, which were 50% off!), accommodation at both places, all our food, and the various walks and day trips that we could chose from. Two of my friends, Anne B. and Brenda, saw to all the planning of flights and accommodations, which was so very much appreciated by the rest of us. I could never have done all this myself!

What a time we had, seeing so many beautiful and interesting things - and, of course, everything was a lifer for me. Some of these friends had visited Costa Rica before, so were familiar with some of the birds. There was a lot more to see on Trinidad, so we were glad that we chose Tobago to visit first and then spend a longer time at Asa Wright. It was wonderful to be right by the sea, though, at the Blue Waters Inn on the island of Tobago. Just gorgeous.

The Asa Wright Nature Centre, on Trinidad, is such an amazing place! We stayed in cabins up or down hill from the main building. Really, one doesn't need to travel away from the Centre for birding, as so many different species visit the Hummingbird feeders that are right by the huge, open veranda, and the trees of the rain forest high up a mountainous road. The drive up and down this narrow, twisting, pot-holed road was an adventure in itself! Never would I ever do this drive myself - we had a guide who drove us everywhere in a van/small bus. I had read many accounts of this road, lol! There was just enough room for two vehicles to squeeze past each other, and the honking of horns was almost continuous - either to warn any vehicle that might be coming fast around the next bend or as a sign that drivers knew each other. The drive along this road, from the coast to Asa Wright, took just over an hour each way.

Even after one month, I still miss the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and even the Rum Punch that appeared each evening. I never drink at all, so I wasn't sure if I would even try the Punch - glad I did, though, as it was delicious and refreshing. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all served buffet-style, with a great variety of dishes from which to choose. To me, pure luxury. So very, very grateful to have been invited to be part of this amazing adventure.

Brown Pelicans / Pelecanus occidentalis, Blue Waters Inn, Tobago

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 17:00:42 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Before I forget again, if anyone happens to notice an incorrect ID for any of the photos I took on this trip, please do let me know! Everything was a lifer for me and I'd never even heard of most of the birds we saw.

Believe it or not, I had never seen a Brown Pelican before! We only get the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) here. However, there were several of these beautiful birds hanging around the Blue Waters Inn, on the Island of Tobago, when we were there mid-March. Sometimes, they were flying or floating on the aquamarine water of the Atlantic Ocean, or else perched on a small, wooden, floating pier out in the bay. I love the pattern of their wing feathers.

"The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up. They are fairly common today—an excellent example of a species’ recovery from pesticide pollution that once placed them at the brink of extinction." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Pelican/id

Bear with me, everyone, as I think I am going to have to post 5 (I posted 6 the first two days) photos from my trip each day, otherwise it will take me many months (years?) to get them on to Flickr. Obviously, no comments expected, unless you happen to like one photo in particular. Actually, I am so disappointed with my photos - never have so many photos come out blurry, many totally blurry and no use at all. I'm not sure why, though the light was often really bad and maybe the humidity had some effect. For some species, I will be posting awful shots, just for the record.

It will take me forever to do much of a write-up about this trip, but I hope to add an extra bit of information about each photo to the very simple, basic description. Right now, I'm not quite sure where I was and when, lol! We arrived back in Calgary three evenings ago, on 21 March 2017, and I have to get myself somewhat organized and see to all sorts of important things. Instead, of course, I have been stuck in front of my computer all day, each day : ) Totally dead beat after such a busy time away, dealing with extremely early mornings and hot, humid weather. Those of you who know me well, know that I am a dreadful night-owl, so getting up around 5:15 am was an absolute killer. Also, heat and humidity don't agree with my body, so each trip out was quite exhausting. In the morning of 21 March, we had to get up around 2:00 am, as we had such an early flight (5 and a half hours) from Trinidad to Toronto - followed by a four-hour flight back to Calgary. On our very first day, we had three flights in a row, as we flew from Calgary to Toronto, then Toronto to Port of Spain on Trinidad, from where we had a short flight to the island of Tobago.

This adventure was only the second holiday (or was it actually my third?) of any kind, anywhere, that I have had in something like 30 or 35 years! The other holiday was a one-week holiday with my great friends from England, Linda and Tony, when we went down south to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons in September 2012. I have had maybe half a dozen weekends away, including to Waterton National Park, which have helped keep me going.

Six birding/photographer friends and I decided that we would take this exciting trip together, spending the first two or three days on the island of Tobago and then the rest of the time at the Asa Wright Nature Centre on the nearby, larger island of Trinidad. We decided to take a complete package, so everything was included - flights (we were so very lucky to get Black Friday prices, which were 50% off!), accommodation at both places, all our food, and the various walks and day trips that we could chose from. Two of my friends, Anne B. and Brenda, saw to all the planning of flights and accommodations, which was so very much appreciated by the rest of us. I could never have done all this myself!

What a time we had, seeing so many beautiful things - and, of course, everything was a lifer for me. Some of these friends had visited Costa Rica before, so were familiar with quite a few of the birds. There was a lot more to see on Trinidad, so we were glad that we chose Tobago to visit first and then spend a longer time at Asa Wright. It was wonderful to be right by the sea, though, at the Blue Waters Inn on the island of Tobago.

The Asa Wright Nature Centre on the much larger island of Trinidad is such an amazing place! We stayed in cabins up or down hill from the main building. Really, one doesn't need to travel away from the Centre for birding, as so many different species visit the Hummingbird feeders that are right by the huge, open veranda, and the trees of the rain forest high up a mountainous road. The drive up and down this narrow, twisting, pot-holed road was an adventure in itself! Never would I ever do this drive myself - we had a guide who drove us everywhere in a van/small bus. I had read many accounts of this road, lol! There was just enough room for two vehicles to squeeze past each other, and the honking of horns was almost continuous - either to warn any vehicle that might be coming around the next bend or as a sign that drivers knew each other. The drive along this road took just over an hour each way.

I'm already missing the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and the Rum Punch that appeared each evening. I never drink at all, so I wasn't sure if I would even try the Punch - glad I did, though, as it was delicious and refreshing.

Boreal Chickadee

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 18:30:05 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

This photo was taken on 27 December 2016, when nine of us (in the group I was in) took part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley area. Our time was spent travelling by car, driving the backroads SW of the city and calling in at several acreages/ farms.

A Boreal Chickadee made a lovely change from the more common Black-capped Chickadee. I have very few photos of Boreal Chickadees, as I so rarely see them and, when I do, they are too quick and hidden. This particular day was actually a good day for seeing them and also Mountain Chickadees. I'm not a big fan of feeder photos, but better than nothing.

"A brown-capped chickadee of the northern boreal forest, the Boreal Chickadee is one of the few birds living completely within that biome in Canada and bits of the United States." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Boreal_Chickadee/id

If you have or want feeders in your garden, Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an excellent Project Feederwatch site that tells of the best food and types of feeder for almost 100 of the more common birds, including the Boreal Chickadee. Very useful information.

feederwatch.org/learn/common-feeder-birds/?__hstc=7510036...

I took part in this Count for 2015 but had missed it for a few years before that. I believe I had only ever done it twice before that, a few years ago (December 2007 and December 30, 2008). This time, like last year, our area was in the centre of the count circle and I'm so glad I decided to go again.

A great stop was at Rod Handfield's place. Some of us go there very occasionally on botany trips and he always has the best mushrooms and other fungi growing in his forest in the fall. Rod and his wife have such a beautiful cabin there. A Gray Jay gave us a few photo opportunities there, which was appreciated. Usually, I find Gray Jays difficult to photograph, so it was nice to see one close. Rod is always so delightfully hospitable!!

Thanks so much, Donna, for driving half of us - so much appreciated! This also meant that we were lucky enough to see two tiny Northern Pygmy-owls after the Count, too, when we decided to drive a few extra roads on our way home. A beautiful sunny day really helped - not all that cold (for Alberta!). A lot of snow everywhere (almost 8"), but that was OK, as we did so little walking. A great day!

A mountain Bluebird with 'bling'

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:16:57 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

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...

It was the annual May Species Count on the weekend of 28 and 29 May 2016. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park at Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow. On the Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We stopped at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park and ate our picnic lunches and then did a short walk to look for Calypso Orchids. I took too long to try and get a sharp photo of a group of fungi that I missed the orchids, but that was OK, as I have seen them a few times before.

After the Count came to an end, I drove a few of the back roads again, taking a few more shots of the Wilson's Snipe and Mountain Bluebirds, including the male in this photo.

I will add the final list from our leader - 70 bird species seen, wow! - in a comment box below.

"The count goes May 28-29: Calgary birders have been out in force every May since 1979, contributing to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America. Last year (2015) we found 212 species. The count circle is the same as previous years, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard, and includes a variety of environments." From NatureCalgary.

Swainson's Hawk

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 15:46:27 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Way back, on 22 May 2016, my daughter and I spent a great day together, as a slightly early treat for my birthday : ) Always my favourite way to spend a day!

We weren't quite sure what we would be doing, as it depended on how my daughter was feeling - so much pain. We did know for sure that we were going straight to the Saskatoon Farm for a delicious meal, though. We took a look inside two of their greenhouses, full of colourful flowers. Not a day for walking outside, as it poured with rain the whole day.

After the Saskatoon Farm, we went westwards into Okotoks, so that we could visit the little rustic antique place, All through the House. From there, we drove various back roads, looking for any birds that might not be hiding from the cold and rain. I was so happy that we saw a couple of Snipe standing on fence posts, as they make such beautiful photos. We even saw several hawks, including this beautiful Swainson's Hawk - more than I usually see when I go for a drive.

"A classic species of the open country of the Great Plains and the West, Swainson’s Hawks soar on narrow wings or perch on fence posts and irrigation spouts. These elegant gray, white, and brown hawks hunt rodents in flight, wings held in a shallow V, or even run after insects on the ground. In fall, they take off for Argentine wintering grounds—one of the longest migrations of any American raptor—forming flocks of hundreds or thousands as they travel." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/id

Thanks so much, Rachel, for a much-enjoyed day and thank you for the (as always) carefully chosen gifts and cards. Most of all, thank you for spending the day with me!

My first Bald Eagle on a fence post

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:21:13 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

On 18 June 2016, I went for a drive SW of the city, checking out a few of my usual roads. Almost straight away, I spotted a beautiful Wilson's Snipe perched on a fence rail in a different area than I usually photograph Snipe.

I had pulled over on the other side of the road and managed to get just three shots when a car came along in the opposite direction. The lady slowed down and asked if I was a birdwatcher. She told me that she had just passed an enormous Bald Eagle - bigger than any she had ever seen - perched on a fence post. Well, of course the Snipe flew off and I definitely wasn't expecting a Bald Eagle to still be sitting where it had been seen. I thanked the thoughtful lady and continued my drive, eventually spotting 'something' big in the distance. I couldn't believe it when I saw it was the Eagle. Expecting it to take off as soon as it saw my car, it surprised me by remaining right where it was. Wrong side of the road and with its back to me, but I was in awe! I think this is the first time I have ever seen a Bald Eagle perched on a fence post.

I was even more grateful to have seen this majestic bird of prey when I went to check on a nearby Mountain Bluebird pair and there was nothing to be seen. I then stopped at a different pair and, though I did see the female high up on the wire, there was no activity at all. When I eventually reached a third box - where I had recently photographed the male with a beautiful moth in its beak - I saw a Tree Swallow's face peeping out of the hole. When I was there two days ago, I just knew that the babies were going to fledge any moment and I was so disappointed that I wasn't able to visit them in the last two days.

After driving further to see if I could see either of the Great Gray Owls or the Bobolinks, I was out of luck with both. This made the Bald Eagle sighting more special than ever! Then, driving down a road that I don't normally drive, I spotted a 'new' pair of Mountain Bluebirds. Both Mom and Dad were kept so busy, collecting caterpillars and other insects to feed to their babies. These were definitely 'Bluebirds of Happiness' yesterday evening. Soon, the grey sky and low light finally took a toll on my camera or, should I say, my knowledge of how to use it? It was time to call it quits and head for home.

"The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. These regal birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their chocolate-brown body and wings. Look for them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Once endangered by hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have flourished under protection." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/id

Without its camouflage

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 12:46:38 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Position one of these Great Gray Owls right in front of a tree trunk and you will discover how amazing the camouflage is. Yesterday, I stood so that the owl was nicely framed by these two trees. It was along the edge of the forest, quite a distance away, and out of the sun - the colour of the feathers tends to look different when in the shade (a much darker brown).

"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl

It had been a week since I had last seen one of these owls, so I decided to drive there yesterday morning and see if one could be seen. When I arrived, three people had already found one - apparently, it had been sitting on a fence post moments before, but flew off into the far line of trees just as I was slowly arriving. Much as I am delighted to see an owl anywhere, along the edge of the trees is my least favourite place, as the owl is then in the shade.

After a while, I decided to drive further along the road to see if there were any other owls to be seen, and when I returned, the handful of people were photographing one sitting on a fence post. I just managed to get three or four rather useless shots before it flew off to the forest.

Great Gray Owl, focused

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 15:38:18 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Happy Easter Sunday, everyone!

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 26 March 2016, when I spent a long day driving NW of the city and then coming home via Bragg Creek and SW of the city. It was such a beautiful day and, once again, there was snow in the forecast for this coming week, so I thought I had better make the most of the good weather.

It had been quite a long time since I saw my last Great Gray Owl (before these recent sightings). Some of my last sightings had been one that was in Fish Creek Park in Calgary for a while and my last photos of it were taken on 18 February 2014. There was also a Great Gray at Griffith Woods, Calgary, and some of my photos were taken on 10 February 2014. Saw another owl on our May Species Count out of the city on 25 May 2014. Many of my 'best' sightings and photos of Great Grays were taken NW of Calgary, the last dates being 28 March 2013 and 5 May 2013. After 25 May 2014 .... nothing! So, seeing one (or two) in the last four weeks has been such a thrill. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken, each owl is as exciting as the very first.

When I first reached my approximate destination yesterday morning, I could see five or six cars way down the road, pulled over at the edge of the road. Often a good sign : ) Sure enough, friends had found an owl. For the first four minutes after I got there, the owl was perched on a barbed-wire fence in the sun, but then flew off and vanished. More than an hour later, someone saw it fly across the road and land in the distant trees. Had to look almost into the sun to get photos, so most of my images are grainy, but still happy to get them. The way these owls focus on something is amazing - they use their hearing rather than their sight. It sat there for maybe 45 minutes, barely moving except for turning its head, so not a huge variety of shots, but interesting to watch in person. When it disappeared further into the trees and out of sight, I started off on my long drive home, hoping to see a few early bird spring arrivals. I was out of luck, apart from a pair of Killdeer. Not a single Mountain Bluebird, anywhere, which did surprise me.

"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_grey_owl

A local Great Horned Owl

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 14:57:32 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Not the best quality, so I didn't want to use it as my main photo this morning. Seems ages since I last posted a photo of a Great Horned Owl. Also, Short-eared Owls, Northern Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl have been my focus more recently.

On 1 January 2016, I took part in the annual Fish Creek Provincial Park New Year's Day Bird Count. Unlike all the other recent Counts, this one was just half a day. It was SO cold when we all arrived at the parking lot, despite "only" being -12C (the rest of the cold must have been the windchill). The sun was shining and we had a very enjoyable walk from Bebo Grove to Bridge #6. Other participants covered other areas of the park.. It was so nice to see this rather sleepy Great Horned Owl down in our count area.

After the Count, quite a few of the participants, me included, gathered at a Tim Horton's to hand in their lists and to chat over coffee and lunch about what had been seen. Always makes for an enjoyable time.

This is our leader's final list of bird species seen in Fish Creek Provincial Park on the New Year's Day Bird Count, 2016. We had divided up into three groups, so each group may not have seen every species listed.

"Fish Creek Prov. Park New Years Day Bird Count, Bebo Grove to Raven Rocks, Bridge #6. 0900-1215, 01Jan2016. Sunny, W. wind 15kph, -12 to -3°c. Fish Creek 98% frozen. 30 cm snow on ground.

Best birds on our territory were the two Mountain Chickadees that Josias Grest has been seeing and feeding since 23Dec. Best Count area bird was a Hermit Thrush, first ever. It was at the Stormwater outlet, about ¼ km W of Macleod Trail, on the S side of Fish Creek, where we have seen American Dipper, Song Sparrow, Wilsons Snipe and Killdeer in past winters.

Below is the list and numbers seen on our area today.

1. Canada Goose-16
2. Sharp-shinned Hawk-1
3. Merlin-1
4. Great Horned Owl-1
5. Downy Woodpecker-15
6. Hairy Woodpecker-1
7. Northern Flicker-1
8. Pileated Woodpecker-1
9. Northern Shrike-1
10. Black-billed Magpie-20
11. Common Raven-23
12. Black-capped Chickadee-130
13. MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE-2
14. Boreal Chickadee-13
15. Red-breasted Nuthatch-27, including Bob the white-headed leucistic individual.
16. White-breasted Nuthatch-1
17. Brown Creeper-2
18. Townsends Solitaire-2
19. Bohemian Waxwing-2500+
20.Pine Grosbeak-20
21. White-winged Crossbill-80
22.PINE SISKIN-1

Red Squirrel-7+
Eastern Gray Squirrel-1
White-tailed Deer-5"

Yesterday's treat - a Great Gray Owl

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:48:51 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I decided to post a distant shot of this beautiful Great Gray Owl, seen yesterday when I made the long drive NW of Calgary. I did take closer photos, but haven't had a chance to go through them yet. Also, I really liked the trees where the owl landed, so would not have cropped this image anyway.

My alarms were set for 5:30 yesterday morning, 28 February 2016, and I was full of hope that for once, I would actually get out of the house good and early. I have such a problem getting myself out very early when I go off for a drive by myself. I think it was something like 8:30 am by the time I dragged myself off the computer and out the front door. To my horror, I discovered that my car door locks had frozen shut and my car was totally covered in a thick layer of extremely stubborn ice, that took me a long time to remove. Half an hour or so later, I was finally ready to start on my trip.

It had been quite a long time since I saw my last Great Gray Owl. Some of my most recent sightings had been one that was in Fish Creek Park in Calgary for a while and my last photos of it were taken on 18 February 2014. There was also a Great Gray at Griffith Woods, Calgary, and some of my photos were taken on 10 February 2014. Saw another owl on our May Species Count out of the city on 25 May 2014. Many of my 'best' sightings and photos of Great Grays were taken NW of Calgary, the last dates being 28 March 2013 and 5 May 2013. After 25 May 2014 .... nothing! So, seeing one yesterday was such a thrill. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken, each owl is as exciting as the very first.

When I first reached my approximate destination yesterday morrning, I could see two or three cars way down the road, pulled over at the edge of the road. Often a good sign : ) Sure enough, friends had found an owl, It was on a distant barbed-wire fence post at first, then dove into the snow to try and catch a Meadow Vole. It then flew off into the trees with it and didn't return. After a while, I drove some of the other roads in the area and later drove back to where the owl had been. Amazingly, it was in a distant tree, from where it hunted, moving to a different tree each time it made an unsuccesful dive. Eventually, it did catch a Vole. I left after a while, feeling that it was time to leave the owl 'in peace', and also knowing it was time for me to make the long drive home - approximately 246 km round trip. I think the excitement plus the long drive (on less than three hours' sleep) totally wore me out and I've felt too tired to even write descriptions for today's 'daily three' photos until this evening.

A good thing I went yesterday, as we had fog, a bit of snow and hoarfrost and very slick roads overnight till this afternoon, apparently. There were 234 reported accidents in the city during those hours, none with life-threatening injuries. So glad I didn't have to go out today.

Beautiful bird, but grainy and blurry photo : (

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:37:16 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Afternoon, 27 February2016 - it's actually SNOWING! I'd almost forgotten what snow looks like, our winter has been so mild : )

This photo, and half a dozen similar shots, looked reasonable when I quickly checked them in my camera after taking them. However, when I went to edit this one last night, I discovered just how bad they came out : ( Even though this gorgeous male Varied Thrush suddenly came out into a more open spot for just a few seconds, I was standing in amongst the trees and the light was not good. Ha, looks best in thumbnail size. Oh, well, at least I was fortunate enough to see this visiting bird and to get at least a few photos, even if very poor quality.

This bird spent all its time deep within the conifer trees and a tangle of dark undergrowth. If the bird was on the ground and happened to move into slightly better light for a split second, it was mostly hidden by endless tiny branches. A difficult bird to photograph, not to mention almost impossible to find in the first place.

"The Varied Thrush’s simple, ringing song gives a voice to the quiet forests of the Pacific Northwest, with their towering conifers and wet understories of ferns, shrubs, and mosses. Catch a glimpse of this shy bird and you’ll see a handsome thrush with a slaty gray back and breast band set against burnt-orange breast and belly. Common in the Cascades, Northern Rockies, and Pacific Coast, Varied Thrushes forage for insects in summer and switch to berries and seeds in winter.

Varied Thrushes hop on the ground or low in shrubs and trees. They eat mainly insects and other arthropods in the summer and switch to nuts and fruit in fall and winter. On breeding territories, male Varied Thrushes sit on exposed perches to sing their haunting, trilling songs" From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Varied_Thrush/id