Posted by Bob Lefebvre

For the week of April 10-16, the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park birding course groups explored the Burnsmead area of Fish Creek Park, along the river just east of the park headquarters, near the wastewater treatment plant. There are some ponds in this area, as well as a wooded area and the river itself.

Max Ortiz Aguilar went with the group on April 16 and got these photos of some of the birds there.

Ring-necked Pheasant (male), Burnsmead, April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16897″]

 Canada Goose, possibly guarding a nest site, April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16898″]

Common Mergansers (female in front, male behind), April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16899″]

Franklin’s Gull, April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16900″]

This photo and the next shows the pinkish hue these birds have when they arrive here from their wintering grounds off the coast of Venezuela, where they feed on shrimp that contain red pigments. The colour often fades by fall.

Franklin’s Gulls, April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16901″]

House Finch (male), April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16902″]

Red-winged Blackbird (male), April 16, 2017. Photo by Max Ortiz Aguilar.

[exif id=”16903″]

To see more of Max’s photos, visit his website here.