An immature Northern Goshawk has been hanging around Confederation Park this winter, feeding on Mallards that frequent the open water there. Ron Chiasson has photographed this bird in action. All photos taken at Confederation Park by Ron Chiasson.
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk
To see more of Ron’s photos, go to his website here, or follow him on Instagram.
Confederation Park in NW Calgary gets a lot of attention from birders during the fall warbler migration, but it is good birding spot year-round. You can see a variety of bird species even in winter, as these photos show.
The photographer is Ron Chiasson, who is a new contributor to the blog. You can see more of his photos at Ron Chiasson Photography, or follow him on Instagram here.
All of these photos were taken between November 2017 and February 2018 in Confederation Park.
Brown Creeper
Northern Flickers
House Finch
House Finch
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Mallard
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Common Redpoll
Eastern Gray Squirrel
White-tailed Jackrabbit
Thistle
There is also a young Northern Goshawk hanging around the park, feeding on Mallards. Ron’s photos of the Goshawk will be in the next post.
Bohemian Waxwing, Carburn Park, February 11, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
Northern Flicker, Carburn Park, February 11, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
Hooded Merganser, Carburn Park, February 11, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
Brown Creeper, Queen’s Park Cemetery, February 11, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
Northern Goshawk, Queen’s Park Cemetery, February 11, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
To see more of Tony’s photos, see his Flickr page.
Horned Larks, photographed outside of Calgary by Tony LePrieur.
Horned Lark, Calgary area, January 7, 2018.
Horned Lark, Calgary area, January 7, 2018.
Horned Lark, Calgary area, January 7, 2018.
For more of Tony’s photos, see his Flickr page.
Here are some recent photos from around the city, by Tony LePrieur.
Bohemian Waxwings, Carburn Park, February 4, 2018.
Bohemian Waxwing, Carburn Park, February 4, 2018.
Bohemian Waxwing, Carburn Park, February 4, 2018.
Bohemian Waxwing, Carburn Park, February 4, 2018.
Townsend’s Solitaire, Carburn Park, January 13, 2018.
Common Redpoll, Weaselhead, January 7, 2018.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Carburn Park, January 13, 2018.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Carburn Park, January 13, 2018.
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Carburn Park, January 13, 2018.
Black-capped Chickadee, Carburn Park, January 7, 2018.
For more of Tony’s photos, see his Flickr page.
Posted by Bob Lefebvre (I apologize that the blog was down for the last two days. It was a server problem – we aren’t going away!)
About a dozen years ago some people started using the term “superb owl” in advertising to avoid a similar copyrighted term, and since owls are indeed superb, birders have had a lot of fun with it on game day by posting their favourite photos of owls. Here are some local owls to liven up your day.
Snowy Owl, January 2018, east of Calgary. Photo by Ron Chiasson.
Snowy Owl, November 2017, east of Calgary. Photo by Ron Chiasson.
A well-camouflaged Great Gray Owl, November 2, 2017, Bow Valley Parkway. Photo by Michael Kim.
Great Horned Owl, December 19, 2017, High River area. Photo by Anne Elliott.
Northern Pygmy-Owl, January 28, 2018, west of Calgary.
Northern Pygmy-Owl, November 2017, Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park. Photo by Ron Chiasson.
Northern Hawk-Owl, February 2017, west Calgary. Photo by Ron Chiasson.
Ron Chiasson’s photos can be seen at Ron Chiasson Photography.
Dan Arndt’s photos are on his Flickr page.
Anne Elliot’s photos and extensive descriptions of her photographic experiences are on her Flickr page.
American Dippers are aquatic songbirds that feed in fast-flowing mountain streams, capturing all their food by walking under the water on the stream bottom, by swimming, or by picking insects off the surface. They are sometimes seen in the city on Fish Creek, the Elbow River, or even on the Bow in the winter, but are more common west of the city where they breed.
Tony LePrieur captured these fantastic shots of a Dipper seen from water level at Elbow Falls, west of Bragg Creek, on December 24. The first photo shows the nictitating membrane which protects the eye when the bird is submerged. Tony lay in the ice-cold water and on the ice for two hours to get these shots!
American Dipper, Elbow Falls, December 24, 2017. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
American Dipper, Elbow Falls, December 24, 2017. Photo by Tony LePrieur.
To see more of Tony’s photos, go to his Flickr page.
Tony LePrieur photographed this Great Gray Owl hunting near Priddis, SW of Calgary, on Christmas Eve 2017.
Great Gray Owl, Priddis area, December 24, 2017. Photographed by Tony LePrieur.
Great Gray Owl, Priddis area, December 24, 2017. Photographed by Tony LePrieur.
To see more of Tony’s photos, go to his Flickr page.
Michael Kim took these photos of a Great Gray Owl and a Snowy Owl in early winter.
Great Gray Owl, Bow Valley Parkway, November 2017.
Great Gray Owl, Bow Valley Parkway, November 2017.
Great Gray Owl, Bow Valley Parkway, November 2017.
Snowy Owl, Airdrie, December 2017.
Snowy Owl, Airdrie, December 2017.
Here are some winter birds photographed by Gavin McKinnon. You can find the first two in the city, but you have to go up in the mountains to find the third.
Black-capped Chickadee.
Downy Woodpecker.
White-tailed Ptarmigan.
Read Gavin’s blog Canadian Birder here.