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Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Feb 13

Feb14

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

January 28
–COMMON GRACKLE, seen off and on in SW Calgary, by Richard Clarke.

February 10
–RED CROSSBILL(F) , Silver Springs area of Calgary, by Gary Malcolm
–AMERICAN KESTREL(M), Grain elevators just S.of 22x, and W. of #797, by Hank Vanderpol.
–LESSER SCAUP, Bow River, just. N. of 22x bridge, by HV.
–HARLEQUIN DUCK, Bow River, IBS, south lookout at N. end, by Howard Heffler.

February 11
–WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, end of Earl Gray Cresc. by Phil Cram.
–REDHEAD(F), Prince’s Island channel, by Bill Wilson.

February 12
–DARK-EYED JUNCO, Queens park Cemetery, by BW.
–TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE(3). Two in Beaverdam Flats, and one in FCPP, east of Raven’s Rock, by Michael Geldorp.
–GADWALL(M), Bow River, near old outfall in FCCP, Burnsmead, by Terry Korolyk.
–RED CROSSBILL(2), High River, at a feeder, by Jill Bhar.
–MALLARD, leucistic female, Bow River, Beaverdam Flats near old RR bridge. by B.Diebolt and J. Gill.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday , Feb.16.

Sunday Showcase: Juvenile Eagles On The Bow River

Feb12

What a year we’re having for juvenile Bald Eagles! Rob English took these shots in the Beaverdam Flats area, and counted 10 juveniles in one trip.

 

There is an excellent post over at the Birding Is Fun blog on how to tell the age of  juvenile bald eagles, complete with some stunning photographs. Check it out!

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Feb 9

Feb10

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

February 5
— SNOWY OWL, Brooks area: Hwy 873 E and SE of Lake Newell (3), Hwy 36 (3), Hwy 539 W of Hwy 36 (3), Ron Kube
— DARK-EYED JUNCO, Southview neighborhood, SE Calgary, Carol Coulter

February 6
— GREY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH, feeder in Abasand area of Ft. McMurray, Simone Marler

– February 7
— REDHEAD (2), Bow River, near Hwy 22X bridge in Fish Creek Park, Andrew Slater
— HARLEQUIN DUCK, Bow River, N end of Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Howard Heffler

– February 8

–BROWN CREEPER, Southview neighborhood, SE Calgary, CC
–GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, same

February (recently)

–WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, Edmonton, feeder, John Zinyk

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday February 13.

Wednesday Wings: Tree Geese

Feb8

A blast of summer among the snowy owls and redpolls! Rob English has sent us some Canada Geese photos that are not your usual view of these birds. He says “This was new to me as I’d seen them in poplars but never  fir trees.  They were scrapping over some old magpie nest they wanted for a perch and were really causing a commotion until the one drove the other off and it went to another fir tree about 25 yards away. I took these shots in Carburn Park last May.”

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Feb 6

Feb7

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

This report was prepared on Monday February 6.

February 2
— GYRFALCON, 34 Ave east of Blackfoot Trail, Tony Timmons
— SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 52 Ave & 69 St SE, Phil Cram, Mike Mulligan
— PRAIRIE FALCON, same, PC, MM
— HARRIS’S SPARROW, same, Joan and Malcolm McDonald
— WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, same, J & MMcD

February 4
— CACKLING GOOSE 2, flyover Mallard Point, Terry Korolyk
— VARIED THRUSH, SE Calgary yard, Bob Lefebvre
— HORNED LARK 2, 10 km south of Nanton, PC, MM
— RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 6, 52 Ave & 69 St SE, Bill Wilson

February 5
— WOOD DUCK, Bow River, Tony Timmons & CFNS group
— NORTHERN PINTAIL, same, TT etc
— TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, same, TT etc
— SONG SPARROW, Carburn Park, TT etc
— NORTHERN SHRIKE, Fish Creek PP, Steve Kaffai(?)
— AMERICAN DIPPER, same, Bob & Dan Arndt
— GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, same, B & DA

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday February 9.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Feb 2

Feb4

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

This report was prepared on Thursday, Feb.2.

January 15
–NORTHERN CARDINAL(f). Seen in the Brittania area of Calgary since at least Jan.15.No further details known.

January 29
–AMERICAN ROBIN, Lowery Gardens, W. of Edworthy Park, by Steve Kassai.
–PINE GROSSBEAK, 11 found in Edworthy Park, 13 in Lowery Gardens, by SK.

January 30
–TRUMPETER SWAN(2). Seen on the Bow River W.of Exshaw, by G. Gorden.

February 1
–NORTHERN GOSHAWK(2).One along the Elbow River, by GY, and one in the Sandy Beach are of the Elbow River, by Phil Cram.
–NORTHERN SHRIKE(2). One seen along the Elbow River by Gus Yaki et.al, and one seen in W. Bowness Park by Gary Malcolm.
–TOWNSEND SOLITAIRE(4).Along the Elbow River during the monthly Elbow River Survey, by GY.
–HARRIS’ SPARROW(imm).Seen along 51st. Ave, about 2km east of 52nd.Str.SE. by Yousif Attia and Ilya Povalyaev.
–WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW(1) same location and observers as above.

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is Monday Feb 6.

Wednesday Wings: Juvenile Eagle

Feb1

Marg Matheson and Alan Plumb are new to the hobby of photographing birds, and sent us some juvenile Bald Eagle pictures. They are quite proud of these shots, and have every right to be! Click to enlarge.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Jan 26

Jan27

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

This report was prepared on Thursday January 26.

January 22
— LESSER SCAUP, Carburn Park, Bow River (Calgary), Janet Gill, Bernie Diebolt, CFNS group

January 23
— GADWALL male, Fish Creek PP, Bow River (Calgary), David Lilly

January 24
— NORTHERN PINTAIL male, Carburn Park, Bow River, Gus Yaki, FFC group
— GYRFALCON, Hwy 8 west of Calgary, Richard Clarke

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday January 30.

BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September – May at 7:30 pm, Room 211, BioSciences Building, University of Calgary. The next meeting will be Wednesday February 1. The program is titled “Understanding the Bird-brained: The Psychology of Bird Watching”, presented by Chip Scialfa. Dr. Scialfa is a professor of psychology at the U of C, a birdwatcher and a volunteer for the Alberta Wilderness Association.