The Road To 300: May

Jun22

May and June are the busiest months if you are trying to find new species for the year. Here is an update with photos of some of the birds Gavin McKinnon has added to his list in May. He is trying to record 300 species within Alberta in 2019.

As of the end of May, Gavin had 216 species in Alberta. It will be interesting to see how many species he has at the end of June – although that is halfway through the calendar, I have been told by people who have attempted this before that you have to be at about 240 by June 30 to have a good shot at 300 species, depending on how many “easy” ones you missed in the spring and can get in the fall.

You can see photos and updates for January and February here, and March and April here.

Birds of Beaver Mines

Jun9

Here are some beautiful birds photographed by Raymond Toal in a garden in Beaver Mines, in the far SW corner of Alberta, near Waterton Park. All photos taken on May 26, 2019 by Raymond Toal.

Spring Birds at Frank Lake and Carburn Park

May19

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Here are some birds that Tony LePrieur photographed at Frank Lake on April 27. All of these species can still be found there throughout the breeding season, along with dozens more. All photos by Tony LePrieur.

American Avocet, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019.

American Coot, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019.

Black-necked Stilt, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019.

The next day, after an overnight snowstorm in Calgary, there were quite a few migrating songbirds at Carburn Park. Tony was able to get some great shots of Yellow-rumped Warblers.

These are the Myrtle subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler. The Audubon’s subspecies has a yellow throat and lacks the dark mask. Most of the ones we see here are Myrtles heading for the boreal forest. Audubons breed farther west, but we do see both on migration.

There are still flocks of Yellow-rumps moving through the city now. Keep an eye out in parks and even in your yard!

Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop 2019

May5

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Here is a wonderful opportunity to go to one of the birdiest places on earth and learn to photograph the local birds with an expert who is a native of Costa Rica. There are only three spots open for this trip so act now!

Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop, December 2019

Conducted by Max Ortiz Aguilar

Max Ortiz Aguilar is a professional Nature Photographer who lives in Calgary. Since 2014 he has maintained a website, www.photosbymoa.com, where he has his portfolio of photos available for sale and for licensing as digital downloads. Last year Max joined the Friends of Fish Creek birding course to learn more about the local birds, and he has since been contributing to this blog.

You should plan to arrive to Costa Rica on December 3rd, and departure will be on December 15th. To give you the best customer service and to guarantee the best experience Max will be offering only 3 spots. In this way he will be able to give you his full attention and this will make things easier for everyone when you are in the field.

See Max’s website for a detailed itinerary of all the amazing spots you will visit during this workshop.

Included:

Photography mentoring by Max (in the field and post processing)
Online working sessions before and after the workshop
Multi-flash photography setup for hummingbirds
Single accommodation at all locations
All meals, including morning and afternoon snacks
Tours and park fees
Fees for local guides
Transportation (including to and from the Juan Santa María airport in Costa Rica)

Not Included:

Airfare
Macro photography sessions
Alcoholic drinks
Laundry
Insurance
Other Miscellaneous Items

Cost: Total cost per participant is $5,000 USD (all taxes included). To book, a 50% deposit is required. This deposit is non-refundable but it is transferable. The other 50% must be paid by September 15th, 2019. Please visit Max’s site for details, and contact him if you have any questions.

Here are some more of the amazing birds you can see and photograph in Costa Rica:

Baltimore Oriole, one of the species you can see both in Calgary and Costa Rica.

Book this trip of a lifetime today!

Swan Season

Nov11

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Here is a great photo taken by Kenneth Johnson on November 3 near the Jumpingpound Gas plant, west of Calgary.

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swans west of Calgary, November 3, 2018. Photo by Kenneth Johnson.

The darker birds with the pink on their bills are juveniles. I’m not positive that the big bird with its wings outstretched is a Tundra. It could be a Trumpeter (no yellow on the face, long bill) but the shape of the area between the eyes suggests Tundra. Comments welcome.

Trumpeter Swans migrate though the area up to about the first week of November, and Tundras a little later. Most will be gone by mid-month. The majority of Trumpeters tend to pass to the west of Calgary, and many are seen on the Glenmore Reservoir. To the east of town, far more Tundras are seen. But both can be found on any large body of water in the area, or in flocks flying overhead.

Here are eBird maps of reports of the two species during the first week of November. Each red teardrop shows a location where at least one swan was reported.

Tundra Swan

Above: Tundra Swan reports on eBird in the Calgary area, early November 2018.

Trumpeter Swan

Above: Trumpeter Swan reports on eBird in the Calgary area, early November 2018.

Wild Bird Store Anniversary Event Saturday

Sep28

On Saturday September 29 The Wild Bird Store in Calgary will be celebrating their 21st anniversary with some events that will be of interest to local birders.

Wild Bird Store Anniversary event

The Wild Bird Store is located at 5901-3 St SE. They have everything you need for backyard bird feeding.

Gus Yaki’s presentations will feature photographs of virtually every species that has ever been seen in Alberta. John Acorn, co-author with Chris Fisher of Birds of Alberta, will be doing a book signing. His newest book is Best Places to Bird in the Prairies.

The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society will bring Lito, a Swainson’s Hawk, to the event. The CWRS always has a need for supplies to support the work they do. They will have a table set up for donations. If you are attending the store’s event, consider bringing any of the following items for them:

Animal Food

Frozen Corn

Frozen Blueberries

Frozen Peas

Mealworms

Animal Bedding

Towels (without strong patterns)

Fleece Blankets

Sheets (no fitted sheets)

Cleaning Supplies

Laundry Soap (unscented)

Bleach

Dish Soap

Hand Soap

Paper Towels

Toilet Paper

Construction Material

Exterior Door

Gazebo

Animal Supplies

Flax Hay Bales

Welding Gloves

Disposable Glove

Medical Supplies

Incubator

Digital Gram Scale

Portable Ultrasound

Office Supplies

Postage Stamps

Copy Paper

Pens & Sharpies

Envelopes

Shorebirds at Frank Lake

Sep10

Game bird hunting season has begun in most areas around Calgary, so fewer birders will be heading to Frank Lake. Tony LePrieur made a final trip there on September 2 and took these amazing water-level photos.

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover, Frank Lake, September 2, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover, Frank Lake, September 2, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper, Frank Lake, September 2, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.

Baird's Sandpiper

Baird’s Sandpiper, Frank Lake, September 2, 2018. Photo by Tony LePrieur.

You can see more of Tony LePrieur’s photos on his Flickr page at this link.

Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop

Jul15

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Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop, December 2018

Conducted by Max Ortiz Aguilar

Keel-billed Toucan

Max is a native of Costa Rica and knows the birds and other wildlife there very well. This December he will be conducting a Bird Photography Workshop in Costa Rica. This twelve-day trip is a fantastic opportunity to encounter the wildlife of this amazing country, and to learn how to photograph the birds there.

Red-headed Barbet

There will only be three spots offered [as of July 15 there are only two spots still available]. Act now to reserve your spot! The trip is from December 4-16.

Included:

Photography mentoring by Max (in the field and post-processing)
Online working sessions before and after the workshop
Multi-flash photography setup for hummingbirds
Single accomodation at all locations
All meals, including morning and afternoon snacks
Tours and park fees
Fees for local guides
Transportation in Costa Rica (including to and from the Juan Santa Maria airport)

Not Included:

Airfare
Macro photography sessions
Alcoholic Drinks
Laundry
Insurance
Other miscellaneous items

Cost:

Total cost per participant is $4,800 USD (all taxes included). To Book, a 50% deposit is required. This deposit is non-refundable but it is transferable. The other 50% must be paid by September 15, 2018.

For more information and to register for this workshop, visit Max’s site:

https://www.photosbymoa.com/Workshops

Green Honeycreeper