Archives

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

Advertisement.

Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop, December 2018

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.

Keel-billed Toucan

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

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

Green Honeycreeper

Itinerary, December 4-16, 2018:

December 4 – Arrival in Costa Rica

December 5 to 7 – Caribbean Lowlands Rainforest

December 8 to 9 – Caribbean Lowlands and Foothills Rainforest

December 10 to 12 – Central Highlands Cloud Forest

December 13 to 15 – Central Highlands Cloud Forest

December 16 – Departure from Costa Rica

Here are some more of the incredible birds you may see and photograph:

Resplendent Quetzal
Resplendent Quetzal
Yellow-throated Toucan
Yellow-throated Toucan
Baltimore Oriole
Baltimore Oriole (yes, some of our local species are also found in Costa Rica).
King Vulture
King Vulture
White-necked Jacobin
White-necked Jacobin
Black-crested Coquette
Black-crested CoquetteOrnate Hawk-EagleOrnate Hawk-EagleScarlet MacawScarlet Macaw

Book your spot here!

Summer Birds of Crowsnest

Jul14

Raymond Toal photographed these birds in SW Alberta.

Steller’s Jay

Steller’s Jay

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe with chick

American Avocet

American Avocet

Varied Thrush

Varied Thrush

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker with young in nest

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

American Kestrel

American Kestrel

Some Birds of Fish Creek Park

Jul12

Tony LePrieur photographed these birds in Fish Creek Park on June 23, 2018.

House Wren

House Wren

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler with food for its young.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch.

 

More Birds of the Southwest

Jun30

Here is another set of photos from Southwest Alberta, courtesy of Raymond Toal.

American Kestrel.

Osprey

Osprey.

Killdeer

Killdeer.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron.

American White Pelican

American White Pelican.

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane.

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat (male).

Swainson's Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk.

Brewer's Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle).

Priddis Valley Road Wetland

Jun24

Tony LePrieur photographed these birds at the wetland just south of Priddis, on Priddis Valley Road, on May 26, 2018. The entire Priddis area is very birdy, and there are lots of wetlands to explore.

Wilson's Snipe

Wilson’s Snipe.

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson’s Phalarope.

Black Tern

Black Tern.

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler, male.

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole.

See more of Tony’s photos here.

 

Cliff Swallows of the Weaselhead

Jun23

Tony LePrieur recently captured some of the Cliff Swallow activity at their nests under the big green bridge in the Weaselhead. This is a great spot to watch them as there is a colony of up to 1000 birds there. They are often seen flying overhead hunting for insects, and you can sometimes see them gathering mud from the banks of the Elbow River to build or fix up their nests. The photos are from May 20, 2018.

Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Below is a bonus photo of a singing Lincoln’s Sparrow. Always lots going on in the Weaselhead!

Lincoln's Sparrow

Tony LePrieur’s photos can be seen on his Flickr page here.

Birds of Southwest Alberta

Jun17

Here is a great set of photographs of birds taken in the SW corner of the province, by Raymond Toal. Raymond took all of these photos in the spring of 2018.

Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawk.

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk.

Loggerhead Shrike

Northern Shrike.

Osprey

Osprey.

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye.

Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored).

Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeak.

Osprey

Osprey.

Long-billed Curlew

Long-billed Curlew.

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher.

Forster’s Tern.

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler.

Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird.

Empidonax Flycatcher

Empidonax Flycatcher (possibly Willow Flycatcher).

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk.

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll.

Golden Eagle.

Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon).

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt.

 

Evenings at Frank Lake

Jun16

Tony LePrieur has spent a few evenings at Frank Lake recently and he took these wonderful photos.

White-faced Ibis

White-faced Ibis.

American Avocet

American Avocet.

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson’s Phalaropes.

Willet

Marbled Godwit.

Willet

Willet.

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson’s Phalarope.

Killdeer

Killdeer.

California Gull

California Gull with egg.

Black-bellied Plover

American Golden-Plover. (Originally identified as a Black-bellied Plover. Misidentifications are the fault of the poster, in this case Bob Lefebvre, not the photographer.)

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson’s Phalarope.

Willet

Willet.

Willet

Willet.

 

Black-bellied Plover

Tony in action, with Wilson’s Phalaropes. Frank Lake, May 27, 2018.

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