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Birds & Beers, January 8, 2026

Jan3

Thursday’s meeting will feature a presentation by Dianne and Bob Leonhardt on Birding in Colombia.

Birds & Beers resumes on January 8th at the usual time and location – the Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW, starting at 5 pm. This is an informal social get-together, so come any time after 5:00 and have dinner or a drink, and a chat with your fellow birders. Everyone is welcome!

You can arrive any time up to 7 pm, when there will be a presentation by Bob and Dianne Leonhardt about the first half of a birding tour of Colombia they attended in January 2025.

Multi-colored Tanager
Multi-colored Tanager, La Florida, Colombia

Birding In Colombia- The First Ten Days Bob and Dianne Leonhardt   

In January of 2025, Gavin McKinnon of Meadowlark Birding Tours led a group of Calgarians on a tour of Colombia to view some of the over 1900 species of birds found in that country.  Prior to the beginning of the actual Birding Tour, John and Lorrie Anderson and ourselves traveled to the historic city of Cartagena.  The city was founded by the Spaniards in 1533 and served as the main port for the shipments of gold pillaged from South America and sent to Spain.  Today it is one of the most touristic locations in Colombia with an active nightlife.  We also located a wonderful birding location outside the city known as Agricola Camelias.  By the time the Birding tour was to begin we had already counted well over 100 species.

After four days in Cartagena, we flew to Cali, in the Western Andes, where we were met at the airport and transported to Araucana Lodge, about 29 kilometers northwest of the city.  This beautiful and modern lodge served as our home for the next six nights.  From here we did day trips to a variety of environments with a diverse assortment of colorful birds.  Several of the locations had feeding stations which provided extraordinary opportunities for viewing and photographing the birds.

The first part of the Birding Tour came to a close as we drove to Manizales in the Central Andes.  During these first ten days we viewed about 250 species.  By the end of the entire tour, which finished up in the Santa Marta area of Northern Colombia, we had counted about 560 species of birds.  A number of the photographs shown in our presentation were provided by our traveling companions, John and Lorrie Anderson.

The next Birds & Beers will be on Thursday, February 12th.

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New Field Guide to the Birds of Alberta

Dec24

Pre-order your copy of this new guide now!

David R. Scott of Lethbridge and Gavin McKinnon from Calgary have produced a beautiful new field guide to the birds of our province. This is really exciting for anyone who birds in Alberta. Bird populations and ranges are constantly changing, and our knowledge of the birds continues to increase. There have also been quite a few name changes, lumps, and splits since the last Alberta field guide was published.

Image from meadowlarkbirding.com.

The book will be published on May 12, 2026, but you can pre-order your copy now. Go to Gavin’s Meadowlark Birding Tours site here to pre-order. This will make a great gift for any birder you know!

Below is the book description:

Situated at the convergence of the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and North America’s vast boreal forest, Alberta boasts a great diversity of landscapes and habitats. From turquoise glacier lakes nestled between towering peaks, to spruce- and sphagnum-dominated muskeg, to labyrinthine badland canyons, to expansive grassland dotted with sagebrush, to islands of green space amidst sprawling cities, this province has much to offer outdoor enthusiasts, including birders! More than 300 species of birds occur every year in the province, and well over 400 have been observed at least once within its borders. This guide aims to assist those who wish to find, observe, identify, and better understand the birds around us—whether it be an American Robin nesting in a city park, a White-tailed Ptarmigan foraging in the alpine tundra, or a Turkey Vulture soaring over the badland hoodoos. With clear descriptions designed to be accessible for beginner and intermediate birders, this extensive guide is also useful for experts in the field. It comprises 305 full-page species accounts for regularly occurring species and 29 abbreviated accounts for more rarely occurring birds. With so many birds to see and hear in every region of the province, A Field Guide to the Birds of Alberta is the definitive guide for locals and visitors alike.

When you pre-order you can arrange for local pickup or drop-off in Alberta and Southern Ontario. Shipping can also be arranged.

Watch for some book launch events coming in May 2026!

Winter Birds Update

Dec13

The Calgary List as of December 12, 2025

Mallard

There have been some good species found in the Calgary area this year, and still many more to find. Christmas Bird Counts are taking place on December 14th in Calgary, and on several other dates until January 5 in the area. We should add some of the regulars then, and with a little luck, some more rarities.

The star of the show so far is the Northern Mockingbird in the city – only the second one since this count started in 2017. The bird is still here and being seen regulary in Rotary Park near Centre Street and Memorial Drive.

A Peregrine Falcon seen on December 3rd in Downtown Calgary was the first one we’ve had. These birds nest downtown and one is quite late in departing. I don’t know if it’s still around.

A Mourning Dove seen along the Bow River in Cranston Meadows was the 4th in 9 years.

It’s been a really good year for Short-eared Owls east of the city, and there have been a few Long-eared Owl sightings as well. Snowy Owl sightings have been concentrated NE of the city in the Irricana/Beiseker area. We added a Prairie Falcon and a Northern Harrier in that region as well.

Gyrfalcon, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Wild Turkey, and Sharp-tailed Grouse have each been reported on Facebook groups, or directly to me.

The Alberta province-wide list has some rarities in its 114 species. In addition to the Mockingbird (reported for the third time in the last ten years), there was also a recent Barn Owl in central Alberta (2nd in ten years) and a Double-crested Cormorant near Stavely, just outside of the Calgary circle (6 of the last 10 years).

On December 12th, the Calgary list was at 89 species. Our eight-year average is 113, and the high count was 120. Here are some species that are usually found that haven’t yet been reported:

Greater Scaup (seen 8/8 previous years; often seen at Carburn Park in the winter), Northern Hawk-Owl (8/8), Harris’s Sparrow (6/8), Varied Thrush (7/8), and Common Grackle (7/8). Some regulars that we don’t have yet that are usually found in the foothills west of the city are Northern Pygmy-Owl, Barred Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Steller’s Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, and American Dipper. Dippers are usually seen in the city as well, on the Elbow River or Fish Creek.

Good luck finding these elusive winter birds! Here is a link to the lists.

Birds & Beers, November 13, 2025

Nov7

Featuring a presentation on the wildlife of Southern Africa by Calvin van der Merwe

Next Thursday, November 13th, is our next Birds & Beers event in Calgary. We meet at the Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW, from 5 to 9 pm. Here is a message from Calvin van der Merwe, who will be presenting about the wildlife of Southern Africa:

Hello Calgary Birding Community. My name is Calvin van der Merwe, and my presentation is about birds and wildlife in Southern Africa. I grew up in Pretoria, studied in Cape Town, and have now found myself in the Alberta Wilderness. From the myriad of habitats in Northern Namibia, to the pans and rolling hills of the Kalahari Desert, to the endemics of the Cape and the forested and grassed extents of the Drakensberg escarpment, the tropical north-eastern coastline and it’s impressive wetland systems, to the Kruger National Park and the remote corners of Limpopo. If you enjoy incredible habitat, species diversity, exploration, and the array of other animals Southern Africa has to offer, this is the presentation for you. Here’s a Cape Parrot to whet the appetite.

Cape Parrot
Cape Parrot. Photo by Calvin van der Merwe.

The doors at the big ballroom will open for us at 5 pm. Come early to visit and have dinner and a drink. Or you can arrive any time before 7 pm when the presentation will begin. Everyone is welcome!

Note: There is no Birds & Beers meeting in December. We will resume in January.

Birds & Beers, October 9, 2025

Oct2

Featuring a presentation by Stephen Boucher called “The Roughly Right Guide to Botswana”

Next Thursday, October 9th, the Calgary Birds & Beers group will meet for our monthly social get-together and presentation. We are at the Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW in Calgary. We meet in the big ballroom, starting at 5 pm. Stephen’s presentation will begin at about 7 pm.

African Lion
All photos by Stephen Boucher.

I am Stephen Boucher, retired from a long career in medicine and professional people watching as a psychiatrist.  In retirement I help with the Monday morning Friends of Fish Creek birding group and generally enjoy the outdoors and travel.

I have been asked to talk about my trip last year to Botswana. In retirement travel decisions lie at the nexus of interest, health, finances and at best, the opportunity to travel with great friends.

Botswana in September 2024 met all of the criteria. But why a Safari?

I grew up in the United Kingdom close to Chester Zoo and during my childhood, I remember clearly hearing the calls of the Sea-lions at 3pm feeding time and roar of the lions at dusk in the warm summer evenings. I have always enjoyed visiting Zoos. But the animals, though well cared for, are captive and some show abnormal repetitive behaviours.  It had been a lifelong dream to go on Safari and see the animals and birds of Africa in their wild habitat. In the era of Mass Tourism and “Selfie sticks”, I wondered if it was still possible to go on Safari and have a Robert Redford and Meryl Streep moment, like in the 1985 movie “Out of Africa”

The word Safari comes from the Arabic word “to journey”.  And along with my two Calgary friends Karen and Ed, plus John (a vet friend from the UK who is called “Mr. Safety”, by his hiking group) we had an amazing journey.

Tonight, I want you to sit back and come on Safari with me……

Everyone is welcome to join us at Birds & Beers. The cost is about a dollar per person to cover the charge for the room. See you there!

African Elephant

Birds & Beers Returns September 11, 2025!

Sep4

With a Presentation on “Birding in Belize” by Daniel Arndt.

The fall season of Birds & Beers begins next Thursday, September 11th. As usual, we meet from 5-9 pm in the ballroom at the Royal Canadian Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW. Everyone is welcome!

Come early if you can, but be sure to be there by 7 pm, when Dan Arndt will present “Birding in Belize: An Introduction to Birding the Tropics.”

Ocellated Turkey
Ocellated Turkeys. Photo by Dan Arndt, Belize, 2020.

Dan has travelled Belize extensively, and visited some of the best birding locations the country has to offer. In March 2026, Dan will be leading a tour to Belize along with local guide, Roni Martinez, to La Milpa Biological Station, Blue Creek, Mountain Pine Ridge, Caracol, Chiquibul Forest Reserve, La Milpa Archaeological Site, and Crooked Tree Lagoon. Some of the most sought after birds in Belize include Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Ocellated Turkey,  King Vulture, Jabiru Stork, and Agami Heron. 

Belize is an excellent introductory tour for folks new to birding the tropics, with many familiar species that breed in North America on full display and preparing for their northern migration, and travel throughout the relatively small country allows for quick access to a variety of habitats. The archaeological history of the Mayan people, and the great birding found at these archaeological sites is a unique blend of human history and ecological conservation that is rarely found elsewhere in the world.

Here is a link to Dan’s 2026 Belize Birding Tour on the Meadowlark Birding Tours website.

This will be a great start to the Birds & Beers season. Upcoming meeting dates are Thursday October 9, and Thursday November 13 (all are on the second Thursday of the month). We take the month of December off, and then resume again in January.

One change this year is that we are being charged a little more for the use of the room. (It is still very reasonable at $100.) So we will again ask that people make a small donation, if they wish, to help cover this. We usually get anywhere from 50 to 100 attendees, so if you give a dollar or two, that will be plenty. Paying is optional, though, so please don’t feel you have to contribute! Attendees have been very generous with this, and we have always received more than was needed to cover the room cost, and we just donated the extra money to the Legion. We will continue to do this.

See you there!

Wood Ducks: A Living Work of Art

Jun1

By Cathy Warwick

Wood Duck
Male Wood Duck. Photo by Dan Arndt.

Calgary is lucky to have Wood Ducks within our city limits. In June eBird checklists have about a 5% chance of including a Wood Duck, compare this with Edmonton with only a 0.1% chance! Virtually zero! Something to keep in your back pocket next time the subject of hockey comes up. “Well we have Wood Ducks!”.

If you have seen a Wood Duck you will know why this is a brag. They are like a beautiful sculpture come to life. If you want to see one for the first time (or again) head to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, a Wood Duck hotspot. This waterfowl has a beautiful shimmery green pompadour swept back to the nape of its neck and bright red eyes. No boring modern minimalism for this guy, it has speckles, stripes, shimmers and all kinds of colour: burgundy, blue, a bit of beige. Its latin name is “Aix Sponsa”, which can be loosely translated to “bridal duck”, it’s all dressed up for a fancy wedding. (Audubon). The female has plainer plumage, she makes do with some speckles on her front and a large white eye ring. 

Wood Duck
Male and female in flight. Photo by Dan Arndt

Its name comes from its close relationship to trees. The Wood Duck has claws on its duck feet that allow it to climb up trees. This is necessary since it nests in trees. The female will have two broods a year, which apparently is very rare for ducks. When the chicks are ready they will jump out of the tree, up to 50 feet! You have probably seen a video on the internet of ducklings jumping from trees in slow motion, landing like little puff balls on leaf litter. Their mom calls them out, encouraging them to jump, but doesn’t help otherwise. Then they follow her to the pond. 

Wood Duck
Mother Wood Duck with chicks. Photo by Dan Arndt.

So make a trip to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and you might get lucky and see the famous Wood Duck. They will be in the pond looking for weeds to eat. They also love perching on the logs in there, firmly in place with their claws, making it easier for you to get a picture of their finery.

Wood Duck
The female and male Wood Duck, climbing on a log with their claws.
Photo: wikimedia commons no restrictions.

Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival

Apr6

29th Annual Festival is May 5-11 in Invermere, B.C.

One of the oldest and best nature festivals in western Canada takes place only a three-hour drive from Calgary, in and around Invermere, B.C. in the Columbia River Valley. People come from all over North America to attend this seven-day event. Ticket sales begin on April 8th, so read about the events below and plan your trip!

(Wings over the Rockies website and tickets here.)

Wings over the Rockies

Nurturing a Living Legacy with Nature for 28 years

The Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival, May 5 – 11, 2025, is based out of Invermere, BC. For 28 years, we have hosted a premier 7-day nature festival to celebrate the Upper Columbia Valley. Our mission is at the heart of everything we do: supporting and promoting conservation, education, stewardship, and sustainable economic development in our beautiful valley. This year’s festival features over 90 incredible events, including field excursions, engaging luncheon and evening presentations, our annual photo contest and an incredible online auction. Highlights also include a special film screening of the documentary “Wildflowers”, the much-anticipated music event with multi-award-winning Canadian legend Harry Manx, and our traditional Gala Celebration—a sit-down dinner and presentation featuring keynote speaker Dr. Rob Butler, renowned ornithologist, author, and artist.

What we do together matters 

Last year, the non-profit Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival Society, through the Columbia Valley Foundation, created the Ross MacDonald Memorial Legacy Fund. This legacy fund provides funding for projects in the Columbia Valley that support community environmental education and/or land-based conservation such as habitat restoration, maintaining or improving ecological conditions, or species at risk protection. Each year, the success of our festival, in part, contributes to this important legacy fund.  

Belted Kingfisher

The 2025 Theme 

This year our events will center around the theme “Our Place in Nature.” Through thought-provoking presentations, immersive field experiences, and inspiring discussions, our keynote speaker, presenters, and field leaders will guide attendees in celebrating the wonders of nature while deepening our understanding of our place within it. Together, we’ll explore perspectives that connect us to our diverse cultures, rich histories, and our shared responsibility for the planet we call home.

The 2025 online Events Calendar preview is now active. On-line ticket sales will begin April 8, 10:00 AM MDT. www.wingsovertherockies.org.

Come join like-minded lovers of nature and enjoy the wonders of the Upper Columbia Valley.

Wings over the Rockies

Birding Brooks-Lake Newell and Milk River-Writng-on-Stone 2025

Mar9

Register now for these two southern Alberta May Species Counts.

Spring is almost here, so it’s time to prepare now for the Alberta May Species Counts, which take place in May, when many migrating birds are back or passing through. Two long-running counts are the Brooks-Lake Newell Count in the SE part of the province, and the Milk River-Writing-on-Stone Count in the far south of Alberta.

Common Nighthawk
Common Nighthawk in the Brooks area. Photo by Dan Arndt.

Many birders from Calgary, Edmonton, and other parts of the province travel to these counts, so it’s important to make accomodation arrangements ahead of time. Here is the information about the counts from the organizers:

We are pleased to announce that our two SE Alberta May Species counts will take place on the following dates:

Brooks – Lake Newell Bird Count: Sat. May 17 and Sun. May 18

Milk River – Writing-on-Stone Bird Count: Sat. May 24 and Sun. May 25

Looking for accommodation for the Brooks-Lake Newell and Milk River-Writing-on-Stone Bird Counts? The Brooks Heritage Inn and Suites, where we will hold our Brooks count meetings, is offering a discount rate of $125 per night for count recipients. To book, call 403-362-8688 and mention you are a bird count participant.

See brochure (below) for hotels in the Milk River area.

All of the campsites reserved for bird count participants have been allotted. Tillebrook Provincial Park general reservations for the nights of Friday May 16 through the May long weekend and Writing-on-Stone campsite reservations for May Friday May 23 through the count weekend are open. To book: shop.albertaparks.ca, 1-877-537-2757.

Note: a non-refundable fee of $15 per person will be charged to all Brooks participants to help cover the rental of the meeting room.

A reminder to plan to attend the pre-count meetings on the Fridays before each count. The 2025 Brooks WOS Bird Counts Brochure contains more information on the schedule for each weekend. Read/download the brochure here or see below.

Registration for the Brooks-Lake Newell and Milk River-Writing-on-Stone Bird Counts will open on March 1. A link to the registration form will be emailed starting March 1. If you wish to register for either or both of the counts please contact Donna first so we can get you on the email list to receive the link! Registration is open until May 1st.

We look forward to seeing you — and thousands of migrating birds — at the end of May!

Donna Wieckowski *astolat@shaw.ca*  403-870-6222

Debra Hornsby *debra.hornsby.banff@shaw.ca*  403-431-2447

(Note: remove * before emailing)

Please contact the orgainzers if you are new to the counts and would like more information!

Brochure – use the scrollbar on the right to see more.

2025 Brooks WOS Bird Count Brochure FINALDownload

Birds & Beers, March 13, 2025

Mar5

Featuring a Presentation on An African Adventure

Thursday March 13th is the next Birds & Beers in Calgary. Everyone is welcome to join us from 5 to 9 pm for food, drinks, and fellowship! We meet at the Royal Canadian Legion, 9202 Horton Road SW. Come any time from 5 to 7 as this is very informal. But arrive by 7 pm, since you won’t want to miss any of the presentation!

This month’s presentation is An African Adventure by Karen McDaniel.

African mammals
Some of the mammals that will be featured in Karen’s talk. All photos by Karen McDaniel.

An introduction by Karen:

Karen McDaniel is a former teacher and administrator with the CBE and SAIT but right now she is a full-time traveler, birder, photographer and geocacher (ask her about that)! Add in grandmother, and she has the perfect life! She has travelled to too many countries to count and has finally matched her photographic equipment to her travels. To celebrate her youngest daughter’s 30th birthday, the two of them took a trip to Africa to photograph anything that walked, swam or flew. It was an amazing adventure in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. They managed to photograph the Big Five and had an elephant experience that neither will ever forget!

See you there!

Future Birds & Beers dates are April 10, May 22, and June 12. After the summer break, we resume in September.