Postcards from Texas: Adventures in Big Bend (Part 1)

Posted by Matthew Sim

Great scenery, pristine skies, rugged wilderness, abundant wildlife, all of this found in Texas- add these all up and what do you get??? The answer- Big Bend National Park in west Texas.

Spanning a huge 801,163 acres, Big Bend is the 14th largest national park in the U.S. and covers 3 different environments; mountain, desert and river. This huge area attracts about 350,000 visitors each year and is immensely popular, with spring break being the most popular time to visit the park. This year, my family and I went to find out why the park is as popular as it is.

We left Houston early in the morning in preparation for the 11 hour drive that lay ahead of us. For a good 5 hours of the trip, we drove through heavy rain and saw no break in the clouds. Once we arrived at our campground however, about 20 miles out of the park, we stepped out of the car beneath cloudless skies and almost immediately saw several bird feeders. Right after we found the bird feeders, we found the birds. Suddenly, we were surrounded by at least a dozen birds; Cactus Wren! Curve-billed Thrasher! Black-throated Sparrow! Pyrrhuloxia! Ladder-backed Woodpecker! House Finch! White-winged Dove! The birds were everywhere!

Black-throated Sparrow; a common yet beautiful sparrow of the southwestern U.S.

A conspicuous looking (and sounding) wren of southwestern deserts, the Cactus Wren is also the largest species of wren

Pyrrhuloxia; a distinctive songbird related to the cardinal

We soon had to leave the feeders though to pitch our tent as darkness was settling fast over the desert. As we set up our tent underneath the setting sun, I couldn’t help but feel excited for what I might see in the morning.

The sun rises over the hills around our campground.

After spending a somewhat chilly night in our tent, beneath countless stars, we awoke to the beautiful sound of a singing Pyrrhuloxia, which bears a striking resemblance (both in looks and sound) to a Cardinal. We headed to the nearby bird feeders to see what was about, and nearly immediately ran into a huge surprise- a covey of 35 Scaled Quail, dashing here and there.

We continued birding around the feeders and a small water dish, finding a Sage Thrasher, a single Lark Bunting, a Rock Wren and a pair of Canyon Towhees.

Canyon Towhee; a small drab sparrow-like bird with a very bright cinnamon rump (just visible in this shot)

By late morning, we decided to head to the Chisos Basin, a small valley surrounded by mountains, to do a little hiking. While hiking down into a valley on the Window trail, we were happy to see White-throated Swift, Pygmy Nuthatch, Spotted Towhee and Mexican Jay. This national park was really starting to amaze us by the sheer beauty of it all, nature and scenery standing out above the rest. Upon finishing the hot hike, we made a quick decision to check out the Rio Grande Village after getting a tip that a Common Black-Hawk, a rare bird in the U.S. but one that has nested here for several years, might be hanging around.

Unfortunately, no hawk for us. We were treated to fantastic views of several species though; Vermilion Flycatcher, Western Bluebird, Brewer’s Sparrow and Marsh Wren, all while being merely 50 feet away from the border with Mexico (which, by the way, several Common Ravens flew across without any security checks!).

The absolutely gorgeous Vermilion Flycatcher.

After birding the Rio Grande Village, we brought an end to our fun-filled (and bird-filled) day and headed back to the campground beneath a beautiful setting sun. We were already looking forward to Day 2!

Part 2 of our Adventures in Big Bend coming up tomorrow!

Springtime in Carburn Park

Mar8

Posted by Dan Arndt

Once again the Friends of Fish Creek Birding course made its way to Carburn Park, without the lure of the Northern Saw-whet Owl back in January. Since then, the weather has warmed, the birds have begun preparations to nest, and while most have chosen their mates, others are still in the process of defining their territory and competing with their rivals for the few mates still unspoken for. We were gifted with a few wonderful displays of an incredible number of Northern Flickers all throughout the park, as well as the beautifully crimson male House Finch, and huge numbers of Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Mallards, and Canada Geese.

Carburn Park Route

This time around, we headed south from the parking lot to the bridge over the Bow River, which is one of the best places in the city to get good views, and good photos, of birds in flight. Both Canada Geese and the juvenile Bald Eagles came low over the bridge, almost posing as they flew by.

View from the bridge at Carburn Park

Canada Geese

Juvenile Bald Eagle

From there, we headed further south along the river to get views of the duck species present, and were allowed particularly good views of Buffleheads, Mallards, Common Goldeneye, and even my first female Common Merganser of the year.

Buffleheads & Mallard

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

We headed east about a hundred meters before heading north along the back fences of the community adjacent to the park. Here we were greeted by the melodious sounds of House Finches and Black-capped Chickadees at the feeders.

House Finch

Black-capped Chickadee

Cutting back over to the river bank, the overcast skies opened up to let the blue shine through, and the light was absolutely incredible for the better part of an hour. Along this stretch of river, we were constantly hearing the drumming and calling of the Northern Flickers, and across the river, a family of Bald Eagles was down on the ice. Overhead, the Canada Geese continued their flyovers before heading eastward to the outlying fields for the day.

Canada Geese

Northern Flicker

Bald Eagles

From there, we headed along the shoreline in a clockwise direction. While the light remained good, we came across a curious Black-billed Magpie, and a group of Common Mergansers also swam in close, the males showing off their beautiful green head plumage.

Black-billed Magpie

Common Merganser

Common Mergansers

While the number of ducks and geese was incredibly high, the evidence of their predation by the ever present Bald Eagles was apparent.

Juvenile Bald Eagles

Mallard Carcass

We continued to trek onwards, and in our search for the Northern Saw-whet Owl seen here in January that came up empty, we almost literally stumbled upon a herd of twenty or so White-tailed Deer, spread out along the trails in the northwest section of the park.

White-tailed Deer

While the remainder of the walk was a little rushed, it remained relatively relaxing, as the birds had quieted down quite a lot, and none really seemed to pay us any mind as we strolled the interior of the park along the pond, back to our vehicles, and then home.

See you next week!

Sunday Showcase: Golden Eagle

Feb19

Have you ever wondered how the Golden Eagle got its name? These outstanding photos from Paul Turbitt answer that question. Paul took these juvenile eagle pictures at The Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area (ASCCA) just south of Calgary. If you haven’t visited this magical place, put in on your to-do list!

The ASCCA is open to the public, but visitors must make a booking online prior to their visit. Upon arrival, you must also register at the kiosk and pay the $2/person user fee.

Birding at Bow Valley Ranch and Sikome Lake

Jan16

This week marked the first of thirteen weeks of the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park birding course. Since its inception in the mid 2000s, it has swelled from a course run twice a week, to six times a week; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and twice on Sunday. This marks my first attempt at leading one of these courses, with Bob Lefebvre and I leading the Sunday morning group. Unfortunately, Bob wasn’t able to make it out this week, and so Gus Yaki led the group on Saturday, as usual, and I tagged along to be an extra pair of eyes and ears to assist him, and Gus also led on Sunday, breaking in the new Sunday attendees with his expert wit, grace, and knowledge.

On both days, we began at Bow Valley Ranch, and then proceeded southward to Sikome Lake and Hull’s Wood. There we stopped briefly near the parking lot before heading first the site of a Great Horned Owl nest that’s been used regularly for a dozen or so years, then to the Bow River, before turning back and returning to the vehicles, then home. Once again, I logged the route taken and have mapped it in Google Earth, in case anyone would like to re-create the walk again in the future.

Bow Valley Ranch

Sikome Lake

At Bow Valley Ranch on Saturday, we spent about 45 minutes walking along the pathways, first stopping to find a pair of Great Horned Owls that were regular residents of the area.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl 2

We then stopped for a few minutes to watch for the Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches that are all too familiar with what humans may have to offer them, and as such, came in nice and close for some very good views.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Just as we were about to head down to Sikome Lake, I heard the distinctive trill of White-winged Crossbills in flight, and so we spent some time trying to track them down. Unfortunately, they were on a mission, and continued on in short order, allowing only the briefest of views.

White-winged Crossbill

Sunday, on the other hand, was a much colder experience. We spent a little time trying to coax out the chickadees and nuthatches again, but they would have none of it. Instead, we searched around until once again, that old faithful pair of Great Horned Owls was found, and then headed southward shortly after.

Great Horned Owl

Saturday was a great day on the Bow River. At the Sikome Lake parking lot, we were greeted by Downy Woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees, once again looking for a handout. Sunday was similar, but once again, in smaller numbers.

Black-capped Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Another pair of Great Horned Owls are commonly found down here, and both Saturday and Sunday they did not disappoint. Saturday found them just east of their usual roost, atop a spruce tree near the main building at Sikome Lake, and Sunday found only one at that same building.

Great Horned Owl

East to the Bow River we trekked. On Saturday, our travels were interspersed with a view of some Northern Flicker, as well as a single Killdeer, before reaching the Bow River, flush with Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Mergansers, Buffleheads and Common Goldeneye. After viewing them for a while in vain search of a Cinnamon Teal that had been sighted earlier in the week, we packed up and headed home.

Canada Geese

Common Goldeneye

Buffleheads

Sunday though, we were trudging our way through the fresh snow only to be stopped by the gurgling trill of a nearby Bald Eagle. In fact, two of them were perched above a bend in the Bow River, though as our travels brought us closer, they flushed and headed northward.

Bald Eagle and Black-billed Magpies

Bufflehead in Flight

Common Mergansers

Common Goldeneye

Sunday also treated us to a view of an anomalous bird that had been spotted the previous day. A lone Lesser Scaup among the Canada Geese and Mallards near the Boat Launch at Hull’s Woods. After pausing to take a few photos and get a positive ID, we headed back to the vehicles.

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup in flight

I am definitely looking forward to assisting in this course, as many of our Sunday birders are eager to learn as much as we can teach them about the birds of Calgary and area, and I also look forward to watching the seasons change back to spring and experiencing the full extent of spring migration here in the frozen north of Calgary!

I hope you enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them, and look forward to a new year of learning about these incredible animals with you all!

Posted by Dan Arndt

A Quiet Morning at Beaverdam Flats

Dec5

It seems a little cruel that only a week after I first began blogging, the Fall Birding Course is nearly wrapped up for the season. According to our fearless leader, the group has spotted 123 species of birds over the past 4 months, though not every individual saw the entirety of the list. That seems like a lot, though the full list of Calgary birds counts over 300 species, I think that’s an incredible variety, considering they were all seen within city limits, and in relatively easy to access locations.

This week was another first for me. Though I’ve cycled through Beaverdam Flats, I’ve never birded it, and really never quite knew how to get there by vehicle, leading me to begin a few minutes later than the rest of the group. Upon arriving, I walked down the hill to see if I could find the group, and spotted my first Townsend’s Solitaire of the season, while hearing a number of Downy Woodpeckers among the birch trees on either side of the path.

Townsend's Solitaire

Walking south along the river, I spotted the group and quickly caught up, but not before realizing what exactly they were looking at. Literally hundreds of Mallards, Canada Geese, and various other waterfowl gathered along the banks of the Bow River. It was truly one of the more memorable sights of an otherwise very quiet morning.

Hundreds of Geese, Ducks, and others along the Bow River

As we walked back north along the riverbank, we spotted a Bald Eagle flying south, and two more high up in a tree, patiently waiting and posing for us, as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

Bald Eagle in flight

This pair of Bald Eagles was perched high above the Bow River

All along the riverbank, amongst the Mallards, we spotted Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, Redheads, and a few Common Mergansers. A few Northern Pintails were hidden amongst the Mallards as well, but they were elusive that morning, and I don’t think anyone got a very good look at them aside from a glance here or there.

Common Goldeneyes

Goldeneye in flight

Male Goldeneye displaying for female

Pair of Male Redheads among the crowd

Redhead with outstretched wings

As we left the riverbank, the entire group was awestruck with our heads raised to watch the hundreds of waterfowl we had seen just an hour beforehand flying low overhead. It seemed something had flushed them, but there was no sign of a hungry Bald Eagle, Goshawk, or any aerial predator for that matter.

Something has disturbed this flock

We headed north again, and under a bridge to search for Great Horned Owl, which seemed incredibly skittish, keeping its distance and flying away at the first suggestion that we may get closer.

Great Horned Owl

As I mentioned before, it was eerily quiet, and the only other birds we saw along the river valley was another Downy Woodpecker and a Northern Flicker in the distance. As we loaded up into the cars, one of the sturdy American Robins who overwinter in Calgary made its presence known, displaying in one of the birch trees at the top of the valley wall.

Can't quite reach it... maybe if I tilt my head this way...?

Downy Woodpecker

American Robin

Following the official walk, another of the photographers in our group and I headed back to look for that elusive Great Horned Owl. We managed to spot it twice, but each time it flew away before we could establish a clear line of sight and a clean angle to photograph it, but our search was not in vain. We did manage to get a bit closer to one of the Northern Flickers, but the prize of the day was this Townsend’s Solitaire that kindly posed for us while the light was still good.

Northern Flicker

Townsend's Solitaire

Posted by Daniel Arndt

Update from Texas

Nov30

Not really about Calgary birding, I thought I might try to squeeze in an occasional post about my experiences down south. Let me tell you, if you haven’t yet experienced Texas birding, you are most definitely missing out.

My family and I moved down to Texas back in August and were greeted by sweltering heat; temperatures regularly exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Since then, the temperatures have decreased considerably to a much more comfortable (and bearable) temperature of about 15 degrees Celsius, give or take a few degrees. This mild winter draws many species of avian visitors from up north and we have seen quite a few winter residents.

In my neighborhood, we regularly see Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Loggerhead Shrikes, White-winged Doves, Red-shouldered Hawks, Northern Cardinals, Field Sparrows and both Turkey and Black Vultures.

The neighborhood heron has allowed me to crawl close to get some photos

Since we have been down here, we have made several trips out to local hotspots. Our first trip, in September, was out to Galveston, where we saw some typical species of the Gulf Coast including Laughing Gull, Brown Pelican, Snowy Egret, Boat-tailed Grackle, Neotropic Cormorant, Royal Tern, Caspian Tern and Tricolored Heron. We also observed Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and Magnificent Frigatebird.

A Royal Tern in winter plumage soaring over the Texas Gulf coast

Several other trips out to local parks since then have given us more year-round and winter birds including the likes of Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, White Ibis, Cave Swallow, many species of sparrow and both species of Kinglet.

A trip to Brazos Bend State Park gave us the amazing sight of thousands of blackbirds, Crested Caracaras, Vermilion Flycatcher, both species of Whistling Duck and Roseate Spoonbill.

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Our latest trip, to Anahuac NWR, yielded incredible flocks of Snow Goose, Ross’ Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose all passing by low overhead; we counted thousands of geese! The refuge also had Anhinga and Harris’ Hawk calling it home.

We have greatly enjoyed Texas birding so far and are looking forward to an exciting spring migration!

Posted by Matthew Sim

Birds of Elliston Lake

Nov11

A little-known gem in the city is Elliston Lake, a stormwater pond at the east end of 17th Avenue SE. It is the second-largest body of water (after Glenmore Reservoir) in Calgary. At times it can harbour an impressive array of waterfowl, as well as some interesting mammals. (Click on pictures to enlarge them.)

Photo by Dan Arndt

When the Friends of Fish Creek group went there last Saturday, the lake was mostly frozen over, but there were still several thousand waterfowl on the few open areas. (The northeast corner of the lake usually has some open water all winter.)

The north half of Elliston Lake, looking west.

From 17th Avenue SE, turn south on 60th Street to access the parking lot.

The action actually started before we even got to the parking lot – a Merlin was feeding on a Rock Pigeon on the roadway. I got a poor shot through the car windshield.

There was quite a bit of traffic, so it abandoned the pigeon and landed on a nearby pole.

Photo by Dan Arndt

A few minutes later we saw the Merlin attack a flock of pigeons above 17th Avenue.

Almost as soon as we started the circuit of the lake, someone spotted a Red Fox out on the ice.

Later, we saw the fox check the shoreline for disabled waterfowl, but it came up empty.

Photo by Dan Arndt

The birds didn’t seem to mind the fox much; they just moved away from the shore.

A close inspection of the masses of Canada Geese and Mallards turned up some interesting birds:

Northern Shoveller (rear centre)

The next picture highlights the size difference between a Green-winged Teal and a Mallard, and shows off the brilliant colour in the teal’s speculum.

Photo by Dan Arndt

A juvenile Barrow’s Goldeneye (below, rear) is identified by having a steeper forehead and shorter bill than the Common Goldeneyes.

Many of the Canada Geese on the lake belonged to one of the small, short-necked subspecies, but there was one goose in among them that was smaller yet – only slightly bigger than a Mallard. At first I thought it might be a Cackling Goose, but those are Mallard-sized and have a very stubby bill. This goose (lower centre) is just a very small subspecies of Canada Goose. Compare it to the Mallards just behind it.

Here is a Gadwall (rear):

There were a few Ring-necked Ducks:

Below are two Ring-necked Ducks (right foreground) with Lesser Scaup:

This Lesser Scaup landed on the ice and tried to walk back to the open water, but slipped…

…so he just gave up and sat down.

We also saw some Common Redpolls feeding on birch seeds:

Photo by Dan Arndt

Two Rough-legged Hawks flew over, the second one chased by a Common Raven:

Photo by Dan Arndt

Near the end of our tour, some Canada Geese walked out on the ice, then flew off…

To see more of Dan Arndt’s photos, check his Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ubermoogle/

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Nothing But Shoreline

Oct24

The irrigation canal in southeast Calgary is drained in late September, and as the water level drops, it exposes lush shorelines with plenty for the birds to eat. From mid-September to freeze-up is the time to get out to look for waterfowl, gulls, and late migrating shorebirds.

Fall colours reflected in the remaining water

I usually explore the sections from the canal headworks near the Max Bell Arena to south of 50 Avenue SE. There are four parking areas, and you can go up and down a portion of the canal from each one. It’s a long walk to do it all at once, but a fairly short bike ride.

Click to enlarge the map.

Max Bell Arena: Access from Barlow Trail SE, just south of Memorial Drive. There is a large parking lot north of the arena, and you can walk down to the canal headworks from there, and walk along the east bank. If you want to get to the west bank, you have to cross over at the 17 Avenue SE bridge.

Bow Waters Canoe Club: Access is off 26 Street SE, just south of 17 Avenue. Cross the bridge to get to the paths on the west side. The path on the east side between here and Gosling Way has some steep, difficult terrain, and it is almost impassable by bike. This lot is fairly secluded and I don’t like to leave my vehicle there. I prefer Max Bell or Gosling Way.

Gosling Way: Go west off 26 Street SE at 34 Avenue. This is the road that goes to the Inglewood Golf and Curling Club. The parking lot, used by off-leash dog walkers, is just west of the bridge over Deerfoot trail, on the south side of Gosling Way. It only holds about ten vehicles. From this lot, walk down to the bridge over the canal and take the paths from there. In the winter, you can also park at the golf and curling club, but it is a bit of a walk back to the canal.

50 Avenue SE: It is difficult to park here. There are only two small spots, each with room for two cars, at the east end of the bridge over the canal. It can also be a very busy road, so I avoid parking here as well, and usually just walk from Gosling Way.

The canal has a paved path on one side (sometimes on the east, sometimes on the west) and a dirt or gravel path of sorts on the other side. I like to go on the east side in the mornings and on the west side in the afternoons, to keep the sun behind me. This late in the year, the water is usually frozen in the mornings, so there are few birds around. But on warm afternoons the ice melts, and the birds arrive.

Muskrat and female Hooded Merganser

Detail of Gosling Way Parking. Click to enlarge.

Looking south from Gosling Way.

Looking north to the bridge on Gosling Way.

Pat and I have each posted about birding the canal before. You can see Pat’s post here, and my post here.

Lately I’ve seen quite a few Canada Geese, Mallards, and Ring-billed Gulls, and a few Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, and Greater Yellowlegs. In past years I’ve seen Redheads, Blue-winged Teal, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, and Rusty Blackbirds all feeding along the shorelines.

Mallards and an assortment of Yellowlegs.

Muskrat and Mallard sharing the Muskrat’s lodge. Background by Monet.

A Black-billed Magpie looks for food on the old canal bottom.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Sunday Showcase: Osprey With Lunch

Sep18

Rob English has sent us this absolutely stunning sequence of photographs he took at Bankside in Fish Creek Park. (Click to enlarge.)

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 12

Sep13

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 zoxox@shaw.ca 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 Bird Albert was recorded on Sep 12, 2011.

SEP 8

AMERICAN PIPIT – 4 seen by Terry Korolyk at Clear Lake east of Stavely

SEP 10

SNOW GOOSE – 2 adults seen by TK at Cattleland Feedlot Slough north of Strathmore
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE – 150 reported as above; 52 seen by John Corbin on RR 264 2 miles north of Irricana
RUDDY TURNSTONE – juvenile seen by TK at Weed Lake
WESTERN SANDPIPER – seen as above
MOURNING WARBLER – found by Tony Timmons in his yard in Evergreen Terrace

SEP 11

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE – Andrew Slater reported 200 at the Cattleland Feedlot Slough, as well as 35 in a flooded field on Hwy 564 3 kms west of the Cattleland Slough
SANDERLING – TK saw 3 juveniles in the NE corner of the large slough at the corner of the Hwy 547 – Rge Rd 255 junction 20 kms north of Herronton
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER – 2 seen as above
DOWITCHER sp – 300 at 338 Ave and Hwy 799 , TK
PECTORAL SANDPIPER – 35 as above
STILT SANDPIPER – Bill Wilson saw 30 at Weed Lake
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD – Ian Maton saw one at Confederation Park in Calgary
AMERICAN PIPIT – Bill Wilson saw 8 at Weed Lake

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Thu Sep 15.

Birds Calgary

A birding blog for Calgary, Alberta and area

Archives

Postcards from Texas: Adventures in Big Bend (Part 1)

Springtime in Carburn Park

Sunday Showcase: Golden Eagle

Birding at Bow Valley Ranch and Sikome Lake

A Quiet Morning at Beaverdam Flats

Update from Texas

Birds of Elliston Lake

Nothing But Shoreline

Sunday Showcase: Osprey With Lunch

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 12

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: