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It’s Warbler Season

Aug15

Twice a year Calgarians are treated to an influx of active, colourful little birds called warblers, as they pass through on migration.

Wilson's warbler

Wilson's Warbler

These small birds can be an enormous challenge for any birdwatcher.  They prefer thick shrubs, and never seem to sit still long enough for you to get a good look at them. Along with the shorebirds, warblers are one of the ultimate challenges for a birdwatcher.

Warblers are 4-5″ songbirds with plumage of predominantly yellow with black, grey, white, red, blue or chestnut markings.  There have been over 25 warbler species recorded in Calgary.

Tennessee warbler

Tennessee Warbler

They consume large quantities of insects, as well as spiders and berries. If you’re walking in a very buggy area this time of year, be sure and look up!

One of the best ways to learn about warblers is to go birding with an experienced naturalist. There are three Nature Calgary trips left in August, and many more coming in September. Give the trip leaders below a call and join them on their walk, or watch this blog for September outings.

m: Bird Beaverdam Flats Park. Meet  S parking lot (Lynnview Rd & Lynnview Way, S of 62 Av SE). N from Glenmore Tr at 18 St SE, then left.  Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.
 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Sun Aug 16, 8:30a

Tue Aug 18, 6:30pm: Bird Carburn Park, S from Glenmore Tr E at 18 St SE to second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Leader, Gus Yaki,
403-243-2248.

Tue Aug 25, 6:30pm: Bird Edworthy Park, Meet S side of Boothman Pedestrian Bridge accessed from Shaganappi Tr & Bowness Rd if N of
river, or from W end of Spruce Dr if S of river. Leader, TBA, 403-243-2248.

Nature Calgary August Field Trips

Aug2

Sat Aug 8, 8am: Bird Carburn Park. Meet in parking lot. S from Glenmore Tr E at 18 St SE to second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Leader Al Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Sat Aug 8, 9am: Bird E of Calgary for autumn migrant shorebirds, etc.
Meet at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary at E end of 9 Av SE. Bring lunch.
Leader, Eric Tull, 403-295-0830.

Sun Aug 9, 8am: Birding Griffith Woods Park, 2.5km W on Hwy 8 from
Sarcee Tr SW, then left at 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue
straight at traffic circle, then left on Discovery Link into parking
lot. Leader, Grant Brydle, 720-4957.

Tue Aug 11, 6:30pm: Bird Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, E end of 9 Av SE.
Leader, Aileen Pelzer, 403-243-2248.

Sat Aug 15, 8am: Bird Hull’s Woods, FCPP, for autumn migrating warblers, etc. Meet in first parking lot, E of Bow Bottom Tr after entering Park. Leader, Al Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Sun Aug 16, 7:15am: Birding Frank Lake for autumn migrants. Meet
Anderson LRT (Macleod Tr), S of pedestrian overpass. Bring Lunch. Leader, Ian Halladay, 403-243-1420.

Sun Aug 16, 8:30am: Bird Beaverdam Flats Park. Meet  S parking lot (Lynnview Rd & Lynnview Way, S of 62 Av SE). N from Glenmore Tr at 18 St SE, then left.  Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

Tue Aug 18, 6:30pm: Bird Carburn Park, S from Glenmore Tr E at 18 St SE to second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Leader, Gus Yaki,
403-243-2248.

Tue Aug 25, 6:30pm: Bird Edworthy Park, Meet S side of Boothman
Pedestrian Bridge accessed from Shaganappi Tr & Bowness Rd if N of
river, or from W end of Spruce Dr if S of river. Leader, TBA, 403-243-2248.

Elbow River Monthly Survey

Aug2

Elbow River Survey, Sat Aug 1, 2009 0700-10:45am. Sunny, calm, 14-20C.

1.. Canada Goose-26
2.. Mallard-16
3.. Common Merganser-8;
4.. Double-crested Cormorant-2
5.. Osprey-2
6.. Red-tailed Hawk-3
7.. Merlin-1
8.. Ring-billed Gull-8
9.. California Gull-30
10.. Rock Pigeon-6
11.. Sapsucker sp.-2 juv.
12.. Downy Woodpecker-3
13.. Northern Flicker-12
14.. Red-eyed Vireo-2
15.. Blue Jay-1
16.. Black-billed Magpie-30
17.. American Crow-20
18. Tree Swallow-4
19.. Black-capped Chickadee-28
20.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-3
21.. House Wren-10
22.. Am. Robin-100+
23.. Cedar Waxwing-20
24.. Yellow Warbler-8
25.. Chipping Sparrow-6
26.. Clay-colored Sparrow-8
27.. Song Sparrow-1
28.. Brown-headed Cowbird-1 juv.
29.. House Finch-12
30.. House Sparrow-25
Eastern Gray Squirrel-12
White-tailed Jackrabbit-1

Calgary’s Most Visible Bird

Jul22
Black-billed magpie

Black-billed Magpie

With all of Calgary’s great green spaces and natural areas, we have birds everywhere! What do you think is the species seen most often in the city?

We have many species here year-round, and some summer visitors arrive in huge numbers, such as American Robins.

Some suggestions for permanent residents might be Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Canada Goose, Mallard, House Finch…

Let us know what you think, and why you’ve chosen that species. Join our 2010 Birding Event to help answer this question!

We look forward to hearing from you in the comments below!

Birding The Sloughs

Jul20

Seven people set out on Thursday’s Nature Calgary trip to sloughs east of Calgary. The day was warm but mostly somewhat overcast limiting temperatures to the mid twenties.

After admiring a Cooper’s Hawk being mobbed by Eastern Kingbirds as we assembled at Carburn Park we went to Langdon and between Weed Lake and the northern end of the Langdon reservoir saw:

American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
Eared Grebe
Red-winged Blackbird
Swainson’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Crow
California Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Franklin’s Gull
Ruddy Duck
Lesser Yellowlegs
Mallard
American Wigeon
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Forster’s Tern
Wilson’s Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Pectoral Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Savannah Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lesser Scaup
Northern Shoveler
Western Meadowlark
Marbled Godwit
American Robin
Brewer’s Blackbird
Common Grackle
Eastern Kingbird
Northern Pintail
Cinnamon Teal
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Northern Harrier
Blue-winged Teal
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Barn Swallow
Black Tern
American Coot
Western Kingbird
Canvasback
Double-crested Cormorant
Marsh Wren
Common Goldeneye
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Wilson’s Snipe
Bufflehead
Ring-necked Duck
House Sparrow
European Starling
Rock Pigeon
Gadwall

We went on to the slough near Hwy 24 and added:

Baird’s Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Killdeer
Canada Goose
Sora

Then we went our to Nakama Lake to add:

Baird’s Sparrow
American White Pelican
Clay-colored Sparrow
Western Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe

Finally we stopped st the SW corner of Eagle Lake to round off the day with:

Great Blue Heron
Common Tern
Upland Sandpiper

The New Finch on the Block

Jul8

From dawn to dusk, I am serenaded by House Finches in my yard. I’ve got bird feeders front and back, and hence House Finches front and back. They seem to sing louder just before or after a rainstorm, so they’ve been real vocal lately!

These melodic crooners are relatively new to my yard here in southern Alberta. About five years ago I had one bird, the following year I had 5, then I had 13… I no longer bother to count as they’re everywhere.

Male house finch

Male House Finch

Originally a resident of the southwestern USA, house finches were introduced to eastern North America in the 1940’s. Sold as Hollywood Finches, a great marketing gimic, they were eventually released and spread across the entire eastern USA and southern Canada in the next 50 years.

They have become naturalized throughout eastern North America, and are spreading westward. The western population is also spreading eastward, and the two populations of these adaptable birds are now meeting in the Great Plains.

In many areas, they have displaced the House Sparrow, itself an immigrant from Europe. House Finches are one of the few birds aggressive enough to evict House Sparrows from their nests, and as my House Finch population grew, the House Sparrow population in my yard dropped.

Originally inhabitants of undisturbed habitats, they have adapted to areas altered by humans, and their rapid spread has been made easier by the large number of bird feeders put out by bird-loving humans.

Unfortunately, they have also displaced the native Purple Finch in some areas. The male House Finch can be told from Cassin’s and Purple Finches by its streaked belly, browner back and nape, longer unforked tail and different call notes. Female House Finches have much plainer faces than the other finches.

It’s a good thing I enjoy the cheerful melodies of the House Finches, as I think they’re here to stay.

May Species Count Update

Jul8

I’ve finally finished the report for Calgary’s May Species Count and it has been posted on Nature Calgary’s website.

It turns out that it was a record setting year in the Calgary area for both number of species, 210 and number of birds, 100,000. The record for number of species had been reported as 216 in 2002 but, in checking the data, I found only 208 species listed. It appears that 8 reports of birds identified only at the genus level (e.g. Empidonax sp, accipiter sp. etc) were included in the total.

For any “mammalers” in the crowd, the following species were recorded on the count: Elk, Moose, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Muskrat, Snowshoe Hare, White-tailed Jackrabbit, Coyote, Richardson’s Ground Squirrel, Columbian Ground Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Least Chipmunk, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Porcupine, Gray Wolf, American Marten, Deer Mouse and a vole species. Tim Allison was the lucky person seeing both the wolf and marten in K-country.

A little more recent info – there is at least one Violet-green Swallow in my NW Calgary neighbourhood. I’ve seen the bird on and off over the past month (3 weeks ago I had a male and female pair) … this will be a good species for next year’s Calgary competition if the bird(s) return. Also of interest for the competition, I heard a Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow a few days ago on the Country Hills Golf Course – the course is private but I believe there is a city path on the hillside near where I heard the sparrow.

Brian Elder

Elbow River Monthly Survey

Jul2

Elbow River Monthly Survey, 01Jul09. Sunny, calm, 05-16C. 5 participants. One had to scrape ice off windshield.

1.. Canada Goose-6 + yg
2.. Mallard-11 + yg
3.. Common Merganser =4f +yg
4.. Ring-necked Pheasant-1m
5.. Osprey-4 at two nests
6.. Merlin-1
7.. Franklin’s Gull-50+
8.. Sterna Tern-1
9.. Rock Pigeon-3
10.. Downy Woodpecker-2
11.. Northern Flicker-5
12.. Black-billed Magpie-80 (many young out of nests)
13.. American Crow-12
14.. Tree Swallow-10
15.. N. Rough-winged Swallow-1
16.. Bank Swallow-1
17.. Cliff Swallow-2 (Dam colony greatly reduced).
18.. Black-capped Chickadee-7
19.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
20.. House Wren-9
21.. Am. Robin-40
22.. Gray Catbird-2
23.. Cedar Waxwing-5
24.. Eur. Starling-6
25.. Yellow Warbler-11
26.. Chipping Sparrow-2
27.. Clay-colored Sparrow-5
28.. Lincoln’s Sparrow-2
29.. Common Grackle-1
30.. Brown-headed Cowbird-4
31.. House Finch-5
32.. House Sparrow-20
Eastern Gray Squirrel-12

Dawn Chorus Census at Weaselhead

Jun21

Results of the CFNS Dawn Chorus, Weaselhead Natural Area, 0330-0715, 20June 2009. Clear sky, light fog, light wind, 10-12C. Seven participants. This year’s census was about ten days later than most previous years.

2008 results are supplied for comparison; CFNS Dawn Chorus; Weaselhead Natural Area. 0330-0745, 08 June 2008. Partly overcast, becoming complete, with light drizzle by end. NW wind, 15kph. Temp. 07-09C. Ten Participants.

In analyzing the data from the previous counts held in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005; 2006, 2007 and 2008 total number of bird species detected before 6am respectively were: 39, 46, 37, 34, 27, 20, 31 and 28, but this year it was 33. This figure could signify many things; in 2005 we had a devastating flood that adversely affect the bird population of the Weaselhead. It could also have been affected by the weather, or that more of the participants had better hearing and identification skills.

New species added to the count for the first time were: Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot and Tennessee Warbler. Beavers have impounded more water, thus providing more wetland habitat.

A total of seven mammals were recorded on this morning’s early census.

The time and order of the first detection of each species, and the approximate numbers of each species are shown below. 2008 results are supplied for comparison.

Year /Time……………… Approx. # of individuals encountered.

[2009](2008) Species. (2008); [2009]

0330; 0420. Coyotes howling——–2+; 2+

0330; 0413. American Robin———25; 25

0337; 0336. Clay-colored Sparrow—10; 6

——; 0337. Boreal Chorus Frog——2; –

——; 0338. Small flying bat———–1; –

0354; 0335. White-throated Sparrow–6; 10

0359; 0400. Spotted Sandpiper———1; 1

——; 0359. Gray Catbird—————2; –

0400; 0405. Killdeer———————1; 1

0404; 0414. Yellow Warbler———-12; 15

0405; ——. Tennessee Warbler——- 0; 1

0407; 0500. House Wren—————6; 6

0408; 0709. American Wigeon——–2; 1

0409; ——. Am. Beaver—————0; 1

0409; 0408. Veery———————-10; 12

0417; 0426. Mallard, flying————-6; 1

0444; 0430. Common Goldeneye, f—5; 2+

0446; 0353. Lincoln’s Sparrow———4; 1

0449; 0403. Great Blue Heron———-1; 2

——; 0444. Chipping Sparrow———2, –

0450; ——; Bald Eagle—————–0; 2

——; 0450. Muskrat——————–3; –

0455; 0443. Sora————————-4; 1

0456; 0451. Least Flycatcher———–4; 6

0457; 0550. Ring-necked Pheasant—1; 2

0504; 0509. Red-winged Blackbird—8; 4

0504; ——; Red Squirrel————-0; 4

0515; 0650. Gull sp.——————–1; 30

0516; 0712. Tree Swallow————2; 9

0516; ——; American Coot———–0; 1

0521; ——, Franklin’s Gull———–0; 20

0522; ——; Pine Siskin—————-0; 4

0522; 0545. American Goldfinch—–8; 3

0527; 0526. Pileated Woodpecker—-1; 1

0530; 0544. Common Raven———-2; 2

0534; 0537. Northern Waterthrush—2; 1

0536; 0535. Eastern Phoebe———–2; 1

0540; ——; Pied-billed Grebe——–0; 1

0546: 0425. Black-capped Chickadee-1; 1

0548; 0650. Brown-head. Cowbird—2; 4

0551; 0620. Red-breasted Nuthatch–1; 1

0559; 0550. Red-eyed Vireo———-1; 1

0604; 0640. White-tailed Deer——1; 2

0610; ——; Swainson’s Thrush——-0; 1

0612; 0543. Rose-br. Grosbeak——-2; 2

——; 0612. American Crow———-1; –

0620; 0506. Canada Goose———–10; 1

0625; 0708. Least Chipmunk——–1; 2

——; 0630. Baltimore Oriole———2; 1

——; 0630. Hermit Thrush————1; –

0639; ——; Common Yellowthroat–0; 1

0640; 0630. Cedar Waxwing——–10; 4

0641; 0710. Blue-winged Teal——–4; 1

0646; ——; Red-naped Sapsucker—0; 1

——; 0648. Western Tanager———1; –

——; 0655. Orange-cr. Warbler——1; –

——; 0700. Northern Flicker———-1; –

0709; ——; Snowshoe Hare———0; 1

0710; 0730. Cliff Swallow————5; 100

——; 0712. Mourning Dove———-1; –

0713; 0740. Black-billed Magpie—-1; 1

0715; ——; Rich. Ground Squirrel-0; 6

I thank all participants who participated and whose hearing help to detect all the birds.

Gus Yaki

Nature Calgary Summer Field Trips

Jun17

Activities are FREE, open to anyone interested. Come join us!

Sat Jun 20, 3:30am: Dawn Chorus, Weaselhead. Hear 40+ bird species. Meet
parking lot, 66 Av & 37 St SW. Dress warmly. Leaders, Gus Yaki/Aileen
Pelzer, 403-243-2248.

Sun Jun 21, 7am: Sheep River Valley for Lazuli Buntings.  Meet Anderson
LRT (Macleod Tr)  S of pedestrian overpass.  Bring lunch,  Leader, Mike
Harrison, 403-236-4700.

Sun Jun 21, 8am: Birding Griffith Woods Park, 2.5 km W from Sarcee Tr.
on Hwy 8, then left on 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue straight
at traffic circle, then left on Discovery link to parking lot. Leader,
Grant Brydle, 403-720-4957.

Sun Jun 21, 9am: See 30 of the largest or most unusual trees species
within a 3 km radius in Calgary. Meet at Stanley Park, 42 Av SW, two
blocks W of Macleod Tr. Leader, Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248. Email
gyaki@calcna.ab.ca to register and receive advance information.

Tue Jun 23, 6:30pm: Birding Bowmont Park. Meet Maranatha Church, 2111 52
St NW (N end of Home Rd), Leader, Jan Reseneder, 403-286-5920.

Wed Jun 24, 6:30pm: Visit private garden for 70 species of Cactus and
succulents. Meet at 4915-15 St SW. Host, Hugo Render. For more info,
403-243-2248.

Sat Jun 27, 7:30am: Birding the Water Valley area. Meet Assumption
School, 34th Av NW (NW corner of Sarcee Tr, at Hwy #1). Bring Lunch.
Leader, Eric Tull, 403-295-0830.

Sun Jun 28, 9:30am: Tour of the private Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch in
the foothills southwest of Calgary to see Bison and Elk, including
young, up close. Bring Lunch! Optional unguided hillside nature walk
after lunch. Meet at Anderson LRT Stn (Macleod Tr), S of pedestrian
overpass, to carpool. Hosts, Pat & Dr. Terry Church. Limit: 20
participants. To register,  call 403-249-2641.

Tue Jun 30, 6:30pm: Bird Griffith Woods Park, 2.5km W on Hwy 8 from
Sarcee Tr SW, then left at 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue
straight at traffic circle, then left on Discovery Link into parking
lot. Leader, Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248.

Wed Jul 1, 6:30am: Monthly Elbow River Birding Survey. Meet Stanley
Park, 42 Av SW, just W of Macleod Tr. Walk to Glenmore Reservoir, ride
back (3.5 hours). Call leaders, Aileen Pelzer/Gus Yaki, 243-2248, to
ensure vehicle space for return.

Sat Jul 4, 8am: Birding Bebo Grove, FCPP, S end of 24 St SW. Leader, Al
Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Tue Jul 7, 6:30pm: Bird Beaverdam Flats Park. Meet S parking lot
(Lynnview Rd & Lynnview Way, S of 62 Av SE). N from Glenmore Tr at 18 St
SE, then left. Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

Tue Jul 14, 6:30pm: Bird FCPP, S. of Hwy 22. Meet at Boat Launch, S. end
of Bow Bottom Tr SE. Leader, Nimali Seneviratne, 403-836-5146.

Sat Jul 18, 8am: Bird Weed Lake & Wyndham/Carseland Prov. Park. Meet at
Carburn Park, S from Glenmore Tr E at 18 St SE to second stoplight, then
right & follow signs.  Bring lunch. Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

Sat Jul 18, 8am: Bird Votier’s Flats, FCPP, S end of Elbow Dr SW.
Leader, Al Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Sun Jul 19, 7:30am. Bird Bow Valley Provincial Park. Meet Assumption
School, 34th Av NW (NW corner of Sarcee Tr, at Hwy #1). Bring Lunch.
Leader, Eric Tull, 403-295-0830.

Tue Jul 21, 6:30pm: Bird Weaselhead Natural Area. Meet parking lot, 37
St/66 Av SW. Leader, Aileen Pelzer, 403-243-2248.

Tue Jul 28, 6:30pm: Bird Bowness Park, 48 Av, W of 85 St NW. Meet first
parking lot. Leader, TBA, 403-243-2248.

Sat Aug 1, 7am: Monthly Elbow River Birding Survey. Meet Stanley Park,
42 Av SW, just W of Macleod Tr. Walk to Glenmore Reservoir, ride back
(3.5 hours). Call leaders, Aileen Pelzer/Gus Yaki, 243-2248, to ensure
vehicle space for return.

Tue Aug 4, 6:30pm: Bird Mallard Point, E end of Canyon Meadows Dr SE.
Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

Sat Aug 8, 8am: Bird Carburn Park. Meet in parking lot. S from Glenmore
Tr E at 18 St SE to second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Leader,
Al Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Sat Aug 8, 9am: Bird E of Calgary for autumn migrant shorebirds, etc.
Meet at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary at E end of 9 Av SE. Bring lunch.
Leader, Eric Tull, 403-295-0830.

Sun Aug 9, 8am: Birding Griffith Woods Park, 2.5km W on Hwy 8 from
Sarcee Tr SW, then left at 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue
straight at traffic circle, then left on Discovery Link into parking
lot. Leader, Grant Brydle, 720-4957.

Tue Aug 11, 6:30pm: Bird Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, E end of 9 Av SE.
Leader, Aileen Pelzer, 403-243-2248.

Sat Aug 15, 8am: Bird Hull’s Woods, FCPP, for autumn migrating warblers,
etc. Meet in first parking lot, E of Bow Bottom Tr after entering Park.
Leader, Al Borgardt, 403-281-4306.

Sun Aug 16, 8:30am: Bird Beaverdam Flats Park. Meet  S parking lot
(Lynnview Rd & Lynnview Way, S of 62 Av SE). N from Glenmore Tr at 18 St
SE, then left.  Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

Tue Aug 18, 6:30pm: Bird Carburn Park, S from Glenmore Tr E at 18 St SE
to second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Leader, Gus Yaki,
403-243-2248.

Tue Aug 25, 6:30pm: Bird Edworthy Park, Meet S side of Boothman
Pedestrian Bridge accessed from Shaganappi Tr & Bowness Rd if N of
river, or from W end of Spruce Dr if S of river. Leader, TBA, 403-243-2248.

Tue, Sep 1, 7:30am: Monthly Elbow River Birding Survey. Meet Stanley
Park, 42 Av SW, just W of Macleod Tr. Walk to Glenmore Reservoir, ride
back (3.5 hours). Call leaders, Aileen Pelzer/Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248, to
ensure vehicle space for return.