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Furry Friday: Muskrat

Dec2

Tony LePrieur photographed this Muskrat in the Weaselhead Nature Area on November 20, 2016. Muskrats are semi-aquatic rodents related to voles and lemmings. They feed mostly on aquatic vegetation such as cattails. They are active all year and can be found in the winter in Calgary along the rivers, and around lakes and ponds. They are well adapted for the cold and for swimming under the ice.

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

Do you have photos of Mammals from the Calgary area that you’d like to share? Send them to birdscalgary@gmail.com and we may post them for Furry Friday!

Furry Friday: Pikas

Oct14

Tony LePrieur photographed these American Pikas recently at Rock Glacier trail near the Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country.

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See more of Tony’s Photos on his Flickr page here.

If you have good photos of Calgary-area mammals, send them to our email address and we may post them on an upcoming Friday.

Furry Friday: Mule Deer Bucks at Dawn

Sep30

Judi Willis photographed these Mule Deer bucks in the early morning sun on September 25 in South Glenmore Park, Calgary.

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Resting in the grass.

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Getting up.

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A second buck.

Furry Friday: Bear 104

Sep23

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Despite living in Calgary for thirty years, up until this spring I had never seen a Grizzly Bear. I had never gone looking for them specifically, but I do sometimes get out of the city and into the foothills and mountains, so this was becoming a nemesis mammal for me. In early June as we were driving west out of the city to do a bird survey on the Livingstone Ranch Golf Course, we spotted a young Grizzly in a field opposite Calaway Park, just outside the city limits. This was an unusual place to see one, and since we were driving at 100 km/hr, not a very satisfying sighting.

On July 24 I went for a drive on Highway 40 through Kananaskis Country, and just north of Highwood Pass spotted this bear, feeding on berries at close range.

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Bear 104, Kananaskis Country, July 24, 2016.

The bears in this busy area are carefully monitored and are tagged and tracked .

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I spent about forty-five minutes watching this bear as it fed.

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Showing the claws:

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And the tongue:

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And a little wet after wallowing in a small stream:

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Furry Friday: Tony’s Mammals

Apr29

A selection of mammals seen in and around Calgary in the last few months.

All photos by Tony LePrieur.

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Coyote pair, Weaselhead, October 18, 2015.

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Porcupine, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, October 25, 2015.

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White-tailed Deer, Carburn Park, January 31, 2016.

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White-tailed Deer, Carburn Park, January 31, 2016.

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White-tailed Jackrabbit, Queen’s Park Cemetery, January 31, 2016.

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Coyote, Weaselhead, January 31, 2016.

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Meadow Vole, Weaselhead, February 27, 2016.

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Meadow Vole, Weaselhead, February 7, 2016.

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American Mink, Fish Creek Park, November 16, 2015.

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Long-tailed Weasel, Fish Creek Park, November 15, 2015.

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Long-tailed Weasel, Fish Creek Park, November 15, 2015.

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Long-tailed Weasel, Fish Creek Park, November 16, 2015.

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And finally, a Feral Rabbit at Frank Lake, April 10, 2016.

Furry Friday: Bobcat

Dec25

Here’s a special Christmas Day gift to our Birds Calgary readers!

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Bobcats have reported many times in the past few years in SW Calgary, especially in the Weaselhead, South Glenmore Park, North Glenmore Park, and adjacent residential neighbourhoods. On December 13, Tony LePrieur was taking photos in the Weaselhead, and was lucky enough to see three of these beautiful wild cats together. There were four in the group, according to other observers that day. It appears to be an adult female and three young.

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As Tony lay down on the ground to try to get a photo of one of the cats through the bushes, one of the young ones walked right up to him to a distance of about four feet. I think you’ll agree that he got some outstanding photographs!

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Season’s Greetings from Pat, Bob and Dan!!

Fuzzy Friday: Sphinx Moth

Sep18

The insect in this video might be mistaken for a hummingbird or large bee, but it is a moth of the sphingidae family. They are commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths, or hummingbird moths. There are six species in Alberta. I believe this one is a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. It is found throughout Alberta and is active in the daytime.

These moths are known for their ability to hover while feeding on flower nectar. You can see the long curved proboscis. With a wingspan of about six cm, you can see how they are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds!

The video was taken in Peace River, in northern Alberta, on June 10, 2015.