The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society is once again offering a spring birding course which will run for twelve weeks, from April until late June. The course consists of weekly field trips to many parks and natural areas within Calgary. There are sessions offered on almost every day of the week.
For more information or to register, email chris@friendsoffishcreek.org or phone 403-238-3841.
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 birdscalgary@gmail.com. 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.
February 25
– –MALLARD (leucistic female) Beaverdam Flats in SE Calgary, Rob English
–SPOTTED TOWHEE, farm ca. 5 km. N of Irricana, John Corbin 403-935-4340
February 26
–NORTHERN SHRIKE, Weaselhead Natural Area, SW Calgary, Phil Quinn – February 28
–CACKLING GOOSE, Mackenzie Meadows, Phil Quinn
– –GREATER SCAUP, Hwy 22x bridge E end of Fish Creek Prov. Park, Terry Korolyk
– –SNOW BUNTING (60), N. of Linden, Corinne Griffin
– –COMMON GRACKLE, Lynnwood subdiv., SE Calgary, Pat Bumstead
February 29
–GREAT BLUE HERON (6) Southland Dog Park parking lot, Deerfoot Tr. And Southland Dr., observer unknown
– –KILLDEER, Bow R. S. of Glenmore Tr. Bridge, Gus Yaki,
–
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday, March 5.
BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September – May at 7:30 pm, Room 211, BioSciences Building, University of Calgary. The next meeting will be Wednesday March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.
Duane Starr has had some excellent snowy owl luck lately, and sent us a couple of links to his photo galleries.
The first set has some wonderful in-flight and action shots. Click here to view, then click on Slideshow on the right hand side.
His second set of snowy pictures shows the complete sequence of an owl coughing up a pellet, which looks like an extreme amount of hard work! View here.
Posted by Dan Arndt
This week, the Friends of Fish Creek Birding course ventured out to Griffith Woods Park, on the southwest corner of the city. This was a new location for me, as my birding prior to September was limited to a handful of well traveled patches near the center of the city. After spending a few hours here last Sunday, I know that I’d be terribly remiss to not get out there again in the spring and summer.
It was, unfortunately, a relatively grey day, which lately has also meant fairly quiet in terms of both species and populations of birds, but we still got a couple new ones for our little group. As usual, I’ve posted the route we took on our little walk below, with the highlights noted in the captions.
Griffith Woods
Of course, the regulars were in attendance for the walk. The Canada Geese, which I’ve almost started to take for granted, were paddling up and down the Elbow River.
Canada Geese
Common Redpolls were seen at the far east end of our walk, right at the beginning, along with an incredibly distant Blue Jay, which also alerted us to the presence of a Belted Kingfisher, which flew just a little too fast for me to get my camera up before it was gone.
Common Redpolls
About mid-way through our walk, Bob Lefebvre pointed out this beautiful little nest of one of the hummingbird species found in the Calgary area. Thankfully, nobody was home. (Special thanks to hand model Wayne Walker for presenting his world-famous hands for scale.)
Hummingbird Nest
On the far west end, while moving through a stand of very large white spruce, I was alerted to the sound of the Golden-crowned Kinglet. Not one, not two, but a flock of six(!) of them flitted amongst the trees while I wheeled and turned to get my lens on just one of them. Sadly, this was the best I got…
Golden-crowned Kinglet
On our trip back, following the power lines that, for some reason were slated to cut directly through the center of the park, we heard the call of this male Pileated Woodpecker, who treated us to a wonderful series of aerial displays and a drumming serenade.
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
And that seemed like the end of the day for us… I was a little disappointed in the number of usable shots I was able to get on the walk, and the light was opening up just a touch, so I convinced Bob to walk back to try for another shot or two of the Belted Kingfisher. Sadly, though we heard it call at least twice, the only thing we were able to find were a whole bunch of rocks.
Nothing here but us rocks
Wait… what’s that in the middle of the frame? When the Belted Kingfisher called for the last time before we left, we happened to spot two smaller birds with white on the underside of its primary flight feathers, which we thought might just have sounded like Killdeer.
Turns out, much to our surprise, we were right. Not one, but two Killdeer on the Elbow River at Griffith Woods. Hardy survivors of a relatively mild winter here in Calgary.
Killdeer
Killdeer
Definitely the highlight of the day was seeing this pair. It is unfortunate that the attendees of our walk didn’t get a chance to see them, but there will definitely be more of these little shorebirds around very soon!
Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you soon!
By Pat Bumstead
The Great Backyard Bird Count, which takes place annually in February, is a great way for people to get involved in the citizen science aspect of birding. I’m always keeping an eye on the birds in my yard anyway, so for the GBBC I just count the numbers of little feathered heads, and send in my findings.
The Friday count this year had the normal numbers of the usual suspects – house finches, downy woodpeckers, northern flickers, black-capped chickadees, common redpolls, red breasted nuthatches, house sparrows.
The second day of the count, I looked out of my back window and there was not a bird to be seen. A little perplexed by the lack of activity, I scanned the yard more carefully.
Oh. No wonder all the little birds had flown the coop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W5CUxewPIA"&rel=0″I watched this sharp-shinned hawk gulp down his lunch for 25 minutes. Initially I thought he had captured one of my little birds, but as I watched, I realized his meal was too big to be a little finch or chickadee. Then I began to wonder about my overwintering and highly spoiled mourning doves.
As I continued to watch his frantic feeding behavior though, I started to see bright blue feathers flying through the air. I know accipiters are very quick, but I was doubly impressed that this bird could catch a clever blue jay. I haven’t seen any jays in my yard for months, and I may have discovered the reason why.
If you put bird feeders in your yard, you will eventually attract crowds of smaller birds. Those small birds will likely come to the notice of the larger predators. Rather than getting upset when the hawk gets a meal, just observe the miracle of nature playing out in your backyard. Appreciate the sight of a magnificent, successful hunter doing what he was born to do.
Rob English has sent us some photos of the leucistic (white) mallard duck that’s been hanging around Beaverdam Flats this winter. Click photos to enlarge.
This bird is getting a lot of attention from photographers. Duane Starr has more views of this beautiful bird you can view in his photo gallery.
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 birdscalgary@gmail.com. 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.
February 22
–SNOWY OWL, Storney Trail and McKnight Blvd., by Lori Anderson et.al.
–AMERICAN ROBIN(18), Queen’s Park Cemetery , by Dan Arndt.
February 23
–RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER(1) still in High River’s George Lane Park, by LA. Has been there for several months.
February 24
–NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, yard of Paul Kuelker in Montgomery. Not seen following day.
February 25
–GREEN-WINGED TEAL(F), Bow River, Policeman’s Flats, end of Bow River Bottom Rd, off Dunbow Rd., by Terry Korolyk
–GREATER SCAUP(2M) , Bow River, just N. of Hwy. 22x bridge, by TK.
–AMERICAN ROBIN(6+), backyard of Margaret Brunner in Oakridge subdivision.
February 26
–KILLDEER(2), Elbow River at Griffith Wood park, by Bob Lefebvre and Dan Arndt
–AMERICAN DIPPER(1), Elbow River at Griffith Wood park, by Bernie Diebolt and Janet Gill. One was also seen recently by Steve Kassai in Big Hill Springs PP.
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday, March 1.
BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September – May at 7:30 pm, Room 211, BioSciences Building, University of Calgary. The next meeting will be Wednesday March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.
Rob English got these last Friday in Carburn Park in southeast Calgary, and says this was the first time he’d ever managed to see one there. The bird was so easy going he couldn’t stop taking pictures. When she did fly it was only 50 or 60 feet so he stayed with her for about an hour just shooting and watching her peel bark. Click on the photos for a larger view.
Posted by Pat Bumstead
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 birdscalgary@gmail.com. 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.
February 17
–GYRFALCON, overflight, oxbow at W end of Glenmore Reservoir, Weaselhead Natural Area, SW Calgary, Phil Quinn (403-802-0568)
February 20
–SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, photographed in her back yard in Coach Hill, SW Calgary, by Myrna Belyea, (403-246-6071)
– –SNOWY OWL (12), in Irricana Slough area between Range Roads 253 and 264, Frank Wood
February 21
–GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, W quarter of Fish Creek Provincial Park, Phil Quinn
February 22
–PRAIRIE FALCON, N end of Nose Hill Park in NE Calgary, PQ
–PEREGRINE FALCON, S of Okotoks, Brian Elder, Mike Mulligan (403-232-1013), RayWoods
–SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (17) SW of Nanton, same
–SNOWY OWL (3) Frank Lake, same
–MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, Bebo Grove, W end of Fish Creek PP, Nemali Seneviratne
–DARK-EYED JUNCO, same, same
–BREWER’S BLACKBIRD, Nose Hill Park, near intersection of Shaganappi Trail and John Laurie Blvd, PQ
–
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday, February 27.
BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September – May at 7:30 pm, Room 211, BioSciences Building, University of Calgary. The next meeting will be Wednesday March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.