Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 28

Apr29

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary?  If it is a species on this Reportable_Birds list (PDF), please report it to the  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, email us at 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 Alert was recorded on Thursday, April 28 at 9:00 am.

SIGHTINGS FOR

Wednesday, April 27
–HERMIT THRUSH (1) – Confederation Park by Bill Wilson

Tuesday, April 26
–WHITE-FACED IBIS (16) – flocks of 4 and 12 at Frank Lake by Bob Lefebvre
–SHORT-EARED OWL (2) – Frank Lake at 8:45 pm by BL
–TURKEY VULTURE (1) – over the boat launch in east Fish Creek PP (FCPP) by Dave Vernon
–BROAD-WINGED HAWK (2) – Bankside/Burnsmead/Hull’s Wood area in east FCPP by Gus Yaki and the Friends of Fish Creek
–BLACK TERN (4) – location and observers as above
–NORTHERN SHRIKE (1) – RgeRd 274 north of Hwy 567 (NW of Calgary) by Heather Simonds

Monday, April 25
–WHIMBREL (3) – northeast of Granum by Tim Mcneill

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is Monday, May 2.

Photo Feathers: Common Goldeneye

Apr29

Recently, I visited Southland Park in Southeast Calgary where I found this male Common Goldeneye drinking water on the Bow River, providing for some neat shots. The Common Goldeneye is a diving duck with a mostly white body, topped with a head that can be a visible green sheen when seen in the right light.

The white oval in between the male Common Goldeneye’s beak and his eye distinguishes him from the similar Barrow’s Goldeneye; which has a white crescent.

The first step is to lower his head into the water.

And lower…

He then tosses his head back so that the water runs down his throat.

He then swallows, repeating this method until he has quenched his thirst. This is how most birds drink.

 

Posted by Matthew Sim

Coyote and Beaver

Apr27

Guest Post: Coyote and Beaver

The amazing sequence of photographs below was taken last week by Rob English, who kindly shared them with us.  This interaction between a Coyote and a Beaver took place at the large pond just North of the highway 22X bridge, on the west side of the Bow River in Fish Creek Park.  The photos were taken on two consecutive days, so this is a persistent Coyote (assuming it is the same one both days).

Although this is a birding blog, we are interested in all aspects of nature, and we particularly love mammals.  One just doesn’t get the chance to see and photograph mammals as often as birds.  And one is rarely lucky enough to see an encounter like this.

If you have interesting nature photos that you’d like to share, please send them to us and we may post them here.

Thanks again to Rob English.

He got away.

Maybe if I sneak up from this angle…

He looks pretty big…

How about a sudden attack from this side?

Pretty big from this side, too.

Back to Meadow Voles…

Coyotes are very opportunistic feeders, and have been known to eat Beavers.  But a lone Coyote would have quite a bit of trouble with a full-grown Beaver like this one.  As you can see, the Coyote is quite hesitant to attack.

Photos by Rob English

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 25

Apr26

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary?  If it is a species on this Reportable_Birds list (PDF), please report it to the  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, email us at 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 Alert was recorded on Monday April 25, at 9:55 am.

SIGHTINGS FOR

Sunday, April 24
–RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (2) – at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in SE Calgary by Bill Wilson.
–EURASIAN WIGEON (2) – one at the S side of Glenmore Reservoir in SW Calgary seen by BW and one reported on the Bow River at Mallard Point in SE Fish Creek PP by Jim Davis.
–COMMON LOON – numerous reports of this species in Calgary and area the past 3 days.
–HORNED GREBE – reported by several observers as above.
–RED-NECKED GREBE – numerous reports of this species as above.
–EARED GREBE – reported by several observers as above.
–OSPREY – reported by several observers as above.
–SONG SPARROW – numerous reports of this species as above.

Saturday, April 23
–RED-BREASTED MERGANSER – 5 seen by Bill Wilson on the SW corner of Chestermere Lake and also reported at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in SE Calgary by Penny Smith and Nature Calgary Field Trip.
–EURASIAN WIGEON (1) – reported in the Frank Lake area, about 8 km E of High River, by Matthew Sim.
–HARLEQUIN DUCK – seen at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary by PS and Nature Calgary Field Trip.
–AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (18) – in flight over the Bow River near Carburn Park by Sean Phillips.
–THAYER’S GULL (1 first year) – seen at Shepard Landfill in SE Calgary by Terry Korolyk. To reach Shepard Landfill follow McIvor Blvd, located E of 52 St SE, to its end.
–AMERICAN PIPIT – a large flock in the Frank Lake area seen by MS and 2 reported by BW on Twp Rd 232 about 1 km W of Hwy 791 E of Shepard.
–BREWER’S BLACKBIRD (1) – seen in the Frank Lake area by MS.

Friday, April 22
–EURASIAN WIGEON (1) – reported on the Glenmore Reservoir in SW Calgary by BW.
–CINNAMON TEAL (1) – reported in the Calgary area on a trip from High River to Innisfail by Paula & Guy.
–HARLEQUIN DUCK (2 males) – seen at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in SE Calgary by BW.
–LONG-BILLED CURLEW (2) – seen in the Calgary area on a trip from High River to Innisfail on RR 244 by P & G.
–THAYER’S GULL (1 adult) – at Shepard Landfill by TK.
–EASTERN PHOEBE (1) – heard 200 metres E of Bridge 2 in Shannon Terrace in W Fish Creek in SW Calgary by BW.
–LINCOLN’S SPARROW (1) – reported by Shirley Hartig in her yard just NE of High River.

Thursday, April 21
–EURASIAN WIGEON (3) – reported in the Wimborne Sunny Slopes area SE of Red Deer by Corinne Griffin.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is Thursday, April 28.

Movie Monday: Shelter From the Storm

Apr25

After the mild weather of the past few days, I hope we have finally seen the last of the snow, and I think European Starlings feel the same.  The birds in this video seemed to be sheltering or seeking warmth on the stepping-stones on our lawn, which were warm enough to melt the snow.  They were feeding on fallen crab apples from the previous summer.

Seeing them hunkered down in those round depressions kind of reminded me of the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence” about the four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie…

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 21

Apr23

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary?  If it is a species on this Reportable_Birds list (PDF), please report it to the  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, email us at 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 Alert was recorded on Thursday April 21, at 10:25 am.

SIGHTINGS FOR

Wednesday, April 20
–CINNAMON TEAL (2) – at Fincastle Lake E of Taber in S Alberta by Lloyd Bennet.
–RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (60) – as above by LB.
–HORNED GREBE (4) – as above by LB.
–THAYER’S GULL (2 birds, 1-1st cycle & 1adult) – seen at the Shepherd Landfill in SE Calgary by Terry Korolyk. To reach Shepard Landfill follow McIvor Blvd, located E of 52 St, E to its end.
–CASPIAN TERN (4) – at Fincastle Lake by LB.
–NASHVILLE WARBLER (1) – reported at Hay Meadow at Mt Lorette just off Hwy 40 in Kananaskis, W of Calgary, by Jim Davis.

Tuesday, April 19
–OSPREY (2) – seen at Carburn Park on the metal tower at Lafarge located S of the pedestrian bridge across the Bow River by Gus Yaki & FFCPP nature field trip.
–AMERICAN ROBIN (1 albinistic) – seen in spruce trees in SW Calgary at the Palace Oak Condominiums complex at Palliser Dr and 24 ST SW.

Monday, April 18
–OSPREY (1) – as above by GY on FFCPP nature trip.
–SANDHILL CRANE (4) – seen just S of Calgary flying Northward by Dwight Knapik.
–WHOOPING CRANE (1) – seen flying in a slight northwesterly direction about 10 miles N and a bit E of Olds by Carl Linnard.
–WILSON’S SNIPE (1) – reported in Banff NP, W of Calgary, by Jason Rogers.
–RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (1) – as above by JR.
–MARSH WREN (1) – as above by JR.
–SAVANNAH SPARROW (1) – as above by JR.

Saturday, April 16
–CHIPPING SPARROW (1) – reported near the Columbia Icefields on Hwy 93 to Jasper by JR.

Friday, April 15
–AMERICAN DIPPER (5) – at Elbow Falls on Hwy 66 W of Bragg Creek, W of Calgary, by DK.

Wednesday, April 13
–YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (1) – in Banff NP by JR.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is Monday, April 25.

Backyard Birds: Common Grackle

Apr22

The Common Grackle can be a handsome bird when seen from a short distance. Covering its head, neck and upper breast is a purple iridescence that can amaze viewers in the right light. The rest of its feathers, including its long, wedge-shaped tail, are glossed in a bronze-green sheen. But this beauty can be lost on many; a result of the combination of the grackle’s lack of table manners (and all other manners), its voice that sounds like “an un-oiled wheelbarrow” and the invasion of both lawn and feeders by large flocks of  these noisy birds.

Canada’s largest blackbird is both noisy and cocky, and is a resourceful forager. The grackle’s main summer diet consists of insects, small invertebrates and occasionally the eggs and nestlings of other birds. In winter, it will eat waste, grains, seeds, fruit and garbage. They will follow plows to catch invertebrates, pick leeches off the legs of turtles and steal worms from robins, among other techniques to get fast food. The grackle breeds in many different sites but it favours damp, open woodlands, the shores of lakes and streams and wet meadows. Be on the lookout for Grackles as they return to Alberta in April; they are almost here.

The young grackle is even noisier than the adult.

Note the long, wedge-shaped and keeled tail of this grackle.

 

Posted by Matthew Sim

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 18

Apr19

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary?  If it is a species on this Reportable_Birds list (PDF), please report it to the  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, email us at 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 Alert was recorded on Monday, April 18, at 10:20 am.

SIGHTINGS FOR

Sunday, April 17

–SNOW GOOSE (50 – 60) – seen flying low along Hwy 1A W of Cochrane near the Grand Valley Rd junction by Joan & Malcolm McDonald.

–COMMON LOON (3) – at Seebe pond W of Cochrane where Hwy 1X crosses the Bow River by J&MM.

–RED-NECKED GREBES (6) – on the Bow River upstream from the bridge at Morley just S of Hwy 1A by J&MM.

–MOURNING DOVE – reported at a feeder NE of High River by Greg Wagner.

–RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET – several seen at the Beaver ponds at the 2nd Vermilion Lake in Banff NP by J&MM.

–VARIED THRUSH – several as above by J&MM.

Saturday, April 16

–COOPER’S HAWK (1) – reported E of Red Deer Lake Meat Packers just S of Hwy 22X  S of Calgary by Terry Korolyk.

–RED-TAILED HAWK (HARLAN’S) – W of Hwy 773 SW of Calgary by TK.

–AMERICAN KESTREL – reported by several observers in the Calgary area the past few days.

–THAYER’S GULL (4th cycle) – at Sheperd Landfill in SE Calgary by TK.

–TREE SWALLOW – reported by several observers in and around Calgary the past few days.

–RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET – reported in Weaselhead Park in SW Calgary by Gus Yaki and FFCPP group.

–AMERICAN TREE SPARROW – reported by numerous observers passing through Calgary and area in large numbers the past week.

–DARK-EYED JUNCO – as above.

–WESTERN MEADOWLARK – reported by several observers in the Calgary area the past week.

–YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD – a pair reported by Shirley Hartig in her yard NE of High River.

–COMMON GRACKLE – reported in the Willow Park and Mapleridge subdivisions of SE Calgary and also NE of High River.

Friday, April 15

–YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (1 male) – seen at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in SE Calgary by Mike Potter. This is the first report of this species in our area this Spring.

Backyard Birds: Eurasian Collared-Dove

Apr18

For the past two weeks I’ve had two Eurasian Collared-Doves, likely a breeding pair, coming to my yard every day.  They feed on the lawn (lately, on the snow), eating sunflower seeds that have spilled from the bird feeders.

Eurasian Collared-Doves

Eurasian Collared-Doves are not yet a common backyard bird in Calgary, but that may change.  They were introduced to North America in the Bahamas in the 1970’s and have rapidly spread across the continent.  I think they were first reported in Alberta in 2003, and in Calgary in 2004.  I know of two pairs that have nested in the SE quadrant of the city in each of the past two years:  one pair in Shepard, and another in Dover.

This bird has an odd broken feather sticking out on its left side, so I know it’s the same bird returning each day.

Eurasian Collared-Doves are pale buff-grey to pinkish-grey in colour.  They are about the same length as a Rock Pigeon, but slimmer and with a longer tail.  On the back of their neck they have a narrow black half-ring, edged with white, from which they get their name.

This preening bird shows off its black collar…

Eurasian Collared-Doves are becoming more common in the rural areas south and east of Calgary, and are being seen regularly in the city as well.  They seem to occupy an ecological niche between that of the Rock Pigeon and Mourning Dove.  It remains to be seen if they will become a common backyard bird like the Rock Pigeon, or primarily a rural one like the Mourning Dove.  If you see any in your yard, please let Birds Calgary know!

Posted by Bob Lefebvre