Male Snowy Owl by Anne Elliott
Our target species for January is the beautiful Snowy Owl. These Arctic owls are currently being seen east of the city, but we’re all anxiously awaiting the first sighting within the city limits.
For more details on Snowy Owls and winter birding, see Birding By Month.
Good birding!
Pat Bumstead
In 1900, to oppose the so-called “side-hunt” wherein groups of gunners competed to see which could shoot the most wildlife on Boxing Day, American ornithologist Frank Chapman asked North Americans to head out on Christmas Day, to count the birds in their communities and submit the results as the first ever “Christmas Bird Census”. His suggestion has evolved into one of the largest organized birding events in the world, and now is a holiday tradition during the Christmas season for well over 50,000 participants each year.
The 110th annual Christmas Bird Count, as it is now called, is conducted in well over 2200 localities across Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The bird observations, collected during one-day counts between December 14th and January 5th, within a 12 km diameter circle, have been amassed into a huge database that reflect the distribution and numbers of winter birds, over time. The northward spread of many wintering species, so depicted, shows clear evidence of climate change.
The next annual Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) are coming up shortly. About 370 Canadian CBCs are reported to Bird Studies Canada each year. In all, some 12,000 to 20,000 people participate across Canada. You can be one of them. It’s a great way to get to know your area, and to see and to learn more about the birds that you can expect during the winter months.
The Christmas Season is a busy time for many, but it also offers some free time for others. If you have that time, regardless of your knowledge, you are invited to join in this fun-filled activity. Most CBCs are all day outings, but you can participate for half-days, if you so wish.
To help you to plan, below are the dates for some of this season’s upcoming local activities. Participation in the Calgary activities will be particularly valuable for the 2010 Big Year Bird Competition, as you will learn where to find the rarer species beginning Jan. 1st.
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Sun Dec 13, 8:30am to noon: Scout some local Calgary CBC territories. (One is the Elbow River from Stanley Park to Rideau/Roxboro). Meet at 420 Brunswick Av SW [approximately at 46 Av & 4 St SW] in time to leave at 8:30am. Return at noon for a hot complementary lunch. Contact Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248.
Tue Dec 15, High River CBC. We’ll leave Calgary approx. 7am, and return about 7pm, after a potluck evening meal.
Sat Dec 19, Banff/Canmore CBC. We’ll leave Calgary approx. 6:30am, returning about 5pm.
Sun Dec 20, Calgary CBC. Join one of the approximately 30 parties that will be scouring Calgary’s parks and natural areas.For assignment to a group, contact Phil Cram, 403-228-4142 or crampj@telusplanet.net. Alternatively, meet at 420 Brunswick Av SW, in time to leave at 8:15am. Depending upon the number of participants, we usually break into two groups, to cover both sides of the Elbow River. At noon, we return for hot soup and sandwiches. After lunch, if you have the time and energy, we’ll drive in the Mount Royal area for additional species, ending at about 4pm. After 5pm, optional, we’ll gather at the home of Dick and Lenora Flynn’s, 71 Mapleburn Dr SE, to tally the day’s results – and to have supper, $4.00
Sun Dec 27, Nanton CBC. We’ll leave Calgary about 7am, assembling at Laurie Messner’s home, 3.2 kms W of Hwy #2,on N side of Twp Rd #154, staying in the field until dusk, then compiling the results and partaking of a complementary supper, arriving home about 7pm.
Tue Dec 29, Cochrane Wildlife Preserve CBC. (Water Valley area). Depart about 6:30am. Return home about 5:30pm.
Wed Jan 6, 7:30pm: Summary and analysis of some of the local area CBCs results. Meet in Room 211, Biosciences Building, Univ. of Calgary.
See January CBC trips on our Free Nature Walks Page
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NOTE: To cover costs of processing the huge amount of data collected, there is a fee of $5.00 for each CBC, free if you are under 18 or are a member of Bird Studies Canada (BSC). Individual membership in BSC is $35.00 annually ($25.00 for student). You will receive an informative, in-depth publication quarterly and can elect to also get bi-weekly electronic newsletters. For more information, contact http://www.birdscanada.org.
Questions anyone? I will gladly answer any that you may have. Please feel free to contact me at 403-243-2248; or by email: gyaki@calcna.ab.ca. Once you register for any activity I’ll supply further updated information as we approach the actual date.
Gus Yaki
If you’re interested in birds in Calgary and the surrounding region, you should know about the Bird Alert phone message.
City of Calgary and Nature Calgary’s Bird Alert Number (403) 221-4519
Compiled twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, the message gives a rundown of all the unusual bird sightings that have been reported by birders. It lists the bird species and the location where it was seen, so you can take your chance of seeing it as well.
You can listen to the message for bird locations, or if you have a bird to report, you can bypass them, or do so at the end of the recorded message.
A bird that should be reported can be either a rare bird not usually found in the area, or one here in the wrong season. While beginning birders will not know what to report, checking this message on a regular basis will give you a good idea, and help to increase your birding skills.
The report for the second week of November for unusual birds in Calgary:
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is Thursday, November 19.
Pat Bumstead
BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meet September – May, 7:30 PM on the 1st Wednesday of the month, Room 211, BioSciences Bldg, University of Calgary. The next meeting is Wednesday, December 2, with a talk by Sandy Ayer on Birding Adventures in the Congo. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Talks are free and open to the public.
Northern Pygmy-Owl by Anne Elliott
On the morning of Wednesday, November 11, 2009, I took a walk in the west end of Fish Creek Provincial Park, in the Shannon Terrace-Bebo Grove area.
The weather was relatively cool, clear, and calm.
Highlights included a Northern Pygmy-Owl at Bridge #2 around 9:30 AM, as well as 2 singing Pine Grosbeaks in the same general area.
Bald Eagle H
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Bohemian Waxwing
Pine Grosbeak
White-winged Crossbill
Red Squirrel
Good Birding Everyone!
D. Knapik
Calgary, Alberta
Posted by Pat Bumstead
If you’re interested in birds in Calgary and the surrounding region, you should know about the Bird Alert phone message.
City of Calgary and Nature Calgary’s Bird Alert Number (403) 221-4519
Â
Compiled twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, the message gives a rundown of all the unusual bird sightings that have been reported by birders. It lists the bird species and the location where it was seen, so you can take your chance of seeing it as well.
You can listen to the message for bird locations, or if you have a bird to report, you can bypass them, or do so at the end of the recorded message.
A bird that should be reported can be either a rare bird not usually found in the area, or one here in the wrong season. While beginning birders will not know what to report, checking this message on a regular basis will give you a good idea, and help to increase your birding skills.
The report for the first week in November included the following unusual birds in Calgary:
Although it isn’t in Calgary, a birder has reported the first Snowy Owl of the winter season near Irricana. This tundra-breeding species likes open prairie spaces. It will be a challenge to find them in the city during the 2010 competition. If you see one, please let us know!
Pat Bumstead
Wood Ducks perched beside the river, March 1, 2008.
A Common Merganser on the River near Stanley Park, November 1, 2009.
Gus is a lifelong naturalist and is very informative about birds, plants, and other natural history. He keeps track of all the bird and mammal species seen, and the numbers of each. He is gathering valuable data on the changes in bird populations along the river.
Gus Yaki (pointing) leading a walk on the Elbow River pathway, November 1, 2009.
This Northern Goshawk had just knocked a Common Goldeneye down onto the ice on the river. It flew off without pursuing the attack. February 1, 2009.
The Elbow River with the Glenmore Dam in the Backgound.
The Elbow River between Glenmore Dam and Sandy Beach.
Downstream from Sandy Beach.
Some Recent Results of the Elbow River Bird Survey: Â
Wednesday March 31, 2010Â (for April), Partly cloudy, calm,
0-8C. Ice at Reservoir Dam still frozen.
1.. Canada Goose-16
2.. Mallard-20
3.. Common Merganser-2
4.. Ring-billed Gull-12
5.. Rock Pigeon-6
6.. Downy Woodpecker-8
7.. Northern Flicker-6
8.. Blue Jay-1
9.. Black-billed Magpie-16
10.. American Crow-4
11.. Common Raven-8
12.. Black-capped Chickadee-12
13.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-5
14.. American Robin-36
15.. European Starling-6
16.. House Finch-10
17.. Pine Siskin-1
18.. House Sparrow-6
Eastern Gray Squirrel-2
Monday March 1, 2010, 8:00-12:30. Sunny, calm, -4 to 9C.
Eastern Gray Squirrel-6
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Saturday January 3, 2010: 8:30-12noon, Sunny, calm, -12C. 7 participants
1.. Canada Goose-450
2.. Mallard 500
3.. Common Goldeneye-8
4.. Common Merganser-2
5.. Downy Woodpecker-7
6.. Hairy Woodpecker-2
7.. Black-billed Magpie-60
8.. Common Raven-14
9.. Black-capped Chickadee-32
10.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-7
11.. White-breasted Nuthatch-1
12.. Bohemian Waxwing-200
13.. House Finch-1
14.. Common Redpoll?-5
15.. House Sparrow-35
a.. Eastern Gray Squirrel-7
b.. White-tailed Jackrabbit-tracks.
c.. Coyote tracks
Posted by Bob Lefebvre
On the morning of Wednesday, October 28, 2009, I took a walk around North Glenmore Park, as well as the dam at the north end of Glenmore Reservoir, in SW Calgary. The weather was chilly, relatively calm, and overcast.
Highlights included a winter-plumaged Pacific Loon still on the reservoir, lots of Buffleheads swimming and flying around, and a Common Raven carrying around a neon yellow golf ball near the golf course at the NE end of the reservoir.  H = heard
Good Birding Everyone!
D. P. Knapik
Inspired by Pat’s recent post about birding the irrigation canal in Calgary, I headed down last week to check it out. I started at the bridge on Gosling Way by the Inglewood Golf Course in southeast Calgary and headed south. I often bird this area in the summer, but I’ve never been there in the fall after the water flow is stopped in September. Trout Unlimited did their annual Fish rescue near the Max Bell arena on September 30. They remove a lot of the larger fish, which would die in the winter, but there are many small fish left  in the canal. There is still quite a bit of standing water, and some mudflats and exposed mats of vegetation.
The Canal near the Inglewood Golf Course
Juvenile Great Blue Heron
There was one Merlin in the trees on the west side of the canal, which took a run at a squirrel and then chased off a harassing magpie. Bald Eagles nest on the golf course and have overwintered here for the past few years, but I didn’t see them that day. As I walked south (still only about 100 metres from the bridge), I came across a group of eight Common Mergansers and two groups of Hooded Mergansers, twelve in all, including five adult males.
Hooded Mergansers, conveniently demonstrating 3 different positions of their crests.
On the way back, some new birds had arrived. There were three Long-billed Dowitchers feeding in the canal (very late migrants), and then a group of six Rusty Blackbirds on the mudflats. These birds are not very common, and these were the first ones I’ve ever seen.
I returned to the canal on the weekend to get some photos and see what was new. Most of the same bird species were there, plus one male Redhead.
Redhead (right) with female Hooded Merganser.
I also walked north from the bridge to the source of the canal north of the Max Bell arena. There were Mallards, Ring-billed Gulls, Canada Geese, and a muskrat building a lodge in the middle of the canal. I’m not sure how he’ll make out when it gets colder – he’ll probably have to move to the open water on the river.
Muskrat at lodge.
The canal is a great place for fall birds, and seems to get some late migrants. Lately it has been freezing over at night, and there are birds there only on warm afternoons.
The canal stretches east for many miles, so there is a lot to explore. It is also a good location to do Non-Motorized Transport birding, since there is a paved pathway running alongside it. In the summer I have ridden my bike all the way to Lake Chestermere (25 kms) and back, birding all the way.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK has proclaimed October 24 as Feed The Birds Day. It serves as a reminder of all the things we can do to help the birds through the coming winter.
We’re good at providing fast food for birds in our feeders, and this is certainly a life-saver in the cold snow-covered conditions. But what about ‘slow food?‘ There are many things you can do in your garden and yard to provide food for all wildlife.
These are just a few ideas for helping the birds along this winter. If you have other suggestions, please leave us a comment below!
Feed The Birds Day in Calgary this year was accompanied by rain, sleet and snow in the morning. I made sure all my ‘fast food’ feeders were full, and was rewarded by a yard full of Pine Siskins. These little seed eaters were everywhere, at every feeder. I don’t believe I’ve ever had that many in the yard at one time! These birds are year round visitors in Calgary, so they served as an additional reminder to remember the birds in the coming frigid months!
Pat Bumstead
You just never know where you’re going to find birds.
One warm October afternoon, I decided to walk the dog along the irrigation canal. During the summer, this canal is full, as water is channelled from the Bow River to agricultural fields east of the city. It is drained each fall. At this location (Ogden Road & 50 Ave SE), it is bordered by trees on one side, and parallels the Bow River.
Fall irrigation canal
Once the canal is drained, you can see floating mats of vegetation left behind, that look like they should be full of bird goodies.
Ring-billed Gull checking it out.
Walking down the bike path that borders the canal, I was delighted to see some very late fall migrants poking around in the mud.
Juvenile Great Blue Heron
Greater Yellowlegs
Also checking out the canal were a Solitary Sandpiper, two Killdeer and numerous Mallards. Overhead, there were Rock Doves, Canada Geese, Common Goldeneyes, European Starlings, and another late migrant, a Red-tailed Hawk. Not a bad count for someone who wasn’t birding!