The next Birds & Beers event in Calgary is on Thursday June 27, at the Horton Road Legion, from 6 to 9 pm. We will be in the big auditorium and will have a special presentation: “Birding and Botany on the Southern Alberta Walk with Gus Yaki” by Marshall Netherwood.
Pronghorn, a typical southern Alberta prairie species. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285,
9202 Horton Road SW
Thursday June 27, 2019, 6:00-9:00 pm
In 2017 Gus Yaki led a walking group across Southern Alberta from the Saskatchewan border to Waterton Park. Marshall Netherwood has prepared a presentation on some of the birds and plants he saw and photographed on this trip.
Everyone is welcome to attend Birds & Beers. As is usual when we have presentations, these begin after 7 pm. So come at 6 pm (or earlier since the kitchen will be busy), order a meal and have a drink, visit with your fellow birders, and then stay for the presentation. If you can’t make it early drop in later for the show.
This Thursday there will be an exclusive sneak peek screening of the Great Big Nature project. Brian Keating and Bryan Smith, executive producer of MiMedia, invite you to learn more about their latest project. The video series will be launched later this year, but you have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the unique storylines and segments during a special viewing fundraiser.
Come out to hear Brian Keating talk about this exciting new project, and help to get it off the ground. They have a fund-matching opportunity up to $50K, until July 20th, therefore people can double their impact by donating now!
The fundraiser is Thursday June 20, 2019
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Place: La Cité Des Rocheuses (Community Centre and Theatre) Address: 4800 Richard Rd SW, Calgary, AB
Light appetizers and drinks will be served. Please RSVP by June 19th to j_bode[at]ducks.ca
Local photographer Judi Willis found this Yellow Warbler and its nest this week in the Calgary area.
Yellow Warbler. Photo by Judi Willis
Here is one of the pair in the nest:
Yellow Warbler on Nest. Photo by Judi Willis
This is a pretty typical spot for a Yellow Warbler nest – usually in a fork of branches in a bush like this willow, and commonly only ten feet off the ground or so. The nest seems large for a Yellow Warbler, with a lot of material hanging down (animal hair?).
Here are some beautiful birds photographed by Raymond Toal in a garden in Beaver Mines, in the far SW corner of Alberta, near Waterton Park. All photos taken on May 26, 2019 by Raymond Toal.
Here is an update on Gavin McKinnon’s quest to reach the 300-species club in Alberta in a calendar year. You can read more about this and see some photos from January and February in an earlier post here. All photos by Gavin McKinnon.
Northern Pintail
Gavin had about 75 species at the end of February, and by March 31 he had almost doubled that to 147 species. You might think it would be easy to get to 300 if you were almost halfway there by the end of March, but after the bulk of the spring migration is over in late May it gets much tougher to add new species. You need to be pretty close to 300 species (about 240-250) by the end of June to have a good chance to get to 300 by year’s end. It will be interesting to see how high his number gets in the next few weeks. As of this writing, on May 23rd, he is at 209 species in Alberta. (Gavin has a Canadian total of 282 species so far this year,the eighth-highest total on eBird. He has made some trips outside the province, including a recent one to Point Pelee.)
Some of Gavin’s highlight species in Alberta in March and April were Eurasian Wigeon, Boreal Owl, Virginia Rail, Hudsonian Godwit, Purple Finch, and Peregrine Falcon. Here are some more photos.
This weekend the renowned birder Tom Hince will be giving seminars at the Wild Bird Store in Calgary on the subject of the world-famous birding hotspot, Point Pelee, Ontario. This is a place that many local birders have visited for its amazing variety of migrating birds, and that the rest of us would love to visit some day.
The Friday seminar is now full but you can still get tickets for Saturday by phoning the number above or dropping in to the store.
Here are the FAQ’s about this presentation:
What Will I Learn From
This Seminar?
For avid birders, a trip to Point
Pelee should be a must do on your list! In “The Park That Birds and
Birders Built” seminar, Tom will discuss Point Pelee Park, its importance
and why you should visit the park. He will also let the audience know how to prepare
and plan for a visit to the park.
Besides Point Pelee,
What Else Will I Learn From This Seminar?
Besides Point Pelee, Tom will talk
about his birding experiences around the world including birding in the Cold
Lake area. As Tom has spent a lot of time in this area, he will discuss his
Cold Lake birding experiences. This will also include a discussion on finding
warblers and other eastern songbirds in the area.
Will There Be Time To
Ask Questions?
Yes, of course! During and at the
end of the seminar Tom will take audience questions. Tom Hince is an
ornithologist and professional birding guide. He has traveled various areas of
the world looking for and studying a great number of birds. If you have a
birding question that’s been bugging you, make sure you ask it at the seminar!
Will Refreshments and
Snacks be Served at the Seminar?
Yes both refreshments and snacks
will be served at the seminar! In addition, The Wild Bird Store has secured
some great door prizes for both seminar days. We will have
ballots and a draw box set up before you enter the seminar room so make sure
you enter!
I Understand Tom Hince
Has A Book. Will There Be Copies Available for Tom to Sign?
Yes. We will have a limited number of Tom Hince’s “A Birder’s Guide To Point Pelee” available for sale at the seminar. He will sign books after the seminar.
The next Birds & Beers meeting in Calgary will be on Thursday May 30. In addition to good food, good drinks, and good conversation, there will be a presentation by Gavin McKinnon on his trip to Ecuador and the birds he saw and photographed there.
Birds & Beers is a casual social get-together where birders can relax and visit. Everyone is welcome, including children if accompanied by an adult.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285,
9202 Horton Road SW
Thursday May 30, 2019, 6:00-9:00 pm
You can come earlier than 6 pm if you want to avoid the rush at the kitchen. We meet in the big ballroom, and the presentation will begin around 7:15 to 7:30. You are also welcome to arrive just for the presentation.
Here are a couple more photos that Gavin took in Ecuador. There will be plenty more at Birds & Beers!
Golden-naped Tanager Collared Aracari
The following Birds & Beers event will be on Thursday June 27, at the same time and place. There will be a presentation by Marshall Netherwood on “Birding and Botany on the Southern Alberta Walk with Gus Yaki.” The fall Birds & Beers schedule will resume in August. Details to follow.
Here are some birds that Tony LePrieur photographed at Frank Lake on April 27. All of these species can still be found there throughout the breeding season, along with dozens more. All photos by Tony LePrieur.
American Avocet, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019. American Coot, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019. Willet, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019. Black-necked Stilt, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019. Killdeer, Frank Lake, April 27, 2019.
The next day, after an overnight snowstorm in Calgary, there were quite a few migrating songbirds at Carburn Park. Tony was able to get some great shots of Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Carburn Park, April 28, 2019.
These are the Myrtle subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler. The Audubon’s subspecies has a yellow throat and lacks the dark mask. Most of the ones we see here are Myrtles heading for the boreal forest. Audubons breed farther west, but we do see both on migration.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Carburn Park, April 28, 2019. Yellow-rumped Warbler, Carburn Park, April 28, 2019.
There are still flocks of Yellow-rumps moving through the city now. Keep an eye out in parks and even in your yard!
Here is a wonderful opportunity to go to one of the birdiest places on earth and learn to photograph the local birds with an expert who is a native of Costa Rica. There are only three spots open for this trip so act now!
Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop, December 2019
Conducted by Max Ortiz Aguilar
Resplendent Quetzal
Max Ortiz Aguilar is a professional Nature Photographer who lives in Calgary. Since 2014 he has maintained a website, www.photosbymoa.com, where he has his portfolio of photos available for sale and for licensing as digital downloads. Last year Max joined the Friends of Fish Creek birding course to learn more about the local birds, and he has since been contributing to this blog.
Keel-billed Toucan
You should plan to arrive to Costa Rica on December 3rd, and departure will be on December 15th. To give you the best customer service and to guarantee the best experience Max will be offering only 3 spots. In this way he will be able to give you his full attention and this will make things easier for everyone when you are in the field.
See Max’s website for a detailed itinerary of all the amazing spots you will visit during this workshop.
Black-crested Coquette
Included:
Photography mentoring by Max (in the field and post processing)
Online working sessions before and after the workshop
Multi-flash photography setup for hummingbirds
Single accommodation at all locations
All meals, including morning and afternoon snacks
Tours and park fees
Fees for local guides
Transportation (including to and from the Juan Santa María airport in Costa Rica)
Not Included:
Airfare
Macro photography sessions
Alcoholic drinks
Laundry
Insurance
Other Miscellaneous Items
Cost: Total cost per participant is $5,000 USD (all taxes included). To book, a 50% deposit is required. This deposit is non-refundable but it is transferable. The other 50% must be paid by September 15th, 2019. Please visit Max’s site for details, and contact him if you have any questions.
Here are some more of the amazing birds you can see and photograph in Costa Rica:
Yellow-throated ToucanGreen HoneycreeperKing VultureScarlet MacawOrnate Hawk-EagleBaltimore Oriole, one of the species you can see both in Calgary and Costa Rica.Red-headed Barbet
Tomorrow is eBird’s Global Big Day, during which birders all over the world are encouraged to submit their sightings on eBird to create a one-day snapshot of the state of the world’s birds. All you have to do is go birding anywhere and submit your sightings on eBird! Even a few minutes of birding will help to contribute to the Big Day. Click the link above to read all about it.
Last year over 30,00 people submitted lists, recording over 7,000 species of birds. Let’s see if we can top this!
The Cornell Lab has also started doing an eBird Big Day in the fall. The first one was on October 6, 2018. Over 6,000 species were recorded, including these rare Greater Sage-Grouse photographed by Gavin McKinnon. Gavin was the only birder to report this species on the Big Day.
Greater Sage-Grouse, undisclosed location. Photo by Gavin McKinnon. Greater Sage-Grouse, undisclosed location. Photo by Gavin McKinnon. Greater Sage-Grouse, undisclosed location. Photo by Gavin McKinnon.
You can see a band on the leg of the bird in the second photo. These birds are part of a program by the Calgary Zoo to try to at least help this species hang on to its very restricted range in Canada. Here is a news article about this program.
Not everyone will see a rare bird tomorrow, but every sighting of any species counts!
