Come out to Pearce Estate Park in Calgary this Saturday morning to learn how to participate in the City Nature Challenge.
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Pearce Estate last October. They could be back! At any rate the bush should still be there. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
At this event you will learn all about how to use the iNaturalist app and how to make observations so you can participate in the upcoming City Nature Challenge.
Everyone is welcome; just show up at 10 am at Pearce Estate with your phone, tablet, or camera. Sign up for an iNaturalist account on the app or online first. Be prepared to do a mini-BioBlitz of all the wild animals, insects and plants we can find!
Please read all about it on the Calgary CNC website here. There will be more such events coming up before the Challenge so if you can’t make it this week, plan to attend a future one.
I’ve had Eurasian Collared-Doves in my SE Calgary neighbourhood since 2009, and they have nested in the area for several years. For the last three years a pair have nested within sight of my house.
The doves are non-migratory but do gather together in small flocks in the winter, and I don’t usually see them around the yard. The nesting pair arrived back on March 17, and perched in our apple tree for a while.
Eurasian Collared-Dove pair, March 17, 2019. Photo by Bob Lefebvre Eurasian Collared-Dove pair, March 17, 2019. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
I have since seen the pair around quite a bit and heard the male calling and displaying. They nest at mid-level in spruce trees and I think I know which spruce they are nesting in, but it’s very hard to find the nest. I’ve never yet seen the nests or young of this species.
Eurasian Collared-Dove pair, March 17, 2019. Photo by Bob Lefebvre Eurasian Collared-Dove pair, March 17, 2019. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
A really fun and exciting event will be taking place in the city from April 26-29: The City Nature Challenge. This is a bioblitz in which participants will attempt to document all wild living things inside the city limits.
Over 160 cities are competing in three categories: Number of species recorded, number of observations made, and number of participants. It will be hard to match some of the tropical locations for species diversity, but Calgary can certainly compete in the number of participants and observations.
The Challenge uses the iNaturalist website to record and identify wildlife. As a participant, all you have to do is take a photo of a species and upload it to the website on your desktop or smartphone. The international community of iNaturalist users help to identify the species.
The Calgary effort is being organized by Matthew Wallace. See the Calgary website here and read about the competition and upcoming events. The first workshop, where you can learn how to use the phone app and use it in the field, is coming up at Pearce Estate on April 13. Here is the link to the Facebook page which lists all the workshops.
The iNaturalist app and website are very easy to use. You can begin making observations right away, and continue to use the app anywhere and any time to contribute to our knowledge of species distribution and diversity.
I will post more information about this challenge soon on Birds Calgary but please go to the website and read all about it.
Here is my latest upload to iNaturalist. This White-tailed Jackrabbit was sitting by our mailboxes so I snapped a photo with my phone, and ten seconds later it was on the iNaturalist site. Easy!
White-tailed Jackrabbit, iPhone photo, Calgary,April 8, 2019. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
The next Calgary Birds & Beers event will be held on Thursday, April 4th at the Horton Road Legion.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285, 9202 Horton Road SW
Thursday March 4, 2019, 6:00-9:00 pm
There won’t be a presentation this time, but we do plan to have an interactive activity and questionnaire based on last year’s Christmas Bird Count results. We hope we will all learn a bit more about the patterns of bird populations over the years. There is no need to have participated in the counts to take part in this activity.
Birds & Beers is a free social event open to anyone. Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Food and drinks are available at the Legion at a reasonable price. Come out and visit with your fellow birders!
Upcoming Birds & Beers events are scheduled for Thursday May 2, Thursday May 30, and Thursday June 27, at the same time and place.
Mountain Bluebird, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, April 16, 2013. Photo by Dan Arndt.
The popular spring session of the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society (FFCPPS) Birding Course will begin on Monday April 1, 2019. The course consists of weekly field trips to various parks in the city. You can expect to see over 150 species on this twelve-week course.
Here is the course description from the FFCPP website: During the spring, hundreds of bird species pass through or reside in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Through the Spring Birding Course you can see, hear and learn about fascinating bird species, view them as they return from their wintering grounds and enjoy watching new spring arrivals. Whether you are new to birding or are an experienced birder, these outdoor sessions will enhance your knowledge about birds and provide an opportunity to meet others who enjoy birds and nature. This course is also great for families who would like to spend time together in nature, explore Fish Creek and other natural areas, and learn about birds and conservation. Lifelong naturalist Gus Yaki, and other experienced birding instructors, conducts these outings as a fundraiser for the Friends of Fish Creek.
You can read more about the course and register to participate here.
This Birds Calgary post from last year shows photographs of some of the amazing birds that were seen during the 2018 spring session!
The Phillips Brewing Company has a program where they create a special beer for a charity, name the beer after the charity, and donate the proceeds to them. In Alberta, five finalists have been nominated.
Photo courtesy of Nature Calgary
Nature Calgary, the local umbrella group for Calgary Naturalists, is one of the nominees. They have provided critical support for Calgary birders for decades through their field trips, speaker series, and other programs. With your support, they could win $10,000.
The other nominees are The Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society, The Oldman Watershed Council, The Leftovers Foundation, and the Aquarium Society of Alberta.
Visit this pageto read about the nominees and to vote for your favourite. You can vote once a day on each of your computers or devices until February 1st.
The first Birds & Beers event of the new year will be on Thursday, January 24. Bob and Dianne Leonhardt will do a presentation about their recent trip, called “Twenty-five Days in Peru.”
Vermillion Flycatcher in Lima, Peru.
Birds & Beers is a social gathering which is open to everyone. Come and visit with your fellow birders and have something to eat and drink, and then stay for the presentation afterwards. We start at 6 pm and you can drop in anytime after that. The presentation will start after 7 pm. Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch #285
9202 Horton Road SW
Thursday January 24, 2019, 6:00-9:00 pm
We will be meeting in the large auditorium, to the right after you go in the main entrance of the Legion.
The schedule for upcoming Birds & Beers meetings has been set. All meetings will be at the Horton Road Legion.
This Short-eared Owl was photographed east of High River by Judi Willis in November.
Short-eared Owl, east of High River, November 22, 2018. Photo by Judi Willis.
Short-eared Owls are scarce around Calgary in the winter but can sometimes be found hunting over uncultivated fields. They will hunt int he daytime but are most active at dawn and dusk. They are a sensitive species, so the exact location should not be publicly disclosed.
Judi watched this owl hunt for a while and managed to capture it diving for prey.
Short-eared Owl Hunting, east of High River, November 22, 2018. Photo by Judi Willis.
Nature Calgary Field Trips: Various dates and times. See this page. Some trips require registering in advance.
Wednesday January 9, 7:30 pm. Cardel Theatre. Nature Calgary Bird Study Group Presentation. Calgary and Area Christmas Bird Count results. Free for Nature Calgary members (bring your card) and $5 for non-members, payable at the door.
Wednesday January 16, 7:30 pm. Nature Calgary Speaker Series: Tall Tales, Long Lenses by John Marriot. Free for Nature Calgary members (bring your card) and $5 for non-members, payable at the door.
Saturday January 19, Noon to 3 pm. Christmas Bird Count for Kids. Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Free, but registration required.
Wednesday January 23, 7 pm. Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Speaker Series: Dinosaur Provincial Park by Amber DeKam. Registration required. Free for FFCPP members; $10 for non-members.
Thursday January 24, 6 pm. Birds & Beers. Royal Canadian Legion, 9202 Horton Road SW. Everyone welcome.
