Take part in the Fourth Annual Calgary CNC From Friday through Monday.
From today, Friday April 29 through Monday May 2, you can participate in this worldwide Citizen Science project by recording your observations of plants, animals, insects – any living thing, or signs living things – on the iNaturalist app or website. It is very easy to do with a smartphone or by uploading photos to the website.
All the information you need in on the CityNatureYYC2022 webpage. This is a free event and open to all. Simply go out and take photos of any wild animals or plants The geographical area has been expanded to encompass the Rocky View and Foothills counties surrounding Calgary, including Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, and Okotoks.
The goal of Bioblitzes like this is to document the biodiversity of an area over time, so we can work to preserve and protect the natural world. So please document as many things as you can – everything is important. The goal for Calgary is to have 10,000 observations in the four-day period. Take as many good photos as you can (up to four of each organism can be included). You will have a week or so to upload all your observations after the challenge. Good Luck!
The next Calgary Birds & Beers meeting will take place this Friday.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285,
9202 Horton Road SW.
Friday April 8, 2022, 6:00-9:00 pm
Greg Wagner will present a talk on “Will the Foothills Solar Project Impact Bird Populations At Frank Lake?” Greg manages the Frank Lake Important Bird Area and is the expert on the birds of Frank Lake and area. There is a proposal to build a large solar array immediately adjacent to the lake.
White-faced Ibis. These birds are relatively recent additions to the breeding birds of Frank Lake. Photo by Tony LePrieur
Everyone is welcome. The meeting begins at 6 pm, with the presentation to begin at about 7:15.
In 2021 Calgary was one of four Canadian cities to be designated as bird-friendly cities. As part of the effort to increase awareness of challenges that urban birds face, Bird Friendly Calgary is holding a vote to designate an official bird for Calgary.
The hope is to raise awareness about the importance of urban wildlife, to help mitigate threats to birds, to increase education and public engagement, and to celebrate Calgary’s birds!
The public can now choose an official bird from the five short-listed candidates. You can vote on the Calgary Bird page. You can also make suggestion on how to make Calgary a more bird-friendly city.
The Wild Bird Store in SE Calgary not only offers bird feed and every other product for the backyard birder, but they also have a very good Speaker Series featuring many great presenters on a variety of topics of interest to local birders.
The talks will all be done using Zoom. There are six upcoming talks on the next six Wednesdays, starting tomorrow with Dan Arndt speaking on Alberta Owls. (Unfortunately Dan’s presentation is now sold out. Tickets to these events are limited.) Check out the remaining talks below, starting March 23. They are all excellent speakers. I am particularly interested to hear Andrew Barnes on how he established the first breeding colony of Purple Martins in Calgary in many decades!
Please Note:Even though these are virtual seminars, they limit the number of spaces available. This will allow adequate time for the Q&A portion of the presentation. All presentations are through “ZOOM” and they suggest you sign up early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite and are non-refundable. Click the Eventbrite link below each talk description to purchase tickets.
DANIEL ARNDT
Daniel is a wildlife biologist specializing in wild bird surveys and is a tour operator here in Calgary.
Speaker Series Topic: “How and where to find owls in Alberta” Date: Wednesday March 16, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Cost: $15.00 (+ fees & gst) —Sold Out! Daniel’s presentation will be on how and where to find owls in Alberta which will include the dos and don’ts of watching and photographing owls.
MYRNA PEARMAN
Retired biologist, passionate observer of nature, keen wildlife photographer and a nature columnist.
Speaker Series Topic: “Appreciating Bird Behaviour” Date: Wednesday March 23, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Cost: $15.00 (+ fees & gst) Inspired by Jennifer Ackerman’s book, The Genius of Birds, Myrna will be giving a presentation that highlights some fascinating aspects of bird behaviour. Her talk will not only encourage a new appreciation for birds, but it also will help us better understand and marvel at the astonishing intelligence and abilities of our wild avian neighbours. She will focus on Alberta birds, especially the common species that grace our yards and gardens. Eventbrite
JAY INGRAM
Former TV host of the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet and organizer & co-founder of Beakerhead. He is an engaging, provocative speaker who can address complex, scientific issues in non-technical terms.
Speaker Series Topic: “The First Bird” Date: Wednesday March 30, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Cost: $15.00 (+ fees & gst) The fossil animal Archaeopteryx was first identified in the mid 1800s and still, despite competition from a horde of feathered dinosaurs, holds the title of “the first bird”. What does it tell us about the origins of bird flight? How well did it fly? Why have there been so many Archaeopteryx controversies? Eventbrite
ANDREW BARNES
Purple Martins of Calgary
Speaker Series Topic: “Purple Martin Colony in Calgary” Date: Wednesday April 6, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Cost: $15.00 (+ fees & gst) Andrew Barnes has successfully established a Purple Martin house behind his residence in New Brighton here in Calgary. He has put considerable research and effort to have the first successful PUMA colony in Calgary in 80 years and the most southerly one in Alberta. Eventbrite
CHRIS FISHER
Best-selling co-author of popular field guide “Birds of Alberta”, filmmaker and television host shares inspiring storylines that connect audiences with skills that organizations value. Trained as a scientist and travelling the world as a lecturer, Chris explored and investigated universal strategies of success common to individuals, institutions and organizations.
Speaker Series Topic: “How wild birds have helped our mental health during the Pandemic” Date: Wednesday April 13, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Cost: $15.00 (+ fees & gst) Chris delves into the popularity and importance wild birds have contributed to society’s mental health during these challenging times and will combine the topic with some local birding stories that have helped folks over the past two years. Eventbrite
To keep informed about future events hosted by the Wild Bird Store, sign up to receive their monthly newsletter here.
CALGARY WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY CELEBRATES WORLD WILDLIFE DAY BY KICKING OFF ITS ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST.
The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (Calgary Wildlife) is a registered charitable organization that was established in 1993. Calgary Wildlife provides expert compassionate care to injured and orphaned wildlife in and around the City of Calgary. As an accredited veterinary hospital (ABVMA), Calgary Wildlife is open 365 days a year and is the only wildlife rehabilitation centre located within the city. Calgary Wildlife also provides valuable outreach and educational services to the community.
In celebration of World Wildlife Day, an annual event that raises awareness about the plight of wild animals around the globe, Calgary Wildlife is resuming its annual wildlife photography contest, Eye For The Wild.
In its third year, Eye For The Wild photography contest is open to all amateur photographers to submit their best untouched photos of Alberta wildlife in their natural habitats. With over 500 species of wildlife that call Calgary home, natural habitats could include backyards, parks, and other city or natural spaces.
“This year’s World Wildlife Day celebrations seek to draw attention to the conservation status of endangered wild animals, and here in Alberta, we have a few,” says Melanie Whalen, Director of Animal Care at Calgary Wildlife, “including the Burrowing Owl and the Little Brown Bat. We hope that our Eye For The Wild contest will help draw attention to all the wild creatures that we are lucky enough to share space with here in Calgary,” says Whalen.
A ten dollar entry fee is required per photo and amateur photographers can submit up to three photographs. All proceeds raised from the contest go to helping injured and orphaned wildlife. This year’s winners will be chosen by The CBC Eyeopener’s David Gray, Norberg Hall co-director Shannon Norberg, Calgary artist Dean Stanton, professional wildlife photographer and videographer Darryl MacDonald, and Canadian artist and photographer Elyse Bouvier. Winners will be featured in Calgary Wildlife’s new print publication, its 2023 calendar, and on social media. The winners will also be awarded prizes donated by the following generous sponsors; Vistek, Donna Mac, Pandora’s Framing, The Camera Store, and The Wild Bird Store.
The Eye For The Wild contest runs from March 3rd until April 15th. For full contest details visit https://woobox.com/75gr7c
In 1992, Peter Sherrington and Des Allen serendipitously discovered that large numbers of Golden Eagles and other raptors were migrating along a corridor on the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains in Kananaskis. Prior to this it was thought that not many Golden Eagles migrated. Peter and a group of volunteers began observing and recording the migrating birds. Over the next ten years they observed over 80,000 Golden Eagles (plus over 16,000 other raptors from 17 other species) passing through the corridor.
Observers at Hay Meadow, Kananaskis, Alberta. Photo by Caroline Lambert
The Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation, a non-profit organization, was set up with the goal of increasing knowledge of Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle and other raptor migrations in Western Canada. For over thirty years the foundation has organized spring and fall migrant watches at three sites in the foothills.
The Hay Meadows site with Mount Lorette in the background. Photo by Caroline lambert
Caroline Lambert, one of the Principal Observers, is appealing for new volunteers to join the team of observers. Anyone can join the observers at the sites to help – it’s a very interesting place to visit and I encourage anyone with any interest to get in touch with the foundation and see where and when to go – but they also have a need to recruit more volunteers who can commit to observing for full days at regular times.
Golden Eagle, photographed by Caroline Lambert
Here is Caroline’s description of what is involved, and the rewards of taking part in this important project.
It’s a deep connection to nature like no other. Going to the same place regularly and staying there for a full day allows the birds and other animals to come to you, and over time you witness how the season changes, oh so gradually. That’s what it’s like at the semiannual eagle migration count in Kananaskis. A casual visitor, coming for a few hours at the peak of migration, will see just a snapshot of this. They might witness a few dozen eagles flying by, maybe a Red-tailed Hawk or Northern Goshawk, the usual chickadees, nuthatches, maybe the American Dipper. If they’re lucky, they might see some elk, or a moose, or deer grazing in the meadow. But the long-time observers have seen just about everything the area has to offer. Eighteen different species of raptor have been seen at the site, mostly eagles, but also Turkey Vultures, Ospreys, harriers, five different species of hawk, five species of falcons, and the three accipiters, with Northern Goshawk an almost daily occurrence. While cougar sightings have been admittedly very rare, most of us have seen all the other mammals in the area, including wolves and lynxes.
The eagle count at Kananaskis, run by the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation, has been running for over 30 years, and many of the older observers are no longer able to help out. We’re looking for dedicated people to help fill our ranks. We appreciate everyone who shows up with a pair of binoculars to help spot birds, but what we need most are people who will commit to a regular schedule, first as an Assistant Observer, and later as a Principal Observer. The Assistant Observer only needs to be able to spot birds and describe to the Principal where the birds are so the Principal can ID them, but the Principal Observer needs to be able to identify all the raptors that fly by. It takes some time to acquire the skills to do that – usually our Principal Observers start out as Assistant Observers and learn on the job, which is the best way to learn – out in the field, with an experienced person at your side. This isn’t for everyone as you need to be out at the site all day (mid-morning until sunset for assistants, sunrise to sunset for principals), constantly scanning the skies, and the weather can be a challenge, but for those who do this regularly, the rewards that keep us coming back and looking forward to the next season are there – the sighting of a wolf, or a Gyrfalcon, or one of those glorious days when hundreds of eagles fly by. We smile when the dipper comes by, almost every day, dipping as dippers do, and often singing. We marvel at the bluebirds, robins, and Varied Thrushes that show up in mid-March when it still seems too cold for them. It keeps us coming back season after season – not just for what we witness, but knowing that we are contributing to our knowledge of raptor demographics, especially eagles, as citizen scientists.
Even if you can’t help out, then donations to help compensate observers for expenses would be much appreciated.
The spring 2022 eagle migration count starts on March 1 and runs until April 22. Detailed information, including location and how to get there and how to donate, can be found on the website at eaglewatch.ca.
Hope you see you out there.
Caroline Lambert, Canmore
Bald Eagles at Hay Meadows, Kananaskis, Alberta. Bald Eagles are the second-most frequently observed raptors. Photo by Caroline LambertNorthern Goshawk at Hay Meadows, Kananaskis, Alberta. Photo by Caroline Lambert
Please check out the website – it’s full of fascinating observation records and a history of the counts. And even if you can’t get out to the sites yourself, you can support the project with a donation, or purchase a lifetime membership for just $20!
The May Species Counts, held each year over a weekend in the second half of May, are a highlight on the birding calendar. There are several counts in Alberta (including one in Calgary on the last weekend in May). For each count, birders go out to sections of the 80-km diameter count circle and record all the species (and the numbers of each) that they can find. It’s an attempt to have a long-term record of birding populations during spring migration.
Lark Sparrow, Southern Alberta, May 2020. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
Many Calgary birders participate each year in two SE Alberta counts, at Brooks-Lake Newell and at Writing-On-Stone. These give local birders an opportunity to experience some different and beautiful prairie habitats and find some bird species that are not common near the city.
The organizers of these two counts, Debra Hornsby and Donna Wieckowski, are hoping to get some new people to take part this year. In particular they would like to have more birders out for the Writing-On-Stone count, but can accommodate more for Brooks/Lake Newell as well.
Hello Alberta Bird Counters! We are pleased to announce that the Brooks-Lake Newell and Writing-on-Stone Bird Counts will take place this year on the following dates:
· Brooks-Lake Newell Bird Count: Sat. May 21 and Sun. May 22
· Writing-on-Stone Bird Count: Sat. May 28 and Sun. May 29
If you plan on camping we highly recommend booking early!
Tillebrook: general reservations for May 20-22 opened at 9 am on Saturday February 19.
Writing-on-Stone: general reservations for May 27-29 will open at 9 am on Saturday February 26. www.reserve.albertaparks.ca or 1-877-537-2757
All participants must pre-register. Please indicate interest in participating to Debra Hornsby and registration details will be sent out by March 31, 2022.
Because many count areas are accessed via rough country roads, high-clearance or 4×4 vehicles are recommended.
We are hopeful that we will be able to resume in-person Friday night meetings to review count protocols and hand out area assignments – be sure to be there! (We’ll have a Plan B ready in case Covid doesn’t cooperate!) Note: a small fee of $12 per person will be charged to all Brooks participants to cover the rental of the Brooks Legion meeting room. The attached brochure provides further information, and a draft count schedule. Registration forms will be emailed by March 31.
For the past five years Caroline Lambert and I have been keeping track of all species reported in the Calgary region in the winter months (December 1 to February 28). This is something that Gerry Fox has done for the Edmonton birding community for many years. Caroline also keeps a list for the Bow Valley birding area in the Banff-Canmore area. There is also a long-standing list for the whole province that is maintained by Richard Klauke.
Northern Flicker puffed up at -30 Celcius. We may get a little more weather like that yet! Photographed in Calgary on January 2022 by Ray Turner.
It’s interesting to see how many species and how many rarities we can find in the winter, and many birders like to keep a personal winter list so that they have incentive to get out during these slow birding months.
The Calgary region is the 80-km diameter circle that is also used for the May Species Count:
The Calgary birding region.
Here are the numbers of species we have recorded:
In the first two years we only accepted sightings that were posted to Albertabird but since then we have included any confirmed sightings we can get. So, although it is a small sample size, 110 to 120 species seems to be what we get in the winter.
We are currently at 113 species. The most recent additions, since January 15, are Red Crossbill, Purple Finch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Clark’s Nutcracker.
As always seems to happen when you keep a list, we have had some great rarities this year, but we have also missed on some species we usually get. But there is still a little over a week to go, so maybe we can find two or three more.
The three species that have been reported in all four previous years but not this year are American Kestrel, Harris’s Sparrow, and American Goldfinch. It seems a long shot that these will be found at this point, but it’s surprising that none have been seen.
Harris’s Sparrow, photographed NW of Cochrane, October 4, 2021. Photo by Steve Dyke
Spruce Grouse is definitely a species we should be able to find. It was reported in three out of the four previous winters. Although their range is restricted to the western edge of the circle, there should be some around.
The other possibilities are the three local “hard-to-find” owls, Barred, Long-eared, and Boreal. And sometimes we get California Gulls or even Ring-billed before the end of February.
My personal winter list is now up to 44 species, which is still very low. I have only six species that are only or primarily seen in winter, plus a lot of resident birds and seasonal rarities. So I have nine days to go find Snowy Owls, Snow Buntings, Pine Grosbeaks, Northern Shrikes, and many others!
My best “winter” bird this year, a seasonally rare Fox Sparrow. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
Here is a link to the page that Caroline maintains with all four winter lists. If you’ve seen any of the species that haven’t yet been reported this winter, let me know.
Previous posts on Albertabird about the 2021-2022 Calgary winter list:
We have had to postpone the return of Birds & Beers once again, to Friday March 11. The programme remains the same:
Covid Protocols will be in place, but anyone who has a vaccine passport is welcome. If anything changes between now and then, I will post an update.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285,
9202 Horton Road SW.
Friday March 11, 2022, 6:00-9:00 pm
We will be meeting in the smaller back rooms since the ballroom is not available. There will ba a very small charge to attend since we now have to pay for the rooms. Food and drinks are available at a reasonable cost.
Long-billed Curlew. Photo by Bob and Dianne Leonhardt.
The meeting begins at 6 pm. You may come early if you want to eat before most of the people arrive. At about 7 pm, a special presentation by Bob and Dianne Leonhardt will begin.
A Visit to Grasslands National Park
Grasslands National Park in South-western Saskatchewan is Canada’s only national park dedicated to the presentation and protection of the Prairie Grasslands Natural Region. It is one of North America’s best parcels of mixed grass prairie habitat. In late May of 2021 we visited the Park to explore and experience the beautiful scenery, birds and other wildlife of the region. We encountered about 100 species of birds, some of which we will show you in this presentation. Bob and Dianne Leonhardt
DANIEL ARNDT
MYRNA PEARMAN
JAY INGRAM
ANDREW BARNES
CHRIS FISHER
