The next Calgary Birds & Beers meeting will take place this Friday.
Royal Canadian Legion, Centennial Calgary Branch#285,
9202 Horton Road SW.
Friday May 13, 2022, 6:00-9:00 pm
After 7 pm, there will be a presentation by the award-winning photographer Mark Garbutt, featuring birds of the world.
Green-winged Macaws. Photo by Mark Garbutt
Growing up in Western Quebec, Mark developed an interest in birding and wildlife at a very young age, and that passion has continued throughout his life. While many years of his adult life were spent in Alberta, he has also lived in Texas, Alaska, and the UK. This further fuelled his passion for nature and led Mark to a 20+ year career in leading photography trips for groups to Alaska, Brazil, Patagonia, the Galapagos, many countries in Africa, and India. In addition to leading trips, he and his wife are always looking for new nature destinations to explore, from the Arctic to the Amazon, South America, Europe and beyond. Mark has received many recognitions for his photography including Natures Best Wildlife Photography Award in North America and runner up in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the year. He currently lives outside Okotoks and can often be found at Frank Lake.
Everyone is welcome. The meeting begins at 6 pm, with the presentation to begin at about 7:15. Come early and have a beer, socialize, and have something to eat. You are welcome to come at 7 just for the presentation if you prefer. We will be meeting in the back room of the Legion.
Baby White-tailed Jackrabbit. Photo from the CWRS.
This is not primarily about birds, but the arrival of the Avian Flu virus has put more of a strain than usual on the resources of wildlife rehabilitation organizations in Alberta. White-tailed Jackrabbits are ubiquitous in Calgary, and every spring the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (CWRS) has many baby hares brought to them, most of which are perfectly safe and healthy. We also have Snowshoe Hares, and this applies to them as well. Read to the end where there is also advice on handling baby birds, which are beginning to be seen in the area.
CALGARY WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY CLOSE TO CAPACITY FOR BABY HARE INTAKE
Calgary, Alberta- Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society has nearly reached its capacity to take in baby hares just as the busy baby season starts. Calgary Wildlife is currently caring for 35 baby hares that were brought to the wildlife clinic by well-meaning individuals thinking the babies needed help. But in reality, the majority of the hares did not need help. Of the 35 babies brought to Calgary Wildlife, only three had injuries that required attention, the remaining 32 were unintentionally taken from their mothers. Often well-meaning individuals see a baby hare by itself during the day and assume the hare has been orphaned or needs help. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Hares are born with their eyes open and the ability to hop within hours of birth. Their mothers leave them during the day as a way of protecting them from predators but always come back to feed and forage with them. Baby hares can easily camouflage into their surroundings and freeze in place, which makes them nearly invisible to predators. In general, hares are very difficult animals to rehabilitate due to their extremely high-stress levels and delicate gut bacteria. Sadly, healthy baby hares brought into rehabilitation centres have a much higher mortality rate than if they were left on their own in the wild. The best advice during the baby season is, “if you see a baby hare you should leave it there”. If the public is unsure if a baby hare needs help, they can call the Calgary Wildlife hotline at 403-214-1312 for advice.
A shareable PSA about baby hares can be viewed here:
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. For more information, please visit www.calgarywildlife.org
Baby White-tailed Jackrabbit. Photo from the CWRS.
Media Inquiries: Beki Hunt Executive Director Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society calgarywildlifeinfo[at]gmail.com 587-890-5349
And here is another video on the Calgary Wildlife channel about How to Help Baby Birds:
The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society is dedicated to treating injured and orphaned wildlife, providing valuable outreach and education services to the community and engaging all volunteers in motivational work and skill building experience.
The event continues until midnight on Monday May 2.
Posted by Bob Lefebvre
The first two days of the City Nature Challenge are complete and so far we have over 400 species reported from over 2,500 observations. I’m sure many observers (like me) have taken quite a few photos that they haven’t had time to post to iNaturalist yet, so the numbers for the first two days will increase, and we still have two days to go. Participants have until 9am on May 9 to upload their photos, so please don’t think you can’t participate because you won’t have time. Try to take a few photos of each organism so it is easier for the iNaturalist AI and for other participants to identify.
Eurasian Collared-Dove I photographed in my yard on April 30. It may take a few days before I get a chance to upload this and other photos to the project, but I have until May 9 at 9 am to do so. Photo by Bob Lefebvre.
You can take photos of any living thing – birds, other animals, plants, even bacteria if you are able to! Good quality photos are important, but for many birds and animals the photos only have to be good enough to identify, which is often easy even with distant or blurry photos, so don’t hesitate to capture a bird’s photo because you can’t get a perfect shot. Common species like House Sparrows and dandelions should be recorded as well as more “interesting” species.
A centipede I photographed in my yard yesterday using my phone. Based on the iNaturalist Artificial Intelligence I believe it is a Brown Centipede, but if it is another species the worldwide network of iNaturalist users will correct me. Photo by Bob Lefebvre
This is a planet-wide event with hundreds of cities taking part. There are forty-two Canadian municipalities participating this year. Of course every city has a different set of species, but we can “compete” to see how many people take part, how many observations we make, and how many species we record – even if it’s not a level playing field. In Calgary we have taken pride in leading the country in the number of observations we have made during past CNC’s.
This year, we have a little work to do to catch up to Toronto for total observations. The stats at the top of the page are for the whole country. (See the iNaturalist project page for Canada.)
The Canadian cities with the most observations as of Sunday morning, May 1, 2022.
You might also like to see how the worldwide challenge is going – some incredible numbers from La Paz, Hong Kong, and (as always) Cape Town. See the page here for a complete list of cities and their progress.
In case you have any questions about how the challenge works, here is a quick FAQ from the City Nature Challenge main website.
Please get out and help to log the biodiversity of the Calgary area!
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!
DANIEL ARNDT
MYRNA PEARMAN
JAY INGRAM
ANDREW BARNES
CHRIS FISHER
