Photos taken April 2, 2011, Calgary.
Posted by Bob Lefebvre
The non-native, much-maligned, and beautiful European Starling.
There are usually a few European Starlings roosting overnight in the spruce trees near my house during the winter. Then, starting in late January, there is a big influx of starlings as the first returning migrants arrive. For the last ten weeks, there have been hundreds around the neighbourhood every evening.
The starlings start appearing at about sunset. Most of them settle first in bare deciduous trees, and they move around in small groups from tree to tree, with very little noise. (It’s when they disperse in the morning that they show off their incredible vocal skills.) Within an hour or so, as it is getting dark, they have all moved deep into spruce trees to roost quietly for the night. You’d never know they were there.
There are already dozens of European Starlings hidden in this spruce tree. (The singing bird is a House Finch.)
Starlings arriving in their nighttime roost during Saturday’s snowstorm.
I wondered if the masses of birds that appear at dusk each day were all local birds that disperse to feed during the day and return at night, or if they were new migrants arriving. When they arrive, they don’t seem to come from any particular direction, and often seem to appear in the trees out of nowhere. I’ve seen them drop down from such a great height that they first appear as tiny dots. It seems that it is a new batch of migrating birds each night. There is nothing special about the trees near my yard, and there are starlings landing in every tree I can see for blocks around. I can’t even guess at how many there might be in the whole city. But starlings are one of our most numerous birds, and recently there was a flock of tens of thousands seen in High River.
It will be interesting to hear if other people are seeing such big flocks of starlings in the city.
Posted by Bob Lefebvre
Taken March 26, 2011, during a spring snowstorm in Calgary.
Bob Lefebvre
As 2011 began, the Northern Saw-whet Owl was right at the top of my list of Birds I Must See. I had heard them singing in the spring before in both the Weaselhead area and in Bowness, but I had never seen one. They are very small, about eight inches (20 cm) high, and active at night. They spend the daytime roosting in tree cavities or dense conifers. So although they are quite common, they are rarely seen.
…….
On Saturday, March 19, the Friends of Fish Creek Park Society outing was at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, where we were looking for returning gulls and waterfowl. Before starting, the leader, Gus Yaki, mentioned that a Northern Saw-whet Owl had been reported a few days previously at the sanctuary. We would look for this little bird near the end of our walk, in the row of spruce trees that run north from Walker House.
…….
However, as we turned north by the lagoon, I noticed a pair of Black-capped Chickadees that seemed quite agitated. Two of us hung back to investigate as the rest of the group went ahead. After a couple of minutes a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches arrived, and then a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches and another pair of chickadees. All the birds were noisy, flicking their tails, and making short sweeping flights into the tree. I have seen birds behave like this before – they are trying to drive away a predator. Still, despite circling the tree a couple of times, I could see nothing. Finally, from a spot right under the tree branches, I found the owl:
Then he found me back:
…….
These owls sit still when confronted, and this one barely moved, except for batting his eyes, as you can see in the video.
…….
Good Birding!
Bob Lefebvre
Last Saturday’s FFCPPS outing was to Bebo Grove in Fish Creek Park, where we searched a stand of spruce south of bridge #5. An American Three-toed Woodpecker has been seen occasionally in this area all winter.
Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park. Access the parking lot from 24 Street SW in Woodbine.
There are many dying spruce trees in this area because of the high water levels. When a spruce dies, wood-boring beetles move in, which in turn provide a food source for the woodpecker. The birds chip off chunks of the bark to get at the larvae. Listen for the soft tapping of the woodpecker, and look for trees which have the reddish-coloured wood under the bark exposed. The bark chips will be scattered at the foot of the tree.
Bark chips on the snow under this tree show that a woodpecker has been feeding here recently.
We quickly found the bird, a male, working on a dying spruce. (Males have a yellow patch on the top of their head). These birds are not timid around people, so we were able to get quite close to watch it worry the bark.
Hammering at the bark – wood bits flying!
Prying up a bark chip.
“Maybe if I go at it from this angle…”
This bird will probably move out of the city to breed before too long, so if you want to see it this season, you’ll have to get out there soon. Meanwhile, I’ll be in Griffith Woods Park looking for the elusive Black-backed Woodpecker.
Good birding!
Bob Lefebvre
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Originally posted August 27, 2009
Note: It appears that the crows are not roosting in the usual spot on Nose Hill this year. If anyone knows of a large night-time crow roost in the city, please leave a comment.
A sure sign that autumn is here is the sight of thousands of American Crows gathering together in huge communal roosts every night. On August 20/09 at 6:00 pm there were several hundred gathered along the south side of Nose Hill Park west of 14th Street in NW Calgary. The crows accumulate throughout the evening, arriving from all over the city and from the surrounding countryside, and then move farther into the park to roost in trees overnight. Yesterday, August 25, I walked into the pre-roost area at 8:45 pm, as it was getting dark. I can only guess at the number of crows gathered there but it surely must have been many thousands. At 9:00 pm they were still arriving from the south at the rate of about one hundred a minute.
This same area was used as a roost last fall. One observer reported on Albertabird that there were almost 8,000 crows there on August 25, 2008. The largest night-roost reported, from Oklahoma, had over a million birds!
The reason that crows gather in large roosts like this is for protection from predators, which large numbers in a small area offers. In the daytime the crows are scattered over hundreds of square miles. If they were to stay there overnight, they potentially would be prey to the dozens of Great Horned Owls which occupy that large area. By concentrating in a small area, the crows reduce their losses to a minimum – one or two that might be taken by the owls that occupy this small territory.
Unless you are the kind of person who is freaked out by being surrounded by a huge mob of chattering birds in near-darkness, it is well worthwhile to take a walk to this roost before the crows migrate. The area is easily accessible. Park in the lot near Brisebois Drive NW, on the north side of John Laurie Boulevard, about halfway between 14 Street and Shaganappi Trail. A short walk up the paved path in Many Owls Valley will take you into the midst of the crows.
If you know of another nighttime crow roost in the city, please leave a comment.
Posted by Bob Lefebvre
Previously posted comments:
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.
Some Recent Results of the Elbow River Bird Survey:
Wednesday, December 1, 2010. Sunny, calm, -02 to 02C.
(Eastern Gray Squirrel – 6 )
November 1, 2010, 9:20-11:50am. Partly cloudy, calm –1 to 6 C.
September 1, 2010. Mostly cloudy, NW wind 20kph, 7-12C.
1.. Mallard-25
2.. Common Merganser-11
3.. Common Loon-2
4.. Osprey-1
5.. Merlin-1
6.. California Gull-41
7.. Rock Pigeon-25
8.. Downy Woodpecker-3
9.. Northern Flicker-18
10.. Western Wood-Pewee-3
11.. Least Flycatcher-1
12.. Black-billed Magpie-46
13.. American Crow-23
14.. Common Raven-5
15.. Tree Swallow-8
16.. Cliff Swallow-500
17.. Black-capped Chickadee-3
18.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-4
19.. House Wren-6
20.. American Robin-48
21.. Gray Catbird-5
22.. Cedar Waxwing-30
23.. Yellow Warbler-3
24.. Western Tanager-3, all 3 at different sites.
25.. Chipping Sparrow-6
26.. Clay-colored Sparrow-1
27.. Song Sparrow-1
28.. Brown-headed Cowbird-1
29.. Baltimore Oriole-1 juv. m.
30.. House Finch-15
31.. American Goldfinch-1 m.
32.. House Sparrow-60.
Also seen, amidst dense leaves at the Glenmore Dam, was a warbler head with a
gray face, eye-ring, light throat and with a yellow wash, apparently on the
upper chest. The first impression was that of a female American Redstart, but
the yellow was definitely on the chest, not on the flanks. At no time was any of
the rest of the body seen. The only other choice was a Virginia’s Warbler. Both
species of course are unlikely at this time. A birding mystery.
Eastern Gray Squirrel-1
Least Chipmunk.
July 1, 2010, 0630-11am, Stanley Park-Glenmore Dam.
a.. Canada Goose-34 + 15 yg/
b.. Mallard-15 m
c.. Common Goldeneye-2 f
d.. Common Merganser-1 f
e.. Osprey-1
f.. Red-tailed Hawk-1+
g.. Spotted Sandpiper-2
h.. Franklin’s Gull-10
i.. Rock Pigeon-14
j.. Downy Woodpecker-2
k.. Northern Flicker-10
l.. ?Western Wood-Pewee-1
m.. Black-billed Magpie-23
n.. Am. Crow-4
o.. Tree Swallow-36+
p.. Bank Swallow-1
q.. Cliff Swallow-20+
r.. Black-capped Chickadee-16
s.. Red-breasted Nuthatch-4
t.. House Wren-5+
u.. Swainson’s Thrush-1
v.. Am. Robin-36
w.. Gray Catbird-4+
x.. European Starling-20
y.. Yellow Warbler-16+
z.. Chipping Sparrow-5
aa.. Clay-colored Sparrow-8+
ab.. Song Sparrow-1 heard
ac.. Common Grackle-2
ad.. Brown-headed Cowbird-6+
ae.. House Finch-3
af.. House Sparrow-14
a.. Eastern Gray Squirrel-7
b.. Red Squirrel-1
Eastern Gray Squirrel-6
Wednesday March 31, 2010 (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
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
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Eastern Gray Squirrel – 5
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.
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
I have a first-year White-crowned Sparrow in my yard today. This isn’t too unusual – I usually get a few of these going through in both spring and fall. But a few years ago, before I became serious about birding, I never would have noticed this bird. It would have been lost among the dozens of House Sparrows in my yard.
One of the first things a beginning birder should do is familiarize themselves with all the common birds they see every day. For the backyard birder, this means not only birds like magpies and chickadees, which are distinctive, but also all the little brown birds which crowd the feeders every day. The vast majority of these in Calgary will be House Sparrows, and in the last few years, House Finches.