Tag Archive | calgary bird blog

Shepard Slough Survey

Alberta Environment is conducting an online survey to help determine the future development or preservation of the Shepard Slough and surrounding wetlands, including the new Ralph Klein Park, in SE Calgary. These wetlands are important stopover points for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. Shepard Slough is the best shorebird habitat within the city of Calgary, and it is vitally important that we birders make our voices heard if we want to preserve it. Please fill out the survey form and have your say in conserving these valuable resources.

Below is the introductory article from the Alberta Environment site.

Why Study Ecosystem Services

As part of its Ecosystem Services (ES) Program, Alberta Environment has undertaken an ecosystem services approach pilot project on wetlands in the greater Shepard Slough area of east Calgary/Rocky View County. This region provides many recreation and education opportunities to people such as birding, nature walking, and field trips to the region. The Ecosystem Services Pilot project in will provide tool(s) to enhance decision making in order to:

Test and determine how the approach can be used to help inform tradeoffs between development and the benefits provided by wetlands;
Explore ways to provide a broader suite of social, economic and environmental perspectives to information land-use decision making; and
Examine the largely unrecognized but important benefits that society receives from nature.

The study is part of a larger transition to a cumulative effects management system and will help ensure informed and robust decision-making.

Once the pilot is complete, we will have a better understanding of how to use the ecosystem services approach and where the approach could be applied to support Alberta Environment priorities.

To better understand the recreation and education benefits enjoyed in the Shepard Slough area, a survey of recreation participation is being conducted. Through this survey, valuable information will be collected including travel distances, costs of travel, and types of activities preferred by users. Anyone that enjoys visiting wetlands in the Shepard Slough, including Ralph Klein Park, for recreation and education purposes is encouraged to complete the survey.

Information brochures about the study are available at Ralph Klein Park, or via the attached PDF below. The survey can be completed by selecting the survey link below.

Thank you to all participants. Your contribution is greatly appreciated

To go to the site, click here.

To go to the survey, click here.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 15

Sep16

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at zoxox@shaw.ca To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

This Bird Albert was recorded on Sep 15, 2011.

SEP 12

Orange-crowned Warbler – 21 banded at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary banding station

SEP 13

Orange-crowned Warbler – 17 as above
Pine Siskin – numerous flocks of 20+ seen coming into North Glenmore Park by Terry Korolyk

SEP 14

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 30 seen by TK at Hull’s Wood in a short space of time
Blackpoll Warbler – 1 as above
Tennessee Warbler – 1 as above
Wilson’s Warbler – 1 as above

SEP 15

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 30 seen by Bill Wilson and Ilya Povalyaev at Confederation Park
Tennessee Warbler – 2 as above
Orange-crowned Warbler – 8 as above
Blackpoll Warbler – 1 as above
American Redstart – 1 as above
Wilson’s Warbler – 7 as above
Palm Warbler – 1, as above
Pine Siskin – 30, as above

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Mon Sep 19.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 12

Sep13

This Bird Albert was recorded on Sep 12, 2011.

SEP 8

AMERICAN PIPIT – 4 seen by Terry Korolyk at Clear Lake east of Stavely

SEP 10

SNOW GOOSE – 2 adults seen by TK at Cattleland Feedlot Slough north of Strathmore
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE – 150 reported as above; 52 seen by John Corbin on RR 264 2 miles north of Irricana
RUDDY TURNSTONE – juvenile seen by TK at Weed Lake
WESTERN SANDPIPER – seen as above
MOURNING WARBLER – found by Tony Timmons in his yard in Evergreen Terrace

SEP 11

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE – Andrew Slater reported 200 at the Cattleland Feedlot Slough, as well as 35 in a flooded field on Hwy 564 3 kms west of the Cattleland Slough
SANDERLING – TK saw 3 juveniles in the NE corner of the large slough at the corner of the Hwy 547 – Rge Rd 255 junction 20 kms north of Herronton
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER – 2 seen as above
DOWITCHER sp – 300 at 338 Ave and Hwy 799 , TK
PECTORAL SANDPIPER – 35 as above
STILT SANDPIPER – Bill Wilson saw 30 at Weed Lake
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD – Ian Maton saw one at Confederation Park in Calgary
AMERICAN PIPIT – Bill Wilson saw 8 at Weed Lake

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Thu Sep 15.

A Prairie Evening Drive

Sep13

Posted by Pat Bumstead

Sunday Showcase: Bald Eagle

Sep11

Rob English has sent us more of his superb photos. This week it’s a juvenile bald eagle, photographed in Carburn Park in late July and early August. Click to enlarge.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 8

Sep9

This Bird Alert was recorded on Thursday Sept 08 at 9:55 am.

Bird Sightings:

Sept 3:
SANDERLING (8), WHITE-FACED IBIS (5), COMMON NIGHTHAWK seen at Frank Lake, Daniel Hart.

Sept 4:
TURKEY VULTURE (4) circling over Glemore Tr. at 37th St., Melanie?

Sept 5:
FOX SPARROW at IBS, Calgary Bird Banding Society
PHILADELPHIA VIREO, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, Mallard Pt, FCPP, Gus Yaki.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, PEREGRINE FALCON at IBS, DH.

Sept 6:
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, Confederation Pk, Bill Wilson.

Sept 7:
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS (2) at North Glenmore Pk. Terry Korolyk.
FOX SPARROW (red), Confederation Pk, BW.
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, Confederation Pk., Eddie Matuod.
CASSIN’S VIREO, COOPER’S HAWK, north Glenmore Pk., TK.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday Sept 12.

My Summer Surprise

Sep6

Over the many years we’ve lived in this house, I’ve managed to accumulate 105 bird species on my yard list (including those birds seen flying over the house). We have mature trees, shrubs, birdbaths and way too many bird feeders for the ones that touch down.

At least once each summer, I see a quick flash of iridescent green whiz by, generally so fast I can’t identify the individual hummingbird species. I’ve been assuming Ruby-throated, just because the odds are better.

A couple of years ago, we decided to remove a huge chunk of lawn and put in a hummingbird and bee garden. The first flowers that we put in were Scarlet Bee Balm Monarda didyma, a very showy flower that hummers love. All the plants in this garden are perennials, and just grow more glorious each year.

Last week I was sitting on my back deck, watching for any warblers or sparrows that might be passing through, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the garden.

A HUMMER! In my hummingbird garden!

I whipped up my binos to see a juvenile Ruby-throated feeding on the bee balm. As I was watching him, I remembered I had my camera on my lap so I fired off a series of pictures. They aren’t really the best but two years ago I didn’t have the garden or a digital camera so I’m happy.

I now judge my hummingbird garden a success. As for the bee portion of my garden, I have enough pictures and video for a full length movie on bees. I may have gotten just a teeny bit carried away, and now I need to find some time to edit all of my efforts. Watch this space!

Posted by Pat Bumstead

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Sept 5

Sep6

This Bird Alert was recorded on Monday Sept 05 at 10:10 am.
Bird Sightings:

Aug 29:
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER at IBS, Richard Clarke.

Sept 1:
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO (2), at Confederation Pk, Ed Kissinger.
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, OVENBIRD, OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER at Mallard Pt, FCPP, Peter Roxborough.
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, Bowness Pk, Malcolm MacDonald.
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at Confederation Pk, David Pugh.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER at Hull’s Woods, FCPP, Terry Korolyk.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (6), WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE (10), WESTERN TANAGER (6), on the Elbow River Survey, Gus Yaki.

Sept 2:
SANDHILL CRANE (2) at Zoo Ranch, Dunbow Rd. Dwight Knapik.
CANADA WARBLER, TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, OVENBIRD at IBS, RC.
CANADA WARBLER, Bowness Pk, EK.
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at Confederation Pk, Bill Wilson.
COMON NIGHTHAWK, Confederation Pk, Michael Geldorp.

Sept 3:
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES (600), SANDERLING (1), Weed Lake, Bill Wilson & Richard Clarke.
MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER, Zoo Ranch, DK.
HERRING GULL, Mallard Pt, FCPP, TK.

Sept 4:
RED KNOT, north of Ensign, TK.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday Sept 8.

BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September – May at 7:30 pm, Room 211, BioSciences Building, University of Calgary. The next meeting will be Wednesday September 7. The program will be “Birding in Northwest India”, presented by Ken Havard.

Movie Monday: Bathing Crows

Sep5

Here is a video of three young crows at our birdbath, taken in July. This was shortly after they fledged, and it looks like it might have been the first time they ventured into the water. It’s interesting to compare their behavior to that of the juvenile Black-billed Magpie in the video in this post.