Tag Archive | calgary bird blog

Must-see birds: June

June is another great month to go birdwatching, migrants can still be seen during the early parts of the month and the summer residents have started to settle down. In June, the first fledglings appear, learning to survive and to fly. Our list for the month of June contains a varied list of species, some beautiful and others simply impressive.

1. Ruddy Duck

A small diving duck, the male Ruddy Duck has a black cap, white cheeks, a reddish body and a bright blue bill, rendering it a colourful duck. The female is dark brown above and lighter below with white cheeks and a gray bill. When disturbed, the Ruddy Duck will be more likely to dive then to fly. The Ruddy Duck may be seen at Frank Lake, which is where I see many Ruddy Ducks.

2. Mountain Bluebird

The male Mountain Bluebird is a beautiful sky-blue passerine from the thrush family. The female is brownish grey above and grey below, with some blue on the wings, rump and tail. A truly brilliant bird, the bluebird made it onto the list with ease. Look for Mountain Bluebirds in the Cochrane area or the Water Valley area in June. You can also visit the Ellis Bird Farm near Red Deer which is dedicated to the conservation of many birds, the Mountain Bluebird being one.

3. Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned Owl is a widespread owl throughout much of North America but never fails to impress thanks to its large size and regal composure. It has been described as the fiercest, most aggressive and most impressive owl of North America. The Great Horned Owl is also the official provincial bird of Alberta. There are many different places to see this large owl, there is currently a nest in the Sikome area of Fish Creek.

4. Spotted Towhee

A member of the sparrow family, the Spotted Towhee is rather inconspicuous, except in the summer when the male can be found singing his distinctive call; one or two short introductory notes followed by a fast trill. The song may sound like the bird is singing, ‘drink your tea’. The best places to see the Spotted Towhee in Calgary are in the Weaselhead and in Votier’s Flats, in Fish Creek.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

5. Rufous Hummingbird

Our last bird for the month of June is the Rufous Hummingbird, a bird with fiery colors and a fiery temper. The male has rufous coloring on his back, sides, flanks and tail while his crown is glossy green. The male Rufous Hummingbird is very aggressive and territorial and will use many different displays to protect his territory. Look for this hummingbird in the Weaselhead or on the Many Springs Trail in Bow Valley Provincial Park, west of the city.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

Which of these birds can you find? Feel free to send us your photos and stories, they may make it up on the blog!

Posted by Matthew Sim

Oranges for Orioles

Jun1

For the last couple of years I have been putting out slices of oranges in my yard in the hopes of attracting Baltimore Orioles or Gray Catbirds. I place the oranges on my tray feeder and in suet cages. So far this has attracted only ants. Last Friday morning, I thought that perhaps the heavy rain might force some migrants down, so I put out two fresh orange halves on a flower planter. Within a half hour of arriving home in the afternoon, I looked out to see this bird feeding on the orange.

This first-year Baltimore Oriole stayed around the yard for two days, feeding on all the oranges, including the ones in the suet cage that I had placed there about two weeks before.

So if you want to see a Baltimore Oriole in your yard, putting out oranges really does work. Now I’m just waiting for that Catbird.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Rare Bird Alert: May 30

May31

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is a species on this Reportable Birds (PDF), please report it to the 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 report was prepared on Monday May 30.

May 27
— ARCTIC TERN, Cattleland Slough, Yousif Attia, Ilya Povalyaev
— LAZULI BUNTING, southwest Calgary, Margaret Brunner, Rob Shifanski(?)

May 28
— PACIFIC LOON, Cold Lake, Tom Hince & Paul Pratt
— TURKEY VULTURE, Fish Creek PP, Gus Yaki group
— SABINE’S GULL 80+, Cold Lake, TH & PP
— ARCTIC TERN, Cold Lake, TH & PP
— COMMON NIGHTHAWK, Wyndham – Carseland PP, Andrew Hart
— YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, Mallard Point (Calgary), Bill Wilson
— OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, Confederation Park (Calgary), BW
— WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, Fish Creek PP, GY

May 29
— VIRGINIA RAIL, Eagle Lake, Lenora & Dick Flynn
— SABINE’S GULL 9, Frank Lake, Ian Halladay, Bruce Barnetson, Dave Gibson
— COMMON NIGHTHAWK, Carburn Park (Calgary), Louise & Michael Geldorp

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday June 2.

Backyard Birds: Tufted Finches

May31

House Finches are the ‘new kids on the block’ in Alberta, and a favorite of many back yard bird watchers.

These colourful little birds were originally found only in the southwestern United States and Mexico. In the 1940’s a small number were imported to New York, in an attempt to sell them as caged birds called “Hollywood Finches.” The business venture failed, and the birds were released on Long Island. They quickly started breeding, and now the two populations have spread across almost all of the United States and southern Canada.

The first Alberta birds were reported from the mountains in the 1960s. Sightings expanded to Calgary in the early 1970s, but significant populations did not develop until the late 1990s. Now these melodic singers are found throughout the city.

House Finches have received a much warmer welcome than the introduced House Sparrows or European Starlings. People love the cheerful red head and breast of males, and their long, twittering song brightens up any rainy day. These birds have also managed to survive Canadian winters, and are common feeder birds throughout our cold months, bringing a welcome splash of colour to the yard.

Most of the males are red, but House Finches can also come in orange…

Or yellow…

And a few times a year, they come with tufts!

House Finches have two or more broods each year, and each clutch has 4 or 5 eggs. This not only explains why they have colonized the continent so quickly, it also accounts for the appearance of the tufted juvenile finches in my yard throughout the year. Most birds feed their young insects for the protein content, but House Finches feed their chicks vegetable matter and seeds. Backyard bird feeders with their regularly available seeds have also helped them conquer the continent.

It’s no wonder bird watchers like House Finches – they’re an ongoing challenge to identify. The female looks like a member of the sparrow family, the males come in a variety of bright colours depending on their diet, and the tufted juveniles look like a separate species altogether.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology estimates the current House Finch population to be somewhere between 267 million and 1.4 billion individuals. It seems safe to say we will have these colourful singers in Calgary for the foreseeable future!

Posted by Pat Bumstead

Yellow House Finch Picture by Bob Lefebvre

Sunday Showcase: Wood Ducks

May29

These beautiful photos were sent to us by Rob English. Thanks for sharing! (Click images for a larger view).

Local gems: Fish Creek

May27

Most of us take Fish Creek Provincial Park for granted. We are, however, extremely lucky to have such a gem of a park in our city. One of the largest urban parks in the world at 13.48 square kilometers (5.2 square miles), Fish Creek has over 80 kilometers of trails, 30 of which are paved and encompasses three natural regions; grasslands, parkland and foothills forest.

The Glennfield area of Fish Creek is one of the many different sections of this amazing park.

The Bow river cuts through Fish Creek attracting fishermen, rafters and birds, lots of birds. Fish Creek is a haven for birds in a busy and bustling city, leading birds to flock here; more than 200 species of birds have been recorded here. Stretching through southern Calgary, Fish Creek also provides an easily accessible hotspot for birders.

There are many different sections of Fish Creek, some of the more well-known being Votier’s Flats, Mallard Point and Sikome Lake (a recreational lake that thousands of Calgarians visit each summer).

Canada Geese are common throughout Fish Creek.

The Tree Swallow’s blue-green upper parts separate it from other species of Swallow.

Nature Calgary has many field trips to various parts of Fish Creek, see if you can attend one; you may find a very good bird.

Sat June 4, 8:30am: Birding Hull’s Wood FCPP, turn left off Bow Bottom Tr SE shortly after entering the park. Meet West end of parking lot. Leader, Howard Heffler, 403-284-2961.

Sun June 5, 8am: Birding Marshall Springs to Votier’s Flats area, FCPP. Meet at Marshall Springs parking lot on the south side of FCPP, just East of Sanderson Ridge condos, on North side of Fish Creek Blvd. Leader, Grant Brydle, 403-270-4957.

For more information on Fish Creek Park and to volunteer as well as participate in many activities, visit the Friends of Fish Creek at

http://friendsoffishcreek.org

Cinnamon Teal may be seen in Fish Creek.

Posted by Matthew Sim

Nature Calgary’s Big Day

May26

Update: Results of the Big Day

The day started off well, but the weather gradually deteriorated, and by 4:30 in the afternoon, with cold driving rain, and after eleven hours of birding, we decided to stop. The total for the group was 93 species. I saw or heard 88 of them, so I’ll have to try another time to reach 100 species in a day. Due to the weather we missed almost all shorebirds and warblers.

We went to the following locations: Votier’s Flats, Bow Valley Ranch and Sikome, all in Fish Creek Park; Inglewood Bird Sanctuary; Elliston Park; Ponds one mile west of Shepard; Shepard; Shepard Slough (east of Shepard); a series of ponds south of highway 22X in the far SE; a pond just east of Spruce Meadows; the South shore of Glenmore Reservoir. We didn’t go into the Weaselhead as planned.

Click here for the report, with a list of the species seen or heard, from Albertabird.

————————————————————————————————

How many species of birds do you think you could find within the city of Calgary in a single day? The answer at this time of year is over 100. This weekend there will be a great opportunity to see if you can do it.

Birders call this a “Big Day” – an attempt to identify as many species as possible in a twenty-four hour period. This is often done as a competitive or fundraising activity, usually with teams of birders all trying to get the highest total.

For the past few years, Nature Calgary has offered a guided Big Day field trip every Victoria Day holiday. It can be a long, hard day, especially in bad weather, but it is a great chance to see most of the bird species present in Calgary in the spring. This year the trip is on Monday, May 23. We will meet at Votier’s Flats in Fish Creek Park (at the south end of Elbow Drive SW) at 5:30 am. From there, the leader, Tony Timmons, will guide us to several different habitats within the city over the course of the day. Bring a lunch, and be prepared for whatever weather we might get.

Last year, the group managed to find 111 species! The highlight of the day was a Virginia Rail calling at a slough in SE Calgary.

Virginia Rail. Photo by Mike Baird, from Wikimedia Commons.

In 2009, in very cold, wet conditions, the total was 108 species. The birds are out there, so come out on Monday and help us find them! If you need more information, call the leader, Tony Timmons, at 403-256-0754. Like all Nature Calgary field trips, it is free and open to all members of the public.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Stalking the Sora

May25

Two weeks ago I was in Edgemont in NW Calgary, so I stopped at Edgemont Ravines to check out the two ponds there. I didn’t have my camera, which was too bad, because I was able to see the elusive Sora. Soras are small waterbirds in the rail family, who spend a lot of time hiding in the reeds.

Last week I returned to the ponds, with camera in hand, to try to get a picture of the Sora. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find it, but I did find some other interesting birds and mammals. The pictures below are from that second trip.

Park on the east side of Edgebrook Boulevard NW.

The easternmost pond.

On my first visit I walked around both ponds, and saw an American Coot, several Mallards, and lots of male Red-winged Blackbirds. Suddenly, a strange bird popped up onto a cattail…

Every time the first of these comes into view in the spring, I briefly believe that I have discovered a bird unknown to science. This, of course, is a female Red-winged Blackbird. They look so unlike the males that at first it seems to be a different species altogether.

It turned out that there were many Red-winged Blackbirds, both male and female, and they were engaged in courtship behaviour and nest-building.

As I finished up the circuit, I heard the hair-raising whinny of a Sora coming from a corner of the pond. This Sora specialty is one of my favourites, because it sounds like demented laughter.

Sounds courtesy Xeno-canto .

Soras are very elusive birds, who skulk around the margins of ponds, rarely showing themselves. You hear them far more often than you see them.

I slowly moved towards the spot where the Sora was hidden: step, wait; step, wait; until I was finally rewarded with a shoe-ful of water. Drat. I was too close to the pond.

Luckily, back on shore, there was a convenient “surveillance bush” right near the spot where the Sora was concealed.

I lurked behind the bush for ten minutes or so, trying to hold still while mosquitoes treated my neck like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Finally, there was some movement in the grass, and there was the Sora! The bird came almost out into the open. I regretted not having that camera. Naturally, when I returned the following week with camera, there was no sign of the bird. The shot below remains the best picture I’ve got of a Sora, taken at Valleyview Park pond in southeast Calgary in 2008.

Soras almost always seem to keep some vegetation between themselves and the camera.

Despite missing out on the Sora, I continued to the second pond, where last year I had found a Pied-billed Grebe. Wouldn’t you know it; this time there were no grebes, but there was a pair of scaup.

Lesser or Greater Scaup?

A breeding American Coot didn’t like them around and repeatedly emerged from the rushes to chase them off.

Determined Coot chug-chug-chugging towards his foes!

On my way back to the parking lot, I noticed a small plump rodent scurry into the bushes. Eventually, I got some pictures. It was a Vole, probably a Meadow Vole.

So although you don’t always find what you’re looking for, you usually see something interesting, even at the smallest ponds. All in all, a rewarding outing.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Rare Bird Alert: May 24

May24

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is a species on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the 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 Alert was recorded on Monday May 23.

Bird Sightings:

May 18:
2 WHITE-FACED IBIS at wetlands on Hwy 567 between Airdrie & Hwy 791, John Corbin.
EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVE pairs at Patricia and Duchess, Lois Martin and Arlene Torkeson.

May 19:
2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on Glenmore Res., Jeff Banks.
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (or a hybrid ) between Airdrie and Irricana, Doug McQueen.

May 20:
4 CASPIAN TERNS at Glenmore Res., Bill Wilson.
A WILLOW FLYCATCHER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, SWAINSON’S THRUSHES (10) at IBS,
banding project.
BLACKPOLL WARBLERS(3), SWAINSON’S THRUSH (7), ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, RED-EYED
VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, EASTERN & WESTERN KINGBIRDS, WESTERN TANAGER, CALLIOPE
HUMMINGBIRD between IBS and Glenmore Res, Bill Wilson.

May 21:
GLOSSY IBIS or GLOSSY/WHITE-FACED hybrid feeding with WHITE-FACED IBIS at Third Lake, 224 St SE approx. 1-2 km south of Hwy 552, Terry Korolyk.
BLACKPOLL WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER at IBS, Bill Wilson.

May 22:
An unidentified HUMMINGBIRD at Priddis, unknown observer.
An albinistic SWAINSON’S HAWK, Hwy 560 east of Hwy 24, TK.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday May 26.

Early Morning Birding

May23

At this time of year, the earlier you can get out birding the better. The sun is up and the birds are singing before 6:00 am. Sometimes it can be a little cold, but it’s a beautiful time of day to be out in the field.

Every Wednesday during the spring migration, Gus Yaki has been leading an early morning bird walk at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Last week I was able to join Gus and a small group of birders, and we found 42 species of birds.

This is a Nature Calgary field trip, so it is free and open to everyone. The walk begins at 6:30 am at the parking lot and lasts for about two hours. This coming Wednesday, May 25, will be the last of these early morning walks, so if you can manage it, it’s a good opportunity.

Here are some highlights of last weeks’ walk.

There is a partially albino female American Robin which has building a nest near the south end of the lagoon, opposite Walker House. We were lucky enough to see it at close range, with its mate…