Tag Archive | calgary winter birds

Winter Robins at Queen’s Park Cemetery

Jan22

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

There is a small creek along the north side of Queen’s Park Cemetery that stays open all winter, so it attracts many of the local birds. In December Tony LePrieur watched three American Robins bathing in the creek and searching for food under the leaf litter at the water’s edge.

American Robin, Queen’s Park Cemetery, December 17, 2016. Photo by Tony LePrieur

American Robin, Queen’s Park Cemetery, December 17, 2016. Photo by Tony LePrieur

Most non-birders and some beginning birders are not aware that robins will overwinter in Calgary (and even in Edmonton). They are not here in big numbers (there were 57 reported on the recent Calgary Christmas Bird Count), and most of them tend to stay near the water and are quite a bit less conspicuous in their habits than they are in the summer. But they will come to your yard and feeders, especially if you have a heated bird bath. I saw one in my yard yesterday.

Queen’s Park Cemetery is a great winter birding location in north Calgary. More to come on this location in a future post.

Winter Birding Targets

Jan29

By Brian Elder, posted by Bob Lefebvre

At the December 3, 2014 meeting of Nature Calgary’s Bird Studies Group, Brian Elder presented Calgary Competition: Winter Birding Targets. Brian gives great advice on how to get a good start in the competition, by targeting birds that are only here in the winter, rare birds, and birds that may be around all year but are easier to find in the winter. He includes many of his outstanding photos.

There is still plenty of winter left this year, and if you can’t get out and find these birds in February and early March you can always try again in November and December. Scroll through the PDF file of the presentation below.

Note: The file might not show on the blog in all web browsers or on mobile devices. If you click this link it should open in a new page:

Calgary competition – winter birding

 

Click to access Calgary-competition-winter-birding.pdf

 

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Feb 2

Feb4

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 birdscalgary@gmail.com.  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 Thursday, Feb.2.

January 15
–NORTHERN CARDINAL(f). Seen in the Brittania area of Calgary since at least Jan.15.No further details known.

January 29
–AMERICAN ROBIN, Lowery Gardens, W. of Edworthy Park, by Steve Kassai.
–PINE GROSSBEAK, 11 found in Edworthy Park, 13 in Lowery Gardens, by SK.

January 30
–TRUMPETER SWAN(2). Seen on the Bow River W.of Exshaw, by G. Gorden.

February 1
–NORTHERN GOSHAWK(2).One along the Elbow River, by GY, and one in the Sandy Beach are of the Elbow River, by Phil Cram.
–NORTHERN SHRIKE(2). One seen along the Elbow River by Gus Yaki et.al, and one seen in W. Bowness Park by Gary Malcolm.
–TOWNSEND SOLITAIRE(4).Along the Elbow River during the monthly Elbow River Survey, by GY.
–HARRIS’ SPARROW(imm).Seen along 51st. Ave, about 2km east of 52nd.Str.SE. by Yousif Attia and Ilya Povalyaev.
–WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW(1) same location and observers as above.

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is Monday Feb 6.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Jan 26

Jan27

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 birdscalgary@gmail.com.  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 Thursday January 26.

January 22
— LESSER SCAUP, Carburn Park, Bow River (Calgary), Janet Gill, Bernie Diebolt, CFNS group

January 23
— GADWALL male, Fish Creek PP, Bow River (Calgary), David Lilly

January 24
— NORTHERN PINTAIL male, Carburn Park, Bow River, Gus Yaki, FFC group
— GYRFALCON, Hwy 8 west of Calgary, Richard Clarke

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday January 30.

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 February 1. The program is titled “Understanding the Bird-brained: The Psychology of Bird Watching”, presented by Chip Scialfa. Dr. Scialfa is a professor of psychology at the U of C, a birdwatcher and a volunteer for the Alberta Wilderness Association.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: Jan 12

Jan13

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 Jan 12, 2012.

JAN 8

TRUMPETER SWAN – seen by Bob Worona at Frank Lake
NORTHERN PINTAIL – 3 seen by BW as above
AMERICAN ROBIN – 30 seen by Gary Malcolm at Waterfall Valley in Bowmont Park
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER – Richard Clarke saw one 300 metres from the parking lot on the Wild Rose Trail at Brown-Lowery PP

JAN 9

CINNAMON TEAL – a male in breeding plumage, reported by Gus Yaki,Andrew Stiles, and members of the FFCCPP, seen along the east side of the Bow River north of the Hwy 22X bridge
VARIED THRUSH – being seen daily in Bob Lefebre’s yard in southeast Calgary.
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE – 4 seen by Shawn McCready on the Grotto Canyon trail east of Canmore, about 2 kms from the trailhead
AMERICAN ROBIN – 20 seen by Gary Malcolm on the Fournier property in Bowmont Park
PRAIRIE FALCON – at the Calgary Zoo Ranch , seen by Dwight Knapik

JAN 10

CINNAMON TEAL – still present as above

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Mon Jan 16.