Rob English has sent us some photos of the leucistic (white) mallard duck that’s been hanging around Beaverdam Flats this winter. Click photos to enlarge.
This bird is getting a lot of attention from photographers. Duane Starr has more views of this beautiful bird you can view in his photo gallery.
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.
February 22
–SNOWY OWL, Storney Trail and McKnight Blvd., by Lori Anderson et.al.
–AMERICAN ROBIN(18), Queen’s Park Cemetery , by Dan Arndt.
February 23
–RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER(1) still in High River’s George Lane Park, by LA. Has been there for several months.
February 24
–NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, yard of Paul Kuelker in Montgomery. Not seen following day.
February 25
–GREEN-WINGED TEAL(F), Bow River, Policeman’s Flats, end of Bow River Bottom Rd, off Dunbow Rd., by Terry Korolyk
–GREATER SCAUP(2M) , Bow River, just N. of Hwy. 22x bridge, by TK.
–AMERICAN ROBIN(6+), backyard of Margaret Brunner in Oakridge subdivision.
February 26
–KILLDEER(2), Elbow River at Griffith Wood park, by Bob Lefebvre and Dan Arndt
–AMERICAN DIPPER(1), Elbow River at Griffith Wood park, by Bernie Diebolt and Janet Gill. One was also seen recently by Steve Kassai in Big Hill Springs PP.
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday, March 1.
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 March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.
Rob English got these last Friday in Carburn Park in southeast Calgary, and says this was the first time he’d ever managed to see one there. The bird was so easy going he couldn’t stop taking pictures. When she did fly it was only 50 or 60 feet so he stayed with her for about an hour just shooting and watching her peel bark. Click on the photos for a larger view.
Posted by Pat Bumstead
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.
February 17
–GYRFALCON, overflight, oxbow at W end of Glenmore Reservoir, Weaselhead Natural Area, SW Calgary, Phil Quinn (403-802-0568)
February 20
–SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, photographed in her back yard in Coach Hill, SW Calgary, by Myrna Belyea, (403-246-6071)
– –SNOWY OWL (12), in Irricana Slough area between Range Roads 253 and 264, Frank Wood
February 21
–GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, W quarter of Fish Creek Provincial Park, Phil Quinn
February 22
–PRAIRIE FALCON, N end of Nose Hill Park in NE Calgary, PQ
–PEREGRINE FALCON, S of Okotoks, Brian Elder, Mike Mulligan (403-232-1013), RayWoods
–SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (17) SW of Nanton, same
–SNOWY OWL (3) Frank Lake, same
–MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, Bebo Grove, W end of Fish Creek PP, Nemali Seneviratne
–DARK-EYED JUNCO, same, same
–BREWER’S BLACKBIRD, Nose Hill Park, near intersection of Shaganappi Trail and John Laurie Blvd, PQ
–
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday, February 27.
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 March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.
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.
February 18
— RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, George Lane Park, High River, AB, Yousif Attia
— HORNED LARK, Frank Lake area, Andrew Slater
February 19
— HORNED LARK, NW of Strathmore, Terry Korolyk & CFNS Group
— AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (25+), Irricana Sloughs area, Tony Timmons, Howard & Lynn Heffler
— GYRFALCON (gray morph), Frank Lake, Andrew Slater; adult female dark gray morph on 226 Ave. SW Terry Korolyk
— GRAY JAY, Bebo Grove/Shannon Terrace, FCPP, Bob Lefevre, Dan Arndt, FFCPP Group
— AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, as above
— NORTHERN HAWK OWL (2), Grand Valley Road, Jeff Bingham
— COOPER’S HAWK, possible sighting west Fish Creek PP, Gus Yaki
— NORTHERN GOSHAWK (2), Big Hill Springs PP, Steve Kassai
— SNOWY OWL, Hwy 1 & 84St NE (in the city), Brian Elder, Ray Woods
— DARK-EYED JUNCO, SW Calgary, Phil Quinn
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday, February 23.
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 March 7. The program is titled “High Science: The The Natural History of Alpine Ptarmigan”, by Kathy Martin.
If you’ve taken any pictures of interesting birds in the Calgary region, you can share them with us by emailing birdscalgary@gmail.com and we may post them on the blog.
Dave Arnold took these great shots of a Merlin having his Sunday bath on the edge of the Bow River. Thanks for sharing, Dave!
Ian Chatt also witnessed this and got these three photos:
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.
January 28
–COMMON GRACKLE, seen off and on in SW Calgary, by Richard Clarke.
February 10
–RED CROSSBILL(F) , Silver Springs area of Calgary, by Gary Malcolm
–AMERICAN KESTREL(M), Grain elevators just S.of 22x, and W. of #797, by Hank Vanderpol.
–LESSER SCAUP, Bow River, just. N. of 22x bridge, by HV.
–HARLEQUIN DUCK, Bow River, IBS, south lookout at N. end, by Howard Heffler.
February 11
–WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, end of Earl Gray Cresc. by Phil Cram.
–REDHEAD(F), Prince’s Island channel, by Bill Wilson.
February 12
–DARK-EYED JUNCO, Queens park Cemetery, by BW.
–TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE(3). Two in Beaverdam Flats, and one in FCPP, east of Raven’s Rock, by Michael Geldorp.
–GADWALL(M), Bow River, near old outfall in FCCP, Burnsmead, by Terry Korolyk.
–RED CROSSBILL(2), High River, at a feeder, by Jill Bhar.
–MALLARD, leucistic female, Bow River, Beaverdam Flats near old RR bridge. by B.Diebolt and J. Gill.
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday , Feb.16.
What a year we’re having for juvenile Bald Eagles! Rob English took these shots in the Beaverdam Flats area, and counted 10 juveniles in one trip.
There is an excellent post over at the Birding Is Fun blog on how to tell the age of juvenile bald eagles, complete with some stunning photographs. Check it out!
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.
February 5
— SNOWY OWL, Brooks area: Hwy 873 E and SE of Lake Newell (3), Hwy 36 (3), Hwy 539 W of Hwy 36 (3), Ron Kube
— DARK-EYED JUNCO, Southview neighborhood, SE Calgary, Carol Coulter
February 6
— GREY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH, feeder in Abasand area of Ft. McMurray, Simone Marler
– February 7
— REDHEAD (2), Bow River, near Hwy 22X bridge in Fish Creek Park, Andrew Slater
— HARLEQUIN DUCK, Bow River, N end of Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Howard Heffler
– February 8
–BROWN CREEPER, Southview neighborhood, SE Calgary, CC
–GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, same
February (recently)
–WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, Edmonton, feeder, John Zinyk
The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday February 13.