Gray Partridge

I was so thrilled yesterday to get any photo at all of a Grey Partridge. These birds are uncommon year-round in Alberta. Having seen other people's images, I knew that these birds are beautifully coloured and longed to be able to photograph one - finally! Saw these on the Nanton Bird Count, south of Calgary. It is about a 45-minute drive from the city limits of Calgary on primary Highway #2 and just 2 1/2 hours from the American border. We noticed these birds in a field and I took a few shots sitting in the vehicle on the far side of the road, in the back passenger side seat. Wasn't expecting to get any photos fit to use, especially as the light was low (it was snowing) - LOL, the story of my life! However, with a heavy crop and some brightening, this is what I saw : ). The diameter of the "circle" around Nanton which is covered by the Count is (if I remember correctly) 25 kilometers. The four of us covered the NW quadrant of this circle, between 08:25am and 4:40pm. Distance travelled was 109 km by car and 2 km on foot.. Hours by car-6:15 and hours on foot-2.

Just in case anyone is interested, species seen are as follows:
Rough-legged Hawk-2
GOLDEN EAGLE-1ad.
PRAIRIE FALCON-2
Gray Partridge-41
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE-53 + 17 off our territory.
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE-6, in two different locations.
Rock Pigeon-71
GREAT HORNED OWL-9, this number must be some kind of a record.
Snowy Owl-1,juv. f.
Downy Woodpecker-1
Horned Lark-123
Black-billed Magpie-185
Common Raven-30
Bohemian Waxwing-9
European Starling-16
American Tree Sparrow-1
Snow Bunting-90
Common Redpoll-16
House Sparrow-635
MAMMALS- Coyote-1, Mule Deer-20, Moose-2