Small Blue sp.

This very quick shot is of one of the very small, Blue butterflies that arrive each spring. There are a few different ones, and I'm not good at telling which is which, so won't attempt to identify this one.

It was seen at one of our stops on 31 May 2015, during the annual May Species Count. Eight of us covered a large area SW of Calgary, checking out the backroads, ponds, wetlands, sloughs. The highlight each May is calling in at a wonderful property where we are able to see some great species, including Evening Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and this year, a tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird male.

We had a great day, stopping en route at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park to eat our lunch. This year, we didn't go into the park to look for Calypso Orchids, partly because a week ago, we did call in and found several of the small, pink Orchids. The temperature was 12C - 23C, with blue sky. Total distance travelled was 93 km and our total number of bird species was 63.

After the Count, we called in at a little tea place and enjoyed relaxing with welcome cups of coffee. Thanks so much, Monica, for treating us all to this and for driving your daughter and myself around all day - greatly appreciated! I'll add that, as usual, there were a lot of the birds that I didn't see - I don't use binoculars and also so many of the birds seemed to be the seen from the opposite side of the car, lol.