A splash of much-needed red
Heritage tree from 1907, at Carburn Park
Winter chill
Little red barn on the prairie
Old barns in heavy frost
Reflection through the fog
White beauty
A winter day in southern Alberta
Now THIS is winter!
Modern charm
Snow, snow and more snow
A winter walk
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake, British Columbia, Canada
The old and the new
Winter on the prairies
The beauty of Lake Louise
A fence without an owl
Wearing a heavy coat of hoar frost
Rent a canoe at Emerald Lake
Taking the quieter road
'Superman, where are you now?'
A friendly greeting
When the clouds roll in
Fancy silo with stairs
When winter really was winter
Old barn with a different style
Snowy Owl - just close enough
A fine old barn
Narrow strip of light
Remembering a cold, frosty bird count
Little church in the valley
McDougall Memorial United Church
A cluster of red barns
Sunlight on distant peaks
And they call this winter (in Alberta)?
McDougall Memorial United Church
Remembering the snow
The Famous Five from a distance
Farmyard scene on the prairie
Mountain view on an owl-less day
One of my favourite barns
A sky filled with clouds
Rolling hills and distant peaks
A life left behind
Ice patterns
Looking across Frank Lake
Soothing simplicity
A touch of Fireweed
Wooden bridge at Weaselhead
Into the sun at Frank Lake
William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park
A white barn from yesterday
Another view at William J Bagnall Wildlife Park
The Heritage tree at Carburn Park
Clouds, reflected
A day in the mountains
Roof shingles galore
Charcoal effect
An old barn in winter
Still standing
Dandelions - of course : )
McDougall Memorial United Church
Foothills and mountains
In the bleak midwinter
Golden Eagle along the fenceline
A road less travelled
Fish Creek Park New Year's Day Bird Count
Winter colours
Remnant of the old days
Downtown Calgary bathed in sunrise pink
With a view of the mountains and the prairies
The beautiful Badlands of Alberta
Old homestead and barn
Sunrise start to a birding day in Calgary
A sunrise to start our birding day
A frosty prairie view
Through the frost to the bird blind
A foggy, frosty sunrise
A frosty view from Frank Lake blind
So far away, but better than nothing
Early morning fog and hoar frost
Sunlight on the low cloud
Morning awakes
Travelling the Cobble Flats road
November in Weaselhead
Rockyview General Hospital, reflected
Yesterday's walk along the Bow River
The whites and blues of winter
Yesterday's adventure
Before the land turned white
Fall reflections at Carburn Park
Marsland Basin
Six old granaries
How I love Alberta!
We ignored the warning : )
Sparkles on Forgetmenot Pond
Deciduous yellow
Colonel Walker House, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Along the Irrigation Canal
A narrow strip of light
Fence line in the fall
Peace in the Jumpingpound area
CL Ranches, Alberta
Along the Bow River in fall
Jazzed-up silos
Maskinonge Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park
The joy of peace and quiet
Forgetmenot Pond
Farmland of the Alberta foothills
Sunflowers and a red barn
Greater White-fronted Geese, Marsland Basin
Autumn's glory
A double dose of clouds
Our foothills in Impressive Art
Dark clouds rolling in, yesterday
A view at Marsland Basin
Canyon Church Camp, Waterton Lakes National Park
View looking west towards the Rockies
Time to relax
Buddha surveying the Peony garden
Down by the pond
Too hard to resist
Limber Pine on Timber Ridge
A view from Timber Ridge Conservation Area
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Desolate
I was just going to write that this is the kind of landscape where I would imagine one might see a Golden Eafle. In actual fact, just two minutes after taking this photo, I was taking a few photos of a very distant Golden Eagle perched on a closer fence, but was down the road, off to the left of my photo. After a few minutes, we watched as it soared and circled over the fields and cows. I posted one of the photos four or five days ago.
Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count that took place six days ago, on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count.
As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and acreages.
We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! This year, my small group had 5 people, in two cars.
Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we happened to be very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home.
After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year.
Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!
Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count that took place six days ago, on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count.
As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On the January 2014 trip for the 2013 Count, on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and acreages.
We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! This year, my small group had 5 people, in two cars.
Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we happened to be very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home.
After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year.
Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!
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