Black-crowned Night-heron
01 Middle Lake, Bow Valley Provincial Park
Red-belted Polypore with guttation droplets
Strawberries and cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Mt Lorette Ponds, Kananaskis
Strawberries and Cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Mt. Buller, Buller Pond, Kananaskis
Conserving heat
Peninsular, Lower Kananaskis Lake
Lower Kananaskis Lake at Peninsular
The arrival of fall
Across the river
Chinook arch over Calgary
Autumn colours at the stormwater pond
Peninsular area, Lower Kananaskis Lake
When winter comes to the mountains
Peninsular area, Lower Kananaskis Lake
Leisurely swim
A day of swans and ducks and geese
Ring-billed Gull and Bonaparte's Gull
Trumpeter Swan
Gap Lake
Elbow Falls, Kananaskis
When storms blow in
Feather finery of a female Mallard
Wood Ducks on a local pond
Rare Long-tailed Duck
Raindrops
Black-necked Stilt
Muskrat ripples
Water Smartweed / Polygonum amphibium
A bright splash of colour
Like floral flames for a deep-freeze day
Posing nicely
The droplet
Remembering summer colours
Down by the river on a frosty morning
Eared Grebe
Humboldt Penguin / Spheniscus humboldti
Upper Kananaskis Lake
Strawberries and cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Arethusa Cirque trail, Kananaskis
Batteaux Bay, from Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Crab on the pier at Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Batteaux Bay at Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Frank's Glass-bottomed boat, Blue Waters Inn, Tob…
Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Brown Pelicans / Pelecanus occidentalis, Blue Wate…
Daily gathering of the Brown Pelicans, Tobago
Rocks near Little Tobago island
Tropical beach beauty, Tobago
Boats on the shore
Floating on aquamarine waves
Blue Waters Inn, Tobago
Sand and sea - Blue Waters Inn beach, Tobago
The Green Heron area, Tobago, Day 2
Cacti on Little Tobago, Day 3
Muskrat, SW Calgary
Redhead male
Up close and personal
White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys
Prince of Wales hotel, Waterton
Challenges of a photographer
Waterton Lakes National Park
American Coot interactive display
Escape of the Black-crowned Night Heron
Middle Lake, Bow Valley Provincial Park
Spotted Sandpiper
One of my favourite views
Chilean Flamingo
Sleeping down at the pond
Red-necked Grebe
Finely iridescent
Canada Goose
Sparkling feathers
Brown-headed Cowbirds
Ruddy Duck
Water patterns in matching colours
American Wigeon pair
Trying to impress the females
Willet / Tringa semipalmata
American Wigeon male, resting on a log
American Avocet in rippled water
A handsome mate
A recent spring arrival
Camouflaged as a rock
Mountain Bluebird from three years ago
Black-necked Stilt
Cinnamon Teal pair
Song Sparrow / Melospiza melodia
Just look at those toenails
Munch, munch, munch ....
Clouds, reflected
The Heritage tree at Carburn Park
Fine feathers of a female Mallard
Goldeneye on golden 'pond'
Another view at William J Bagnall Wildlife Park
William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park
Into the sun at Frank Lake
Wooden bridge at Weaselhead
A touch of Fireweed
Looking across Frank Lake
Ice patterns
Bubbles at Frank Lake
The return of the Swans
Fence post with a difference
A sky filled with clouds
Glenmore Dam, Calgary, Alberta
Rent a canoe at Emerald Lake
One of my favourite birds to photograph
Emerald Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Common Loon
Emerald Lake
Rusty Blackbird
Winter chill
Heritage tree from 1907, at Carburn Park
Baby Coot
Being a good mother
Lesser Scaup
Ibis iridescence
November in Weaselhead
Rockyview General Hospital, reflected
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124 visits
Black-crowned Night-heron
All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 18 July 2016, on a wonderful day out NE of the city. The last time I actually drove eastwards was about six months ago, when I was shooting Short-eared Owls near the end of January. The last time (also the first time) I had ever driven out as far as Drumheller was on 29 September 2014. A few times, I had been fairly close when I went on several botany trips out that way, but when you are carpooling, you can't just go wherever you want. So, my daughter and I had a great time exploring the roads between Calgary and Drumheller. There were a handful of things or places we wanted to check out, but many things were total surprises. We knew we wanted to see fields, yellow fields full of canola as far as the eye could see. No disappointment there as we took in the gorgeous colour and the perhaps not so pleasant smell of this crop. When we were driving through regular, green landscapes, it all seemed so 'ordinary' after being treated to vibrant gold.
As well as canola fields, we also knew of a particular grain elevator and nearby old barn that we were keen to see. There was also an old, two-storey house in a hilly setting that we knew would have to be photographed from a great distance, but we were curious about it. There was also a small wetland that I wanted to drive by, just in case there was something to see. How glad we were that we went, as the Black-crowned Night-heron was posing nicely on a post out in the open. This was the first time I had ever seen one close, so it made my day. These birds are uncommon in Alberta. The bird in my second photo was with another similar bird perched just a few fence posts away from it. Both had their backs to us (of course!) but I did get a better view of the other bird, which I will post in the next few days. I think they were both Upland Sandpipers, uncommon in Alberta, and a bird that I had only ever seen once, way out east of the city years ago and too far away for photos.
"Black-crowned Night-Herons are stocky birds compared to many of their long-limbed heron relatives. They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. In the light of day adults are striking in gray-and-black plumage and long white head plumes. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt, and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world." From AllAboutBirds".
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-crowned_Night-Heron/id
As well as birds and beautiful scenery, we saw several old barns, including the old house/barn in my main photo posted today. Each year, the farmer allows the graduating class from the local high school to decorate this old building in any way they wish. A fun idea and it certainly adds a splash of colour. I was absolutely fascinated to read a little bit of history from someone who was a contact of mine on Flickr two or three years ago. Her Grandmother was apparently born in this house/barn. It was later converted to a granary and now, of course, has become the canvas for local students.
One of our main goals was to visit the old grain elevator at Sharples. I had wanted to visit there for quite a while and finally, we made it. Unfortunately, the elevator and nearby barn were in shadow, but it was great to see both old structures. We also passed another old elevator when we were driving along the road north of the river, on the way to Drumheller. This, needless to say, meant another stop for photos.
A great day of fun, seeing and photographing such a variety of things. Beautiful weather and, best of all, a day spent with my daughter. Thanks so much, Rachel - glad you felt up to a day out, but sorry you got so many mosquito bites!
As well as canola fields, we also knew of a particular grain elevator and nearby old barn that we were keen to see. There was also an old, two-storey house in a hilly setting that we knew would have to be photographed from a great distance, but we were curious about it. There was also a small wetland that I wanted to drive by, just in case there was something to see. How glad we were that we went, as the Black-crowned Night-heron was posing nicely on a post out in the open. This was the first time I had ever seen one close, so it made my day. These birds are uncommon in Alberta. The bird in my second photo was with another similar bird perched just a few fence posts away from it. Both had their backs to us (of course!) but I did get a better view of the other bird, which I will post in the next few days. I think they were both Upland Sandpipers, uncommon in Alberta, and a bird that I had only ever seen once, way out east of the city years ago and too far away for photos.
"Black-crowned Night-Herons are stocky birds compared to many of their long-limbed heron relatives. They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. In the light of day adults are striking in gray-and-black plumage and long white head plumes. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt, and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world." From AllAboutBirds".
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-crowned_Night-Heron/id
As well as birds and beautiful scenery, we saw several old barns, including the old house/barn in my main photo posted today. Each year, the farmer allows the graduating class from the local high school to decorate this old building in any way they wish. A fun idea and it certainly adds a splash of colour. I was absolutely fascinated to read a little bit of history from someone who was a contact of mine on Flickr two or three years ago. Her Grandmother was apparently born in this house/barn. It was later converted to a granary and now, of course, has become the canvas for local students.
One of our main goals was to visit the old grain elevator at Sharples. I had wanted to visit there for quite a while and finally, we made it. Unfortunately, the elevator and nearby barn were in shadow, but it was great to see both old structures. We also passed another old elevator when we were driving along the road north of the river, on the way to Drumheller. This, needless to say, meant another stop for photos.
A great day of fun, seeing and photographing such a variety of things. Beautiful weather and, best of all, a day spent with my daughter. Thanks so much, Rachel - glad you felt up to a day out, but sorry you got so many mosquito bites!
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