Under a stormy sky
Pretty Mama cat
Bees, bees, and more bees
A bewildering world for a fallen owlet
Narcissus
Black-necked Stilt
Colour for a snowy day
First day of fledging
Wild Lily-of-the-valley
Showy Milkweed with bee
Old barn at the Ellis Bird Farm
Pine Grosbeaks
Peekaboo - whooo are yooo?
Longhorn cattle
The barn cat gang
Shooting in the rain
Joy for a deep-freeze day
Winter on the farm
Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine
Following the fenceline
Beautiful farm cat
Posing nicely
Beginning to burst
Ever watchful
White-winged Crossbills
Poor quality, but of interest
A touch of blue
Female Mountain Bluebird with lunch for her babies
Northern Hawk Owl from 2016
Northern Hawk Owl
Meadow Vole for a tasty snack
Summer colour
Atop a utility pole
Red-winged Blackbird female or juvenile
Goat's-beard with visitor
Decorating the base of a tree
Seedhead wisps
Great Gray Owl, focused
Showing off its gills
Pinedrops
One of my favourite views
Unidentified fungus
A distant shot from my archives
Balancing act
When the world turns white
Great Gray Owl - from the archives
Great Gray Owl - from my archives
Waiting for me
A mountain Bluebird with 'bling'
When storms blow in
A gleam in the eye
Bobolink / Dolichonyx oryzivorus
01 Red-winged Blackbird - female or juvenile
An endless feast for a Ladybug
The poser - Wilson's Snipe
Swainson's Hawk
A few of the bird houses at Ellis Bird Farm
Chipping Sparrow / Spizella passerina
Leisurely swim
Bluebird memories
Hen and rooster at the Saskatoon Farm
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The one-legged stance
Lovage / Levisticum officinale
Predator with prey
Mustard White butterfly / Pieris oleracea
Handsome male Bobolink / Dolichonyx oryzivorus
House Wren at the Ellis Bird Farm
Sharp-tailed Grouse / Tympanuchus phasianellus
Nest-building Dad
Loved by Monarch butterflies
Reaching those faraway feathers
Mossleigh grain elevators
Goat's-beard
Eastern Kingbird
Storm clouds over Canola
A favourite bird to photograph
Great Gray Owl on a rainy day
Collecting food for her babies
At Mossleigh grain elevators
Longhorn
Weathered and patched
They can't see me
Bold and beautiful
Time to feed the kids
American Coot interactive display
Ladybug larva on Showy Milkweed
Layers
Barn Swallow
Love those Canola fields
Lighting up the storm clouds
This old house
Escape of the Black-crowned Night Heron
Ram's Horn Snail shell
Savannah Sparrow
Kalm's Lobelia / Lobelia kalmii
Hope he's one of the lucky ones
Fleabane
Willow Flycatcher
Showy Milkweed / Asclepias speciosa
Bobolink male
And then there were only THREE!
Egyptian Walking Onion
Middle Lake, Bow Valley Provincial Park
Mountain Death Camas / Zigadenus elegans
Gaillardia
Yesterday's summer hail
Flycatcher sp. - Willow or Alder Flycatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
See also...
See more...Keywords
Authorizations, license
-
Visible by: Everyone -
All rights reserved
-
195 visits
Standing in sunshine
First of all, has anyone heard anything from, or about, our amazing Flickr friend, Snowinglightly? Today is the 14th day since she suddenly stopped commenting here on Flickr, For years, she has been such a loyal friend, leaving such long, thoughtful and very creative comments on people's photos every single day. To suddenly stop like this, is making me very concerned. The only time I remember her not commenting, for about four days in a row, was when she had ended up in hospital. Fourteen days would be more than enough time to sort out any computer problems or to have to replace a computer, so I don't think that would be a reason. I have left messages in various places, but so far, still don't know any answer. If you happen to know, could you PLEASE let me know?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was the annual May Species Count on 28 and 29 May 2016, so a very busy couple of days. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park, at Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow.
On the Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We were also happy to see seven Rose-breasted Grosbeaks during the day, and a male American Kestrel that caught a frog for supper! No owls to be found anywhere, but I did go back the following evening and saw two separate Great Gray Owls in our Count area. I went back again on 1 June and found the first owl again. This time, it wasn't pouring with rain, but I was looking into the sun (so a lot of blown-out feathers) and it was very windy. It was nice to see the owl hunting, catch a small rodent and then fly to a fence post - wish the lighting had been so much better.
I also called in to see if a Wilson's Snipe was standing on a fence post, and I was in luck. These are one of my favourite birds to photograph and they have given me so many wonderful chances for photos.
"These plump, long-billed birds are among the most widespread shorebirds in North America. They can be tough to see thanks to their cryptic brown and buff coloration and secretive nature. But in summer they often stand on fence posts or take to the sky with a fast, zigzagging flight and an unusual “winnowing” sound made with the tail." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wilsons_snipe/id
"Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird. This species was considered to be a subspecies of the Common Snipe (G. gallinago) until 2003 when it was given its own species status. Wilson's Snipe differs from the latter species in having a narrower white trailing edge to the wings, and eight pairs of tail feathers instead of the typical seven of the Common Snipe. Its common name commemorates the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_snipe
According to Fisher and Acorn's book, "Birds of Alberta", "the common Snipe is both secretive and well camouflaged, so few people notice it until it flushes suddenly from a nearby grassy tussock. As soon as the Snipe takes to the air, it performs a series of quick zigzags - an evasive maneuver designed to confuse predators. Because of this habit, Snipes were among the most difficult birds to shoot (in the days when shorebirds were hunted for sport), and skilled sportsmen were known as "snipers" - a term later adopted by the military."
youtu.be/Z16CUdX2g5Q
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was the annual May Species Count on 28 and 29 May 2016, so a very busy couple of days. My group's Saturday Count was down in Fish Creek Provincial Park, at Votier's Flats and Shaw's Meadow.
On the Sunday, our usual small group (six of us in two cars) covered an area SW of the city - which happens to be one of my favourite and most visited areas. We had a great day, stopping at a few wetlands and calling in at Barb Castell's acreage where she usually has amazing birds to show us. Several special species were missing, but we were delighted to watch a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We were also happy to see seven Rose-breasted Grosbeaks during the day, and a male American Kestrel that caught a frog for supper! No owls to be found anywhere, but I did go back the following evening and saw two separate Great Gray Owls in our Count area. I went back again on 1 June and found the first owl again. This time, it wasn't pouring with rain, but I was looking into the sun (so a lot of blown-out feathers) and it was very windy. It was nice to see the owl hunting, catch a small rodent and then fly to a fence post - wish the lighting had been so much better.
I also called in to see if a Wilson's Snipe was standing on a fence post, and I was in luck. These are one of my favourite birds to photograph and they have given me so many wonderful chances for photos.
"These plump, long-billed birds are among the most widespread shorebirds in North America. They can be tough to see thanks to their cryptic brown and buff coloration and secretive nature. But in summer they often stand on fence posts or take to the sky with a fast, zigzagging flight and an unusual “winnowing” sound made with the tail." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wilsons_snipe/id
"Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird. This species was considered to be a subspecies of the Common Snipe (G. gallinago) until 2003 when it was given its own species status. Wilson's Snipe differs from the latter species in having a narrower white trailing edge to the wings, and eight pairs of tail feathers instead of the typical seven of the Common Snipe. Its common name commemorates the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_snipe
According to Fisher and Acorn's book, "Birds of Alberta", "the common Snipe is both secretive and well camouflaged, so few people notice it until it flushes suddenly from a nearby grassy tussock. As soon as the Snipe takes to the air, it performs a series of quick zigzags - an evasive maneuver designed to confuse predators. Because of this habit, Snipes were among the most difficult birds to shoot (in the days when shorebirds were hunted for sport), and skilled sportsmen were known as "snipers" - a term later adopted by the military."
youtu.be/Z16CUdX2g5Q
- Keyboard shortcuts:
Jump to top
RSS feed- Latest comments - Subscribe to the comment feeds of this photo
- ipernity © 2007-2024
- Help & Contact
|
Club news
|
About ipernity
|
History |
ipernity Club & Prices |
Guide of good conduct
Donate | Group guidelines | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Statutes | In memoria -
Facebook
Twitter
Sign-in to write a comment.