Gray Jay - Canada's new National bird
Winter on the farm
A beautiful start to a day
I love Llamas
A welcome sight on a Christmas Bird Count
Sunrise colour over the mountain peaks
Open wide - big yawn
New Year's Day Bird Count
A splash of colour on a snowy day
Mountain Chickadee
A well looked after barn
Nanton Christmas Bird Count
Gray Jay
Winter walking
'Barn' Owl, alias Great Horned Owl
Colour for winter
Snow turns something ordinary into beautiful
Same tiny Northern Pygmy-owl
Downy Woodpecker and bokeh
Textures
Our beautiful Alberta
A change from a Black-capped Chickadee
Way, way up
Barn with a mural
Don't you spit!
Afternoon light on the foothills
Northern Shrike / Lanius excubitor
Woolly and warm
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Mailbox or birdhouse?
Northern Pygmy-owl
Continuing the hunt
Sleeping in the sunshine
Down by the river on a frosty morning
Ferocious hunter, but looking cute
Jazzing up the old silos - with Pacman
Modern - but I like it
Great Gray Owl in early morning sunlight
Sharp-tailed Grouse - not my main photo!
Winter on the prairies
Sleepy Great Horned Owl
Filtered
Better than nothing - this is NOT my main photo!
The peace of a prairie farm - my main photo today
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The size of a popcan
The beautiful mountains of Alberta
Yesterday's treat
Dark-eyed beauty
Northern Hawk Owl from 2016
Two of a family of three
Non-wild horses in a wild landscape
Northern Hawk Owl
Meadow Vole for a tasty snack
Atop a utility pole
A backward glance
Winter in the Nanton, Alberta, area
Northern Hawk Owl
Lying on a bed of hoarfrost
Snowy Owl along the fenceline
The old-fashioned way
With a little filtered help
Northern Hawk Owl
Yesterday's treat
TV's "Heartland" series location
Mountain Chickadee on Donna's hand
Snowman who loves Amanitas
Happy Christmas, everyone!
Beauty in the final stage
Christmas star
Canada's new National Bird - the Gray Jay
Beautiful farm cat
Following the fenceline
Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine
Winter on the farm
The barn cat gang
Pine Grosbeaks
Gray Jay - Canada's new National Bird
Pretty Mama cat
A blast from the past
Successful hunting
McDougall Memorial United Church
Still standing
An old barn in winter
Charcoal effect
Roof shingles galore
A day in the mountains
Old barn in winter
Northern Hawk Owl
Varied Thrush
Surveying its territory
Fence post with a difference
Blackie Grain Terminal, Alberta
Blowing in the wind
Built with love
A life left behind
From days gone by
One of my few Snowy Owls of 2016
Perched on a broken tree trunk
Rolling hills and distant peaks
A sky filled with clouds
Remembering a winter day
Dainty little Common Redpoll
Got my eyes on you
One of a pair
One of my favourite barns
Mountain view on an owl-less day
Davisburg Community Church, Alberta
A quick glance
Farmyard scene on the prairie
Hunting for Meadow Voles
Remembering the snow
A local Great Horned Owl
Ice carving at Lake Louise
01 Varied Thrush / Ixoreus naevius
03 Short-eared Owl / Asio flammeus
Natural beauty
McDougall Memorial United Church
Great Gray Owl with its catch
And they call this winter (in Alberta)?
Pine Grosbeak enjoying the sun
Sunlight on distant peaks
A cluster of red barns
McDougall Memorial United Church
Little church in the valley
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Red's the best in winter
It's that time of year when life becomes crazy, with very early mornings, long days and the exciting search for birds. Yes, it's the time of Audubon Christmas Bird Counts.
Two days ago, on 27 December 2016, nine of us took part in the annual Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count.
Our time was spent travelling by car, driving the backroads SW of the city and calling in at several farms. I took part in this Count last year but had missed it for a few years before that. I believe I had only ever done it once before (December 2007?), a few years ago, and that time I was with friends covering a different section of the count circle. I remember it as being very slow and extremely unrewarding, This time, like last year, our area was in the centre of the count circle and I'm so glad I decided to go again.
A great stop was at Rod Handfield's place. Some of us go there on botany trips and he always has the best mushrooms and other fungi growing in his forest in the fall. Rod and his wife have such a beautiful cabin there. A Gray Jay gave us a few photo opportunities, which was appreciated. Not the best lighting, but usually these birds are difficult to photograph, so it was nice to see one close. Rod is always so delightfully hospitable!!
Thanks so much, Donna, for driving half of us - so much appreciated! This also meant that we were lucky enough to see two tiny Northern Pygmy-owls after the Count, too. A beautiful sunny day really helped - not all that cold (for Alberta!). A lot of snow everywhere (almost 8"), but that was OK, as we did so little walking. A great day!
Yesterday, I had a nice, leisurely day, before having to set my alarms for 4:15 am this morning. I woke up after only an hour's sleep and, as my alarms were going to go off in another hour, I didn't dare risk going back to bed in case I slept right through all alarms. Never a good thing for a dreadful night owl who gets to bed around 2:00 am! Tomorrow, I have to do the same, as there is another Count, this time way south of the city.
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
Two days ago, on 27 December 2016, nine of us took part in the annual Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count.
Our time was spent travelling by car, driving the backroads SW of the city and calling in at several farms. I took part in this Count last year but had missed it for a few years before that. I believe I had only ever done it once before (December 2007?), a few years ago, and that time I was with friends covering a different section of the count circle. I remember it as being very slow and extremely unrewarding, This time, like last year, our area was in the centre of the count circle and I'm so glad I decided to go again.
A great stop was at Rod Handfield's place. Some of us go there on botany trips and he always has the best mushrooms and other fungi growing in his forest in the fall. Rod and his wife have such a beautiful cabin there. A Gray Jay gave us a few photo opportunities, which was appreciated. Not the best lighting, but usually these birds are difficult to photograph, so it was nice to see one close. Rod is always so delightfully hospitable!!
Thanks so much, Donna, for driving half of us - so much appreciated! This also meant that we were lucky enough to see two tiny Northern Pygmy-owls after the Count, too. A beautiful sunny day really helped - not all that cold (for Alberta!). A lot of snow everywhere (almost 8"), but that was OK, as we did so little walking. A great day!
Yesterday, I had a nice, leisurely day, before having to set my alarms for 4:15 am this morning. I woke up after only an hour's sleep and, as my alarms were going to go off in another hour, I didn't dare risk going back to bed in case I slept right through all alarms. Never a good thing for a dreadful night owl who gets to bed around 2:00 am! Tomorrow, I have to do the same, as there is another Count, this time way south of the city.
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
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