Sharp-tailed Grouse - not my main photo!
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The beautiful mountains of Alberta
Winter in the Nanton, Alberta, area
Winter textures
Farm cat
One of my favourite views
Black farm cat
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Northern Shrike / Lanius excubitor
Afternoon light on the foothills
Nanton Christmas Bird Count
A well looked after barn
Open wide - big yawn
Sunrise colour over the mountain peaks
A welcome sight on a Christmas Bird Count
Beautiful farm cat
Following the fenceline
Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine
Winter on the farm
The barn cat gang
Pine Grosbeaks
Remembering the snow
Pine Grosbeak enjoying the sun
Male beauty
Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak / Pinicola enucleator
Pine Grosbeak / Pinicola enucleator
A winter day in southern Alberta
Pine Grosbeak
Farm cat watching for farm mice
Pine Grosbeak in pretty light
Christmas remnants
Enjoying the morning sun
Desolate
The gathering
So pretty against the snow
Pine Grosbeak female
Foothills and mountains
Coturnix quail?
Keeper of the farmyard
In the bleak midwinter
Pine Grosbeaks adding colour to our winter
Golden Eagle along the fenceline
Pine Grosbeak / Pinicola enucleator
A road less travelled
Each one different from the others
Roller coaster roads in winter
Old Rambler
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Rolling hills in winter
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The farmyard cat
I love our blues and whites of winter
Rambler
Sharp-tailed Grouse silhouette
Life on the farm
Oh, those eyes
Sharp-tailed Grouse
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Sleeping in the sunshine
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 for 2016 was held on 30 December. Nanton is roughly 98 km / 61 miles S of Calgary.
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. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Unfortunately, Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers are dwindling in Alberta.
Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, farm cats, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting.
Last year, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. This Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. A few Sharp-tailed Grouse were also a treat.
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 of 7 people (in two cars)!
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 (though I've never driven them myself), but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
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 wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you!
I will add Andrew Hart's eBird report for this trip, in a comment box below.
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. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which, some years, numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Unfortunately, Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers are dwindling in Alberta.
Actually, there are not many chances to take photos of birds on many of these Counts, but those of you who know me well know that I love taking scenic shots, old barns, farm cats, and anything else beautiful and/or interesting.
Last year, the highlight for me was seeing Pine Grosbeaks nice and close. This Count, I think the highlights were the stunning winter scenery, and a Great Horned Owl. A few Sharp-tailed Grouse were also a treat.
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 of 7 people (in two cars)!
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 (though I've never driven them myself), but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
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 wonderfully warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thank you!
I will add Andrew Hart's eBird report for this trip, in a comment box below.
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