Rose-breasted Grosbeak male

I would imagine every Flickr member received this email yesterday:

"If you haven’t heard, Yahoo plans to sell its operating business, including Flickr, to Verizon Communications Inc. We anticipate the completion of the transaction to occur in June 2017. Upon the completion of this proposed transaction, Yahoo products and services, including Flickr, will be provided by a new Verizon-owned company called Yahoo Holdings, Inc.

In connection with this proposed transaction, Yahoo is updating its Terms of Service. You can review the changes by visiting our Terms of Service

These updated terms will automatically be effective on June 8, 2017, unless you cancel your Yahoo account before then.

That’s it! We look forward to continuing to deliver your favorite products and services."

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Well, I'm certainly not getting on very well with my Trinidad photos at the moment : ) Other things keep popping up and they have offered, or will be offering, photo opportunities, too. This morning, I posted four more shots from my day out with four friends, driving the area SW of Calgary, on 20 May 2017.

Normally, I wouldn't be posting so many bird photos all close together. However, I so rarely see Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Evening Grosbeaks, so wanted to make sure I didn't forget to post the somewhat better shots I took. I'm not a fan of taking feeder shots, but sometimes you take what you can get. This male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was happily cracking open a black sunflower seed - no problem for it with that chunky, solid beak!

Part of that morning was spent at our friend, Barb's, acreage, SW of Calgary, enjoying the variety of birds that visit her property. Thanks so much, Barb, as always, for letting us visit you. Such a joy to see birds like the handsome male Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Evening Grosbeaks.

We then drove the various roads SW of the city, as far south as Turner Valley, hoping to see a few birds. Beautiful scenery in the whole area. In Turner Valley, we called in to see another mutual friend and watch the birds that visited her tiny, but beautifully and thoughtfully designed, back deck. Thanks so much for having us, Jackie - and for the most welcome coffee! - especially at such very short notice!

On my way home from this enjoyable day out, I drove a few backroads, looking for any Mountain Bluebirds. Not much luck, though I did see one pair close to their nest box.

This coming weekend, it is the annual May Species Count. This year (2017), I am only going to be doing the Sunday Count - no walking : )

"The count goes May 27-28: Calgary birders have been out in force every May since 1979, contributing to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America. The count circle is the same as previous years, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard, and includes a variety of environments." From NatureCalgary.