Happy Thanksgiving!
Bighorn Sheep, mom and youngster
Barn Owl
Alpaca at the Christmas Market
Goat at the Petting Zoo
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey at the Cochrane Ecological Institute
Love a Llama
Bald Eagle after a cooling hosepipe shower
Spooked by a barking dog
Fun to spend time with
Snow Leopard / Panthera uncia
Unknown duck species (domestic)
Friendly horse
Mama Turkey (domestic)
Gobble gobble time for Americans
Christmas Llama - oops, Bird! - Count
Llama in winter
Up close with a Llama
Llama
Overload of Llamas : )
Llama beauty
Helmeted Guineafowl
A face only a mother could love
Day 4, Laughing Gull / Leucophaeus atricilla, Must…
Andolesian Shepherd, farm dog
Bighorn Sheep female
Mallard female
Up close and personal
Lovable Llama
Moose in the mountains
Moose from the archives
Snowy Owl in rehab
Don't you spit!
I love Llamas
Sunset wildness
That majestic look
01 Run with the wind
Running free
Long-eared Owl
Dark chocolate bunny with milk chocolate eyes
Up close and personal with a Turkey Vulture
Gotta love those Golden Eagle feathers
Regal
No need to worry about one or two wrinkles
Such a handsome bird
Finn, a friend's dog
Long-eared Owl
Red-tailed Hawk portrait
Bald Eagle portrait
Turkey Vulture
Lynn's cat at Marsland Basin
Bighorn Sheep - she's a beauty
Unexpected closeness
Longhorn
They can't see me
Why this bird is called a Grosbeak
Canada Goose
Sweet equine faces
Strange but beautiful
A serious pose
Remembering a winter day
Smiling in the snow
Moose cow looking for salt
A sweet face
A toothy smile
Lovable, but shy
Licking the salt
Raven, Yellowstone National Park
Helmeted Guineafowl / Numida meleagris
Up close and personal
Eurasian Lynx
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Thank you for the pose
Himalayan monal / Lophophorus impejanus male
Small and cute
A lovable bundle of fur
Lyn's cat
Young Richardson's Ground Squirrel
Button-eyes
Licking salt off its lips
A young male Moose
Moose portrait
Golden Eagle named Spirit
One sweet, curious female
Short-eared Owl
White Stork
Himalayan Monal female
The silent stalker
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Short-eared Owl
Needless to say, this is not a photo that was taken in the wild! I would never be able to get such a close shot or even a close view like this, unless the bird was captive for one reason or another. When seen this close, one can see how amazing all those tiny feathers are. I can't tell if this photo needs a bit of brightening, as it is still dark outside this morning. If it does, I will edit it later today.
This particular Short-eared Owl resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta. This is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too.
I do see this species of owl in the wild, but not very often. Usually when I see one, it is flying or perched far away. Too far away to see any detail at all, which is why I love going to this Centre, to see raptors up close.
This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.
The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.
I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.
Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 9,000+ in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!
This particular Short-eared Owl resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta. This is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too.
I do see this species of owl in the wild, but not very often. Usually when I see one, it is flying or perched far away. Too far away to see any detail at all, which is why I love going to this Centre, to see raptors up close.
This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either far too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for 3 August looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.
The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.
I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.
Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 9,000+ in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Later: after doing a bit of Googling, it seems that it is quite normal to have done this many km, or more, before the maintenance light comes on for getting a first oil change. My previous vehicle was 17 years old and things have obviously changed with newer cars!
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