Swainson's Hawk

UPDATE on the Waterton Lakes National Park wildfire, 14 September 2017:

"WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK…
We wish to remind the public that the Kenow Fire is still active in the area and within the park boundaries. Please note that the Evacuation Order is still in effect and the park remains closed to all incoming traffic except emergency vehicles and authorized personnel. Even though the townsite is not under immediate threat, there are risks due to the active fire nearby and ongoing fire operations. Community members should not attempt to return to the area until advised by Parks Canada Agency.

The detailed assessment of infrastructure and facilities is underway and will be available as soon as it is completed. We will be providing additional information regarding the status of infrastructure around the townsite as soon as possible. In the coming weeks, Parks Canada will inform the public once it has determined whether the entry of community and business owners within the park is safe. The high intensity of the fire has severely impacted the landscape within the park. As a result, many areas will remain unsafe." From Government of Canada/Parks Canada.

www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/cond_e.asp?oid=29287&opark=10...

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Hard to believe that I am sitting at my computer this morning, wearing a sweater, and the temperature only 6C! It rained again last night, which was a real blessing. We seem to have plunged straight from the awful heat of summer to winter. One more day, and we should get back to the mid-teens. Just come across a few photos of snow-covered Banff National Park! I'm so not ready for this!!! Best of all, though, is that Waterton Lakes National Park is receiving rain now, thank goodness. This, plus much colder temperatures, should help all the firefighters and others deal with the massive wildfire in the park. It sounds like 70% of the forest has burned. I read a comment by someone saying that Canyon Church Camp lodge was saved, but that the cabins burned. It will be good when a definite report eventually comes out. Foothills MP John Barlow had a chance to fly over the Kenow Wildfire at Waterton Lakes National Park yesterday, 13 September 2017 and will be posting a video soon.

I have just come across an article by National Geographic - What Do Wild Animals Do in a Wildfire?

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140721-animals-w...

This photo was taken on 25 August 2017, when I at last did a long-overdue drive east of the city. This is my least favourite direction in which to drive from the city and I have to say it stresses me out so much. Once I reach the back roads, I can relax a little, but I am always worried about getting lost.

I saw this Swainson's Hawk early on in my drive, a fair distance away. For me, it made a good start to the day. If I remember correctly, it was a juvenile. Little did I know that later on, I would come across a young Swainson's Hawk perched on a fence post the far side of the back road I was on. Those were the best few minutes in my day, as it was content to sit there. Amazingly, not one single vehicle came along while I was there. It felt so good to get a few photos of a hawk in the wild, unlike the ones I photographed fairly recently at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre. I had really hoped I would see a perched hawk this day and that's all I needed to make me happy and feel that the drive was worthwhile.

For the first time ever, and after having driven past the location other times, I stopped at Weed Lake (south end). Lots of birds, but most were really too far to photograph. Still, I was glad to see a Killdeer and a little Semipalmated Plover close enough to get a few shots.