Yesterday's treat
Gray Jay - Canada's new National bird
Gray Jay
Same tiny Northern Pygmy-owl
Way, way up
Northern Pygmy-owl
Ferocious hunter, but looking cute
Great Horned Owl
Sleepy Great Horned Owl
The size of a popcan
Yesterday's treat
Northern Hawk Owl from 2016
Two of a family of three
A backward glance
Northern Hawk Owl
Winner with its prey
Peacefully waiting
Such a beautiful owl
Perch with a good view
Northern Hawk Owl
Meadow Vole for a late lunch
Northern Pygmy-owl
False eyes and real eyes
Blue-gray Tanager / Thraupis episcopus, Tobago
Shiny Cowbird / Molothrus bonariensis, Tobago
Trinidad Motmot / Momotus bahamensis, Tobago
Green Heron, Tobago, Day 2
Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Tobago, Day 2
Green Heron, Tobago, Day 2
Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Tobago, Day 2
Purple Honeycreeper / Cyanerpes caeruleus, Asa Wri…
Masked Cardinal / Paroaria nigrogenis, Trinidad, D…
Green Honeycreeper male, Asa Wright Nature Centre,…
White-necked Jacobin, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Tr…
Blue-gray Tanager, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trini…
Green Honeycreeper female, Asa Wright Nature Centr…
Crested Oropendola / Psarocolius decumanus, Asa Wr…
Guianan Trogon, Asa Wright Nature Centre
Collared Trogon / Trogon collaris, Asa Wright, Bel…
Copper-rumped Hummingbird / Amazilia tobac, Trinid…
Blue-gray Tanager /Thraupis episcopus, Asa Wright,…
American Robin / Turdus migratorius, Carburn Park
Green Honeycreeper, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trin…
White-necked Jacobin female, Asa Wright Nature Cen…
Cacao tree (chocolate!), on way to Brasso Seco, Tr…
Green Honeycreeper male, Asa Wright Nature Centre,…
White-necked Jacobin, Asa Wright Nature Centre
White-necked Jacobin immature, Trinidad
Yellow-headed Caracara, Nariva Swamp afternoon, Tr…
Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Nariva Swamp afternoon
White-lined Tanager, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Tri…
Purple Honeycreeper female preening, Asa Wright Na…
Rose-breasted Grosbeak male / Pheucticus ludovicia…
American Goldfinch male / Spinus tristis
Evening Grosbeak male
American Robin male
Masked Cardinal / Paroaria nigrogenis, Trinidad
Crested Oropendola, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trin…
Watching the watchers
One of three young owls
Great Horned Owl male
Brewer's Blackbird female
Purple Honeycreeper male, Asa Wright Nature Centre…
Time for an afternoon nap
Great Horned Owl male
A watchful eye
A distant Northern Pygmy-owl
Great Horned Owl - posting just for the record
Bees, bees, and more bees
Merlin removing dragonfly's wings
A blast from the past
European Starling / Sturnus vulgaris
American Tree Sparrow
Colours and textures
Chipping Sparrow / Spizella passerina
Merlin eating a dragonfly
Merlin on the hunt
Merlin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
House Wren at the Ellis Bird Farm
Western Kingbird
Little mystery bird - juvenile Yellow-rumped Warbl…
Brown-headed Cowbird juvenile
Hawk in Fish Creek Park - juvenile Northern Goshaw…
Lazuli Bunting - just for the record
Willow Flycatcher
Flycatcher sp. - Willow or Alder Flycatcher
Yellow Warbler male
Clay-colored Sparrow / Spizella pallida
Great Horned Owl owlet, Ellis Bird Farm
Collecting food for his babies
White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys
American Goldfinch male
One of a pair
Busy parent
Close-up of bee colony
The art of preening for a young owl
Large Bee colony
Always a good mother
A Tree Swallow's iridescence
Golden-breasted Starling / Lamprotornis regius
One of a crowd
Mixed pair of Red-tailed Hawks
Northern Shrike / Lanius excubitor
Varied Thrush
Branch treasures
Blowing in the wind
A local Great Horned Owl
01 Varied Thrush / Ixoreus naevius
Pine Grosbeak enjoying the sun
Watchful eye
Beautiful bird, but grainy and blurry photo : (
Northern Pygmy-owl, one year ago
Focused, listening, watching
Clark's Nutcracker
Varied Thrush
Male beauty
Varied Thrush - a lifer
A quick glance
Pine Grosbeak / Pinicola enucleator
A photographer's nightmare
One year ago
Dainty little Common Redpoll
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Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine
![Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine](https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/43/48/43994348.ede68409.640.jpg?r2)
![](https://s.ipernity.com/T/L/z.gif)
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. The Count on 3 January 2016 was part of the 2015 Bird Count.
I think these gorgeous Pine Grosbeaks were the highlight of the day for me. We had been told about a farm family who had lots of these Grosbeaks at their feeders, and we are so glad that we arranged to call in. We also saw a Gray Jay there, to add to our species list. My small group of 4 friends and myself, travelling in two cars, did see 5 Golden Eagles, too, which was a thrill, but they were way off in the distance and I couldn't get any close photos like this one of Grosbeaks : )
"One of the larger members of its family, the Pine Grosbeak is a bird of the boreal forests, found across northern Eurasia and North America, and south into the mountains of western Canada and the United States. A large, unwary finch, it makes periodic winter irruptions into southern Canada and northern United States. It is the largest and rarest of the "winter finches." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Grosbeak/id
As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see is that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. Two years ago, on the trip in January (for the 2013 Count), on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms/acreages.
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, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which some years - but definitely not on this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Unlike some years, we saw only a handful of very distant Grouse, perched on a group of hay bales.
I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of the 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!
Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's home as we were nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home.
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, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year.
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 warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for the next Count, in about two and a half weeks' time!
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
I think these gorgeous Pine Grosbeaks were the highlight of the day for me. We had been told about a farm family who had lots of these Grosbeaks at their feeders, and we are so glad that we arranged to call in. We also saw a Gray Jay there, to add to our species list. My small group of 4 friends and myself, travelling in two cars, did see 5 Golden Eagles, too, which was a thrill, but they were way off in the distance and I couldn't get any close photos like this one of Grosbeaks : )
"One of the larger members of its family, the Pine Grosbeak is a bird of the boreal forests, found across northern Eurasia and North America, and south into the mountains of western Canada and the United States. A large, unwary finch, it makes periodic winter irruptions into southern Canada and northern United States. It is the largest and rarest of the "winter finches." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Grosbeak/id
As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see is that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. Two years ago, on the trip in January (for the 2013 Count), on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms/acreages.
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, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars and in which some years - but definitely not on this day! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. Unlike some years, we saw only a handful of very distant Grouse, perched on a group of hay bales.
I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of the 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!
Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's home as we were nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home.
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, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite.
Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year.
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 warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for the next Count, in about two and a half weeks' time!
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
ROL/Photo, Yves Saulnier have particularly liked this photo
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