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…
Common Raven in the sun
Blue-gray Tanager, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trini…
Lazuli Bunting
Stellar's Jay juvenile
Purple Honeycreeper male, Trinidad
Same tiny Northern Pygmy-owl
Gray Jay
Gray Jay - Canada's new National bird
Yesterday's treat
Pine Grosbeak in winter sunshine
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
See also...
Sheep River Christmas Bird Counts, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Sheep River Christmas Bird Counts, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
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Not the best of my photos of this tiny Northern Pygmy-owl, but I thought I would slip it in as my third photo for today. Hopefully, Flickr won't mess with the order of my images, as it seems to be doing so often. This was the view we had of this owl, before it flew to a tree much closer to us. Our very first sighting of it was much further away than in this photo. Focal Length (35mm format) - 1200 mm, and cropped.
On 27 December 2016, nine of us took part in the annual Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count. This gorgeous little popcan-sized or fist-sized Northern Pygmy-owl was actually not seen on the Count, unfortunately, but afterwards, when three of us decided to keep driving a few extra roads on the way home. One other friend happened to drive along this particular road on her way home and so was lucky enough to share the enjoyment with us. Also, Joe Harley and his wife, Carolyn, happened to be driving along the same road. Joe, with his powerful camera, joined us to capture this beautiful bird that gave us a wonderful chance to take a few photos. We had also seen a second owl in the same area (presumably a pair), but one of them flew off into the trees and disappeared.
"The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it’s a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots." From AllAboutBirds. They also love Meadow Voles.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id
"Carolyn Harley loves to perform as a solo artist; as the husband/wife duo HARLEY & HARLEY with her husband Joe (who took up playing bass in self defense in his 50’s!!); as THE CAROLYN HARLEY TRIO with long time friend Robb Mann on guitar and mando; as COPPER JUNCTION, a four piece band that features country/bluegrass music with the addition of Craig West on fiddle; and as CAROLYN HARLEY & THE DAVIDSONS (a play on the motorcycle!!) which is the same four musicians playing a wide range of styles."
www.carolynharley.com/home
Our time all day was spent travelling by car, driving the backroads SW of the city and calling in at several acreages/farms. I took part in this Count for 2015, but had missed it for a few years before that. I believe I had only ever done it twice before that, a few years ago (December 2007 and December 30, 2008). This time, like last year, our area was in the centre of the count circle and I'm so glad I decided to go again.
A great stop was at Rod Handfield's place. Some of us go there occasionally on botany trips and he always has the best mushrooms and other fungi growing in his forest. Rod and his wife have such a beautiful cabin there. A Gray Jay gave us a few photo opportunities, which was appreciated. Rod is always so delightfully hospitable!!
Thanks so much, Donna, for driving half of us - so much appreciated! This also meant that we were lucky enough to see this owl after the Count, too. A beautiful sunny day really helped - not all that cold (for Alberta!). A lot of snow everywhere (almost 8"), but that was OK, as we did so little walking. A great day!
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
On 27 December 2016, nine of us took part in the annual Sheep River/Priddis/Turner Valley Christmas Bird Count. This gorgeous little popcan-sized or fist-sized Northern Pygmy-owl was actually not seen on the Count, unfortunately, but afterwards, when three of us decided to keep driving a few extra roads on the way home. One other friend happened to drive along this particular road on her way home and so was lucky enough to share the enjoyment with us. Also, Joe Harley and his wife, Carolyn, happened to be driving along the same road. Joe, with his powerful camera, joined us to capture this beautiful bird that gave us a wonderful chance to take a few photos. We had also seen a second owl in the same area (presumably a pair), but one of them flew off into the trees and disappeared.
"The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it’s a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots." From AllAboutBirds. They also love Meadow Voles.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id
"Carolyn Harley loves to perform as a solo artist; as the husband/wife duo HARLEY & HARLEY with her husband Joe (who took up playing bass in self defense in his 50’s!!); as THE CAROLYN HARLEY TRIO with long time friend Robb Mann on guitar and mando; as COPPER JUNCTION, a four piece band that features country/bluegrass music with the addition of Craig West on fiddle; and as CAROLYN HARLEY & THE DAVIDSONS (a play on the motorcycle!!) which is the same four musicians playing a wide range of styles."
www.carolynharley.com/home
Our time all day was spent travelling by car, driving the backroads SW of the city and calling in at several acreages/farms. I took part in this Count for 2015, but had missed it for a few years before that. I believe I had only ever done it twice before that, a few years ago (December 2007 and December 30, 2008). This time, like last year, our area was in the centre of the count circle and I'm so glad I decided to go again.
A great stop was at Rod Handfield's place. Some of us go there occasionally on botany trips and he always has the best mushrooms and other fungi growing in his forest. Rod and his wife have such a beautiful cabin there. A Gray Jay gave us a few photo opportunities, which was appreciated. Rod is always so delightfully hospitable!!
Thanks so much, Donna, for driving half of us - so much appreciated! This also meant that we were lucky enough to see this owl after the Count, too. A beautiful sunny day really helped - not all that cold (for Alberta!). A lot of snow everywhere (almost 8"), but that was OK, as we did so little walking. A great day!
I will add the list of species seen, in a comment box below.
guenievre, , Daniel Palacin have particularly liked this photo
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