Autumn means chasing this guy around, trying to grab a focused photograph. Some people play football. This is my sport. I could spend hours listening for him and then high-tailing it to his next location. He plays catch-me-if-you-can and I can be heard in the woods, laughing out loud. If anyone else was around they would wonder. First, readers, take note of the Belted Kingfisher’s interesting sound.
Twice in the past two days, the Kingfisher has taken a place of importance, the high Y branch of the Bald Eagle family’s favourite tree. First time, both Juveniles went at him. I think that perhaps the Kingfisher was consuming a meal and the young eagles get pretty scrappy with the food of other river hunters. Next time, the Sub Adult flew in, I suppose just to claim her dominance.
My visuals are all very unfocused, but I’m logging these here as a part of my birder journals. This morning, in the fog, I also watched an Osprey dive, almost vertically, off of a tree and pounce upon a young Cormorant as he fished. Life on the river is a bit of a dog-eat-dog world. When I returned home, I saw that I got an unfocused capture of the Osprey leaving the tree.
The two juvenile Bald Eagles swooped into the scene, evicting the Kingfisher from prime territory.
He arrived at my side of the river, for only moments and I snapped this photograph, directly into the light.
Another visit to the river, and again, he chose prime branches. Are you kidding?
In she swooped…and look, where the little guy ended up!
This morning, in the fog.
Life carries on, in all forms, at the river, but very different from only weeks ago. The Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are in greater numbers, as are the White Breasted Nuthatches. The Northern Flickers swoosh down and up onto the Elms. This afternoon, the subdued landscape was broken by a huge frenzy of vocalizations of coyotes on the island and the howls were returned in unison by the coyotes on this side of the river. It was absolutely magical!
Osprey taking a dive, not for a fish, but for the Cormorant catching the fish! (Horrible photo alert!)
Juvenile Cormorant. Doug Newman pointed out one time that some Cormorant species have bright blue eyes in this stage. This is the best that I’ve been able to capture that.
And, what exactly is this? Has this wee babe been abandoned by Mom? What is it?
The elegance of the young American Robins, at this time, fills my heart, whenever I see them.
This past week might have been impacted by bad-weather days, but nature continues to amaze me, regardless.
The female Mallard keeps her kids in line.
I will continue to attempt a good capture of the Belted Kingfisher during the coming week.
Hours spent by the river are the best hours. I hope and pray that my grandson will love and respect nature as much as I do. I will do my very best to instill that in him by sharing my joy and delight in the textures, colours, sights, smells and sounds of natural environments.
Snake! Gramma touch.
What a pleasure to make observations of the juveniles. Dad is watching closely.
I enjoyed my river-walk with Max today. There were several baseball games going on while I was there, so there were more people at the Bow. (Pet Peeve = people who throw cigarette butts into the bush. Buddy, are you aware of the fires burning in B.C.?) I made no sightings of the Bald Eagles today, so they must have withdrawn into solitude elsewhere. I’ve enjoyed the nesting House Wrens as their wee ones have fledged and it’s like all of the dead fall becomes a home for the ‘chittering’ sounds. This morning, I focused on capturing them with my camera. I stood still and enjoyed every moment.
The most calming activities of my day are my walks with Max. I am either over at the wetlands drainage site that I named Frank’s Flats some years ago or at the Bow River. I used to diligently pick litter daily at Frank’s Flats…I guess I did that for six years. A man named Frank slept under the trees through summers there and I made a habit of chatting with him as I circled the pond. He would drink six beer in the time it would take me to pick a full bag of litter. He was one of about ten people who thanked me…but, he thanked me every day. He would also bag up his cans and I would collect those for coin. At some point he told me he had to head for Vancouver. He said the weather was more predictable there. I told him that I was going to name the pond and the area after him. And, I did.
That space and the river have provided me with a great deal of solace. I’ve done some grieving and a lot of growing. Ideas, images and poetry have surfaced in these places. Many walks have been shared with friends and family. I’ve watched these places change and sometimes, in good ways and not-so-good ways. Because of walks at the pond, I purchased my first really nice camera, a Canon Powershot. I began to notice the birds and vegetation. Some time late last year, I picked up and read the book, Birds Art Life: a Year of Observation by Kyo McClear. I realized that she had written about my own journey and my own experiences, somehow.
Once I had the camera, I captured images of birds and vegetation, as well as learned to identify these varieties. It has given me immense pleasure and creates a form of meditation for my daily life.
This past while I’ve been in awe of the nesting behaviours of the adults, as well as the dedicated effort that is made once the eggs have hatched and there are so many little mouths to feed. The predatory activity is also huge and so there are a lot of lessons to be learned regarding the survival of the fittest. It is sad to see such effort exerted in protection of the young when in the end, a quick visit from a Crow, Magpie, Bald Eagle, Merlin or Osprey can end it all in a flash. One grows in acceptance as one considers the way that nature provides and one species feeds upon another. Everything is interconnected. Life is both brutal and beautiful.
I’ve captured a few little photographs the past couple of weeks…going to post them here. However, if you have the opportunity to visit Alberta Birds or Birds Calgary, please do! The photography is beyond anything you could imagine. I love being a part of this group of people, regularly making observations, whether that is in a back yard or by the water.
Savannah Sparrows…a great program on CBC a few weeks ago caused me to feel even more enamored by these lovely little birds on a CBC program.
The American White Pelicans have been exceptional in numbers this year and are stunning against the colour of the river.
The red on the male Red Winged Backgrounds is far more subtle now than in mating season. They continue to play an important role in protecting their little ones, but most of the feeding seems to be taken care of by the mamas.
Wild Delphinium…there is just no way that I could capture the electric blue.
An unlikely duo on July 25. I looked through my archives and have a series of this Swainson’s Hawk casting dirty looks at this enthusiastic male Red Winged Blackbird. It’s interesting how, for every raptor out there, there are a whole crew of Magpies or Crows or Blackbirds looking for easy pick’ns.
Cedar Waxwings showing really brave behaviour around me…coming quite close at a point, although the camera wasn’t ready at the most remarkable times. I think that I figured out why they were less shy than usual…I’m pretty sure in this set, I captured more than a few fledglings.
I saw four Black Crowned Night Herons…most avoiding me and flying from one end of the pond to the next, but managed to see this one adult sit quite patiently in the midst of all of the earth moving and noise. It seemed like a huge visual dichotomy.
Lots of Blackbird youngsters about…mostly continuing to cry out to mama for bugs and dragonflies.
Spotted Sandpiper…very distinctive and high pitched call. It seems like this guy was hanging about for almost three weeks. I spotted him again this morning.
I call these Blue Bells, but don’t know their actual name. The flowers have been lovely in the wild, this year.
The Bald Eagle family continues to provide much viewing pleasure. I’ve captured some nice photographs from this side of the river, but, for the most part I love spending the hours just watching them. I’ve only spotted one fledgling, although I watched two eaglets at the nest for a couple of months. I’m hoping that one has not come to some demise. Perhaps other observers know?
Since fledging, the little Wrens have caused me great delight. When I step into their little part of the world, their chittering raises up in unison. There’s just no missing them. However, they are so darned tiny, it isn’t easy to capture them.
These sweet buy sometimes-annoying House Sparrows at my backyard bird feeder. When they’re young they are so darned funny.
White-breasted Nuthatch…so tricky to capture.
Here’s the wee guy again…vocalizing to Mom and Dad who are trying to ignore the noise from a tree near-by. My friend, Doug Newman has captured some amazing close ups of Mom and Dad…
And of course, there are a few families of Mallards nearby…on this particular day, sunning themselves. Mom was keeping an eye on me.
I’ve got some others to add to my portfolio, but, HEH! A former student of mine and his wife are preparing me an Italian dinner, so I need to blow this pop stand. I’m glad I got a good start on this. July has been amazing for the watching.
Anyone watching me make my way around the pond today would say, “There’s a weary woman!” Honestly, I’m so tired. I’m not used to working every single day. Most times I wonder how human beings carve out a life when they work so hard, raise families and try to stay healthy, all at the same time. Are we enticed by the promise of something that, in the end, doesn’t really come to us? Food for thought, this Good Friday.
I didn’t put in a whole lot of effort taking photographs today, but did quietly observe the birds, their comings and goings, and their efforts to also eek out a living on a pond that is obviously suffering the impact of a progressive-aggressive species, humanity.
While we all experience personal struggles, I also spent a bit of time meditating on the state of a world where weapons/bombs/chemical warfare are viewed as a solution to terrorism and unrest. I just don’t understand how human beings continue to go forward, ignoring the mistakes of our history and believing, somehow, that ‘this time it will be different’. So many layers of unrest in the human heart. It is discouraging.
Today, I’ve made a choice to let go of fear and anger and frustration. I’m choosing love.
Max and I stopped at our local park and watched the Merlins this morning. Both female and male were in the vicinity. Both came and went and hung nearer the nest.
Nest taken over by Merlins three springtimes ago.
Only one male Bufflehead on the pond…shy guy…who hung around a pair of Goldeneyes…sort of forcing himself on them. He spent a lot of time stretching out on his back. And, of course, remained, as much as he could, out of range.
My favourite image captured today was a simple one of three geese. They seemed to be suspended or floating on perfectly calm pond water. Obviously just as curious about me, we spent about five minutes exchanging gazes, alternating with times looking at the environment that surrounded us.
I spent a great deal of time enjoying the antics of the Goldeneyes, also, but, at their preferred distance from me, very little again, in the way of successful capture.
Likely 50 male Goldeneyes at Frank’s Flats today and a continued effort at capturing their ridiculous courting rituals.
I think this little girl is a female Wigeon. (Thank you, Miles…I’ve had a ‘real birder’ let me know that this is, in fact, a Gadwell.) I had seen a male at the pond on April 11.Today, I also spotted a single male Bufflehead. He was unobtrusively wandering through the Goldeneye chaos.
No fewer than thirty male Goldeneyes today and not a single good photograph! Regardless, it was a wonderful experience watching them dance around the few females (not an accurate count because there were also a large number of Common Mergansers in the mix).
There were more male Lesser Scaups today, but I could only identify two females. Also, more Redheads. It was a great morning at Frank’s Flats, with the water looking mercurial due to the atmosphere of soft cloud over sun. For some reason the mud was stirred up along the water’s edge, sort of a strange phenomena. Geese followed me for the entire circumference of the pond, like a flotilla of approval. “Just thought we’d keep our eye on you.”
First siting of a Coot for the season and an enjoyable time watching trees full of Common Starlings.
Max and I begin every morning, stopping to watch the nesting Merlins. Today, this guy was enjoying watching me.
The courting action for the Red Winged Blackbirds is in full swing!
This was a beauty.
Stick? Max’s ACL has healed adequately enough, I let him go for a bit of a run on the flats and leash him up once we are edging the pond so as not to disturb the nesting birds.
Starlings wrapped around tree branches, everywhere. Once and awhile they would lift off…amazing stuff, this nature-thing!
Wanted to pick up on some markings. This wasn’t a bad zoom.
Not perfectly focused, but the camouflaging on the Northern Flicker is so amazing…had to post.
There’s a single Wigeon in this picture. Can you spot it? I’m so sad that I didn’t get some comical shots of the Goldeneyes today.
Still trying for a clear photo of the Scaups.
Two gents with their lady-friend….three more males were just out of this frame.
I think it snowed a bit last night…would that have caused this weird phenomena?
Redheads romancing. Lovely birds and a little less wary of me.
Multiple Male Canvasbacks and 2 Females
The documentation isn’t great because I was such a great distance away.
These are fast swimmers and in their mating rituals, they do a lot of diving and showing off. Shy birds, they, like the Mergansers, crossed the pond each time I came around to their side. This is very annoying for me, and when I lose patience, I just put the camera down and watch. I feel more excited to be closely observing and learning from these spring romancers.
I have been very interested in the mating rituals of the Mallards…just ‘ordinary’ ducks…but, I have developed quite a respect for the tremendous resilience and determination of the female Mallard. I’m watching her more closely this spring, in terms of her attempts to hold off the aggressive drakes. I caught a really lovely photograph today of one of these ladies.
Only the past two days, the songs of the Red Winged Blackbirds have returned to the pond and while I haven’t sighted any females yet, the males are calling in a very determined, if not impatient way.
It seems that as large groups of birds are sighted, with the disruptive activities around the extension of Stoney Trail, the waterbirds, for the most part, are moving on. The Goldeneyes were here in large numbers, as were the Common Mergansers, but today, they seemed to be replaced by the Lesser Scaups and the Canvasbacks. The Geese look hunkered down for the long haul, although on the south side of the fence, I fear they are bound to lose their youngsters this year. The Mallards are also nesting in the tall grass along the slopes to the pond…but they will also be in harm’s way, either through the marauding populations of displaced coyotes or the extensive and dismissive nature of human activity.
Magpies are watching on from the cheap seats.
I hope to get some good photographs of the Lesser Scaups this year, but they did manage to avoid my efforts last year. We’ll see. I love their powder blue beaks and the lovely patterning on their backs. Their eyes are the most luminous gold colour. They are just lovely to watch. Also, shy.
Every year, I become more intrigued with the act of watching birds. The book, Birds Art Life by Kyo Maclear put some of that into perspective for me…in fact, when I poured over the pages, it was the first time that I could really connect with why I am so driven to investigate Frank’s Flats; the wildlife, landscape, atmospheric changes and ecosystems.
I think that Maclear proposes that there is a single spark bird that draws the everyday person into the act of bird watching. However, for me, it seems that every year, in springtime, I am renewed to the experience by a particular bird.
This year, that bird is this one, a Merlin. And…I could be wrong in my identification and challenge my readers to look at its markings and confirm with me if I am mistaken or correct. About three years ago, in my neighbourhood park, I noticed a nesting couple and likely heard them first. They have a very particular high pitched call.
Merlin
Adult male (Prairie)
Light blue-gray crown
Pale face with no distinct pattern
Streaked breast
Dark eye with pale eyebrow
Prairie subspecies occurs in Great Plains states and southern Canada
This year, I’ve been close enough to the nesting pair to have received a bit of an annoyed reaction. They are very defensive birds and protective during the nesting period. As I’ve discovered on line, their talons and beaks provide for some very nasty feeding frenzies on pigeons, sparrows, mice and I’m guessing that they could do a mean attack on young children or dogs if they felt challenged.
So, for now, I’ll watch from a distance. They are just beautiful!
Usually, one remains in a sparse deciduous tree or atop a power pole some distance from the nest, while the other stays tucked into the evergreen tree, a nest that was stolen from a mating magpie pair three seasons ago.
Recent photographs have helped me to make some distinctions in the small raptor, however, I’m still learning. I got some good shots of the nesting adult yesterday. I invite any feedback about these or other raptors as I expand my knowledge.
