Five days after a day trip to the southern prairies, it was out to the mountains the day before yesterday. It might be the winter before I get round to posting the rest of my prairie photos from 9 July.
The sky was blue when I set out that morning, 14 July 2020, and I felt quite hopeful. When I go to Kananaskis, I always go south from the city. I had no idea where I would end up going, but I knew that it wouldn't be as far as I would have liked. As it turned out, I had a few surprises along the way, so it was a real mixed day of photo opportunities - my favourite kind of day. A total drive of 373 kilometres, leaving home just before 8:30 am and arriving back at 6:45 pm. It was weird, as I noticed the gas level meter seemed to stop part way through the day and showed more gas left than I would have expected. It did eventually keep slowly moving, but showed about half a tank of gas left by the end of the day, which I would have thought was too much. Must keep my eye on that! I always worry about running out of gas when I do a long day's drive.
Once I reached Highway 40, my first stop was at Highwood House to pick up a few snacks, Unfortunately, the website was wrong and they were not open on Tuesdays. However, while I was there, I was lucky enough to see a teeny Rufous Hummingbird. I'm not sure just how many there were - or maybe it was the same one that returned a few times. I always forget what a loud noise they make. Jan, I'm so glad that your father got this chance. Same with the Pika, even if it was only an extremely distant view.
After stopping to take a few scenic shots along the main highway through Kananaskis, I eventually reached the area where the American Pikas live. Each time I go, I always forget how far this part of the drive is. Once there, I really lucked out after not too long a wait, as the only few photos I took were when one Pika showed itself, but after that, everything slowed down - basically stopped, apart from the occasional distant squeak. There was a good variety of wildflowers to enjoy and photograph - and even one lonely, plain mushroom.
These little Pikas/Rock Rabbits are only 6-9 inches long and are usually seen far away, running backwards and forwards over the scree (talus) slope that they call home. Very occasionally, one happens to come closer, usually for just a quick moment.
"The American Pika is a generalist herbivore. It eats a large variety of green plants, including different kinds of grasses, sedges, thistles and fireweed. Although pikas can meet their water demands from the vegetation they eat, they do drink water if it is available in their environment. Pikas have two different ways of foraging: they directly consume food (feeding) or they cache food in haypiles to use for a food source in the winter (haying). The pika feeds throughout the year while haying is limited to the summer months. Since they do not hibernate, pikas have greater energy demands than other montane mammals. In addition, they also make 13 trips per hour to collect vegetation when haying, up to a little over 100 trips per day." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_pika
A couple of short YouTube videos in case anyone wants to hear and see these absolutely cute creatures:
youtu.be/US_Hy_eGPtg
youtu.be/OQ2IgcjVIfc
After thankfully getting a few photos of a Pika, I continued north till I reached the turn-off to the Kananaskis Lakes and Smith-Dorien Trail. I can only imagine how many people there were at the Lakes, and I never like the crowds there at the best of times. Instead, I went to one of my favourite places, where the view of the spectacular mountain range is so amazing. Just love all the eroded, jagged folds.
Continuing on the same road, I decided to drive as far as Buller Pond for another beautiful mountain view. Also stopped to gaze at the beautiful view at the Moose meadow, though the light was not good for photos. When I looked down closer to my feet, I noticed several Yellow Penstemon flowers. So pretty, and I then remembered seeing them at that location a previous year.
Concerned about my gas level meter, I thought the wisest thing was to head back to the main Kananaskis Highway and head for home. I had no desire to run out of gas if I drove further, just in case the meter was not showing an accurate remaining level.
Another great day, avoiding any close contact with other people. Even if I had seen no wildlife, the scenery alone would have made this drive more than worthwhile. Feel so lucky to live within reach of this whole, nature-filled area.
Tags: Alberta Canada Kananaskis K-Country Rocky Mountains Canadian Rockies nature wildlife animal wild wild animal mammal Pika American Pika Ochonta princeps Lagomorpha Ochotonidae Ochonta 6-9 inches long front view native rock scree talus cold climates plants foliage Yellow Columbine buds outdoor summer 14 July 2020 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2020 © All Rights Reserved
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Monday, 6 January 2020: temperature is -3C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 8:38 am, sunset is at 4:46 pm. Beautifully sunny. Just discovered that we are in for bitterly cold weather for the next week. Supposed to get down to -25C on Monday 13 January (windchill -33C).
I have fallen behind with editing and posting photos, as I have taken part in a number of the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, plus a BirdYYC2020 full day that included different locations within the city. A few photos from 1 January and 3 January will have to be added in the next few days, now that all the Counts are over with till December 2020. Much as I absolutely love participating in the Counts each year, I do find them exhausting and have to admit to feeling relief when the last one has been done. They really don't fit with my being a dreadful 'night owl' and having to try and function on very little sleep, and with dealing with a lot of constant pain - but I have to keep doing them as long as I can. Actually, I was going to have to cancel the last two days out because they would have meant driving in the dark with poor night vision. Along came friend, Tony, to the rescue when he offered me a ride both days. Thanks so much, Tony - greatly appreciated!
The 8 photos posted today were taken the day before yesterday, 4 January 2020, when several small groups of us took part in a Bird Count in the Priddis area, SW of the city. These are the last few photos taken that day. This time last year was the very first Count in this area and it was put together by a most impressive young man (teenager!) named Gavin McKinnon. Not only is he an extremely keen and knowledgeable birder, but he comes up with great ideas of things to organize for us all. I should also add that his parents are obviously highly supportive and helpful in their encouragement of their son, He is also very fortunate that several of our long-time, very experienced birders generously act as mentors. Gavin's resume is going to be very impressive!
We all met up at 8:30 am by Jane's Cafe in Priddis. There, we divided into several groups to cover different sections of the Count circle. Our section included many backroads that were familiar to me. A few were for the very first time - including some rather scary, snow-covered roller-coaster roads. So thankful that I wasn't the one who was driving.
The day started off very slowly as far as birds were concerned, but livened up somewhat as the day went on. Fifteen species of bird were eventually seen, though I was unable to do a walk along a side road, so missed a few species - only Chickadee species and Nuthatches, that I have been seeing for years. Fortunately, no owl was seen along that road. In fact, we didn't manage to find any kind of owl at all during the day, which was rather disappointing.
At lunch time, we all met back at Jane's cafe, where their Mustard, Onion and Bacon soup was much enjoyed. plus a few other foods. This is such a handy cafe/restaurant when birding in that whole area. The afternoon had us back out on the side roads, trying to find a few more species.
After the Count finished, some of us ended up at a Tim Horton's in the city, to hand in our reports. I suspect that this will turn out to have been a good Count, better than last year. Well done, Gavin, for organizing all this!
Talk about a strange day of mixed weather! We had sunshine, cloud, and some snow. At least the temperature was reasonable, which makes a huge difference.
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary 2nd annual Priddis Christmas Bird Count Area 5 south area of circle landscape scenery rural rural scene field hill snow snow-covered trees three lonely stark minimalism simplicity winter outdoor 4 January 2020 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2020 © All Rights Reserved
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Tuesday, 14 January 2020: our temperature shortly before noon is -30C (windchill -39C). It may well have been a degree or two colder, earlier. Sunrise is at 8:34 am, sunset at 4:57 pm. We were in a brutal, dangerous deep freeze over the weekend and it is forecast to continue all this week. Wednesday morning and evening are forecast to get down to -40C windchill. Sunday is forecast to have a high of -11C and, after that, things look like they will improve. Temperatures not to mess with at the moment - if you don't absolutely have to go out, be wise and stay home. It amazes me that schools have not closed down. We will all be so relieved when this frigid spell is over. Of course, compared to what people and wildlife in Australia have been going through the last few months, and continue to have to suffer, a comparatively short deep freeze is nothing. The wildfire situation in Australia is just devastating and heart-wrenching.
I am adding the description that I wrote under previously posted photos taken on the same day, 20 March 2016..
"After a long day out at Frank Lake on Saturday and then checking the upcoming weather forecast, Sunday, 20 March 2016, looked like it was going to be the only decent day of the coming week. Of course, we all know that weather forecasts can change. So, my alarm clocks were all set ridiculously early, though I still left home a bit later than I had intended, and I took myself NW of the city again to see if I could see an owl.
Just a handful of friends were there and we got a few moments of great views of this Great Gray Owl, including a very brief stop on top of this broken branch a few inches off the ground and on top of a fairly close tree while it was hunting. I think it took all of us by surprise. During the rest of the time, I did see an owl fly off into the trees a couple of times, but the time was spent waiting and chatting with my friends. Patience .....
While we were waiting, someone spotted a beautiful male Mountain Bluebird way down the road. I am pretty sure I had caught a quick glimpse of another Bluebird on my drive to my destination. Also, I seem to remember catching a quick sight of another one recently, but can't for the life of me remember where or when. It's always such a treat to see a Bluebird, especially the very first of the season. That flash of bright blue is breathtaking. Two beautiful birds to see on this first day of spring!"
"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_grey_owl
Tags: Alberta Canada NW of Calgary nature wildlife ornithology avian bird birds bird of prey owl Great Gray Owl Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa Strigiformes Strigidae Strix perched on top of low stump a few inches above ground front view bushes dried grass bokeh hunting outdoor first day of spring 20 March 2016 FZ200 FZ200#3 Panasonic Lumix annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2016 © All Rights Reserved
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Friday, 13 November 2020: our temperature at 8:00 am is -6C (windchill -10C). Sunrise is at 7:50 am and sunset is at 4:49 pm. Forecast is for partly sunny this morning and mainly cloudy this afternoon. Not the greatest, but the forecast this evening and tomorrow is for a few flurries.
"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.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pygmy_owl"
Yesterday, 12 November 2020, I actually got out for one of my rare walks. The motivation was to see if this tiny owl, no bigger than the size of a man's fist or popcan, could be seen. Though I have seen this kind of owl many times before, it was still such a thrill when several friends and I (all of us wearing masks) were lucky enough to see this one yesterday. I don't know how the person who first spotted it was able to find it from so far away. Thank goodness for camera zoom.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Fish Creek Park nature wildlife avian ornithology bird bird of prey owl Northern Pygmy Owl Glaucidium californicum
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What a slow day here on Flickr! Very few new photos from my contacts.
Sunday, 5 January 2020: temperature is -3C (windchill -8C). Sunrise 8:38 am, sunset 4:44 pm. The sun is shining. How I wish that our winter snowfalls could instead happen over SE Australia!!! My thoughts are with all the people and wildlife who live there - an horrific situation this is obviously not going to end any time soon.
I have fallen behind with editing and posting photos, as I have taken part in a number of annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, and a BirdYYC2020 full day at different locations within the city. A few photos from 1 January and 3 January will have to be added in the next few days, now that all the Counts are over with till December 2020. Much as I absolutely love participating in the Counts each year, I do find them exhausting and have to admit to feeling relief when the last one has been done. They really don't fit with my being a dreadful 'night owl' and having to try and function on very little sleep, and with dealing with a lot of constant pain - but I have to keep doing them as long as I can. Actually, I was going to have to cancel the last two days out because they would have meant driving in the dark with poor night vision. Along came friend, Tony, to the rescue when he offered me a ride both days. Thanks so much, Tony - greatly appreciated!
The five photos posted today were taken yesterday, 4 January 2020, when several small groups of us did a Bird Count in the Priddis area, SW of the city. This time last year was the very first Count in this area and it was put together by a most impressive young man (teenager!) named Gavin McKinnon. Not only is he an extremely keen and knowledgeable birder, but he comes up with great ideas of things to organize for us all. I should also add that his parents are obviously highly supportive and helpful in their encouragement of their son, He is also very fortunate that several of our long-time, very experienced birders generously act as mentors. Gavin's resume is going to be very impressive!
We all met up at 8:30 am by Jane's Cafe in Priddis. There, we divided into several groups to cover different sections of the Count circle. Our section included many backroads that were familiar to me. A few were for the very first time - including some rather scary, snow-covered roller-coaster roads. So thankful that I wasn't the one who was driving.
The day started off very slowly as far as birds were concerned, but livened up somewhat as the day went on. Fifteen species of bird were eventually seen, though I was unable to do a walk along a side road, so missed a few species - only Chickadee species and Nuthatches, that I have been seeing for years. Fortunately, no owl was seen along that road. In fact, we didn't manage to find any kind of owl at all during the day, which was rather disappointing.
At lunch time, we all met back at Jane's cafe, where their Mustard, Onion and Bacon soup was much enjoyed. plus a few other foods. This is such a handy cafe/restaurant when birding in that whole area. The afternoon had us back out on the side roads, trying to find a few more species.
After the Count finished, some of us ended up at a Tim Horton's in the city, to hand in our reports. I suspect that this will turn out to have been a good Count, better than last year. Well done, Gavin, for organizing all this - like last year, well done!
Talk about a strange day of mixed weather! We had sunshine, cloud, and some snow. At least the temperature was reasonable, which makes a huge difference.
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary 2nd annual Priddis Christmas Bird Count Area 5 south area of circle landscape scenery rural rural scene farmland field trees forest fence animal horse shed shelter snow snowing poor visibility outdoor winter 4 January 2020 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2020 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved