These five photos were taken yesterday, 4 August 2023, when I took a drive SW of Calgary. On the way home, I called in for just a few minutes at Frank Lake, hoping to find that the wild Maximillan Sunflowers would still be in bloom. Last year, I found several nice insects on the flowers and leaves. This time, however, there were maybe half a dozen flowers left, all of them basically finished. Not a single insect to be seen. I took a quick, distant photo or two of some of the American White Pelicans, but I was just too tired after driving in the SW and wanted to get home.

When I decided to go for a drive, after being home for three weeks, there were two birds that I was hoping I might get to see. One was a Western Kingbird - I think I did see one a few weeks ago, in flight, but I wasn't sure. This time, I was in luck, coming across a family, waiting to be fed.

The other bird that I kept my eyes open for was a Ferruginous Hawk. Though I have seen them on various outings over the years, to me it's always a thrill when I am lucky enough to see one. As you can see, the one yesterday was standing on top of a power pole - of course a branch or a fence post would have been really nice. I pulled over and spent less than a minute taking a few shots, and then happily continued on my drive. This was the first time I had seen this species SW of Calgary.

The weather was not exactly good - hazy (smoky?) and by about 4:30 pm, the sky darkened and all the cars on the highway had their headlights on.

"The largest of the North American hawks, ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) are named specifically for their rust-coloured plumage on their backs and heads. Due to their size and behaviour, they may often be mistaken for eagles. Ferruginous hawks feed primarily on medium-size mammals such as rabbits and squirrels, but they will also feed on smaller birds and reptiles. These hawks are endemic to North America.

The ferruginous hawk is currently classified “at-risk” by the General Status of Alberta Wild Species Report, and “endangered” under the Wildlife Act (AEP profile). It is estimated that fewer than 700 pairs remain in the province, as their numbers are declining because of loss of nesting habitat. As a threatened species, they are protected under the provincial wildlife act, and it is illegal to kill or harass individuals or disturb their nests (AEP profile).

The Alberta Ferruginous Hawk Recovery Plan (2009-2014) was established with the goal of achieving a viable, self-sustaining population across the Alberta grassland habitat, and for this population to be a continuous one that ranges across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Montana.

Because of the increase in industrial and agrarian development in Alberta, the recovery plan states that the present reduced range is unlikely to be increased, and so efforts are best spent on maintaining current populations and recovery, while looking for opportunities to establish grassland restoration when possible.

One of the biggest factors in the reduced population size of the ferruginous hawk is a lack of nesting sites. The Provincial Ferruginous Hawk Lead has released education material for landowners who wish to contribute to the recovery of the hawks, and suggests the creation of artificial nesting posts that can be used to supplement existing recovery efforts (Nature Canada, Downey et al 2006)." From Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation.

Tags:   Alberta Canada SW of Calgary nature wildlife avian ornithology bird bird of prey raptor hawk Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis adult perched power pole standing front/side view outdoor summer 4 August 2023 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2023 © All Rights Reserved IMG_5469

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These five photos were taken yesterday, 4 August 2023, when I took a drive SW of Calgary. On the way home, I called in for just a few minutes at Frank Lake, hoping to find that the wild Maximillan Sunflowers would still be in bloom. Last year, I found several nice insects on the flowers and leaves. This time, however, there were maybe half a dozen flowers left, all of them basically finished. Not a single insect to be seen. I took a quick, distant photo or two of some of the American White Pelicans, but I was just too tired after driving in the SW and wanted to get home.

When I decided to go for a drive, after being at home for three weeks, there were two birds that I was hoping I might get to see. One was a Western Kingbird - I think I did see one a few weeks ago, in flight, but I wasn't sure. This time, I was in luck, coming across a family, waiting to be fed.

The other bird that I kept my eyes open for was a Ferruginous Hawk. Though I have seen them on various outings over the years, to me it's always a thrill when I am lucky enough to see one. As you can see in one of the photos, the one yesterday was standing on top of a power pole - of course a branch or a fence post would have been really nice. I pulled over and spent less than a minute taking a few shots, and then happily continued on my drive. This was the first time I had seen this species SW of Calgary.

The weather was not exactly good - hazy (smoky?) and by about 4:30 pm, the sky darkened and all the cars on the highway had their headlights on.

© All Rights Reserved

These five photos were taken yesterday, 4 August 2023, when I took a drive SW of Calgary. On the way home, I called in for just a few minutes at Frank Lake, hoping to find that the wild Maximillian Sunflowers would still be in bloom. Last year, I found several nice insects on the flowers and leaves. This time, however, there were maybe half a dozen flowers left, all of them basically finished. Not a single insect to be seen. I took a quick, distant photo or two of some of the American White Pelicans, but I was just too tired after driving in the SW and wanted to get home.

When I decided to go for a drive, after being at home for three weeks, there were two birds that I was hoping I might get to see. One was a Western Kingbird - I think I did see one a few weeks ago, in flight, but I wasn't sure. This time, I was in luck, coming across a family, waiting to be fed.

The other bird that I kept my eyes open for was a Ferruginous Hawk. Though I have seen them on various outings over the years, to me it's always a thrill when I am lucky enough to see one. As you can see in one of the photos, the one yesterday was standing on top of a power pole - of course a branch or a fence post would have been really nice. I pulled over and spent less than a minute taking a few shots, and then happily continued on my drive. This was the first time I had seen this species SW of Calgary.

The weather was not exactly good - hazy (smoky?) and by about 4:30 pm, the sky darkened and all the cars on the highway had their headlights on.

© All Rights Reserved

These five photos were taken yesterday, 4 August 2023, when I took a drive SW of Calgary. On the way home, I called in for just a few minutes at Frank Lake, hoping to find that the wild Maximillian Sunflowers would still be in bloom. Last year, I found several nice insects on the flowers and leaves. This time, however, there were maybe half a dozen flowers left, all of them basically finished. Not a single insect to be seen. I took a quick, distant photo or two of some of the American White Pelicans, but I was just too tired after driving in the SW and wanted to get home.

When I decided to go for a drive, after being at home for three weeks, there were two birds that I was hoping I might get to see. One was a Western Kingbird - I think I did see one a few weeks ago, in flight, but I wasn't sure. This time, I was in luck, coming across a family, waiting to be fed.

The other bird that I kept my eyes open for was a Ferruginous Hawk. Though I have seen them on various outings over the years, to me it's always a thrill when I am lucky enough to see one. As you can see in one of the photos, the one yesterday was standing on top of a power pole - of course a branch or a fence post would have been really nice. I pulled over and spent less than a minute taking a few shots, and then happily continued on my drive. This was the first time I had seen this species SW of Calgary.

The weather was not exactly good - hazy (smoky?) and by about 4:30 pm, the sky darkened and all the cars on the highway had their headlights on.

Tags:   Alberta Canada SE of Calgary nature wildlife avian ornithology bird Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis adult perched barbed-wire back/side view field bokeh outdoor summer 4 August 2023 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2023 © All Rights Reserved

© All Rights Reserved

I added a touch of filter to this image in post-processing.

These five photos were taken yesterday, 4 August 2023, when I took a drive SW of Calgary. On the way home, I called in for just a few minutes at Frank Lake, hoping to find that the wild Maximillian Sunflowers would still be in bloom. Last year, I found several nice insects on the flowers and leaves. This time, however, there were maybe half a dozen flowers left, all of them basically finished. Not a single insect to be seen. I took a quick, distant photo or two of some of the American White Pelicans, but I was just too tired after driving in the SW and wanted to get home.

When I decided to go for a drive, after being home for three weeks, there were two birds that I was hoping I might get to see. One was a Western Kingbird - I think I did see one a few weeks ago, in flight, but I wasn't sure. This time, I was in luck, coming across a family, waiting to be fed.

The other bird that I kept my eyes open for was a Ferruginous Hawk. Though I have seen them on various outings over the years, to me it's always a thrill when I am lucky enough to see one. As you can see in one of the photos, the one yesterday was standing on top of a power pole - of course a branch or a fence post would have been really nice. I pulled over and spent less than a minute taking a few shots, and then happily continued on my drive. This was the first time I had seen this species SW of Calgary.

The weather was not exactly good - hazy (smoky?) and by about 4:30 pm, the sky darkened and all the cars on the highway had their headlights on.

Tags:   Alberta Canada SW of Calgary barn white agriculture rural rural scene outdoor summer 4 August 2023 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2023 © All Rights Reserved IMG_5495

© All Rights Reserved