Friday, 17 May 2024: our temperature at 11:15 am is 4°C (FEELS LIKE-2°C)! Raining, which is unpleasant, but Alberta needs all the rain it can get, to help with the various wildfires that are burning. Sunrise was at 5:42 am and sunset will be at 9:22 pm.
I got out for an 8-hour drive yesterday, 15 May 2024, because our parking lot and stalls had to be cleaned of all the gravel. It had been postponed from a previous date. So, I got up around 6:30 am and after I was ready, headed SW to one of my favourite areas and wherever else I might end up. Drove first to see if I could see a Wilson’s Snipe, was very happy to find three of them, and was finally able to get the first photos of this species this season. I was happy to see a little White-crowned Sparrow, too, as it had been quite a while since I last saw one. A few Mountain Bluebirds were seen along various roads.
Drove further west and then headed south and, eventually turned eastwards. Nothing really much to see. So, had a good long drive and, though tiring, was enjoyable. Nice to have a few more new photos instead of digging into the archives.
"These plump, long-billed birds are among the most widespread shorebirds in North America. They can be tough to see thanks to their cryptic brown and buff coloration and secretive nature. But in summer they often stand on fence posts or take to the sky with a fast, zigzagging flight and an unusual “winnowing” sound made with the tail." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wilsons_snipe/id
"Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird. This species was considered to be a subspecies of the Common Snipe (G. gallinago) until 2003 when it was given its own species status. Wilson's Snipe differs from the latter species in having a narrower white trailing edge to the wings, and eight pairs of tail feathers instead of the typical seven of the Common Snipe. Its common name commemorates the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_snipe
According to Fisher and Acorn's book, "Birds of Alberta", "the common Snipe is both secretive and well camouflaged, so few people notice it until it flushes suddenly from a nearby grassy tussock. As soon as the Snipe takes to the air, it performs a series of quick zigzags - an evasive maneuver designed to confuse predators. Because of this habit, Snipes were among the most difficult birds to shoot (in the days when shorebirds were hunted for sport), and skilled sportsmen were known as "snipers" - a term later adopted by the military."
youtu.be/Z16CUdX2g5Q
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary nature wildlife avian ornithology bird Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata adult side view perched on unseen fence post close-up portrait feathers pattern long bill field bokeh outdoor 15 May 2024 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2024 © All Rights Reserved IMG_9564
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A touch of filter was added to this image in post-processing.
I got out for an 8-hour drive yesterday, 15 May 2024, because our parking lot and stalls had to be cleaned of all the gravel. It had been postponed from a previous date. So, I got up around 6:30 am and after I was ready, headed SW to one of my favourite areas and wherever else I might end up. Drove first to see if I could see a Wilson’s Snipe, was very happy to find three of them, and was finally able to get the first photos of this species this season. I was happy to see a little White-crowned Sparrow, too, as it had been quite a while since I last saw one. A few Mountain Bluebirds were seen along various roads.
Drove further west and then headed south and, eventually turned eastwards. Nothing really much to see. So, had a good long drive and, though tiring, was enjoyable. Nice to have a few more new photos instead of digging into the archives.
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary building structure barn wood wooden old weathered farm fence trees grass field outdoor 15 May 2024 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2024 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
I got out for an 8-hour drive yesterday, 15 May 2024, because our parking lot and stalls had to be cleaned of all the gravel. It had been postponed from a previous date. So, I got up around 6:30 am and after I was ready, headed SW to one of my favourite areas and wherever else I might end up. Drove first to see if I could see a Wilson’s Snipe, was very happy to find three of them, and was finally able to get the first photos of this species this season. I was happy to see a little White-crowned Sparrow, too, as it had been quite a while since I last saw one. A few Mountain Bluebirds were seen along various roads.
Drove further west and then headed south and, eventually turned eastwards. Nothing really much to see. So, had a good long drive and, though tiring, was enjoyable. Nice to have a few more new photos instead of digging into the archives.
"In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id
www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...
© All Rights Reserved
I got out for an 8-hour drive yesterday, 15 May 2024, because our parking lot and stalls had to be cleaned of all the gravel. It had been postponed from a previous date. So, I got up around 6:30 am and after I was ready, headed SW to one of my favourite areas and wherever else I might end up. Drove first to see if I could see a Wilson’s Snipe, was very happy to find three of them, and was finally able to get the first photos of this species this season. I was happy to see a little White-crowned Sparrow, too, as it had been quite a while since I last saw one. A few Mountain Bluebirds were seen along various roads.
Drove further west and then headed south and, eventually turned eastwards. Nothing really much to see. So, had a good long drive and, though tiring, was enjoyable. Nice to have a few more new photos instead of digging into the archives.
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary nature wildlife avian ornithology bird birds Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis back/side view perched fence post lichen field bokeh outdoor 15 May 2024 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2024 © All Rights Reserved IMG_9614
© All Rights Reserved
I got out for an 8-hour drive yesterday, because our parking lot and stalls had to be cleaned of all the gravel. It had been postponed from a previous date. So, I got up around 6:30 am and after I was ready, headed SW to one of my favourite areas and wherever else I might end up. Drove first to see if I could see a Wilson’s Snipe, was very happy to find three of them, and was finally able to get the first photos of this species this season. I was happy to see a little White-crowned Sparrow, too, as it had been quite a while since I last saw one. A few Mountain Bluebirds were seen along various roads.
Drove further west and then headed south and, eventually turned eastwards. Nothing really much to see. So, had a good long drive and, though tiring, was enjoyable. Nice to have a few more new photos instead of digging into the archives.
"In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id
www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...
Tags: Alberta Canada SW of Calgary nature wildlife avian ornithology bird birds Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides male back/side view perched fence railing field grass bokeh outdoor 15 May 2024 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2024 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
