01 Spic and span
Tree Swallow female
Female Mountain Bluebird / Sialia currucoides
I think he caught a beautiful Tiger Moth : )
Female Bobolink / Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Beautiful wings of a female Mountain Bluebird
Collecting food for her babies
Eastern Kingbird
Nest-building Dad
A bright splash of blue in August
01 Red-winged Blackbird - female or juvenile
A touch of blue
Northern Shrike / Lanius excubitor
Red-winged Blackbird female or juvenile
Mountain Bluebird with food for her babies
Brewer's Blackbird male
Mountain Bluebird female
Red-winged Blackbird juvenile
European Starling / Sturnus vulgaris
A touch of blue
Western Meadowlark
The beauty of iridescence
A beautiful catch
Mourning Dove - love the blue eye-ring
Mountain Bluebird male / Sialia currucoides
Mountain Bluebird male / Sialia currucoides
American Goldfinch female / Spinus tristis
Mountain Bluebird male / Sialia currucoides
Eastern Kingbird / Tyrannus tyrannus
Mountain Bluebird female / Sialia currucoides
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird / Tyrannus tyrannus
Mountain Bluebird male
Mountain Bluebird with food for his babies
Northern Rough-winged Swallow / Stelgidopteryx ser…
Northern Rough-winged Swallow / Stelgidopteryx ser…
Northern Rough-winged Swallow / Stelgidopteryx ser…
Northern Rough-winged Swallow / Stelgidopteryx ser…
Northern Rough-winged Swallow / Stelgidopteryx ser…
Tree Swallow fledgeling
Yellow-headed Blackbirds in every direction
Mountain Bluebird
Mountain Bluebirds have no blue pigment
Tangled
Passing the time
Fence post with a difference
Natural beauty
A snack for his babies
A view through the bushes
Four more months to wait
A friendly greeting
A fence without an owl
From the archives
Sharp to the touch
Bluebird of happiness
American Goldfinch pair
Mountain Bluebird female
Neighbours of the feathered kind
Eastern Kingbird
Hoar frost on barbed-wire
Hoar frost everywhere you look
Dandelion bokeh
Red-winged Blackbird
Sharing her catch
Keeping an eye on those pesky Tree Swallows
Beautiful catch
Juicy snack for his babies
Mountain Bluebird from my archives
Eastern Kingbird with summer bokeh
A joy to see
Bluebird of happiness
American Goldfinch
On the supper menu
Spider on the menu
One of the joys of spring
Little bird, big world
Three's a crowd
Little bird in a big world
The lady and her jewellery
Yellow on yellow
Bird on a wire
Gleaming iridescence
Pretty little lady
When fields blossomed
Winter
Mountain Bluebird
Young Red-winged Blackbird
Bird on a wire
Mr. and Mrs.
Mountain Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird pair
Pretty little lady
Wilson's Snipe
Mountain Bluebird
Barbed-wire in disguise
The look
Watchful
Swainson's Hawk sitting tall
A real poser
Protecting her home
See also...
Keywords
Authorizations, license
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144 visits
Wilson's Snipe, seen from afar
![Wilson's Snipe, seen from afar Wilson's Snipe, seen from afar](https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/42/64/42024264.3499934c.640.jpg?r2)
![](https://s.ipernity.com/T/L/z.gif)
"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
This photo was taken on a cold, rainy day, on 21 May 2016, after I had spent the morning with a group of friends at Barb Castell's acreage. It had been arranged for us to visit to see birds such as Evening Grosbeaks, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and three species of Hummingbird. However, I guess they just didn't like the weather any more than we did and were keeping hidden and sheltered somewhere. We did still see a Tree Swallow, Mountain Bluebird, Sapsucker, etc., but not the less commonly seen birds. It was an early start to the day, too, as I had to leave the house at 7:00 am.
After spending time at Barb's place, we stopped at several sloughs to check on birds, and then we went our various ways. There were a few places I wanted to check out, plus a brief stop at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park (the best place because it has an outhouse!). When I was there, I thought I might as well at least take a few steps down the rough path, where I was happy to find a group of tiny mushrooms. Also bumped into a fellow birder, who spotted a Cape May Warbler on top of the tallest coniferous tree. I had never seen one before and must remember to see if I can brighten the very distant, black silhouette in a photo I took.
From Brown-Lowery, I called in again at a favourite slough to look for the Wilson's Snipes that I love to photograph and found a couple of them. Also found a pair of Mountain Bluebirds that were so cooperative. They were busy collecting strands of dried grasses to line their nesting box. Quite amusing to watch the male try to handle one piece that was too long.
Normally, when the weather is very overcast and raining, I stay home : ) I was amazed that some of my photos came out reasonably well, at least when seen at this size, despite the low light. The day after this, on 22 May 2016, it was the same kind of weather. The day was spent with my daughter (as an early birthday for me), but we were mainly in the car and not outside in the rain. Some photos came out OK and others were blurry - just thankful for the ones that came out well enough. We had a lovely day together, starting with a late breakfast at the Saskatoon Farm and then driving some of the back roads SW of Calgary. Thanks so much, Rachel!
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
This photo was taken on a cold, rainy day, on 21 May 2016, after I had spent the morning with a group of friends at Barb Castell's acreage. It had been arranged for us to visit to see birds such as Evening Grosbeaks, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and three species of Hummingbird. However, I guess they just didn't like the weather any more than we did and were keeping hidden and sheltered somewhere. We did still see a Tree Swallow, Mountain Bluebird, Sapsucker, etc., but not the less commonly seen birds. It was an early start to the day, too, as I had to leave the house at 7:00 am.
After spending time at Barb's place, we stopped at several sloughs to check on birds, and then we went our various ways. There were a few places I wanted to check out, plus a brief stop at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park (the best place because it has an outhouse!). When I was there, I thought I might as well at least take a few steps down the rough path, where I was happy to find a group of tiny mushrooms. Also bumped into a fellow birder, who spotted a Cape May Warbler on top of the tallest coniferous tree. I had never seen one before and must remember to see if I can brighten the very distant, black silhouette in a photo I took.
From Brown-Lowery, I called in again at a favourite slough to look for the Wilson's Snipes that I love to photograph and found a couple of them. Also found a pair of Mountain Bluebirds that were so cooperative. They were busy collecting strands of dried grasses to line their nesting box. Quite amusing to watch the male try to handle one piece that was too long.
Normally, when the weather is very overcast and raining, I stay home : ) I was amazed that some of my photos came out reasonably well, at least when seen at this size, despite the low light. The day after this, on 22 May 2016, it was the same kind of weather. The day was spent with my daughter (as an early birthday for me), but we were mainly in the car and not outside in the rain. Some photos came out OK and others were blurry - just thankful for the ones that came out well enough. We had a lovely day together, starting with a late breakfast at the Saskatoon Farm and then driving some of the back roads SW of Calgary. Thanks so much, Rachel!
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