Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Golden Eagle

On 11 July 2019, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body ached like crazy at the end of it. Total distance driven was 461 km, leaving home at 8:45 am and arriving back home 12 hours later, at 8:45 pm. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, to make sure I don't lose the courage to do this. Weather-wise, it was a beautiful, sunny day, with plenty of white clouds Unlike when I did this drive in August 2018, there was no smoke from any wildfires, thank goodness. It was a good day for Hawks, seeing some on the way south and a few on the way home. I did spot one Ferruginous Hawk, but it was perched on a very distant fence post. I'm also wondering if one of the 'hawks' was actually an immature Golden Eagle - seen in photo #4 posted this morning. (Yes, it IS a Golden Eagle!) I saw it from a fair distance and I remember thinking what a large hawk it was. Stopping at an angle in the middle of the road, I managed to get one shot before it took off and a couple just as it was doing so. A couple of Common Nighthawks also helped make my day. For several years, I had longed to see one of these unusual birds and, finally in 2017, I managed to find four of them. In 2018, I was able to find just one. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. Very strange looking birds, and always a thrill to see one. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id "North America has 13 nighthawk populations. All but one are in decline and the species is considered threatened in Canada and several U.S. states." www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/little-backpacks-gps-used-to-trac... My actual destination on 11 July 2019 was the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge. I know some people feel that photographing birds that are not out in the wild is cheating. I kind of agree, though I think it's fine as long as someone says where a photo was taken. This Centre is a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, too, including educating the public away from the Centre. Sometimes, a bird is used as a foster parent, too. I love the changing scenery as one drives south, and my drive was timed perfectly to catch the golden Canola fields. Maybe half way, I pulled over to take a few photos of an old barn and there was a truck just pulling away. I thought the guy might have been taking photos, too. We got talking and one of the things we both said was that we had never seen a blue field of Flax Later in my drive, guess what I found : ) Looked beautiful, with blue on one side of the road and a field of yellow Canola on the opposite side. This was definitely a rewarding day, full of sightings of all kinds. My favourite kind of day!

The rare time that I am fortunate enough to see a Golden Eagle in the wild, it is always little more than a large speck in the distance, spotted and identified by someone using a scope. Wild is always best, of course, but I also enjoy seeing one of these magnificent birds of prey close enough to see its beautiful feather detail. This particular bird resides at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale, southern Alberta, a wonderful place that rehabilitates and releases (whenever possible) various birds of prey - hawks, owls, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures,and Golden Eagles. Some of these birds act as Wildlife Ambassadors, too, educating the public. It had been a few years since my last visit there - I've been maybe three or four times - and I had been longing to go back. Much too far and all new driving territory for me to even think about driving there myself. However, just over a month ago, on 9 September 2016, that is exactly what I did. A friend had said she would come along, too, but she emailed me at 1:00 am to say that she assumed the trip had been cancelled, as she hadn't heard back about the time to meet. In fact, I had sent two emails giving the time, so I don't know what happened there. Very unfortunate, as it would have been great to have had company on such a long drive and I know she would have had lots of fun with her camera. I knew it would be a long day and further than I would normally drive - and in a brand new car that I have yet to learn to drive! It didn't look or feel quite as new after travelling 481 km! Only got lost twice, one minor and the other major. Must have taken a wrong turn somewhere down south and I ended up in the city of Lethbridge, that I had very carefully planned to avoid. After three and three-quarter hours, I finally arrived, to my huge relief. Despite getting there later than I had hoped, I still had more than enough time to wander round the grounds and photograph the various raptors. Some were tethered out in a couple of grassy areas and others were in large outdoor cages. Wonderful to get such a close look at the various majestic birds. I took a slightly different way home via #845 (?) making absolutely sure that I didn't accidentally find myself in Lethbridge again and it wasn't too long before I found myself in the area that I had driven a few weeks before, when I went SW of Vulcan to look for Common NIghthawks (without any luck). Just so happy that I finally made myself do this drive. When I Googled the Centre's website, I discovered that they were closing two days later for the winter. So, it was either a case of going the next day or not at all till next May onwards. The very next day, 10 September 2016, I took my daughter on a long drive in Kananaskis. This was yet another place that I had longed to be able to drive for many years - and finally I did it! I had been lots of times with various friends, but this was the very first time I had ever driven myself.

A closer look at one of the five beautiful Golden Eagles that we saw two days ago. This is the closest photo I managed to get, but it's close enough to see the difference in colour of the head compared to the rest of the body. Such spectacular birds, and a species that I so rarely get the chance to see. I have added a previously posted, much closer shot of a Golden Eagle from the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre in a comment box below. "The Golden Eagle is one of the largest, fastest, nimblest raptors in North America. Lustrous gold feathers gleam on the back of its head and neck; a powerful beak and talons advertise its hunting prowess. You're most likely to see this eagle in western North America, soaring on steady wings or diving in pursuit of the jackrabbits and other small mammals that are its main prey. Sometimes seen attacking large mammals, or fighting off coyotes or bears in defense of its prey and young, the Golden Eagle has long inspired both reverence and fear." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden_Eagle/id Some years, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of Nanton is held late in December. Other years, it ends up being held early January, sometimes delayed because of really bad weather. The Count that took place two days ago, on 3 January 2016, was part of the 2015 Bird Count. As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny for us this day. What you can't see was that it was very cold for the first part of the day, then warming up to a more pleasant cold later on! I think it was -21C when we started. On last year's trip in January (for the 2013 Count, but delayed), on the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! Again, this year, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. Also, the only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms. We drove through such beautiful scenery when we were covering the SW quadrant of the Christmas Bird Count circle that centered on the town of Nanton, Alberta. A landscape over which the occasional Golden Eagle soars (we saw 5!) and in which some years - but definitely not this Count! - numerous Sharp-tailed Grouse wander on the ground or perch in trees. I absolutely love this area SW of Nanton! Some of these backroads are extremely steep and almost look vertical when seen from a distance. Some years, the whole area is white, covered in deep snow, so that you can't tell where the roadside ends and the ditch begins. This Count, it wasn't too bad, thank goodness, though I might have felt differently if I had been one of the two drivers for our group! Around lunch time, we returned to the Truch family's place as we were very nearby, and ate our lunch in the warmth of their cosy home. After driving (being driven, for me, which is always pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 3:30 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast snack for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards. This is one of my favourite Bird Counts, and perhaps the most favourite. Just before leaving for Calgary at the end of the day, we were shown the family's Llamas, two Donkeys, Peacocks, and several tiny white Quail. I should have taken photos of these animals when it was daylight - but maybe I can do it next year. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony and Andrew, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! It was another well-organized Count, Mike, as usual - thanks. Can't wait for next Christmas!

Happy first day of Fall! This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo two days ago, on 21 September 2015. Though I have seen a number of Golden Eagles in the wild in Alberta, they have always been very, very distant. Seen in the wild is the ideal way, of course, but seeing one close lets you really see the details of these magnificent birds of prey. The bird in this photo is a juvenile, as it still has patches of white on its feathers, and I came across it unexpectedly. The Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles used to be in a huge enclosure and then last (?) year the wire fencing was taken down and I hadn't seen the birds since then. Glad to see that at least this individual is still at our Zoo, and hopefully the others are, too. "The Golden Eagle is one of the largest, fastest, nimblest raptors in North America. Lustrous gold feathers gleam on the back of its head and neck; a powerful beak and talons advertise its hunting prowess. You're most likely to see this eagle in western North America, soaring on steady wings or diving in pursuit of the jackrabbits and other small mammals that are its main prey. Sometimes seen attacking large mammals, or fighting off coyotes or bears in defense of its prey and young, the Golden Eagle has long inspired both reverence and fear." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden_Eagle/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle I called in at the ENMAX Conservatory butterfly house first, as this display is coming to an end. The beautiful tropical plants are fading and the number of butterfly species the other day seemed to be down. Still managed to get a few photos, though. Thank you to the Zoo staff who made this room such a delight to visit since spring. Really wish I had been able to get to the Zoo more than just a couple of times this year! There were lots of people there the day before yesterday, now that ILLUMINASIA, Lantern & Garden Festival has begun.

This photo was taken on 20 July 2014, at an exhibit that was brought to Bow Valley Provincial Park. Though I have seen a number of Golden Eagles in the wild, they have always been very distant. I intended posting this weeks ago, but other things just got in the way. Felt it was still important to post, as Spirit was loved by so many people. I’m still disgusted knowing that a human being could pick up a gun and shoot such a majestic bird of prey, back in early 2007. As a result, he was taken to the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre near Lethbridge, where he remained until recently, serving as an educational Ambassador. From the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre, Coaldale, near Lethbridge, posted on 30 January 2015: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Spirit our beloved Golden Eagle. Spirit passed away suddenly several weeks ago after contracting an acute respiratory infection, which was most likely exacerbated by his longstanding gunshot injuries. He was taken to the Calgary Avian and Exotic Pet Clinic, and treated by their caring staff, but sadly he didn’t make the trip home. Spirit was brought the Centre in early 2007 with gunshot wounds to his head and chest. Due to the severity and location of the head wound, Spirit gradually lost his ability to see. Suffering from permanent blindness, he was left unable to care for himself and so began his life as an educational ambassador at the Centre. Spirit and his story of strength and survival touched the hearts of thousands of people from across the world, and we know he will be greatly missed by all. His absence at the Centre is felt by the staff every day. We are devastated by his loss. Farewell Spirit, Piita, may you return to the skies, gracefully soaring forever in peace.” Ian Tyson, Canadian singer-songwriter, recorded a song written by grade 1 and 2 students at Calgary Arts Academy, who wrote a song to cheer up a golden eagle named Spirit. youtu.be/-s52Jikk-5k en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Tyson Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre website: www.burrowingowl.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To any local photographer who has been enjoying seeing and photographing the tiny Northern Pygmy-owls: Called in briefly at the park yesterday afternoon, Saturday, 28 February 2015. Yellow tape was put across the entrances to one of the more popular places that the tiny Northern Pygmy-owls like, so you can only get very distant views, if at all, from there now. This is to prevent people from getting closer to the owls and "disturbing" them - though anyone I've seen in the park (except for two people on one occasion) has been respectful towards the owl. The conservation officers are also particularly concerned with the people who spend a lot of time there or who get there early in the morning and stay for many hours/all day, which I'm not interested in doing at all. About two hours maximum is my limit. Hopefully, everyone will take notice of the closure and stay out of the area, otherwise further restrictions could be put in place, spoiling things for anyone who might happen to go to the park!

This majestic Golden Eagle, named Spirit, is virtually blind. He was originally brought to the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre in February 2007, starving and badly injured. A gun shot pellet went through his eye and was lodged in the back of his head, two more pellets were in his chest. The doctor reckoned that it would be too risky to try and remove them. With such devastating injuries, at the hand of a "human being", Spirit was unable to be returned to the wild, so he has acted ever since as a wonderful Ambassador for his species and for other birds of prey. Though his home is in Coaldale, he travels to various places, patiently educating the public about Golden Eagles. On 20 July 2014, I plucked up courage to do a drive that I’d never done before - to Bow Valley Provincial Park (at the foot of the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains). I had been that particular route once or twice before that I can think of, when I carpooled with others. A good part of the drive was in familiar territory, but I’d never driven the last part of the journey myself. I had met my youngest daughter at 9:00 a.m. and we were both eager to see a small display of birds of prey that had been brought up from the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre. This year, there was no Short-eared Owl or Turkey Vulture, but it was great to see any at all. There was a Burrowing Owl, a Barn Owl, a Great Horned Owl and this beautiful Golden Eagle. Another real treat that was an amusing one, was seeing a baby Barn Owl that was just 45 days old. This little ball of fluff was acting as a great ambassador, letting young kids get a close view and ask questions, and fall in love with it – and to hopefully, in the future, do everything they can as adults to protect our precious wildlife. The enjoyment of seeing these birds up close reminds one that the reason these birds are not free to live in the wild, is because of some kind of interaction with humans – such as permanent injuries from being hit by a vehicle, pesticide use, or even worse, being shot by a human, as in the case of Spirit! This exhibit was our first destination in the park, though on the drive from Calgary, we had stopped at the small McDougall Church at Morley. After seeing and photographing the birds of prey, we then drove to Middle Lake that’s in a different part of the park. We walked the very short distance to the edge of the lake, but didn't walk around it. From there, we drove to Many Springs Trail and did a very slow walk around the lake, stopping to look at and photograph a few different wildflowers and butterflies. Though slow, it was still further than I should have walked. Certain wildflowers were already finished, including various Orchid species, but there were still plenty of other species to see and enjoy. Even the weather cooperated, though the forecast had been for isolated showers. Not too hot, nice clouds in the sky and lovely to have my daughter’s company for the day. www.burrowingowl.com/newsevents/news5.php I always love this story, about a Bald Eagle, not a Golden Eagle, who becomes special friends with a man diagnosed with Cancer: youtu.be/HO0O0SAgPuc

Lol, it's not every day that you see a golden Eagle, even an extremely distant one in silhouette! This photo was taken with 48x zoom, so you can imagine just how far away it actually was : ) I'm posting it just as a record of having seen this Golden Eagle in the wild, during the annual Audubon Nanton Christmas Bird Count. This count was originally supposed to have taken place on 28 December 2013, but the weather forecast warned of a Flash Freeze, and so it was postponed till 5 January 2014. As you can see, the weather was bright and sunny on 5 January. What you can't see was that it was brutally cold that day! On the hour-long drive south of Calgary, we hit -34C (-29.2F)!!!!! It did eventually warm up a few degrees and thankfully, there was no or very little wind, which makes all the difference. The only walking we had to do was when we called in at various farms and homesteads. One backroad in particular had too much snow ion it, so we left that one out. Also, there was just too much snow in many of the farmyards, so we weren't able to check out all the trees and bushes as thoroughly as we would like to have done. I absolutely love the scenery on this Count, so I was able to get a few shots to show some typical landscapes. After driving (being driven, for me, which was pure luxury) the backroads from about 8:00 a.m. till around 4:00 p.m., we returned to the wonderful home of the Truch family. Not only do Bill and Leah Truch and their son, Mike, always welcome everyone with open arms, they also provide a much-appreciated breakfast for us and then, at the end of the day, a delicious supper. Have to say that I love travelling these scenic backroads, but I also really enjoy getting together with everyone afterwards to thoroughly enjoy a delicious supper. One of my favourite Bird Counts and perhaps the most favourite. Thanks so much for doing all the driving, Tony, and thanks, Leah, Bill and Mike for all the effort and time you put into your warm welcome! Can't wait for next Christmas!

How good it feels to look back and remember one of the great days I had in the summer of 2013, between the devastation of Alberta's Flood of the Century last June and the long, hard winter that we are dealing with now, lol. The weather is crazy, not just for us in Alberta, but in so many places on this Continent and around the world. Today, the snow is falling yet again! Talking of snow, CBC News reported on 21 December 2013: "December SNOWFALL in Calgary has broken a 112-year record according to the city. The City made the announcement in a tweet Saturday morning after weeks of on-and-off heavy snowfall left many residents complaining about the lack of snow removal in parts of Calgary. "A total of 43.8 cm of snow has fallen in Calgary this month. We haven’t seen this much snow in 112 years!" tweeted the City." By the end of December, I think we had had about 52 cm for the whole month of December. Five of us had such a great day on 21 July 2013. It was a bird outing at Bow Valley Provincial Park, west of Calgary, at the foot of the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. I knew that I would be looking for wildflowers, insects and so on, as well : ) When we got to the meeting place in the city, the leader pulled out a poster for the Parks Day event that also happened to be going on at the park at the same time. To my absolute delight, it mentioned a Bird of Prey exhibit! After our first walk, which was the Flowing Waters trail, we returned to where everyone had parked and we had an hour in which to wander round the various exhibits. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a row of owls of different sizes - a tiny Burrowing Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl (which we don't get in Alberta), a young Great Horned Owl with enormous eyes, a Turkey Vulture and a Golden Eagle (seen in my photo above)! They were tethered along the edge of the trees and needless to say, there were plenty of other people taking photos, but despite the mix of shade and harsh sunlight, I got the chance to click to my heart's content : ) Thanks so much to the people down at the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre (near Lethbridge, down towards the Canada/US border) for bringing your gorgeous birds of prey for us to see! I have been south to the Centre three times I think, and always long to go back again, but it's not somewhere I can drive to, so this was such a treat! I have seen several Golden Eagles in the wild, but always from a great distance. Seeing these bird Ambassadors gives people such a wonderful chance to really see what they look like. This Golden Eagle's name is Spirit. He was found injured and starving, shot gun pellets were discovered, and remain, in his head and chest, and so he is a permanent resident at the Centre. He is about 10 years old. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/golden_eagle/id www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=golden%20eagle&amp...

Five of us had such a great day on 21 July 2013. It was a bird outing at Bow Valley Provincial Park, west of Calgary, at the foot of the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. I knew that I would be looking for wildflowers, insects and so on, as well : ) When we got to the meeting place in the city, the leader pulled out a poster for the Parks Day event that also happened to be going on at the park at the same time. To my absolute delight, it mentioned a Bird of Prey exhibit! After our first walk, which was the Flowing Waters trail, we returned to where everyone had parked and we had an hour in which to wander round the various exhibits. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a row of owls of different sizes - a tiny Burrowing Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl (which we don't get in Alberta), a young Great Horned Owl with enormous eyes, a Turkey Vulture and a Golden Eagle (seen in my photo above)! They were tethered along the edge of the trees and needless to say, there were plenty of other people taking photos, but despite the mix of shade and harsh sunlight, I got the chance to click to my heart's content : ) Unfortunately, many of my photos were very disappointing - I think this Eagle photo is probably the "best" of this bird, but I don't like the messy background at all, and it certainly isn't sharp : ) Thanks so much to the people down at the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre (near Lethbridge, down towards the Canada/US border) for bringing your gorgeous birds of prey for us to see! I have been south to the Centre three times I think, and always long to go back again, but it's not somewhere I can drive to, so this was such a treat! I have seen several Golden Eagles in the wild, but always from a great distance. Seeing these bird Ambassadors gives people such a wonderful chance to really see what they look like. Like most of this spring and summer, it's raining again today. Hard to believe that the State of Emergency has only just been lifted from the town of High River, about a half-hour drive S of Calgary, following Alberta's Flood of the Century around 20 May 2013. Every person in that town had to be evacuated and so many homes have been lost. I'm sure that more rain is the very last thing these poor people. and all the other many thousands who have been affected, need or want!

It's probably just about the worst photo you've ever seen, but hey, do YOU have a photo of a Golden Eagle, ha, ha? I really just wanted this as a record for my Birds of Alberta Set. I do have lovely close shots of a Golden Eagle, but not taken in the wild. If you only knew how far away this beautiful bird was - and the light was really low. All I captured was a black silhouette, but lighened it to this. Didn't get photos of the other FOUR Golden Eagles we saw that day - they were more or less little specks on the tops of poles in the far, far, far distance. The Eagle above was a slightly bigger, dark blob. Seen on the Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the Nanton area on January 2nd, south of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Four of us covered the south west quadrant of the Count circle. January 13th: just had an e-mail from a person who also did the Nanton Bird Count, but a different quadrant of the area circle, saying that: "MY THINKING IS THAT THE EAGLE ACTUALLY IS A JUVENILE BALD EAGLE. THE MASSIVE BILL AND THE WHITE FLECKING IN THE PLUMAGE RULES OUT GOLDEN EAGLE. FROM A DISTANCE, AND BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF GOLDENS IN THE AREA, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IDENTIFICATION BEING MADE." Anyone have any ideas? Sorry it's such a poor photo for ID.

The Golden Eagle really has amazing feather detail. This beautiful raptor was seen at the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta, a week ago. I was there with a bunch of friends again today - and again, the weather was great. This time, I had the chance to have a Barn Owl on my (gloved) hand, as well as the tiny Burrowing Owl. Also got some better (but still rather distant) photos of a gorgeous Western Tanager flying around the grounds there.

Usually when I visit the Calgary Zoo, the two Golden Eagles (injured) are perched way up at the top of the enclosure. On this particular visit, the three Bald Eagles and this Golden Eagle were very vocal and active. This beautiful Golden Eagle came part way down the snowy slope, so I was finally able to get a photo of it. On the handful of occasions that I have seen a Golden Eagle in the wild, they have always been flying high, so any photos have been very distant.

Thought I'd better type a description below this image immediately, just saying that this beautiful Golden Eagle was not photographed in the wild! We saw it down in southern Alberta, near Lethbridge, at the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre in July 2007. I have seen several Golden Eagles in the wild, but always from a great distance. It was 38C at Coaldale and the birds were so hot.

Saw this magnificent Golden Eagle last year at the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta. This Centre takes injured birds of prey and either rehabilitates them for release or keeps them if that is not a possible option. A great place to visit! In Alberta, these Eagles are uncommon from March to September - a few overwinter. I've only seen between maybe 3 and 5 in the wild.

One of the two Golden Eagles that we saw in the same place. You can just see the remains of the white patch on the underwings and the white on the tail. Love those "fingers"! Such a thrill to see these - I think I have only ever seen two or three Golden Eagles in the wild. A friend had very generously invited me to go along with him today, exploring the area south of the city, in the Porcupine Hills, Foothills and Nanton area. The weather was incredible and the scenery breath-taking! Everything from flat grassland, to rolling hills and the Foothills, to the mountains. And "they" said this was going to be the most severe winter in 15 years! We saw: 2 Golden Eagles 50 Wild Turkeys, approx. 1 Northern Shrike 4 American Dippers Eurasian Collared Doves, several Snow Buntings, 1 flock 1 Great Horned Owl 1 Rough-legged Hawk 2 Gray Jays Rock Doves (Pigeons) Common Raven, many Chickadees Downy Woodpecker 1 White-breasted Nuthatch Magpies, plenty House Sparrows Mule Deer White-tailed Deer 1 Moose 1 Coyote

This majestic, powerful bird is at the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre in southern Alberta, outside but tethered.

I spent a wonderful day yesterday with a friend who had asked if I'd like to go to the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta. It was just over a two-hour drive there and the temperature down south was 37C (roughly 106F)! This Centre is "Canada’s largest birds of prey facility. Situated on a 70-acre wetland area site, the centre is a celebration of nature featuring the hawks, falcons, eagles and owls of Alberta. Throughout the site and along the pathways, a number of birds of prey are sitting on their perches only feet away from visitors. These birds are all in various stages of training and receive lots of exercise in the daily flying programs. At the centre, they have one of North America's largest captive breeding populations for the endangered Burrowing Owl." This beautiful Golden Eagle was a few feet away from the Bald Eagle! What huge birds they are! I think I have only ever seen either two or three Golden Eagles flying in the wild, apart from a lot of them flying over Mt. Lorette (Kananaskis) during migration time. They are then only seen as tiny black specks above the mountains! Despite the Golden Eagle's reputation, I still find the Bald Eagle to be especially majestic. There's just something about that wonderful head of white, fringed feathers!