“The hawk is aerial brother of the wave which he sails over and surveys” – Henry David Thoreau An early morning drive to a quiet rural birding location, as the sun pokes its brightness onto the horizon, surely heals the soul. So it was as Elaine and I drove to the north end of Dalmead […]
With the last of nature’s feathered gems having arrived on their spring migrations, their focus is on creating the next generation. In earlier columns this spring we shared our observations of the intricate mating ceremonies of the Horned Grebe and the American Avocet.All arriving birds will seize the day and the season, as well as […]
Bird names that describe a physical feature are especially helpful when one considers that 310 species make Alberta home and another 110 species visit our province from time to time. Not having thought deeply about the number of toes on birds by species, our curiosity about a sixth species of woodpecker, this one having only […]
This past winter Elaine and I spent time frequenting a small section of Elliston Park at the east end of Calgary. A variety of trees including poplar, jack pine, spruce, paper birch, Ohio buckeye, elm, and oak dot an area adjacent to the dog park parking lot. Well-worn paths guide visitors through the stands of […]
Mysteries in nature stimulate one’s curiosity. Most people are more likely to notice a flock of birds, ducks, or geese than a single bird. At times we will tell of when the skies darken with massive flocks of migratory birds. Thinking globally, the largest documented flock of birds witnessed by humans was in Africa, […]
Identifying ducks is always engaging and can be challenging, as there can be many similarities between species like the mallard and northern shoveler. Although one may look at the size and bill shape as well as head and body colours, sometimes another clue is helpful. When in flight, it can be a surprise to […]
Lures attract fish. Lures too, can attract birds for us to appreciate and digitally capture and release. In our quest to draw a greater variety of winter birds in Brady Heights, contemplation was needed: was it best to stick with one choice, or should one try something else every now and then? My […]
Although we are eternally interested in all birds, every now and then an obscure, unique, or unusual-looking bird catches the birdwatcher’s eye. Such was the case in 2017 when Elaine and I were in Red Deer at the Gaetz Lakes Migratory Bird Sanctuary one smoky morning, peering over a dried-up oxbow. Elaine spotted some […]
With approximately 18,000 species of birds on our planet, the birder has quite a challenge distinguishing one from the other at times mainly due to what is called “hidden avian diversity.” Where does the novice birder start? Feeling rather peckish after paying a few bills, I felt like beaking off a bit. I thought I’d […]
I tawt I saw a puddy tat I did I taw a puddy tat! (Livingston/May/Foster) Although Elaine and I are “dog people” (but enjoy Garfield cartoons), we wondered what impact cats have on bird populations. We wanted to investigate whether cats are responsible for the decline in bird populations in North America. Peter Marra, Head […]