Cool Chickadee

No matter how grey, COLD and bleak the winter days can be ... Chickadees always seem to bring warmth and happiness to the scene ... even when huddling amongst the trees!  

Quirky Gal

After some early morning snow flurries, I crossed paths with this quirky Sharp-tailed Grouse on my way to get feed this afternoon!  Grouse are highly entertaining at the best of times but I love when I find them perched in a tree, balancing on a telephone wire or better yet, singing a song while perched on a fence post!  Yes, she was singing ... although Song Bird would not be her genre!  

Our Hooter!

Look who I spotted while choring late this afternoon!  Yes, our resident Great Horned Owl actually stuck around long enough for me to actually grab a wee portrait shot of him/her!  Of course, only one portrait shot is allowed! 

Blue Antics Again

With a dash of freezing rain, snow flurries, and 2 minutes of sun ... my desire to head out to the great outdoors fizzled but I was fortunate enough to once again be entertained by the antics of our Blue Jay crew!  

Elusive ...

This small flock of Pine Grosbeaks have been coming "quickly" into our yard each morning ... but as fast as they land and scout the surroundings (and I attempt to take a picture), they are gone again!  

Blue Antics

While our *deep freeze* continued (although cold ... it's definitely not the coldest it has or could be) today, the frost glistened in the sunshine and I listened and watched the antics of the Blue Jays in my yard.  These colourful characters certainly add some entertainment throughout the winter ... especially when you add Magpies in the mix!  

Weather Woes ...

What started out as a COLD rain ... turned into wet flurries ... 

As the temperatures dropped, my clothes line FROZE ... and our yard became a winter wonderland ... 

 My "sunny" sunflowers looked sad ... and VERY COLD!  

Our trees became green, drooping popsicles ...

And these sad little sparrows certainly seemed to be questioning "what the heck?" ...

Our barley crop, like so many other crops started to bend and buckle under the heavy, wet snow ... 

And after getting cold and wet and needing a cup of hot chocolate to warm the soul and hands ... I crossed paths with this beautiful red fox, obviously in a hurry to get home and out of this miserable weather!  

Yes, its September and it snowed!  No, its not the first time this has happened and likely not the last.  It indeed puts a damper on harvest but in the grand scheme of this crazy old world we live in, I'll take the challenge of bad weather over war, disease and painful heart ache!  It might have snowed today but we know the sunshine will return!  Chins up everyone ... we live in Alberta ... wait 5 minutes and the weather will change!  

The STARE ...

Okay ... a bit of a cheat!  It was an overcast, cool rainy day and seeing my camera had been out SO LATE the night before ... I figured it needed a day of rest!  Haha!  So these are from the afternoon ... BEFORE the thunderstorm and aurora dance!  I'm not sure if this was the same juvenile from the other day, as there are a few in that area but this one was certainly posing as well!  

Such beautiful birds!!! 

Migration Is In The Air ...

... Or, migration is stopping for a snack before heading further south ... at least it was for these Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis).  Seeing these beauties during their "Fall Migration" is just another sign that Autumn is encroaching on our summer!!!

Plover Paradise!

While this little Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) certainly seems to be content in its summer slough surroundings, I on the other hand, always seem to struggle with August and the changes that come with it!  Fall migration has already begun ... yes, the Tree Swallows and others, have already flown the coop for southern destinations and all that was plump, lush and green ... well, its becoming less so!  I love that we have 4 seasons but I certainly wish there was a more even distribution among them ... I am not ready for summer to slip away!!!

Peacefully Perched

After enduring the clash of "booms and strikes" during a rather wild thunderstorm thru the night, it was a pleasure to see this seagull rather content with its world and peacefully perched on a fence post!  August has officially arrived and although it is still officially summer, the changes that occur in August always signify that Autumn is lingering in the near future!

Feathery Gem

Migration is an amazing phenomena and every once in awhile it will throw in a rare gem!  I was certain I saw a "streak" of blue at one of our bird feeders Sunday morning but the moment "I thought" ... it was gone!  Lucky for me this handsome man was sitting outside my kitchen window as evidence my eyes were not playing tricks on me!  Meet Mr. Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena)!  Isn't he rather "handsome in BLUE!"  Mr. Lazuli Bunting apparently overshot his most northern range ... which is the southern tip of our province and ended up here amongst the American Goldfinch!  It doesn't appear to concern him and I am hoping I can spot a mate ... otherwise he might just head south sooner than I wish!

All I can say is, I have officially recorded spotting this feathery gem in my bird book!  I have spotted many of our provincial and migratory birds that "pass thru" but there are many I have hoped to spot in my lifetime and this would be one of them!  He's just so darn purrrrrty!

And They Were Singing!

After a good inch of rain and a "splash" of hail the night before, despite the overcast, cool sky, my yard was alive with happy birds!  I spotted this beautiful Yellow-Rumped Myrtle Warbler (Dendroica coronata) singing his heart out!  Warblers are a very tiny bird but their songs are ever so sweet!

I was also very fortunate to be bombarded by a flock of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks!  Gorgeous birds that don't often show themselves.  They have a tendency to stay high up in the tree canopy but with our trees just leafing out, it makes it a bit easier to spot so many of our songsters!

Of course, it helps to spot so many "BOYS" strutting their stuff when there is a lady around!

Yellow Bird

Brown Bear, 

Brown Bear,

What Do You See?

~ Eric Carle

I see a Yellow Bird looking at me!

Not quite the way Eric's book reads but when our boys were very young, much like "Eye Spy," we would play games of "What do you see?"  Lucky for us, our American Goldfinches are beginning to return!  These vibrant yellow, cheery lil' songbirds are always a delight to see ... especially when they return in the Spring!  

Sing That Song

Something that I think warms the heart of everybody, is the return of our songbirds.  Slowly but surely they continue to migrate north.  In my travels checking cows, I came across this wonderful songster!  Although not glamourous looking with its very plain sparrow-like plumage, this Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) stands out as one of the great songsters that return to our province each spring.  Their sweet melodies are certainly music to my ears!

Ready

The bird houses and nests sit empty and quiet but SOON, at least I hope, our song birds will return.  I spotted a few Starlings yesterday and today.  Not that they are a favourite by any means but seeing them is usually a sign of more birds to come.  Our weather has been beautiful and I am ready for Spring Migration!  

Snow Puffs

The extreme windchill warnings and arctic cold temperatures continue but somehow the Chickadees, despite their puffed little chests, still warm the atmosphere with their delightful, cheery songs!  Gotta love happy Chickadees!

Downy Woodpecker

Feeling sorry for the 'feathery poofs' huddled in the tree branches and trying to stay warm in the -30C + windchill temperatures, I refilled all of our bird feeders this afternoon.  This female Downy Woodpecker seemed quite thankful I had!  It's supposed to get COLDER!  Stay WARM everyone!

Come Here Often?

I swear this Blue Jay had an in depth conversation with my "bird bath birds!"  I was pretty excited when I saw not only this Blue Jay but two others as well.  We used to get a dozen or so Blue Jays during the fall and winter years ago but these last few years they've been missing in action!  ???  Hmm ... perhaps these beauties will stick around to brighten the drab days that will soon be on the way!