Alberta Rare Birds



Alberta 
Common Redpoll - St. Henry's Church, AB During a visit to Southern Alberta to put eyes on some Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch I was able to get some photos of some winter visitors. At St Henry's church, there were several Common Redpolls including this very red fellow. There is a reason that these members of the finch family have the Latin name Flammea, meaning
Common Redpoll - St. Henry's Church, AB
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Bebo Grove, AB Another bird that was interested in what we were doing during a cold walk in Bebo Grove in the south of Calgary, Alberta. The Red-breasted birds are one of four Nuthatches in North America, one of three in Canada and one of two in Alberta. One of the things that I learned when I got serious about birding was that Nuthatches are more apt to go down a tree where a Brown Creeper is almost always going to head up a tree. Also, if you watch a nuthatch after they grab a sunflower seed or two and are full, they will take the seed and find a crevice in the truck of a tree and hammer the seed into the hiding spot for finding later. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Bebo Grove, AB
Black-capped Chickadee - Bebo Grove, AB In a little copse of White Spruce trees in the southern section of Calgary, Alberta is a park that runs along Fish Creek. In that park there are several spots to visit including historic Bebo Grove which is listed as one of the top spots for birding. During our visit we came across several winter species including White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatch, several woodpeckers, Mountain and Boreal Chickadee and these wonderful Black-capped chickadees. It was -15C while we were there and these little guys didn't mind at all. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Black-capped Chickadee - Bebo Grove, AB
Pileated Woodpecker - McKenzie Trails Park, AB I am not sure if this woodpecker was moving from the shadows to the sun and needed an iris check or it was just surprised. We found this beauty on a quest to find another woodpecker that goes by the name Black-backed in McKenzie Trails Park, Red Deer. These giants of the forest are North American's largest woodpeckers only by default as the Ivory-billed birds have been considered Extinct. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Pileated Woodpecker - McKenzie Trails Park, AB
Common Redpoll - Frank Lake, AB The Redpoll is an iconic winter finch at feeders where temperatures are below freezing. These hardy little birds are residents of the farthest northern climates in the summer and are circum-polar meaning they live in areas all the way around the top of the earth. The red patch on the top of the forehead sets them apart from Pine Siskins with a slightly more delicate call. The males also get a red wash on their belly in breeding season. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Common Redpoll - Frank Lake, AB
Boreal Chickadee - Bebo Grove, AB It was a treat to see this far north chickadee up close just inside Calgary city limits in a park that runs either side of Fish Trap Creek. There was a mixed flock made up of Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches and a couple of Hairy and Downy woodpeckers in there for good measure. As their name suggests, these birds live in the northern forests of Canada and Alaska year round and coming only slightly south in their range when the weather is particularly nasty. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Boreal Chickadee - Bebo Grove, AB
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Frank Lake, AB This very plain sandpiper is one of the harder birds to identify when the fall migration is on. I chose this picture because it shows why the bird is named as it is. That is, the semi (partially) palmated (webbed) toes are open and spread so you can see the webbing. This can be a very difficult way to identify this bird while it is wandering around in the water. The other tell tale signs are the slightly curved bill as well as the lack of any rufous on the head and shoulders along with the black legs. This is a great website to look at for the other signs. The other two similar birds are the Western and Least Sandpipers. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Frank Lake, AB
Swainson's Hawk - Silverwing Golf Course, AB Overseeing his part of the world was important on that evening. There was a great deal of calling and general noise making to a mate near by. Raptors, especially the broad-winged type hawks are hard to tell apart from a distance when they are sitting on poles. One way I use to identify these birds is, the very distinct white bib below the beak, followed by confirming they don't have a red tail. This photo was taken on the east side of the Calgary Airport near Silverwings Golf Course. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Swainson's Hawk - Silverwing Golf Course, AB
Western Meadowlark - Wildhorse, AB The songster of the grasslands is this large chunky bird with the golden throat. The Western Meadowlark is found from the Great Lakes west with some of the territory overlapping with the Eastern Meadowlark. The visual differences are few, but the song is substantially different. This makes for a much easier time where the two over lap. The bird was found just north of the Wildhorse border crossing in Alberta. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.comPicture
Western Meadowlark - Wildhorse, AB
Mourning Dove - Wildhorse, AB For such a plain brown bird these little members of the pigeon family get tons of attention. It could be the soft mournful sound that they are named after, or the small cute frame of these generally shy birds. They are numerous throughout North America, but are slowly declining in the west. This bird was sitting pretty on a fence post just north of the Wildhorse, Alberta border crossing. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Mourning Dove - Wildhorse, AB
Blck-billed Magpie - Elkwater, AB I wonder if he is thinking 'You can see me!
Black-billed Magpie - Elkwater, AB
Black-necked Stilt - Frank Lake, AB This bird reminds me of a sandpiper copying a Killer Whale with the white eye spot. They are one of two waders that are fond of salt lakes for breeding along with the American Avocet. This bird would be at the northern end of his range here in Alberta, Canada with a large population year round in Mexico and found as far south as Brazil. This particular bird was wading around the shallows at Frank Lake. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Black-necked Stilt - Frank Lake, AB
American Coots - Frank Lake, AB I always felt the rail family had the most unusual chicks, like these American Coots. Several of them are brightly colored and have the oddest legs as is the case of the Purple Gallinule Chick. The little red helmets are actually their skull and the orange and yellow feather boa will eventually get covered by the black silky feathers of an adult. This parent was attentive and picking out the most tender piece of plant for the chicks to eat just of the inflow into Frank Lake. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
American Coots - Frank Lake, AB
Marbled Godwit - Frank Lake, AB The shallows in around Frank Lake were alive with shore birds, including this Marbled Godwit who was picking through the mud for yummy critters to eat. These birds spend the breeding season in the prairies and head south to the shorelines down both sides of North America. and as far south as South America. There are couple of small nesting colonies also on Hudson's Bay and on the western-most section of Alaska. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Marbled Godwit - Frank Lake, AB
Orange-crowned Warbler - Willow Creek, AB A flock of fall warblers were picking through the leaves of the shrubs along the bank of Willow Creek. This Orange-crowned warbler was part of the gang looking for a fill up before heading south for the winter. The berries were being devoured by Cedar Waxwings but it was the bugs this little one was looking for. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Orange-crowned Warbler - Willow Creek, AB
Black- Billed Magpie - Edmonton, AB Picture
Black- Billed Magpie - Edmonton, AB