Author: Sean

Sean lives and works in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and is surrounded by majestic views of the Rocky Mountains and constantly changing prairie landscapes. While focusing on the beauty of the prairies, including the sweeping horizons, the vegetation, and the birds and animals, the Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains are also a favorite place to wander and photograph.

Finally some color!

It’s been a long winter and after many months of snow and dull grey skies I was really starting to get tired of making images that were largely monochrome. I’m not saying I was only shooting black and white, because I really don’t do much of that, but there have been a lot of images that were largely 1 or 2 colors (often including white and brown), and even those were relatively dull and muted. Or at least it seems that way now that I’m thinking back on it.

But now that spring is finally here there are many new and interesting subjects showing up every day. We still haven’t seen many new spring flowers, but everything is starting to green up and it won’t be long before there are colorful leaves and flowers everywhere!

One common subject that I’ve been seeing every day lately are Yellow-headed Blackbirds. These vibrant birds are both beautiful and interesting to watch. Like their Red-winged cousins they are very curious and usually willing to pose for a portrait while they check you out in return. Mostly I’m just grateful to have colorful subjects readily available once again!

Yellow-headed Blackbird perched on slough grasses

Yellow-headed Blackbird perched on slough grasses

Red-winged Blackbird perched on a fencepost

Female Red-winged Blackbird perched on a fencepost

Urban Red-winged Blackbird

I was very surprised to discover a Red-winged Blackbird eating from the bird feeder in my backyard this weekend. It spooked when we went outside to watch it, but it came back soon after. My wife and I sat and watched it eat while the kids went crazy playing in the yard. I don’t know how common it is for a blackbird to eat from a feeder, but I’ve never seen it before, so I had to get some pictures to share.

It’s been pretty exciting to watch all the birds come to the feeder through the spring. Among the many House Sparrows that are year round residents in the neighborhood, I’ve also had several White-crowned Sparrows, many Robins, two pairs of House Finches, and (also surpisingly for me) a trio of Common Grackles. Of course there have been many other birds as well, but these are the repeat visitors…

Anyway, here are a few pictures of the Blackbird from the other day. Because of the patchy colors on the wing it appears that this bird is a juvenile (1st summer).

Urban Blackbird

Urban Blackbird

Urban Blackbird

Urban Blackbird

American White Pelican at Carseland Weir

American White Pelican at Carseland Weir

Carseland Weir is home to dozens of these beautiful birds every spring and summer. The weir is designed to divert water from the Bow River into a canal system that provides irrigation water for agriculture. Pelicans congregate below the weir because fish cannot pass the structure and become trapped below it. For birds it’s an all you can eat buffet. A similar weir near downtown Calgary has also been a regular attraction for the Pelicans in recent years; however, it is currently being redeveloped in an attempt to allow fish to pass and to make the river safer for boaters. As a result it is expected that the Pelicans will no longer congregate on the river in the city.

This was my third visit to the Carseland Weir this season, but it was the first time I found Pelicans. There were nearly two dozen of them gathered together below the weir looking for a meal, and several dozen more sitting on a small island in the river above the weir.

They were initially wary of me as I approached the edge of the river, but I sat down on the rocks and waited. Eventually they relaxed and floated close enough for me to make some great images.

Intermediate Morph Swainson’s Hawk

I’m not totally sure on the identification of this bird. I believe that it’s an intermediate morph Swainson’s Hawk, but I’ve never seen one before so I can’t tell for sure. It really doesn’t look much like any other kind of Hawk that I’m familiar with, but it also doesn’t look clearly like a Swainson’s either. The light morphs (which account for over 90% of Swainson’s Hawks) have a much more pronounced white chin and a dark band across the upper chest that this bird doesn’t display.

Can anyone help me confirm the identification???

UPDATE – I’ve added another picture, although it doesn’t really reveal anything new. I’ve had one suggestion that it may be a Broad-winged Hawk, but really no better information than what I’ve already posted…

House Finch perched on a branch

House Finch perched on a branch

I spent a lot of time this weekend watching the birds in my backyard and in my neighbourhood. I was really amazed at the variety of birds that pass through every day, and excited to see several of these Finches dropping by pretty regularly. I was very happy when this one stopped to pose for a few portraits, especially since it was perfectly framed by the surrounding branches!