"Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 4:55 PM -Air quality statements blanket parts of western Canada as smoke from the more than 500 wildfires burning in British Columbia coats the region in some of the worst air quality in the world." From the Weather Network.

As you can tell by the photos I posted this morning, I got out of the forest and into the dry prairies. Yesterday, 21 August 2018, turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body aches like crazy. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there. I left home at 9:00 am, just a bit later than I had hoped. Arrived back home somewhere around 8:30 pm.

Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on photography.

Unfortunately, this Bison is a domestic animal, on a farm. A Prairie Bison? I have seen wild Bison and I do have photos of them in the wild. Couldn't resist stopping to take a few shots of these animals seen yesterday.

Yesterday was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed the hawk in one of the photos today, as the hay bale was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. I am not good at hawk ID, and I don't know if this is a juvenile or an adult of whatever species it is.

A Horned Lark and an unidentified sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and I'm pretty sure a hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting if I'm right.

Tags:   Alberta Canada southern Alberta SE of Calgary animal domestic farm Bison front/side view landscape scenery field grass smoke haze outdoor summer 21 August 2018 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2018 © All Rights Reserved

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As you can tell by the photos I posted this morning, I got out of the forest and into the dry prairies. Yesterday, 21 August 2018, turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body aches like crazy. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there.

Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography.

Yesterday was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed the hawk in one of the photos today, as the hay bale was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. I am not good at hawk ID, and I don't know if this is a juvenile or an adult of whatever species it is.

A Horned Lark and an unidentified sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and I'm pretty sure a hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting if I'm right.

Tags:   Alberta Canada southern Alberta SE of Calgary nature wildlife ornithology avian bird birds sparrow Sparrow sp. Vesper Sparrow? front/side view perched fence post wooden bokeh outdoor summer 21 August 2018 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2018 © All Rights Reserved

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"Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 4:55 PM -Air quality statements blanket parts of western Canada as smoke from the more than 500 wildfires burning in British Columbia coats the region in some of the worst air quality in the world." From the Weather Network.

As you can tell by the photos I posted this morning, I got out of the forest and into the dry prairies. Yesterday, 21 August 2018, turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body aches like crazy. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there.

Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography.

Yesterday was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed the hawk in this photo, as the hay bale was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - this one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. I am not good at hawk ID, and I don't know if this is a juvenile or an adult of whatever species it is.

A Horned Lark and an unidentified sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and I'm pretty sure a hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting if I'm right.

Tags:   Alberta Canada southern Alberta SE of Calgary nature wildlife ornithology avian bird birds hawk raptor bird of prey perched hay bale one of two Hawks feeding eating prey animal wings spread mantling guarding its catch field smoke haze bokeh outdoor summer 21 August 2018 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2018 © All Rights Reserved Swainson's Hawk

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As I sometimes do with photos of old barns, I added a bit of filter to this one. The original image was sharp enough, though. It always amazes me when I see this barn and it is still standing.

"Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 4:55 PM -Air quality statements blanket parts of western Canada as smoke from the more than 500 wildfires burning in British Columbia coats the region in some of the worst air quality in the world." From the Weather Network. Apparently, this is the smokiest year on record for Calgary!!

As you can tell by the photos I posted this morning, I got out of the forest and into the dry prairies. Two days ago, on 21 August 2018, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body aches like crazy. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there.

Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography.

It was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed two immature Red-tailed Hawks, as the hay bale they were standing on was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it.

A Horned Lark, a Western Meadowlark juvenile, and an unidentified sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two. I probably would have seen more if I had driven a lot of back roads, but this was such a long drive, there just was not time.

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This Hawk was so far away that I almost didn't notice it. A lot of zoom and I ended up with a grainy photo, but hopefully it is enough to get a positive ID. The bird looks large, white front, white face with an eye stripe and the kind of location would be right for a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting if I'm right.

"Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 4:55 PM -Air quality statements blanket parts of western Canada as smoke from the more than 500 wildfires burning in British Columbia coats the region in some of the worst air quality in the world." From the Weather Network. Apparently, this is the smokiest year on record for Calgary!!

As you can tell by the photos I posted this morning, I got out of the forest and into the dry prairies. Two days ago, on 21 August 2018, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body aches like crazy. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there.

Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography.

It was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed two immature Red-tailed Hawks, as the hay bale they were standing on was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it.

A Horned Lark, a Western Meadowlark juvenile, and an unidentified sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two. I probably would have seen more if I had driven a lot of back roads, but this was such a long drive, there just was not time.

Tags:   Alberta Canada southern Alberta SE of Calgary nature wildlife ornithology avian bird birds hawk raptor bird of prey Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis back/side view perched soil rocks grass sky smoke haze from wildfires outdoor summer 21 August 2018 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2018 © All Rights Reserved

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