Sunday, 23 February 2020: our temperature this morning is -4C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:33 am, and sunset is at 6:06 pm. Light snow is supposed to arrive this afternoon.

Another break from posting South Texas photos taken in March 2019. This morning, I have posted 8 photos taken yesterday, 22 February 2020, when I joined a group of friends and some new people for the annual Snowy Owl Prowl. Still have a few more photos to post next time. This, plus a Pre-Owl Prowl in January, is led by Terry Korolyk each year. We travel the roads east of Calgary, hoping to see Snowy Owls and any other birds and wildlife. I usually come home with a few odds and ends of photos, taken either through the driver's windscreen (which rarely works) or while we are driving by. The result is a handful of "rescued", poor quality shots, taken mainly just for the record.

The lack of even half decent shots takes nothing away from a full day out in the countryside, on a sunny day, and in good company. We could have done without the cold wind, though.

The day proved successful as far as Snowy Owls were concerned. Four extremely distant owls were seen by sharp-eyed birders. I know I would never have seen these myself and we all marvelled at the birders who spotted the owls for the rest of us.

Other birds that were seen during the day included a Prairie Falcon, a small group of Ring-necked Pheasants feeding in a field, and an unexpected Rusty Blackbird. I was travelling in the leader's car, which is always is at the front, and we knew not to get out of the car when the Blackbird was seen. We didn't want to cause it to fly off before everyone else had seen it. After sitting for a while, trying in vain to get photos through the windshield, we realized that everyone from the other cars were standing in the road, taking photos. Too late for us, as the bird flew away. This tends to be what happens when travelling in a group, of course - some people get photos, others don't. My photos of the Prairie Falcon through the windshield did not come out. Apparently, someone in one of the cars behind us wanted to get closer to get better photos. The car pulled too far in front of us instead of staying level with us, too close to the bird, and away it flew. Hopefully, everyone got the chance to see it first, as it is always a nice sighting.

As always, my camera lens turned to anything else of interest or beauty. Though my photos were taken at the very last minute as we were driving by, I just managed to get a few rapid shots of an old barn or two, which always makes my day.

Many thanks, Terry, for organizing another successful Snowy Owl Prowl, and the ride was greatly appreciated!

Tags:   Mule Deer field snow

© All Rights Reserved

Sunday, 23 February 2020: our temperature this morning is -4C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:33 am, and sunset is at 6:06 pm. Light snow is supposed to arrive this afternoon.

Another break from posting South Texas photos taken in March 2019. This morning, I have posted 8 photos taken yesterday, 22 February 2020, when I joined a group of friends and some new people for the annual Snowy Owl Prowl. This, plus a Pre-Owl Prowl in January, is led by Terry Korolyk each year. We travel the roads east of Calgary, hoping to see Snowy Owls and any other birds and wildlife. I usually come home with a few odds and ends of photos, taken either through the driver's windscreen (which rarely works) or while we are driving by. The result is a handful of "rescued", poor quality shots, taken mainly just for the record.

In all the years that Terry Korolyk has been leading the Snowy Owl Prowls (since 1998?), this was the first time there has ever been a Rusty Blackbird seen. That is why I have posted a photo of it, despite it being a really, really bad photo. This bird was a winter-plumaged male sipping water from a puddle on a roadside below trees at a farm.

The lack of even half decent shots takes nothing away from a full day out in the countryside, on a sunny day, and in good company. We could have done without the cold wind, though.

The day proved successful as far as Snowy Owls were concerned. Four extremely distant owls were seen by sharp-eyed birders. I know I would never have seen these myself and we all marvelled at the birders who spotted the owls for the rest of us.

Other birds that were seen during the day included a Prairie Falcon, a small group of Ring-necked Pheasants feeding in a field, and an unexpected Rusty Blackbird. I was travelling in the leader's car, which is always at the front, and we knew not to get out of the car when the Blackbird was seen. We didn't want to cause it to fly off before everyone else had seen it. After sitting for a while, trying in vain to get photos through the windshield, we realized that everyone from the other cars were standing in the road, taking photos. Too late for us, as the bird flew away. This tends to be what happens when travelling in a group, of course - some people get photos, others don't. My photos of the Prairie Falcon through the windshield did not come out, either. Apparently, someone in one of the cars behind us wanted to get closer to get better photos. The car pulled too far in front of us instead of staying level with us, too close to the bird, and away it flew. Hopefully, everyone got the chance to see it first, as it is always a nice sighting.

As always, my camera lens turned to anything else of interest or beauty. Though my photos were taken at the very last minute as we were driving by, I just managed to get a few rapid shots of an old barn or two, which always makes my day.

Many thanks, Terry, for organizing another successful Snowy Owl Prowl, and the ride was greatly appreciated!

Tags:   Rusty Blackbird

© All Rights Reserved

Sunday, 23 February 2020: our temperature this morning is -4C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:33 am, and sunset is at 6:06 pm. Light snow is supposed to arrive this afternoon.

Another break from posting South Texas photos taken in March 2019. This morning, I have posted 8 photos taken yesterday, 22 February 2020, when I joined a group of friends and some new people for the annual Snowy Owl Prowl. This, plus a Pre-Owl Prowl in January, is led by Terry Korolyk each year. We travel the roads east of Calgary, hoping to see Snowy Owls and any other birds and wildlife. I usually come home with a few odds and ends of photos, taken either through the driver's windscreen (which rarely works) or while we are driving by. The result is a handful of "rescued", poor quality shots, taken mainly just for the record.

The lack of even half decent shots takes nothing away from a full day out in the countryside, on a sunny day, and in good company. We could have done without the cold wind, though.

The day proved successful as far as Snowy Owls were concerned. Four extremely distant owls were seen by sharp-eyed birders. I know I would never have seen these myself and we all marvelled at the birders who spotted the owls for the rest of us.

Other birds that were seen during the day included a Prairie Falcon, a small group of Ring-necked Pheasants feeding in a field, and an unexpected Rusty Blackbird. I was travelling in the leader's car, which always is at the front, and we knew not to get out of the car when the Blackbird was seen. We didn't want to cause it to fly off before everyone else had seen it. After sitting for a while, trying in vain to get photos through the windshield, we realized that everyone from the other cars were standing in the road, taking photos. Too late for us, as the bird flew away. This tends to be what happens when travelling in a group, of course - some people get photos, others don't. My photos of the Prairie Falcon through the windshield did not come out. Apparently, someone in one of the cars behind us wanted to get closer to get better photos. The car pulled too far in front of us instead of staying level with us, too close to the bird, and away it flew. Hopefully, everyone got the chance to see it first, as it is always a nice sighting.

As always, my camera lens turned to anything else of interest or beauty. Though my photos were taken at the very last minute as we were driving by, I just managed to get a few rapid shots of an old barn or two, which always makes my day.

Many thanks, Terry, for organizing another successful Snowy Owl Prowl, and the ride was greatly appreciated!

Tags:   sky clouds

© All Rights Reserved

Sunday, 23 February 2020: our temperature this morning is -4C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:33 am, and sunset is at 6:06 pm. Light snow is supposed to arrive this afternoon.

Another break from posting South Texas photos taken in March 2019. This morning, I have posted 8 photos taken yesterday, 22 February 2020, when I joined a group of friends and some new people for the annual Snowy Owl Prowl. This, plus a Pre-Owl Prowl in January, is led by Terry Korolyk each year. We travel the roads east of Calgary, hoping to see Snowy Owls and any other birds and wildlife. I usually come home with a few odds and ends of photos, taken either through the driver's windscreen (which rarely works) or while we are driving by. The result is a handful of "rescued", poor quality shots, taken mainly just for the record.

The lack of even half decent shots takes nothing away from a full day out in the countryside, on a sunny day, and in good company. We could have done without the cold wind, though.

The day proved successful as far as Snowy Owls were concerned. Four extremely distant owls were seen by sharp-eyed birders. I know I would never have seen these myself and we all marvelled at the birders who spotted the owls for the rest of us.

Other birds that were seen during the day included a Prairie Falcon, a small group of Ring-necked Pheasants feeding in a field, and an unexpected Rusty Blackbird. I was travelling in the leader's car, which is always at the front, and we knew not to get out of the car when the Blackbird was seen. We didn't want to cause it to fly off before everyone else had seen it. After sitting for a while, trying in vain to get photos through the windshield, we realized that everyone from the other cars were standing in the road, taking photos. Too late for us, as the bird flew away. This tends to be what happens when travelling in a group, of course - some people get photos, others don't. My photos of the Prairie Falcon through the windshield did not come out. Apparently, someone in one of the cars behind us wanted to get closer to get better photos. The car pulled too far in front of us instead of staying level with us, too close to the bird, and away it flew. Hopefully, everyone got the chance to see it first, as it is always a nice sighting.

As always, my camera lens turned to anything else of interest or beauty. Though my photos were taken at the very last minute as we were driving by, I just managed to get a few rapid shots of an old barn or two, which always makes my day.

Many thanks, Terry, for organizing another successful Snowy Owl Prowl, and the ride was greatly appreciated!

Tags:   Snowy Owl

© All Rights Reserved

Sunday, 23 February 2020: our temperature this morning is -4C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:33 am, and sunset is at 6:06 pm. Light snow is supposed to arrive this afternoon.

Another break from posting South Texas photos taken in March 2019. This morning, I have posted 8 photos taken yesterday, 22 February 2020, when I joined a group of friends and some new people for the annual Snowy Owl Prowl. This, plus a Pre-Owl Prowl in January, is led by Terry Korolyk each year. We travel the roads east of Calgary, hoping to see Snowy Owls and any other birds and wildlife. I usually come home with a few odds and ends of photos, taken either through the driver's windscreen (which rarely works) or while we are driving by. The result is a handful of "rescued", poor quality shots, taken mainly just for the record.

The lack of even half decent shots takes nothing away from a full day out in the countryside, on a sunny day, and in good company. We could have done without the cold wind, though.

The day proved successful as far as Snowy Owls were concerned. Four extremely distant owls were seen by sharp-eyed birders. I know I would never have seen these myself and we all marvelled at the birders who spotted the owls for the rest of us.

Other birds that were seen during the day included a Prairie Falcon, a small group of Ring-necked Pheasants feeding in a field, and an unexpected Rusty Blackbird. I was travelling in the leader's car, which is always at the front, and we knew not to get out of the car when the Blackbird was seen. We didn't want to cause it to fly off before everyone else had seen it. After sitting for a while, trying in vain to get photos through the windshield, we realized that everyone from the other cars were standing in the road, taking photos. Too late for us, as the bird flew away. This tends to be what happens when travelling in a group, of course - some people get photos, others don't. My photos of the Prairie Falcon through the windshield did not come out, either. Apparently, someone in one of the cars behind us wanted to get closer to get better photos. The car pulled too far in front of us instead of staying level with us, too close to the bird, and away it flew. Hopefully, everyone got the chance to see it first, as it is always a nice sighting.

As always, my camera lens turned to anything else of interest or beauty. Though my photos were taken at the very last minute as we were driving by, I just managed to get a few rapid shots of an old barn or two, which always makes my day.

Many thanks, Terry, for organizing another successful Snowy Owl Prowl, and the ride was greatly appreciated!

Tags:   shed wooden old rural decay snow winter

© All Rights Reserved