"The long-billed curlew is the largest shorebird, and the most southerly breeding curlew, in North America. Once abundant over most of the prairie regions of the United States and Canada, populations have declined throughout most of its breeding range since the early 1900s as a result of both overhunting and habitat loss. It is currently on the list of species that may be at risk of declining to nonviable population levels in Alberta."
open.alberta.ca/dataset/0778502368
Yesterday, 25 July 2020, I overslept and ended up going for just a short drive SE of the city. Usually, I tend not to go out at the weekend, as I always picture a lot more people, which is not a good thing at the moment. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that only a few people were there at the same time as me.
Some of the fields were still golden with Canola and it felt so good to simply drive slowly with the window down, soaking up the beauty. Along one of the backroads, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fly up from the edge of a field. Thinking it might be some kind of hawk, it seemed a rather strange place for it to have been. I stopped to see if I could see anything, but the bird had flown down and disappeared into the crop that was growing. Then I noticed, in my side mirror, a bird standing in the road way behind me and it looked suspiciously like a long-billed Curlew. Could it be?! Yes, to my delight, it could! I slowly opened my car door, hoping the bird wouldn't fly, took a few photos, and then noticed another bird way down the road ahead of me. Not sure if I saw two or three of these beautiful birds, but I suspect the two I was seeing were juveniles. Amazingly, they seemed quite unbothered by my presence.
When I got back into my car, a small insect on my car window caught my eye. It was a Mayfly and of course I had to take a photo of it before helping it to fly away.
Taking my usual way home, I stopped at a wetland and had fun watching juvenile Black Terns calling out for Mom to feed them. While taking a short bit of video of one of them, I had my camera zoomed in and so didn't see Mom fly in with food. Just caught it in the viewfinder while filming.
As usual, an enjoyable time out in the country. My car behaved itself, to my relief. It's important for me to keep testing it, as the warranty runs out in August.
Tags: Alberta Canada SE of Calgary Frank Lake area nature wildlife avian ornithology bird shorebird large Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
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Yesterday, 25 July 2020, I overslept and ended up going for just a short drive SE of the city. Usually, I tend not to go out at the weekend, as I always picture a lot more people, which is not a good thing at the moment. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that only a few people were there at the same time as me.
Some of the fields were still golden with Canola and it felt so good to simply drive slowly with the window down, soaking up the beauty. Along one of the backroads, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fly up from the edge of a field. Thinking it might be some kind of hawk, it seemed a rather strange place for it to have been. I stopped to see if I could see anything, but the bird had flown down and disappeared into the crop that was growing. Then I noticed, in my side mirror, a bird standing in the road way behind me and it looked suspiciously like a long-billed Curlew. Could it be?! Yes, to my delight, it could! I slowly opened my car door, hoping the bird wouldn't fly, took a few photos, and then noticed another bird way down the road ahead of me. Not sure if I saw two or three of these beautiful birds, but I suspect the two I was seeing were juveniles. Amazingly, they seemed quite unbothered by my presence.
When I got back into my car, a small insect on my car window caught my eye. It was a Mayfly and of course I had to take a photo of it before helping it to fly away.
Taking my usual way home, I stopped at a wetland and had fun watching juvenile Black Terns calling out for Mom to feed them. While taking a short bit of video of one of them, I had my camera zoomed in and so didn't see Mom fly in with food. Just caught it in the viewfinder while filming.
As usual, an enjoyable time out in the country. My car behaved itself, to my relief. It's important for me to keep testing it, as the warranty runs out in August.
© All Rights Reserved
Yesterday, 25 July 2020, I overslept and ended up going for just a short drive SE of the city. Usually, I tend not to go out at the weekend, as I always picture a lot more people, which is not a good thing at the moment. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that only a few people were there at the same time as me.
Some of the fields were still golden with Canola and it felt so good to simply drive slowly with the window down, soaking up the beauty. Along one of the backroads, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fly up from the edge of a field. Thinking it might be some kind of hawk, it seemed a rather strange place for it to have been. I stopped to see if I could see anything, but the bird had flown down and disappeared into the crop that was growing. Then I noticed, in my side mirror, a bird standing in the road way behind me and it looked suspiciously like a long-billed Curlew. Could it be?! Yes, to my delight, it could! I slowly opened my car door, hoping the bird wouldn't fly, took a few photos, and then noticed another bird way down the road ahead of me. Not sure if I saw two or three of these beautiful birds, but I suspect the two I was seeing were juveniles. Amazingly, they seemed quite unbothered by my presence.
When I got back into my car, a small insect on my car window caught my eye. It was a Mayfly and of course I had to take a photo of it before helping it to fly away.
Taking my usual way home, I stopped at a wetland and had fun watching juvenile Black Terns calling out for Mom to feed them. While taking a short bit of video of one of them, I had my camera zoomed in and so didn't see Mom fly in with food. Just caught it in the viewfinder while filming.
As usual, an enjoyable time out in the country. My car behaved itself, to my relief. It's important for me to keep testing it, as the warranty runs out in August.
© All Rights Reserved
This is one of the farms that we call in at on one of our Christmas Bird Counts. Had to take this shot from a long way away, which resulted in a blurry photo. Needed to add a touch of filter in post-processing to make it fit to post.
Yesterday, 25 July 2020, I overslept and ended up going for just a short drive SE of the city. Usually, I tend not to go out at the weekend, as I always picture a lot more people, which is not a good thing at the moment. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that only a few people were there at the same time as me.
Some of the fields were still golden with Canola and it felt so good to simply drive slowly with the window down, soaking up the beauty. Along one of the backroads, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fly up from the edge of a field. Thinking it might be some kind of hawk, it seemed a rather strange place for it to have been. I stopped to see if I could see anything, but the bird had flown down and disappeared into the crop that was growing. Then I noticed, in my side mirror, a bird standing in the road way behind me and it looked suspiciously like a long-billed Curlew. Could it be?! Yes, to my delight, it could! I slowly opened my car door, hoping the bird wouldn't fly, took a few photos, and then noticed another bird way down the road ahead of me. Not sure if I saw two or three of these beautiful birds, but I suspect the two I was seeing were juveniles. Amazingly, they seemed quite unbothered by my presence.
When I got back into my car, a small insect on my car window caught my eye. It was a Mayfly and of course I had to take a photo of it before helping it to fly away.
Taking my usual way home, I stopped at a wetland and had fun watching juvenile Black Terns calling out for Mom to feed them. While taking a short bit of video of one of them, I had my camera zoomed in and so didn't see Mom fly in with food. Just caught it in the viewfinder while filming.
As usual, an enjoyable time out in the country. My car behaved itself, to my relief. It's important for me to keep testing it, as the warranty runs out in August.
© All Rights Reserved
Yesterday, 25 July 2020, I overslept and ended up going for just a short drive SE of the city. Usually, I tend not to go out at the weekend, as I always picture a lot more people, which is not a good thing at the moment. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find that only a few people were there at the same time as me.
Some of the fields were still golden with Canola and it felt so good to simply drive slowly with the window down, soaking up the beauty. Along one of the backroads, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fly up from the edge of a field. Thinking it might be some kind of hawk, it seemed a rather strange place for it to have been. I stopped to see if I could see anything, but the bird had flown down and disappeared into the crop that was growing. Then I noticed, in my side mirror, a bird standing in the road way behind me and it looked suspiciously like a long-billed Curlew. Could it be?! Yes, to my delight, it could! I slowly opened my car door, hoping the bird wouldn't fly, took a few photos, and then noticed another bird way down the road ahead of me. Not sure if I saw two or three of these beautiful birds, but I suspect the two I was seeing were juveniles. Amazingly, they seemed quite unbothered by my presence.
When I got back into my car, a small insect on my car window caught my eye. It was a Mayfly and of course I had to take a photo of it before helping it to fly away.
Taking my usual way home, I stopped at a wetland and had fun watching juvenile Black Terns calling out for Mom to feed them. While taking a short bit of video of one of them, I had my camera zoomed in and so didn't see Mom fly in with food. Just caught it in the viewfinder while filming.
As usual, an enjoyable time out in the country. My car behaved itself, to my relief. It's important for me to keep testing it, as the warranty runs out in August.
© All Rights Reserved