On 22 August 2022, I was so happy to see this juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. It was out of sight when I got to the location, but then suddenly flew to this post.
With rain in the forecast for a few days, I decided to get out for a few hours yesterday. My first stop was at the Saskatoon Farm to buy some very fresh vegetables, and some fruit from BC. While there, I enjoyed a late breakfast to keep me going till I got home.
From the Farm, I drove a bit further south and called in at Frank Lake. I so rarely go to this location, but before too long, the gate will be closed and I will have to wait till next year. While there, I bumped into a fellow birder/photographer, who gave me a heads-up about seeing a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and also the Great Egret that many people have been seeing. No sign of the Egret, but I love juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons with their beautiful brown and white patterns.
Stopping briefly at the ponds near Frank Lake, I was saddened to see that they had both dried up, thanks to our very hot weather for so long and mostly lack of rain, though it did rain part of yesterday and this morning. So thankful. Frank Lake's water level had also gone down.
The American White Pelicans gave a spectacular display with a feeding frenzy. They all gathered together in a very long line, closely packed. A couple of reports from the same day mentioned seeing about 300 of these large, beautiful birds, which sounds about right to me. The video posted here shows only a few of them.
One of the things I was also glad to see on this visit was the Maximillan Sunflower. Not native to here, but so beautiful. Not many of them, so they were not being invasive. This is the only place I have ever seen them.
On the way home, I drove a few back roads and found a couple of hawks - a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainson's. Can never have too many hawks!
Tags: Alberta Canada Frank Lake nature wildlife avian ornithology bird Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax juvenile brown with white pattern side view perched fence post plants outdoor summer 22 August 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2022 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
On 22 August 2022, I was so happy to see this juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. It was out of sight when I got to the location, but then suddenly flew to this post.
With rain in the forecast for a few days, I decided to get out for a few hours yesterday. My first stop was at the Saskatoon Farm to buy some very fresh vegetables, and some fruit from BC. While there, I enjoyed a late breakfast to keep me going till I got home.
From the Farm, I drove a bit further south and called in at Frank Lake. I so rarely go to this location, but before too long, the gate will be closed and I will have to wait till next year. While there, I bumped into a fellow birder/photographer, who gave me a heads-up about seeing a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and also the Great Egret that many people have been seeing. No sign of the Egret, but I love juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons with their beautiful brown and white patterns.
Stopping briefly at the ponds near Frank Lake, I was saddened to see that they had both dried up, thanks to our very hot weather for so long and mostly lack of rain, though it did rain part of yesterday and this morning. So thankful. Frank Lake's water level had also gone down.
The American White Pelicans gave a spectacular display with a feeding frenzy. They all gathered together in a very long line, closely packed. A couple of reports from the same day mentioned seeing about 300 of these large, beautiful birds, which sounds about right to me. The video posted here shows only a few of them.
One of the things I was also glad to see on this visit was the Maximillan Sunflower. Not native to here, but so beautiful. Not many of them, so they were not being invasive. This is the only place I have ever seen them.
On the way home, I drove a few back roads and found a couple of hawks - a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainson's. Can never have too many hawks!
Tags: Alberta Canada SE of Calgary Frank Lake nature wildlife avian ornithology bird shorebird Least sandpiper? mud lake outdoor summer 22 August 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2022 © All Rights Reserved not sure of ID
© All Rights Reserved
On 22 August 2022, I was so happy to see this juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. It was out of sight when I got to the location, but then suddenly flew to this post.
With rain in the forecast for a few days, I decided to get out for a few hours yesterday. My first stop was at the Saskatoon Farm to buy some very fresh vegetables, and some fruit from BC. While there, I enjoyed a late breakfast to keep me going till I got home.
From the Farm, I drove a bit further south and called in at Frank Lake. I so rarely go to this location, but before too long, the gate will be closed and I will have to wait till next year. While there, I bumped into a fellow birder/photographer, who gave me a heads-up about seeing a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and also the Great Egret that many people have been seeing. No sign of the Egret, but I love juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons with their beautiful brown and white patterns.
Stopping briefly at the ponds near Frank Lake, I was saddened to see that they had both dried up, thanks to our very hot weather for so long and mostly lack of rain, though it did rain part of yesterday and this morning. So thankful. Frank Lake's water level had also gone down.
The American White Pelicans gave a spectacular display with a feeding frenzy. They all gathered together in a very long line, closely packed. A couple of reports from the same day mentioned seeing about 300 of these large, beautiful birds, which sounds about right to me. The video posted here shows only a few of them.
One of the things I was also glad to see on this visit was the Maximillan Sunflower. Not native to here, but so beautiful. Not many of them, so they were not being invasive. This is the only place I have ever seen them.
On the way home, I drove a few back roads and found a couple of hawks - a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainson's. Can never have too many hawks!
Tags: Alberta Canada SE of Calgary Okotoks Saskatoon Farm Tortoise Sanctuary tortoise reptile indoor greenhouse summer 22 August 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2022 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
On 22 August 2022, I was so happy to see this juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. It was out of sight when I got to the location, but then suddenly flew to this post.
With rain in the forecast for a few days, I decided to get out for a few hours yesterday. My first stop was at the Saskatoon Farm to buy some very fresh vegetables, and some fruit from BC. While there, I enjoyed a late breakfast to keep me going till I got home.
From the Farm, I drove a bit further south and called in at Frank Lake. I so rarely go to this location, but before too long, the gate will be closed and I will have to wait till next year. While there, I bumped into a fellow birder/photographer, who gave me a heads-up about seeing a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and also the Great Egret that many people have been seeing. No sign of the Egret, but I love juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons with their beautiful brown and white patterns.
Stopping briefly at the ponds near Frank Lake, I was saddened to see that they had both dried up, thanks to our very hot weather for so long and mostly lack of rain, though it did rain part of yesterday and this morning. So thankful. Frank Lake's water level had also gone down.
The American White Pelicans gave a spectacular display with a feeding frenzy. They all gathered together in a very long line, closely packed. A couple of reports from the same day mentioned seeing about 300 of these large, beautiful birds, which sounds about right to me. The video posted here shows only a few of them.
One of the things I was also glad to see on this visit was the Maximillan Sunflower. Not native to here, but so beautiful. Not many of them, so they were not being invasive. This is the only place I have ever seen them.
On the way home, I drove a few back roads and found a couple of hawks - a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainson's. Can never have too many hawks!
Tags: Alberta Canada SE of Calgary Frank Lake nature insect Bee-fly? on flower Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximilianii yellow wildflower outdoor summer 22 August 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2022 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
On 22 August 2022, I was lucky enough to see this huge 'raft' of American White Pelicans in a feeding frenzy. They formed a huge line of closely-packed birds and gradually moved across the lake. The odd one or two Double-crested Cormorants joined in, too.
On 22 August 2022, I was so happy to see this juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. It was out of sight when I got to the location, but then suddenly flew to this post.
With rain in the forecast for a few days, I decided to get out for a few hours yesterday. My first stop was at the Saskatoon Farm to buy some very fresh vegetables, and some fruit from BC. While there, I enjoyed a late breakfast to keep me going till I got home.
From the Farm, I drove a bit further south and called in at Frank Lake. I so rarely go to this location, but before too long, the gate will be closed and I will have to wait till next year. While there, I bumped into a fellow birder/photographer, who gave me a heads-up about seeing a juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron and also the Great Egret that many people have been seeing. No sign of the Egret, but I love juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons with their beautiful brown and white patterns.
Stopping briefly at the ponds near Frank Lake, I was saddened to see that they had both dried up, thanks to our very hot weather for so long and mostly lack of rain, though it did rain part of yesterday and this morning. So thankful. Frank Lake's water level had also gone down.
The American White Pelicans gave a spectacular display with a feeding frenzy. They all gathered together in a very long line, closely packed. A couple of reports from the same day mentioned seeing about 300 of these large, beautiful birds, which sounds about right to me. The video posted here shows only a few of them.
One of the things I was also glad to see on this visit was the Maximillan Sunflower. Not native to here, but so beautiful. Not many of them, so they were not being invasive. This is the only place I have ever seen them.
On the way home, I drove a few back roads and found a couple of hawks - a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainson's. Can never have too many hawks!
Tags: Alberta Canada SE of Calgary Frank Lake video nature wildlife avian ornithology bird American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos maybe around 300? group raft feeding frenzy feeding frenzy fishing moving water lake outdoor summer 22 August 2022 Canon SX60 Canon SX60 Powershot annkelliott Anne Elliott © Anne Elliott 2022 © All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved