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Updated on Friday, May 9 at 12:00 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Whiskered Treeswift,©BirdQuest

09 May Swallows ["mackaymurray77" ]
9 May RE: Beaumaris lake today ["Willi Braun" ]
9 May Beaumaris lake today [Douglas Faulder ]
09 May Birding northside Edmonton ["Gerald Romanchuk" ]
08 May Harris's Sparrow ["Curtis Manly" ]
08 May Great birding reports from S Alberta! ["naturalistbob60" ]
08 May Birding Carseland and North of Strathmore ["jean_dunn" ]
08 May Harris's Sparrow ["direcway65" ]
08 May Oil contamination ["mackaymurray77" ]
08 May Re: Oil Slicked Canada Goose? [Susan Flewelling ]
08 May Re: IBS Evening Bird Walk - May 6 by Tim Allison [Dwight Knapik ]
07 May Birding the Grasslands Workshop [Eric Tull ]
08 May smew in Mtn View ["nancywest.8668" ]
7 May more Whimbrels [Lloyd Bennett ]
08 May Oil Slicked Canada Goose? ["leftboot13" ]
7 May Anyone from Edmonton going to see the Smew [Brett Scheffers ]
07 May Smew Still near Mountain View [Teresa & Doug Dolman ]
07 May Say's Phoebe and FOS's at Elk Island National Park ["Sean D. Smith" ]
7 May Long-tailed Duck still on Beaumaris Lake May7 [Douglas Faulder ]
06 May Re: Smew Resighted Today [Randy Findlay ]
6 May IBS Evening Bird Walk -- May 6 [Tim Allison ]
6 May Brambling in Drumheller [John Acorn ]
6 May Re: Whooping cranes east of Edmonton [Murray Mackay ]
06 May Whooping cranes east of Edmonton ["ayache_eric" ]
6 May Re: Smew Resighted Today ["John Carlson" ]
06 May Re: Smew Resighted Today [MARY COLE ]
05 May Re: Smew Resighted Today [Randy Findlay ]
05 May Smew Resighted Today [Eric Tull ]
05 May RBA: Calgary AB, May 5 2008 [Chris Havard ]
06 May Ponoka ["mackaymurray77" ]
05 May Re: Birding NW of Calgary ["Curtis Manly" ]
5 May Birding NW of Calgary ["Brian Elder" ]
05 May Re: Sandhill Cranes over Edmonton []
5 May Long-tailed Duck still at Beaumaris Lake [Douglas Faulder ]
5 May Sandhill Cranes over Edmonton [Andrew Stiles ]
4 May My first sparrows of the season east of Irricana [Blaine Marler ]
04 May Loggerhead Shrike [Eric Tull ]
04 May Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary [Eric Tull ]
04 May Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure [Dick Cannings ]
05 May Carseland and surrounding prairie ["johnnyp19692003" ]
04 May Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary []
05 May Sunday Birding Beaverhil area ["little.blackbird" ]
04 May Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary [Eric Tull ]
04 May Re: Shorebirds east of Irricana [Eric Tull ]
04 May Calgary - Bridlewood Marsh [Wayne hewitt ]
04 May Mockingbird seen south end of Murray Lake. ["naturalistbob60" ]
4 May LONG-TAILED DUCK [Douglas Faulder ]
04 May Yesterday near Ft. Saskatchewan ["owlguy99" ]
4 May Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure ["Sid Andrews" ]
04 May Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary ["arryblogs" ]
04 May Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure [Dick Cannings ]
04 May Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure [Dwight Knapik ]

Subject: Swallows
From: "mackaymurray77" <mackaymurray77 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 17:00:11 -0000
Tree swallows arrived in Ponoka and area this morning. While we did 
have a few around I believe the main miration came in this morning.
Murray Mackay
Ponoka
Subject: RE: Beaumaris lake today
From: "Willi Braun" <Willi.Braun AT ualberta.ca>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 09:37:47 -0600
I happened to be in Chicago when Douglas Faulder first reported the
long-tail on Beaumaris Lk. I went out on Tuesday to look for it. I met
John Acorn there and he was the first to spot it. A few grainy photos of
it, among a few other species, are here: 

http://picasaweb.google.com/paraguayanmeister/BeaumarisLake

W. Braun
Edmonton
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Subject: Beaumaris lake today
From: Douglas Faulder <dfaulder AT msn.com>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 08:37:06 -0600
Took a peak this morning, and I agree with Gerald, the Long-tailed Duck seems 
to be gone. The only thing new on the lake was a Pied-billed Grebe and a 
Spotted Sandpiper on the shore. Off the lake Song and Chipping Sparrows were 
present, and a Palm Warbler. 


Doug Faulder
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Subject: Birding northside Edmonton
From: "Gerald Romanchuk" <geraldjr AT telusplanet.net>
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 14:03:08 -0000
Thursday afternoon I went over to Beaumaris Lake to see if the Longtail 
Duck was still around, I met up with the gentleman who had shown Doug 
Faulder the video of two LT's, & Heather Ronnes - none of us could spot 
the duck. Heather did point out a small flock of warblers, including 
Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned, & my first Blackpoll of the year. Also 
saw a Swainson's Thrush & a White-crowned Sparrow.

From there I went over to Hermitage Park. There was a good variety of 
sparrows around, including Savanah, Song, Lincoln's, White-crowned, 
White-throated, & Junco. Since there was another photographer poaching 
beside my "magic tree", I went for a walk & found a Kingfisher & got my 
first ever photos of a Gray-cheeked Thrush. I haven't seen one for a 
few years, Gray-cheeked was one of those birds that I had checked off 
my list when I was just starting out birding & in hindsight I've always 
had some doubts about that ID, it was a great relief to finally see one 
that I'm positive about. 

Gerald Romanchuk,
Edmonton
Subject: Harris's Sparrow
From: "Curtis Manly" <whitelinereaper AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 23:31:48 -0000
I got a call from Michelle today shortly after I saw an Orange-crowned 
Warbler, a flock of Sandhills, and an Eastern Phoebe at EL Smith water 
treatment plant.   She said we had a Harris's Sparrow in the yard.  I 
told my boss I was leaving and drove home for a look (who knows when 
the opportunity to put a Harris's on the yard list will come again?) A 
resplendant male, and in addition, the first Vesper for our yard as 
well.  In all we currently have 8 species of new world sparrows in the 
yard.  Both the Harris's  and the Vesper continue after work (about 
5:30).  Posted a couple of pics by Miss Hell.

Good watching!

Curtis Manly
Spruce Grove
Subject: Great birding reports from S Alberta!
From: "naturalistbob60" <vintagebob AT shaw.ca>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 22:42:45 -0000
I am enjoying all the reports coming in, especially Lloyd and his
Whimbrels. I will be in Rolling Hills on monday so watch out Lloyd!!
I think this coldish spell is going to make scouting around Brooks
next week a load of fun. I anticipate many warblers moving through
Tillebrook. I will arrive late Saturday afternoon-ish
If anyone wants to help scout for Brooks count weekend, call me on my
cell (780) 906-2561. I have lots of gas money courtesy of TransCanada
Pipelines!!
Subject: Birding Carseland and North of Strathmore
From: "jean_dunn" <j.dunn1 AT telus.net>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 21:02:11 -0000
The Spitzers joined the Zwicks, Al Kimberly and myself for a 
morning of birding yesterday at Wyndham-Carseland P.P. We had a good 
day for raptors and saw Bald Eagles, Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks, 
as well as N. Harriers and a Sharp-shinned Hawk, but the best 
sighting was a Broad-winged Hawk, flying low over the trees.  

We enjoyed witnessing the excitement of nesting Tree swallows, and 
saw a handful or two of Yellow-rumped Warblers, along with White-
crowned, Vesper, Song and Savannah Sparrows.   Milt and Elaine saw an 
Orange-crowned Warbler while the "late-comers" saw a Swainson's 
Thrush on the way in to the Picnic Site below the weir.  

Shorebirds there were few -Avocets, Willets, Spotted Sandpiper, 
Lesser Yellowlegs and Marbled Godwhit, but we were treated to a pair 
of Forster's Terns who stood out among the 100's of Franklins' Gulls.

We noted a few Great Blue Herons in the rookery as we left;  they 
were accompanied by a Canada Goose sitting attentively on "her" nest 
among them.

Other birds of note were Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, a Mourning Dove, 
Common Grackles, winnowing Wilson's Snipe and of course A. White 
Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants.  All three teal, Redheads and 
a pair of C. Mergansers were present at the Johnson's landing site.

After leaving the park we visited the slough at the n.w. end of 
Namaka Lake and were rewarded with Sora Rail, Marsh Wrens, and Barn 
Swallows. Nearby were a pair of bushes adorned with  brilliantly-
coloured Yellow-headed Blackbirds outshining their Red-winged cousins 
and drowning out the Red-wings melodious call with their racous rusty-
gate squawking. 

Another beautiful raptor ended our birding together - a magnificent 
Ferruginous sitting in a field just north of the slough.

The Spitzers departed for Medicine Hat, spotting about 10 Black-
necked Stilts en route home,  while the rest of us visited the 
sloughs that border the road just north of Strathmore (off HW. 817) 
and we saw our first Horned and Eared Grebes of the year, along with 
Ruddy Ducks,  Canvasback, and Wilson's Phalaropes. Spotted 
sandpipers, Pectorals,, a Solitary sandpiper, and about a dozen 
Semipalmated sandpipers were also there.  Al Kimberly spotted a 
Bonapartes' Gull among the many Franklin's and we headed back to 
Calgary to beat the impending storms and to enjoy Eric Tull's 
presentation on our Grassland Species - a fitting end to a lovely day 
of birding on the Prairies.  

Jean Dunn
Calgary
 














Subject: Harris's Sparrow
From: "direcway65" <psalm23 AT xplornet.com>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 16:44:18 -0000
Hello all:   We had a surprise in our yard this morning. Among the
White-crowns there was a Harris's Sparrow. A handsome sparrow to be
sure, and a lifer for us!   Good birding,    Paul family,  east side of
Buffalo Lake (north of Stettler)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Oil contamination
From: "mackaymurray77" <mackaymurray77 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 15:17:11 -0000
I am posting an image of a Tundra Swan that I took north 
of Ponoka. Certainly the bird has something on his breast.
At first I thought it was only mud but many of the birds in the area
had nothing on them?
Murray Mackay
Ponoka
Subject: Re: Oil Slicked Canada Goose?
From: Susan Flewelling <kmm AT nucleus.com>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 06:23:33 -0600
At 09:39 PM 5/7/08, you wrote:
>After the tragedy last week I have been hearing intermittent reports of ducks 
and geese being 

>found with oil damage.  
>
>First question has anyone heard of this or can confirm it?

I had heard on (I think it was CTV news) of the bodies of several cranes being 
found at another toxic dump in the northern part of the province. 


Susan
Calgary
Subject: Re: IBS Evening Bird Walk - May 6 by Tim Allison
From: Dwight Knapik <dwightthebirdaholic AT shaw.ca>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 00:57:25 -0700
Hello:

I took a walk at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, with John Riddell and John Cooper, 
on 

the morning of May 6, and we saw much the same list of birds as Tim Allsion 
posted, plus the following: 


American Wigeon  2
American Kestrel  2
Willet   1
Solitary Sandpiper  1  
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
Swainson`s Thrush  1
Barn Swallow  1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  4
Orange-crowned Warbler  2
Common Raven  2
 Common Grackle  6

Good Birding Everyone!

Dwight P. Knapik
Calgary, Alberta


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Birding the Grasslands Workshop
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 23:47:28 -0600
I just gave a workshop on Birding the Grasslands to the Nature Calgary Bird 
Study Group.  It consisted of pictures, sound recordings, videos, and location 
maps.  Brooke has put the presentation up on the Bird Study Group website, and 
it is available for viewing at 
http://birdcomp.fanweb.ca/speakers/0805_Tull.html 


The workshop and website have been done in conjunction with two field trips the 

BSG is running on the May long weekend in the Brooks area, one for grassland 
birds and one for badland birds - and in conjunction with the Brooks May 
Species 

Count.  If you are in the Brooks area and would like to go on either fieldtrip 
please join us, but please let me know you are coming.  Details of the two 
fieldtrips are in the above presentation and on the BSG web pages 
http://birdcomp.fanweb.ca/

I would be interested in any comments on the web presentation, and any 
suggestions you might have for improvements.

Eric Tull
Calgary
Subject: smew in Mtn View
From: "nancywest.8668" <nancywest.8668 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 05:09:07 -0000
I observed the Smew again tonight around 8:00pm in the far east part of 
the slough as described previously on Rge Rd 280, as the people from 
Lethbridge noted a scope or powerful binoculars are required to get a 
good look from the road.  Happy smewing!
Subject: more Whimbrels
From: Lloyd Bennett <lloydaben AT hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 22:03:53 -0600
 I found my first Whimbrel in my farm on April 29, but no others were found 
until Sunday, May 4, when I found 9 in a field of alfalfa N. of Fincastle Lake. 
The day before I thought I had a flock of Whimbrels in that same field, but 
they turned out to be 6 Long-billed Curlews, 6 Marbled Godwits, and farther 
away were 2 Hudsonian Godwits. Since Monday the Whimbrels have been flying back 
and forth across my farm, where I have been working. Some of them land in the 
fields, where they blend in almost perfectly with the brown soil. Today I got 
time to go for a drive, and found 75 Whimbrels in one spot, and 15 in another, 
so hopefully they keep increasing in numbers for the field trip Saturday. 

 There have been some nice white birds around in the last few days. Sunday 
morning I was surprised to find 3 Trumpeter Swans in a slough, and that evening 
13 Tundras flew over, heading north. There have been a few Snow and Ross's 
Geese still hanging around the lakes. Today I saw a puzzling white bird at 
Fincastle Lake. It turned out to be an almost completely white Eared Grebe, 
with a dark line around the head, and a trace of dark on the back. 

 Other new arrivals today were an Upland Sandpiper, a Swainson's Thrush, and a 
few Sanderlings. 

 
Lloyd Bennett
Taber 
_________________________________________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Oil Slicked Canada Goose?
From: "leftboot13" <leftboot AT shaw.ca>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 03:39:33 -0000
After the tragedy last week I have been hearing intermittent reports of ducks 
and geese being 

found with oil damage.  

First question has anyone heard of this or can confirm it?

Second what do we do if we see one (or suspect)?  Who can we contact?

Lastly seen in Hermitage Park in Edmonton, this goose was seen. He was shy and 
the light 

was bad, but I have 2 shot of him:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leftboot/2475357584/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leftboot/2474540329/

What do you think?

Ryan
Subject: Anyone from Edmonton going to see the Smew
From: Brett Scheffers <schefbr0 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 19:32:10 -0700 (PDT)
Greeting Alberta Birders, 

I would be very interested in taking a trip down to see/look for the Smew this 
weekend or perhaps Friday. Would anyone from Edmonton or neighboring areas be 
interested in going to see the Smew and/or Brambling? Please respond to 
schefbr0 AT yahoo.com or call 453-5920. 


Thanks, 

Brett Scheffers
Edmonton

       
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Smew Still near Mountain View
From: Teresa & Doug Dolman <dolman AT uleth.ca>
Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 19:13:19 -0600
We followed Eric Tull's directions from his posting on Monday and found 
the Smew today, just where it had been seen previously by Nancy West. 
We found it at the far south-east portion of the slough, so a spotting 
scope was essential to get a good view from the road.
Doug & Teresa Dolman
Lethbridge
Subject: Say's Phoebe and FOS's at Elk Island National Park
From: "Sean D. Smith" <seansmith64 AT hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 17:24:40 -0000
Dear All:

There was a Say's Phoebe at the bison loop road/paddock yesterday 
evening. I think they are annual,but in low numbers, in these parts?

Some other arrivals in the first week of May include Chipping, Swamp 
and Vesper Sparrows, Wilson's Phalarope, resident-looking Trumpeter 
Swans, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, American Goldfinch and Common and 
Forster's Terns - and likely much more by the time I actually get 
this sent...Ice is almost off Astotin and many of the breeding - and 
looking gorgeous - waterfowl/birds are present. Especially 
interesting were hybrid (or backcrossed) Barrow's x Common Goldeneye.

Even Friday night alone I counted 6,000 Sandhill Cranes in one hour 
going southeast to northwest. At the heighth they were at, I could 
have missed Whooping.... or even Common Crane!

So long to the real harbingers of spring  - "cheerful" Am. Tree 
Sparrows!

Cheers!

Sean Smith
Fort Sask./Elk Island NP   
Subject: Long-tailed Duck still on Beaumaris Lake May7
From: Douglas Faulder <dfaulder AT msn.com>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 07:35:28 -0600
The LTDU is still on Beaumaris Lake this morning, in much the same area, best 
seen from the park area off 106St between 155 and 158 avenues. I have noticed 
that a trail of bubbles on the water is a good clue to his presence. Otherwise 
there are Blue-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Ring-necked and Shoveler 
Ducks;Red-necked and Horned Grebe, and a Tern flew by. 


Doug Faulder

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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Subject: Re: Smew Resighted Today
From: Randy Findlay <hawkowl AT shaw.ca>
Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 21:32:17 -0700
Thanks Gary and others,   It's interesting to follow these rarities  
and see where they may turn up next...there was a Smew probably 15  
years back in, I believe, Langley B.C. I and many others added it to  
our lists but it was later reported to be an escaped cage/collection  
bird...ya' win some, ya' lose some. Thanks for the insights into your  
bird.  Best,  Randy Findlay,  Burnaby, B.C.
On 6-May-08, at 8:23 AM, MARY COLE wrote:

> Hello all and especially Randy. I was the one who spotted the Smew  
> for the first time last year just east of Mountain View. At the  
> time, there was a record of a Smew being seen in Montana the year  
> before. If it was the same Smew, and it seems likely it could be,  
> then this bird is migrating. I saw it interacting with and in the  
> company of Hooded Mergansers. I wonder if it is with similar or the  
> same birds now. I haven't heard what other birds were keeping it  
> company lately. You can see pictures of the Smew one year ago along  
> with its companions posted under A Smew..... Good luck spotting him  
> everyone.
> I saw a smew in a slough.
> I knew what to do.
> I reported so others could see it too.
> But alas the birdie flew.
> Some may have doubted that the Smew was true.
> Now with several other sightings too
> Will the OFFICIAL Alberta list add
> The Smew?
> I'm not Dr. Seuss but it will have to do.
> Gary Kurtz
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Randy Findlay 
> Date: Monday, May 5, 2008 9:37 pm
> Subject: Re: [Albertabird] Smew Resighted Today
> To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com
>
> > Hi Birders, I haven't followed all the postings
> > lately, but I was
> > wondering if there has been any previous discussion of
> > possible
> > origins of this bird. Thanks for any help, Cheers, Randy
> > Findlay,
> > Burnaby, B.C.
> > On 5-May-08, at 8:29 PM, Eric Tull wrote:
> >
> > > Nancy West (403-653-1359) of Mountain View has reported seeing
> > the
> > > Smew twice
> > > today. It was on the same slough where she saw it last Tuesday.
> > >
> > > From Mountain View, take the first gravel road to the right as
> > you
> > > leave the
> > > town going west (Range Road 280). The slough is on the right
> > hand
> > > side of the
> > > road about a kilometre along. The slough runs parallel to the
> > road
> > > then curves
> > > to the east away from the road. The Smew has been seen well
> > back in
> > > the east
> > > end of the slough.
> > >
> > > Please report to Albertabird if you go down and find the bird
> > >
> > > Eric Tull
> > > Calgary
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: IBS Evening Bird Walk -- May 6
From: Tim Allison <tjallison1225 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 20:36:03 -0700 (PDT)
Some birds may not have been seen by all participants.

Am. W. Pelican    1
Canada Goose
Wood Duck            3
Mallard
GW Teal                1
BW Teal                22
N Shoveler            6
Harlequin Duck    3
C Goldeneye
Bufflehead           2
C Merganser       5
Swainson's Hawk    3 (1 dark ph.)
RT Hawk              1
Merlin                    1 (heard only)
Killdeer
RB Gull                6
Cali Gull              80+
Herring Gull       5
Franklin's Gull   approx. 400
Downy Woodpecker 3
N. Flicker
Tree Swallow    50+
GC Kinglet        (heard only)
American Robin
BC Chickadee
WB Nuthatch    1
BB Magpie
Am Crow
Eur. Starling
YR Warbler        15+
Song Sparrow (heard only?)
WC Sparrow        3
BH Cowbird         6

       
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Brambling in Drumheller
From: John Acorn <janature AT compusmart.ab.ca>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 15:19:59 -0600
Hi Birders,

What a great day.  I went out this morning and saw the Long-tailed  
Duck that was reported in north Edmonton, and then got a message from  
Lena Braman in Drumheller, with very good photos of a Brambling at her  
feeder.  Here's what she says, and she asked me to post this on her  
behalf:

"The little guy was here for the past few days, I didn’t see it today  
though.  Sure, post it on the listserve.  I certainly don’t mind and  
my neighbours are good.  I’ll warn them not to worry if they happen to  
see some unusual activity around the area.

It was hanging out with a group of white-crowned sparrows.

It is probably easier to access via the back alley because he was in  
my backyard so that would be the alley between 14th and 15th streets  
E.  I live ˝ block from the river so there’s lots of bird activity  
around.

My address is:  404-14th St. E.
                         Drumheller, AB T0J  0Y5"

John Acorn
Edmonton
  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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Subject: Re: Whooping cranes east of Edmonton
From: Murray Mackay <mackaymurray77 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 12:43:42 -0700 (PDT)
What a great sighting! You should call 306-975-5595  with your sighting. They 
will give you all the info on this flock of Whoopers. 

Murray Mackay
Ponoka, Ab.



----- Original Message ----
From: ayache_eric 
To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 11:41:02 AM
Subject: [Albertabird] Whooping cranes east of Edmonton


On friday 2nd May, we were flying in a Cessna 182 between Calgary and 
Lac la Biche, when we crossed a small group of 4-5 Whooping Cranes a 
bit north of Cooking lake (just west of Elk Island Park).
I could not unfortunately take a picture of them, as we overtook them 
quite quickly, and they were lower from us, on our left, but quite 
unmistakable as birds, and a very nice sight, even if too brief.
I understood these birds have become quite rare. Are they nesting 
somewhere around Edmonton? Where would we have the best chance to 
observe them in Alberta?
Happy birding.
Eric.

 


 
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Whooping cranes east of Edmonton
From: "ayache_eric" <eayache AT airdrie.oilfield.slb.com>
Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 16:41:02 -0000
On friday 2nd May, we were flying in a Cessna 182 between Calgary and 
Lac la Biche, when we crossed a small group of 4-5 Whooping Cranes a 
bit north of Cooking lake (just west of Elk Island Park).
I could not unfortunately take a picture of them, as we overtook them 
quite quickly, and they were lower from us, on our left, but quite 
unmistakable as birds, and a very nice sight, even if too brief.
I understood these birds have become quite rare. Are they nesting 
somewhere around Edmonton? Where would we have the best chance to 
observe them in Alberta?
Happy birding.
Eric.
Subject: Re: Smew Resighted Today
From: "John Carlson" <jccarlson AT surfbirder.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 09:31:38 -0700
Hi Gary and all,
The only Smew I know of that was reported in MT that year was from the extreme 
NE corner of the state. The report was not accepted by the MT bird records 
committee. 

If it was a Smew and just not well documented I would guess that it probably 
isn't the same bird as you observed in AB given probably migration routes from 
the NE corner of MT and Mountain View in AB. 

Having said that, given the proximity of Mountain View to MT it is probable 
that this birds has spent some time in MT, particularly since it has come back 
after being gone, presumably to somewhere south of Mountain View. I will have 
to keep looking next fall! 


John Carlson
Fort Peck, MT
jccarlson AT surfbirder.com
www.prairieice.blogspot.com

--- gary.kurtz AT shaw.ca wrote:

From: MARY COLE 
To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Albertabird] Smew Resighted Today
Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 09:23:47 -0600

Hello all and especially Randy. I was the one who spotted the Smew for the 
first time last year just east of Mountain View. At the time, there was a 
record of a Smew being seen in Montana the year before. If it was the same 
Smew, and it seems likely it could be, then this bird is migrating. I saw it 
interacting with and in the company of Hooded Mergansers. I wonder if it is 
with similar or the same birds now. I haven't heard what other birds were 
keeping it company lately. You can see pictures of the Smew one year ago along 
with its companions posted under A Smew..... Good luck spotting him everyone. 

I saw a smew in a slough.
I knew what to do.
I reported so others could see it too.
But alas the birdie flew.
Some may have doubted that the Smew was true.
Now with several other sightings too
Will the OFFICIAL Alberta list add 
The Smew?
I'm not Dr. Seuss but it will have to do. 
Gary Kurtz

----- Original Message -----
From: Randy Findlay 
Date: Monday, May 5, 2008 9:37 pm
Subject: Re: [Albertabird] Smew Resighted Today
To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com

> Hi Birders, I haven't followed all the postings 
> lately, but I was 
> wondering if there has been any previous discussion of 
> possible 
> origins of this bird. Thanks for any help, Cheers, Randy 
> Findlay, 
> Burnaby, B.C.
> On 5-May-08, at 8:29 PM, Eric Tull wrote:
> 
> > Nancy West (403-653-1359) of Mountain View has reported seeing 
> the 
> > Smew twice
> > today. It was on the same slough where she saw it last Tuesday.
> >
> > From Mountain View, take the first gravel road to the right as 
> you 
> > leave the
> > town going west (Range Road 280). The slough is on the right 
> hand 
> > side of the
> > road about a kilometre along. The slough runs parallel to the 
> road 
> > then curves
> > to the east away from the road. The Smew has been seen well 
> back in 
> > the east
> > end of the slough.
> >
> > Please report to Albertabird if you go down and find the bird
> >
> > Eric Tull
> > Calgary
> >
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





_____________________________________________________________
Join the American Bird Conservancy today at http://www.abcbirds.org
Surfbirds.com - The World Birding Website
Subject: Re: Smew Resighted Today
From: MARY COLE <gary.kurtz AT shaw.ca>
Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 09:23:47 -0600
Hello all and especially Randy. I was the one who spotted the Smew for the 
first time last year just east of Mountain View. At the time, there was a 
record of a Smew being seen in Montana the year before. If it was the same 
Smew, and it seems likely it could be, then this bird is migrating. I saw it 
interacting with and in the company of Hooded Mergansers. I wonder if it is 
with similar or the same birds now. I haven't heard what other birds were 
keeping it company lately. You can see pictures of the Smew one year ago along 
with its companions posted under A Smew..... Good luck spotting him everyone. 

I saw a smew in a slough.
I knew what to do.
I reported so others could see it too.
But alas the birdie flew.
Some may have doubted that the Smew was true.
Now with several other sightings too
Will the OFFICIAL Alberta list add 
The Smew?
I'm not Dr. Seuss but it will have to do.  
Gary Kurtz

----- Original Message -----
From: Randy Findlay 
Date: Monday, May 5, 2008 9:37 pm
Subject: Re: [Albertabird] Smew Resighted Today
To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com

> Hi  Birders,  I haven't followed all the postings 
> lately, but I was  
> wondering if there has been any previous discussion of 
> possible  
> origins of this bird. Thanks for any help, Cheers,  Randy 
> Findlay,   
> Burnaby, B.C.
> On 5-May-08, at 8:29 PM, Eric Tull wrote:
> 
> > Nancy West (403-653-1359) of Mountain View has reported seeing 
> the  
> > Smew twice
> > today. It was on the same slough where she saw it last Tuesday.
> >
> > From Mountain View, take the first gravel road to the right as 
> you  
> > leave the
> > town going west (Range Road 280). The slough is on the right 
> hand  
> > side of the
> > road about a kilometre along. The slough runs parallel to the 
> road  
> > then curves
> > to the east away from the road. The Smew has been seen well 
> back in  
> > the east
> > end of the slough.
> >
> > Please report to Albertabird if you go down and find the bird
> >
> > Eric Tull
> > Calgary
> >
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: Smew Resighted Today
From: Randy Findlay <hawkowl AT shaw.ca>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 20:36:46 -0700
Hi  Birders,  I haven't followed all the postings lately, but I was  
wondering if there has been any previous discussion of possible  
origins of this bird. Thanks for any help, Cheers,  Randy Findlay,   
Burnaby, B.C.
On 5-May-08, at 8:29 PM, Eric Tull wrote:

> Nancy West (403-653-1359) of Mountain View has reported seeing the  
> Smew twice
> today. It was on the same slough where she saw it last Tuesday.
>
> From Mountain View, take the first gravel road to the right as you  
> leave the
> town going west (Range Road 280). The slough is on the right hand  
> side of the
> road about a kilometre along. The slough runs parallel to the road  
> then curves
> to the east away from the road. The Smew has been seen well back in  
> the east
> end of the slough.
>
> Please report to Albertabird if you go down and find the bird
>
> Eric Tull
> Calgary
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Smew Resighted Today
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 21:29:09 -0600
Nancy West (403-653-1359) of Mountain View has reported seeing the Smew twice 
today.  It was on the same slough where she saw it last Tuesday.

 From Mountain View, take the first gravel road to the right as you leave the 
town going west (Range Road 280).  The slough is on the right hand side of the 
road about a kilometre along. The slough runs parallel to the road then curves 

to the east away from the road.  The Smew has been seen well back in the east 
end of the slough.

Please report to Albertabird if you go down and find the bird

Eric Tull
Calgary
Subject: RBA: Calgary AB, May 5 2008
From: Chris Havard <ckhavard AT shaw.ca>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 20:44:24 -0600
- RBA
* Alberta (Canada)
* Calgary, AB
* May 5, 2008
* ABCA0805.08

- Birds mentioned


SMEW **

Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Hudsonian Godwit
Great Gray Owl
Red-naped Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
Loggerhead Shrike
Varied Thrush
Western Tanager
Harris's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole

- Transcript

Hotline:  City of Calgary and Nature Calgary's Bird Alert
Number:  (403) 221-4519
To Report:  (403) 221-4519
Coverage:  Southern Alberta
Compiler:  Terry Korolyk
Transcriber:  Chris Havard (ckhavard AT shaw.ca)

Welcome to the City of Calgary and Nature Calgary's Bird Alert.  This Bird
Alert was recorded on Monday May 5 at 2:30pm. To report a bird sighting,
leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording, or to bypass the
recorded message, press the pound key on your touch tone phone.
To speak to a naturalist during office hours, please dial 0 after reaching
the Bird Alert.
For inquiries after hours, call 311 to speak with a Customer Service Agent.
To report an injured bird or animal, please call Calgary Wildlife
Rehabilitation at 239-2488 or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife
Conservation at 946-2361.

The adult male SMEW, first reported on Mar 21 and 22, was sighted on Apr 29
on a slough about 1 km north of Hwy 5 just west of Mountain View.  It was
sighted by Nancy West.  It has not been reported since.

On May 5, Brian Elder saw a BROAD-WINGED HAWK at the west end of the
Winchell Lake Rd NW of Cochrane.  He also saw a GREAT GRAY OWL on the Grand
Valley Road near the Bates Road turnoff.

On May 5, Eric Tull located a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE on RR 252 just north of Twp
270, east of Irricana.

On May 5, Al Bogart saw 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER in
Votier Flats of Fish Creek PP.

On May 5, Pat Bumstead had a male HARRIS' SPARROW and 4 WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS in her backyard in Lynbrook, Calgary.

On the weekend of May 3-4, Al MacKeigan saw 2 BALTIMORE ORIOLES and a
WESTERN TANAGER at Johnson Island, Carseland/Wyndham Prov. Park.

May 2, Mary Couglin and Kathleen Roman saw 4 HUDSONIAN GODWITS at
Cattleman's Slough.

May 2, Dave Elphinstone saw a TURKEY VULTURE flying over the Strathcona
Community in Calgary.

May 2, Dwight Knapik spotted VARIED THRUSHES on the Curly Sand Trail west of
Millarville.

May 2, Hank Vanderpol saw a good variety of shorebirds on a slough 1 km west
of Bruce Lake on Twp Rd 262, including a variety of peeps and 3 HUDSONIAN
GODWITS.

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Thursday, May 8th.

BIRD STUDY GROUP - Meets the first Wednesday of the month, September - May
at 7:30pm, Room 211, Biosciences Bldg, University of Calgary.  The next
meeting will be on Wed. May 7.  Doors open at 7:00pm.  
Program:  Eric Tull presenting "BIRDING THE GRASSLANDS"  


NATURE CALGARY (CFNS) FIELD TRIPS

Tue May 6, 6:30pm: First of weekly Tuesday evening bird walks, Inglewood
Bird Sanctuary, E. end of 9 Av SE. Leader, Tim Allison, 604-2191.

Sat May 10, 8am: Birding Griffith Woods Park, 2.5km W on Hwy 8 from Sarcee
Tr SW, then left at 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue straight at
traffic circle, then left on Discovery Link into parking lot. Leader, Grant
Brydle, 720-4957.

Sat May 10, 7am:  See hundreds of Whimbrels (over 1400 seen last year) and
other shorebirds migrating through the Taber area (Read Nature Alberta,
Spring 2007, Vol 37, #1, pp 19-230).  In Calgary, meet Anderson LRT (Macleod
Tr) S of pedestrian overpass for car pooling.  Call 243-2248 to register and
for more info.  Four motels in Taber if wanting to stay overnight.  Leader,
Lloyd Bennett, Taber, 403-223-0456.  lloydaben AT hotmail.com  Directions to
leader's place:  From Taber, go 4 miles east on Hwy #3.   Turn north at the
big green Agricore building for 3.5 miles (go exactly 1/2 mile past the
second intersection). Lloyd's house is on the east side, over 200 metres
from the road.  There is a round slough on the west side of the road and a
blue sign with the address - 104043, Range Road 160.  Meet at his place at
10am.

Sun May 11, Mother's Day. Plan ahead. Take your mother on a nature walk.

Sun May 11, 8:30am: Birding Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, E end of 9 Av SE.
Leader, Penny Smith, 283-9260. 

Tue May 13, 6:30pm: Birding Carburn Park. S from Glenmore Tr at 18 St SE to
second stoplight, then right & follow signs. Meet parking lot. Leader,
Andrew Hart, 279-5209.

Sat May 17, 9am: Bird Bowmont Park. Meet Maranatha Church, 2111 52 St NW. (N
end Home Rd). Leader, Horst Grothman, 286-3048.

Sat May 17: Participate in the Brooks May Species Count, May 17, and/or on
Eric Tull's May 18 Grassland trip, and/or his May 19 Badland trip, or any
combination (see below). Make it a day or weekend trip. Camping available at
Tillebrook Provincial Park (403-362-4525), motels in Brooks.

Sun May 18, 9am: Grassland birding, Kininvie Marsh & surrounding area. Meet
Tillebrook Provincial Park entrance (east of Brooks). Full day but may leave
any time. Please notify Leader, Eric Tull, 295-0830 (Calgary) or Cell
922-3227, in advance, to arrange possible car pooling & to not leave without
you. (Leave message on both phones to ensure it gets through).

Mon May 19: (Victoria Day). Badland birding, Dinosaur Prov. Park. Meet
Tillebrook Prov. Park entrance at 8am, or at overlook parking at Dinosaur
Park entrance at 9am. Leave for Calgary mid-afternoon. Please notify Leader,
Eric Tull, 295-0830 (Calgary) or Cell 922-3227 in advance, to arrange
possible car pooling & to not leave without you. (Leave message on both
phones to ensure it gets through).

Mon May 19, 7am: Victoria Day. See 100+ species of birds within Calgary.
Meet Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, E end of 9th Av SE. Leader, Tony Timmons,
256-0754

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary is a City of Calgary Natural Area.  Staff offer
information, courses and field trips relating to natural history.  For
information, call 311 during office hours and ask for the Inglewood Bird
Sanctuary.

NATURE CALGARY (Calgary Field Naturalists' Society) promotes the
observation, study and conservation of the native habitat through lectures,
field trips and collection of scientific data. For membership or event
information, email naturecalgary AT cfns.fanweb.ca or visit the website at
www.naturecalgary.com. The Birding section of the website
http://birdcomp.fanweb.ca/index.html  includes descriptions of BIRDING
LOCALES in the Calgary area. 
NATURE CALGARY also publishes a newsletter, NATURE NEWS, 8 times per year,
available to members by email and on the website. 

- End transcript

Subject: Ponoka
From: "mackaymurray77" <mackaymurray77 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 00:40:42 -0000
Lots of savannah sparrows and tree swallows today along with Say's 
phoebe's. (photo)
Murray Mackay
Subject: Re: Birding NW of Calgary
From: "Curtis Manly" <whitelinereaper AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 23:32:32 -0000
Short-eared owls for your yard list? Awesome!!

Curtis Manly
spruce Grove
Subject: Birding NW of Calgary
From: "Brian Elder" <brianeld AT telus.net>
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 14:35:02 -0600
This morning I birded the Water Valley area, west of Hwy 22 from Hwy 1A on the 
south to Twp 304 on the north. It was a cool, overcast morning and there was 
very little song activity. A Broad-winged Hawk at the west end of Winchell Lake 
Rd was the highlight for me - I've heard that they breed in the area but have 
never seen one in the Water Valley area before. I saw 2 Great Gray Owls - 1 on 
Grand Valley Road near the Bates Rd turnoff and 1 on Twp 291. At the east end 
of the Winchell slough, there was a Swamp Sparrow calling; Lincoln's and Song 
Sparrows were also present but silent. 


On the homefront, I have been reading about all of the great birds that Curtis, 
Royce and others have been seeing in their yards and was feeling that the birds 
were avoiding NW Calgary. However, on both Friday and Sunday night I was 
treated to 2 Short-eared Owls flying by my window just after 9pm. My wife was 
amused but not surprised when I jumped up, grabbed my bins and ran out on to 
the deck for a better look. 


Good birding.

Brian Elder
Calgary, AB


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: Sandhill Cranes over Edmonton
From: htaube AT ualberta.ca
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 10:40:17 -0600
I saw thousands of cranes doing the very same thing, all morning long,  
on the very same day, in the Natural Area NW of Bruderheim.
And the sentiment is also the same: How do the birds cope with the  
massive disturbance that's happening everywhere in this part of the  
world ??!!
Hubert




Quoting Andrew Stiles :

> On Saturday afternoon I had the good pleasure of watching at least   
> 2000 Sandhill Cranes in flight over east Edmonton (King's College).   
>  They were heard before being seen as they did their circular  
> soaring  at an altitude of 1000+ feet.
> In April of 2005 I also witnessed 15000+ cranes flying north of   
> Camrose.  Both these powerful sights witness to the marvel of   
> wildlife abundance that is able to persist on this continent even   
> with all its human changes.  These cranes fuel up on waste corn in   
> Nebraska near the Platte River and depart on mass in mid April for   
> the far north.  I hope others are able to catch one of these   
> spectacles of nature by being alert to their distinctive loud   
> trumpeting call.  It is the sound our Provincial Museum   
> appropriately uses in the foyer of the Wild Alberta exhibit.
>
> http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/migration/sandhill.asp
> Andrew Stiles
>
>
>       __________________________________________________________________
> Connect with friends from any web browser - no download required.   
> Try the new Yahoo! Canada Messenger for the Web BETA at   
> http://ca.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

Subject: Long-tailed Duck still at Beaumaris Lake
From: Douglas Faulder <dfaulder AT msn.com>
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 08:56:43 -0600
The single male Long-tailed Duck was still on Beaumaris Lake from 08:00 to 
09:00. It was actively diving for the first 45 minutes, underwater for long 
periods. When I left it was sleeping on the water. New this morning were a pair 
of Surf Scoters, and ~3 pairs of Ring-necked Ducks. 


Doug Faulder
_________________________________________________________________
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at SignInAndWIN.ca 

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Subject: Sandhill Cranes over Edmonton
From: Andrew Stiles <andrewprestonstiles AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 07:11:23 -0700 (PDT)
On Saturday afternoon I had the good pleasure of watching at least 2000 
Sandhill Cranes in flight over east Edmonton (King's College). They were heard 
before being seen as they did their circular soaring at an altitude of 1000+ 
feet. 

In April of 2005 I also witnessed 15000+ cranes flying north of Camrose. Both 
these powerful sights witness to the marvel of wildlife abundance that is able 
to persist on this continent even with all its human changes. These cranes fuel 
up on waste corn in Nebraska near the Platte River and depart on mass in mid 
April for the far north. I hope others are able to catch one of these 
spectacles of nature by being alert to their distinctive loud trumpeting call. 
It is the sound our Provincial Museum appropriately uses in the foyer of the 
Wild Alberta exhibit. 

 
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/migration/sandhill.asp
Andrew Stiles


      __________________________________________________________________
Connect with friends from any web browser - no download required. Try the new 
Yahoo! Canada Messenger for the Web BETA at 
http://ca.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: My first sparrows of the season east of Irricana
From: Blaine Marler <bmarler AT telus.net>
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 23:10:06 -0600
I spent a couple of hours east of Irricana this afternoon on TR273/A.  
All the usual suspects on the sloughs, but in a single copse of trees  
on the south side of TR273A  there were one of each:  Yellow-rumped  
Warbler, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker and a B-c  
Chickadee.  The carcass of a dead sheep in the ditch seemed to be an  
attraction for birds looking for wool nesting materials. Several BB  
Magpies and Crows about, and Franklin Gulls high overhead. Nearby a  
Great-Horned Owl on a nest with 2 owlets. Also a chorus of frogs in a  
marsh on RR254. Not sure if others were struck by the large numbers of  
Swainsons and Red-tails soaring today. I quit counting with some 30  
Swainsons (starting just s of Airdrie) and at least half that many R- 
tails .

Mammals:
Coyote
Porcupine
White-tailed Jackrabbit (?) (black tips on large ears, very good size,  
sitting v. still about 10 metres from the roadside)
Muskrat

plus one sky jumper with a red parachute (makes you look twice when  
you pick that up in the binoculars!)

Have fun out there...

Simone Marler
Calgary
Subject: Loggerhead Shrike
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 21:33:45 -0600
I forgot to mention we had a Loggerhead Shrike today east of Irricana on range 
road 252, just north of township road 270.
Eric Tull
Calgary
Subject: Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 21:11:38 -0600
They had one 13 years ago, and it was accessible on the internet at that time. 
But they did not continue it, and there is no coverage now.
Eric Tull


grahameb AT telus.net wrote:

> Excuse me if this was already asked.
> 
> Do we have a video camera on the pair? Is it accessable on the internet?
> 
> 
> Grahame Booth
> Calgary, Alberta
> 
> 
> Quoting Eric Tull :
> 
> 
>>Hello Val
>>The Peregrines are nesting on Craigie Hall, the same ledge they have used for
>>
>>the last 14 years.  Evidently they already have eggs, but I have not heard
>>how 
>>many.  The building construction does not seem to have fazed them, at least
>>not 
>>yet, but it is getting noiser and more intense now that exams are over, so we
>>
>>will be watching to see what happens.
>>Eric Tull
>>
>>arryblogs wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Does anyone have up-to-date info on their arrival/nesting etc?
>>>Val S
>>>
>>>
>>>------------------------------------
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> _____________________________________________________________
> 
> * List owner:   Albertabird-owner AT yahoogroups.com
> * Guidelines: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Albertabird/files/Guidelines.txtYahoo! Groups 
Links 

> 
> 
> 
> 
Subject: Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure
From: Dick Cannings <cannings AT zoology.ubc.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 20:04:55 -0700
Hi Sid:
I think there are always warm enough spots to create a bit of mud in March. I 
was up in Yellowknife a couple of weeks ago and it was -20 every morning, yet 
by afternoon it had warmed up to -10. In sunny, south-facing slopes out of the 
wind there was melting snow and mud. But then I'm from the Okanagan, where I 
think of March as the height of mud season. 


cheers
Dick Cannings
Naramata, BC

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sid Andrews 
  To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 12:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [Albertabird] Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure


 Here's a mystery, Dwight and Dick: If magpies are earlier nesters and thy 
build a substanstial cup of mud and grasses, how and where do they get the mud 
(preumably in March) in the late winter to build such a nest? 


  Birder_sid aka Sid Andrews
  Ramsay
  Calgary SE
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dwight Knapik 
  To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 1:33 AM
  Subject: [Albertabird] Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure

  Hello:

 The other day I noticed the construction of a new Black-billed Magpie nest 
structure 

 in a spruce tree, and it seemed to be quite the haphazard clump of sticks. I 
know that 

 a regular grass and mud cup nest is built inside the structure to hold the 
eggs, but I 

  was wondering if anyone had seen or heard any theories as to why the magpies
  build the stick covering around the nest?
 Is it to possibly hide their very noticeable plumage and long tail while 
incubating? 

  Any input would be very much welcomed.
  Cheers!

  Dwight P. Knapik
  Calgary, Alberta

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Subject: Carseland and surrounding prairie
From: "johnnyp19692003" <jem_1969 AT hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 02:54:39 -0000
Visited Carseland-Wyndham Park this morning as well as a number of
ponds south and north of Carseland/Mossely.  Highlights included a
prairie falcon, 2 wood ducks, several herons in the rookery, 2 ruddy
ducks, 3 american avocets, 2 marbled godwits, 9 flickers and a host of
other more numerous duck and gull species, as well as some tundra
swans and pelicans.  Also saw several horned larks, lots of
meadowlarks, tree swallows and several different species of sparrows.
 Lots of hawks, too (Swainson's, Rough-legged and Red-tailed for sure)
and one kestrel eating a ground squirrel.

Mammal highlight was a long-tailed weasel!
Subject: Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary
From: grahameb AT telus.net
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 19:07:39 -0700
Excuse me if this was already asked.

Do we have a video camera on the pair? Is it accessable on the internet?


Grahame Booth
Calgary, Alberta


Quoting Eric Tull :

> Hello Val
> The Peregrines are nesting on Craigie Hall, the same ledge they have used for
> 
> the last 14 years.  Evidently they already have eggs, but I have not heard
> how 
> many.  The building construction does not seem to have fazed them, at least
> not 
> yet, but it is getting noiser and more intense now that exams are over, so we
> 
> will be watching to see what happens.
> Eric Tull
> 
> arryblogs wrote:
> 
> > Does anyone have up-to-date info on their arrival/nesting etc?
> > Val S
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------------
> > 
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > 
> > * List owner:   Albertabird-owner AT yahoogroups.com
> > * Guidelines:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Albertabird/files/Guidelines.txtYahoo! Groups
> Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 



Subject: Sunday Birding Beaverhil area
From: "little.blackbird" <little.blackbird AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 01:09:07 -0000
Fellow Birders,

Guy and I went birding today (Sunday May 5th) around the Beaverhill 
area and here are some of the highlights for the day:

Rough-legged Hawk  x2 TWP 510 area
Red-tailed Hawks   x6 between TWP 510 to Hwy 16 along RGE Rd 171
Wilson's Snipe     x3 along Rge Rd 171
Marbled Godwit     x2 along Rge Rd 173 just south east of TWP 512
Blue-winged Teals  x2 pairs along Rge Rd 171 (side pond - west side
Spotted Sandpiper  along Rge Rd 171 (side pond- east side)
Least Sandpiper    x6 with three Lesser Yellow-legs Rge Rd 171          
Mountain Blue Birds x2 at Rge Rd 175  AT  TWP 510

Great birding!  Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Cheers!
Paula


Subject: Re: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 18:24:52 -0600
Hello Val
The Peregrines are nesting on Craigie Hall, the same ledge they have used for 
the last 14 years.  Evidently they already have eggs, but I have not heard how 
many. The building construction does not seem to have fazed them, at least not 

yet, but it is getting noiser and more intense now that exams are over, so we 
will be watching to see what happens.
Eric Tull

arryblogs wrote:

> Does anyone have up-to-date info on their arrival/nesting etc?
> Val S
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> _____________________________________________________________
> 
> * List owner:   Albertabird-owner AT yahoogroups.com
> * Guidelines: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Albertabird/files/Guidelines.txtYahoo! Groups 
Links 

> 
> 
> 
> 
Subject: Re: Shorebirds east of Irricana
From: Eric Tull <tull AT ucalgary.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 18:19:04 -0600
We were out in the same area today, and saw much the same list of suspects. We 

missed the Least Sandpipers, but saw quite a few Baird's Sandpipers.  The 
sloughs east of Bruce Lake and between Balzac and Kathryn were both good spots. 

  The other good spot we found, and closer to Calgary, was on Country Hills 
Blvd, about 2-3 km east of 84 St E.  It is a slough on the north side of the 
highway.  In addition to most of the birds on Hank's list, there were 2 
Semiplamated Plovers.
Eric Tull and Brooke Clibbon


Arina/Hank wrote:
> I went out this morning intending to find as many species of  
> shorebirds as I could find in the time available.
> 
> Started out east of Irricana, and worked my way south and east until  
> I ended up in Strathmore.
> 
> The best spot I found was a small slough, with plenty of muddy  
> shores, about 1km east of Bruce lake along TWP RD 262, south side of  
> the road. Present there were:
> 
> Hudsonian Godwits (3)
> Marbled Godwits (5)
> Baird Sandpiper (1)
> Pectoral Sandpiper (8)
> Long-billed Dowitcher (6) (They called)
> Least Sandpiper (12)
> Semi-palmated Sandpiper (17)
> American Avocet (2)
> Killdeer (2)
> Willet (3)
> Wilson"s Phalarope (21)
> 
> Wilson's Snipe (not at this location, but elsewhere)
> 
> I did see Hudsonian Godwits at two other locations: Cattleland Slough 
> (2), north of Strathmore, and a slough along highway #566, halfway  
> between Balzac and Kathryn(2). This is a very large slough, covering  
> both sides of the highway.
> 
> Other highlighst for me was seeing four falcon species: Prairie,  
> Peregrine, Merlin and American Kestrel. The Prairie was eating a  
> freshly killed Western Meadowlark. The Merlin was having a spat with  
> a Feruginous Hawk. Seeing two Badgers was another highlight.
> 
> Great day to bird!
> 
> Hank Vanderpol
> Calgary
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> _____________________________________________________________
> 
> * List owner:   Albertabird-owner AT yahoogroups.com
> * Guidelines: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Albertabird/files/Guidelines.txtYahoo! Groups 
Links 

> 
> 
> 
> 
Subject: Calgary - Bridlewood Marsh
From: Wayne hewitt <wayne.hewitt AT shaw.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 18:07:48 -0600
Visited the Bridlewood Marsh today as we were I the area.  The water is
extremely low and the place looks generally dismal.  Saw four geese, three
ducks, a yellow headed blackbird and a magpie.  There were likely a few more
but we did not walk to the south end.  There is an excess of pigeons in the
area.

 

 

Wayne Hewitt

Calgary



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Subject: Mockingbird seen south end of Murray Lake.
From: "naturalistbob60" <vintagebob AT shaw.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 23:44:12 -0000
Just off the phone with my good pal Ben Velner from the `Hat. He was
out for the day and came across a N Mockingbird resting on a
fence-post south of Murray Lake. Seven Persons area I believe?
Subject: LONG-TAILED DUCK
From: Douglas Faulder <dfaulder AT msn.com>
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 16:38:52 -0600
I just saw a male Long-tailed Duck on Beaumaris Lake in North Edmonton. A 
fellow that I was talking to said that there has been a pair present since May 
2. I would not have believed it until I saw it for myself. Best access is from 
the mall at the corner of 153 ave and 113A street, or from Castle Keep 
Crescent, off 109 st and 158 ave, a walkway between house #60 and #64. I will 
post photos to the my album. 


Good luck,

Doug Faulder
_________________________________________________________________
Try Chicktionary, a game that tests how many words you can form from the 
letters given. Find this and more puzzles at Live Search Games! 

http://g.msn.ca/ca55/207
Subject: Yesterday near Ft. Saskatchewan
From: "owlguy99" <forrest_andrew AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 21:38:43 -0000
Hey - a couple sightings of interest to add to the myriad of recent 
postings: 3 semi-palmated plovers in a flooded field near Ft. 
Saskatchewan and a single, late snow bunting in the same area.  You 
know it's been a late spring when you're seeing snow buntings in May!  
The flooded field also had 3 avocets, a single marbled godwit and a 
good number of dabblers.  The field was on the north side of Twp 552 
east of Sec Hwy 830.  

I also had a possible prairie falcon in the area of Twin Island Lake 
southeast of Sherwood Park earlier in the day.

Loving spring so far!
Andrew Forrest
Edmonton, AB
Subject: Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure
From: "Sid Andrews" <sid.andrews AT nucleus.com>
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 13:33:02 -0600
Here's a mystery, Dwight and Dick: If magpies are earlier nesters and thy build 
a substanstial cup of mud and grasses, how and where do they get the mud 
(preumably in March) in the late winter to build such a nest? 


Birder_sid aka Sid Andrews
Ramsay
Calgary SE
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dwight Knapik 
  To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 1:33 AM
  Subject: [Albertabird] Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure


  Hello:

 The other day I noticed the construction of a new Black-billed Magpie nest 
structure 

 in a spruce tree, and it seemed to be quite the haphazard clump of sticks. I 
know that 

 a regular grass and mud cup nest is built inside the structure to hold the 
eggs, but I 

  was wondering if anyone had seen or heard any theories as to why the magpies
  build the stick covering around the nest?
 Is it to possibly hide their very noticeable plumage and long tail while 
incubating? 

  Any input would be very much welcomed.
  Cheers!

  Dwight P. Knapik
  Calgary, Alberta

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Subject: Peregrine falcons at U of Calgary
From: "arryblogs" <ariblogs AT shaw.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 17:04:11 -0000
Does anyone have up-to-date info on their arrival/nesting etc?
Val S
Subject: Re: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure
From: Dick Cannings <cannings AT zoology.ubc.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 07:47:14 -0700
Hi Dwight:

I would say that the stick cage around a magpie nest has one function--to keep 
large birds such as ravens from stealing the young.  The bulky structure 
probably attracts more attention than the black-and-white plumage would, but a 
well-built magpie nest is pretty difficult to penetrate for a big bird.  That 
said, I once saw a pair of ravens methodically remove the roof of a magpie nest 
despite the attacks of the nesting pair, then fly off with the well-fattened 
young.  It took the ravens quite a while to get through, so presumably they 
wouldn't have done it if they had easier food sources around. 


cheers
Dick Cannings
Naramata, BC

----- Original Message -----
From: Dwight Knapik 
Date: Sunday, May 4, 2008 12:34 am
Subject: [Albertabird] Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure
To: Albertabird AT yahoogroups.com

> Hello:
> 
> The other day I noticed the construction of a new Black-billed 
> Magpie nest structure
> in a spruce tree, and it seemed to be quite the haphazard clump 
> of sticks.  I know that
> a regular grass and mud cup nest is built inside the structure 
> to hold the eggs, but I
> was wondering if anyone had seen or heard any theories as to why 
> the magpies
> build the stick covering around the nest?
> Is it to possibly hide their very noticeable plumage and long 
> tail while incubating?
> Any input would be very much welcomed.
> Cheers!
> 
> Dwight P. Knapik
> Calgary, Alberta
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Black-billed Magpie Nest Structure
From: Dwight Knapik <dwightthebirdaholic AT shaw.ca>
Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 00:33:04 -0700
Hello:

The other day I noticed the construction of a new Black-billed Magpie nest 
structure 

in a spruce tree, and it seemed to be quite the haphazard clump of sticks. I 
know that 

a regular grass and mud cup nest is built inside the structure to hold the 
eggs, but I 

was wondering if anyone had seen or heard any theories as to why the magpies
build the stick covering around the nest?
Is it to possibly hide their very noticeable plumage and long tail while 
incubating? 

Any input would be very much welcomed.
Cheers!

Dwight P. Knapik
Calgary, Alberta


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