tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86744607798841710002024-02-08T00:36:09.443-06:00Still Life With BirderAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.comBlogger456125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-57307528018689092032014-05-09T06:43:00.000-06:002014-05-09T06:43:52.477-06:00A Two-Bluebird Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Taking advantage pf a warm and sunny day yesterday, I went off to scout what birds might be around my two favourite local, rural parks: Old Woodlawn and Roche Percee. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mountain Bluebirds (<i>Sialia currucoides</i>) have to high up on anybody's list of favourite birds. They are so beautiful.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeOTyLY76xIzsXor6hOINdhQwvYdC1PqEy3lxCWhQX753He2X-H-tquPbNIHgT26T557IFV0T9qOB8IJb4RU7HeMGpek2tVRFQzb9ZXDruYWhE4lkYBuKNP25OS1YasvObDB_jRfGG8wR/s1600/IMG_9312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeOTyLY76xIzsXor6hOINdhQwvYdC1PqEy3lxCWhQX753He2X-H-tquPbNIHgT26T557IFV0T9qOB8IJb4RU7HeMGpek2tVRFQzb9ZXDruYWhE4lkYBuKNP25OS1YasvObDB_jRfGG8wR/s1600/IMG_9312.JPG" height="640" width="566" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCgGKt8pRnniGdVJo4AI5ogDGDEMhuKJEPtxLGPs7PafyrsTS0sBiQVMul8aP1JxvUSWwEOxreb9ptbZuRigvtk8ULuMh9JX6H7uxoJ5yykJyw_NtRNpxWoglcWtldfS6T0G7_fLF36KO/s1600/IMG_9317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCgGKt8pRnniGdVJo4AI5ogDGDEMhuKJEPtxLGPs7PafyrsTS0sBiQVMul8aP1JxvUSWwEOxreb9ptbZuRigvtk8ULuMh9JX6H7uxoJ5yykJyw_NtRNpxWoglcWtldfS6T0G7_fLF36KO/s1600/IMG_9317.JPG" height="640" width="568" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And this pair has been here through two late-spring snowfalls; still apparently nesting or intending to do so. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>An male Eastern Bluebird (<i>Sialia sialis</i>) was almost bouncing from one tree top to another, singing loudly as he could (bluebirds don't have loud voices). I do hope a pretty little female shows up soon.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Both species nest at or near Roche Percee Park every year. It is nice to live in the Eastern Prairies where many bird species overlap.</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-68234743572396826932014-02-20T05:00:00.000-06:002014-02-20T05:00:03.779-06:00Tucson & Saguaros<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that my sister & bro-in-law have a winter home in Tucson, AZ, the cat & I travel down for a yearly visit ... </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was about this time last year, Freddie & I set off. It takes 4 or so days to drive (less if Freddie could take a shift at driving, but refuses to even try - isn't that just like a cat!) We endured very strong winds from the South Dakota through to the Oklahoma panhandle, then snow in northern Arizona but finally reached the place where saguaros grow.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bv0H5zDsy3ISrxQNboxjtJNACo9dRE6BhOJmsMcvw3bfhB75GEWLznkigBqXOxT9ZFlxnvfbdgLql2-QE9zMitgVfy7vTYA6yB-d8W8EkbYXijnOAJVOhaRvxUR5GnRnhlgHFrr_jlsE/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bv0H5zDsy3ISrxQNboxjtJNACo9dRE6BhOJmsMcvw3bfhB75GEWLznkigBqXOxT9ZFlxnvfbdgLql2-QE9zMitgVfy7vTYA6yB-d8W8EkbYXijnOAJVOhaRvxUR5GnRnhlgHFrr_jlsE/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Both Cactus Wrens and Gilded Flickers use saguaros for nesting</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVnoz0Ae4bRe3iRiA7SpDZvchtu3ty7YzIx-Jq0CaHgtzk3rcdgpYn2BozQBIEdOIZv6y_8DgN2V03aHDiwk1cXL0vLFWpC59mCzc48N2FxYJ4gaiI5Rqz61NL_M86S9aKaNdfTKuugLv/s1600/IMG_0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVnoz0Ae4bRe3iRiA7SpDZvchtu3ty7YzIx-Jq0CaHgtzk3rcdgpYn2BozQBIEdOIZv6y_8DgN2V03aHDiwk1cXL0vLFWpC59mCzc48N2FxYJ4gaiI5Rqz61NL_M86S9aKaNdfTKuugLv/s1600/IMG_0422.JPG" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The more arms, the older the saguaro</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLz5ReFyMcpfYfps81iOjy7Wp1hoEDdDC8UfJJVSmGR4uBK-Oxr3XNVfSr8iDTyCZi1wcXhkBNXnuXMeqQ81rVcU028FVUBkE8UXBoB-ijWD0wf_WscYFvO8XuK0Koy2Wn6_OpHUf2qrl/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLz5ReFyMcpfYfps81iOjy7Wp1hoEDdDC8UfJJVSmGR4uBK-Oxr3XNVfSr8iDTyCZi1wcXhkBNXnuXMeqQ81rVcU028FVUBkE8UXBoB-ijWD0wf_WscYFvO8XuK0Koy2Wn6_OpHUf2qrl/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And eventually, like all things, these desert giants die</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj475IqZG-LNNMqOZCwlTtbtYntKOew9raG7M7kZacetrILYsAymI0ECsjAgd2T7f7yk98UYTuGrCfGoiDOd0x8Rncn9NDF1NwOmLk12MPguX2NftlUKVM0qNaoBDQuSa1HBrdC57ZFI83e/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj475IqZG-LNNMqOZCwlTtbtYntKOew9raG7M7kZacetrILYsAymI0ECsjAgd2T7f7yk98UYTuGrCfGoiDOd0x8Rncn9NDF1NwOmLk12MPguX2NftlUKVM0qNaoBDQuSa1HBrdC57ZFI83e/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The skeletons of a fallen saguaro, with a nest</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9LWuih3izJRoum3skj8uKm9FOU2KVUmPnYIJ8x33aYlI-_e72SU-iOtcnHM4fx_QjJc5DItX4Dfim_SGW8dX5av41VokjMIxLBTYz9ImuqJjdY2MrDWgh_chrIywccuAcOiyVDeh0q19/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9LWuih3izJRoum3skj8uKm9FOU2KVUmPnYIJ8x33aYlI-_e72SU-iOtcnHM4fx_QjJc5DItX4Dfim_SGW8dX5av41VokjMIxLBTYz9ImuqJjdY2MrDWgh_chrIywccuAcOiyVDeh0q19/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Not kidding the spines are strong and sharp! Somebody put this rock on top of a young saguaro along the path. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7T_7Gpn-rPndSwLbRD3sHRcNne7NQ26z094vYE7rKyGAV7H7LZIVQnX7kBHPWdchqQge8yLNSlC8aowg6tS8P8tO_FkLZO-rdTjKiPrIV-IPy8e2q1tCOZmPniL5O_N32bJHIBML5KEE/s1600/IMG_0425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7T_7Gpn-rPndSwLbRD3sHRcNne7NQ26z094vYE7rKyGAV7H7LZIVQnX7kBHPWdchqQge8yLNSlC8aowg6tS8P8tO_FkLZO-rdTjKiPrIV-IPy8e2q1tCOZmPniL5O_N32bJHIBML5KEE/s1600/IMG_0425.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're going back this year...soon.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-78757175254894808572014-02-08T09:20:00.000-06:002014-02-08T17:31:38.415-06:00The Zen Of A Rusty Hinge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus</b></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> or Yellow-headed Blackbird or as Pete Dunne calls it 'Saffron-hooded Cacophony'. Sums it up.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-2P12uuCk0c6a3dBagOvLw-CxwiTn5BHvb_TrGMM29rmM2ayAjzLT7E6LlY3exco54AajDFUBG0GonFVsE-8zypZ7rwWKoIB9u-EsgekxDUz9d2hQtXeTy7MvGhLH3SRGFz3wFDM_rUk/s1600/IMG_2168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-2P12uuCk0c6a3dBagOvLw-CxwiTn5BHvb_TrGMM29rmM2ayAjzLT7E6LlY3exco54AajDFUBG0GonFVsE-8zypZ7rwWKoIB9u-EsgekxDUz9d2hQtXeTy7MvGhLH3SRGFz3wFDM_rUk/s1600/IMG_2168.JPG" height="640" width="560" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nothing is more entertaining than watching a male YHBL puff out his chest, spread the tail feathers, hunch out his wings, throw back his head and let loose with....a sound almost exactly like a very rusty old gate opening for the first time in years.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYZ3YzpLsH3W5i-9s-wlFM3cm9J9kevARSALNNrVplQ20fUk5VfrRW_vr5wv9K02ocjfRkQIuB1ApA8NKEbBboLfpIpShlj3wkHHVE0aO6n6s_V9XYah0xMghJQe4u_6BxdYsxUHFz6qs/s1600/IMG_2173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aOybyrCL7LWP6mwBfdGnnQUx1wnDjwa1d4lK7rp5F7C6ga-VMgYFpOn1a0Gzbo-AretxCAcUVbyh70vr3HGloPH-CrejagiloHHZJXkgpAKzospFgKX451JaFL8ZFvxPNAG9M6571m88/s1600/IMG_2176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aOybyrCL7LWP6mwBfdGnnQUx1wnDjwa1d4lK7rp5F7C6ga-VMgYFpOn1a0Gzbo-AretxCAcUVbyh70vr3HGloPH-CrejagiloHHZJXkgpAKzospFgKX451JaFL8ZFvxPNAG9M6571m88/s1600/IMG_2176.JPG" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These boys are unmistakable and very common out here in the western side of the continent. Years ago, I was birding at Delta Marsh at the bottom end of Lake Manitoba. The south end of the lake is bordered by a small collection of deciduous trees and a vast wetland full of reeds, cattails and phragmites. I was jubilant having just seen my first Blackburnian Warbler. I met a young couple on the marsh boardwalk who were acting equally as jubilant. We shared our exciting news. They were from Ontario and had just seen their first Yellow-headed Blackbird. Yay (Blackburnian Warblers nest in <i>their</i> yard).</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYZ3YzpLsH3W5i-9s-wlFM3cm9J9kevARSALNNrVplQ20fUk5VfrRW_vr5wv9K02ocjfRkQIuB1ApA8NKEbBboLfpIpShlj3wkHHVE0aO6n6s_V9XYah0xMghJQe4u_6BxdYsxUHFz6qs/s1600/IMG_2173.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYZ3YzpLsH3W5i-9s-wlFM3cm9J9kevARSALNNrVplQ20fUk5VfrRW_vr5wv9K02ocjfRkQIuB1ApA8NKEbBboLfpIpShlj3wkHHVE0aO6n6s_V9XYah0xMghJQe4u_6BxdYsxUHFz6qs/s1600/IMG_2173.JPG" height="640" width="618" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I grew up with the birds and frogs of prairie sloughs making joyful racket. When I want to clear my thoughts, exorcise my worries, achieve my particular state of zen, I wander off to the nearest cattail marsh. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yellow-headed Blackbirds are among the first birds to return in Spring, staking out their territory in the marshes. A late season snow will bring the blackbirds into town to scrounge at the seed feeders. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2idqgpeGGNPUROb0PYzA_U09AGa9LMFmJ1a-DvOlilB0KsJIh1A4HsT-1vHApjVKYFbEU27OhTC3Xfq-JwvQfeyIDi5ZS8ucwqQkQ0Oa_3fCEXnNKG5d18dCuUcsskc5kG5N_l2awm6Qe/s1600/IMG_2183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2idqgpeGGNPUROb0PYzA_U09AGa9LMFmJ1a-DvOlilB0KsJIh1A4HsT-1vHApjVKYFbEU27OhTC3Xfq-JwvQfeyIDi5ZS8ucwqQkQ0Oa_3fCEXnNKG5d18dCuUcsskc5kG5N_l2awm6Qe/s1600/IMG_2183.JPG" height="640" width="524" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The female of this species is a mostly brown bird, with some yellow on the brow, face and upper breast, some white streaks on lower breast. Immatures are similar. The females build nests on the emergent vegetation, the nest is always placed over deep water. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Unfortunately, I haven't got a decent photo of a girl YHBL to post so here is another one of buddy, throwing his head back in mid-sqwak. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOm2Rlt_hjkLxvw7Am4rXkLpKFLuIJ5t7_wv1VDEOGyif-LviJwe8x_g8pBODyDlKQoRhxiBFiQkk21EZh_CIxazIUVHoqODwRfVM6WhlkoAUdyLcHJpTM-XUsj9wY4vaAOQvVR5NCrIX/s1600/IMG_2184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOm2Rlt_hjkLxvw7Am4rXkLpKFLuIJ5t7_wv1VDEOGyif-LviJwe8x_g8pBODyDlKQoRhxiBFiQkk21EZh_CIxazIUVHoqODwRfVM6WhlkoAUdyLcHJpTM-XUsj9wY4vaAOQvVR5NCrIX/s1600/IMG_2184.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently there have almost always been Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Cool Fact from All About Birds:</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pleistocene fossils of Yellow-headed Blackbirds (from 100,000 years ago) have been dug up in California, New Mexico, and Utah. </span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Range Map from All About Birds</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/xant_xant_AllAm_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Yellow-headed Blackbird Range Map" border="0" src="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/xant_xant_AllAm_map.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Information Sources:</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://books.google.ca/books/about/Pete_Dunne_s_Essential_Field_Guide_Compa.html?id=xTXeu5fLBQUC"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pete's Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion</span></b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-headed_Blackbird/id"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All About Birds</span></b></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-1577552877664409522014-02-02T14:40:00.002-06:002014-02-02T14:40:49.877-06:00World Wetlands Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Today, February 2nd, is </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Groundhog Day. </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We are in the middle of
cold and snowy winter where I live, so rodents of any size are still
deep in their hibernation and no amount of silly human intervention is
going to prod any of them out of their dens.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Superb Owl Day. </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Although I am a football fan, I don't really care who wins the Superb Owl - or Super Bowl as some like to call it - today. <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. World Wetlands Day. The local wetlands are also frozen over and will be for some time to come.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcfcD8szaIvHWjLi9z4SLCRPY-BDBDhK9gpeLi1W4GEnV8vwx10-T6fPrOUHuE_RGja-A7V6BVtleaKk7oihg8UmRJoMzVkF2-6fCYiAlt0YjzhiY9wvU_LtmBYXVPY_NAqpSoPdIwnwg/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcfcD8szaIvHWjLi9z4SLCRPY-BDBDhK9gpeLi1W4GEnV8vwx10-T6fPrOUHuE_RGja-A7V6BVtleaKk7oihg8UmRJoMzVkF2-6fCYiAlt0YjzhiY9wvU_LtmBYXVPY_NAqpSoPdIwnwg/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG" height="410" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I love prairie sloughs </b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where Marbled Godwits</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTudu3HbMqrNQEc4uGCZlCnOqt1qG8aXcFO2L3isNnsRsCHeAGfT20OZpkc-C_JIzcd_lsYmQYPKy-szI10G1R51K44GkBh8iRbDdq1GkDyT22nV20_LqWdamSlmlGsN43Hz2sVrYdz2DQ/s1600/Godwit+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTudu3HbMqrNQEc4uGCZlCnOqt1qG8aXcFO2L3isNnsRsCHeAGfT20OZpkc-C_JIzcd_lsYmQYPKy-szI10G1R51K44GkBh8iRbDdq1GkDyT22nV20_LqWdamSlmlGsN43Hz2sVrYdz2DQ/s1600/Godwit+2.JPG" height="640" width="544" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Black-necked Stilts</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8cakHJqRPbSvOguDjQ1z-7aQqUit-bFBdEiaU7pd4HV9-DUKf22eLC7a_80fqABhWeQTe6SvKL10GyGJnZul0bhvf4wxuN36cIOU5d0TSgAFP0y7ZiTl-EOlyU6X_9e4gxwV3Kp_DnKP/s1600/IMG_3268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8cakHJqRPbSvOguDjQ1z-7aQqUit-bFBdEiaU7pd4HV9-DUKf22eLC7a_80fqABhWeQTe6SvKL10GyGJnZul0bhvf4wxuN36cIOU5d0TSgAFP0y7ZiTl-EOlyU6X_9e4gxwV3Kp_DnKP/s1600/IMG_3268.JPG" height="640" width="528" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and tiny baby Sora rails can been seen if one is lucky. </span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FGbszaC-CUVvO4m94e9dsUqd7V4dK73kaArL50GYzrD6u9Evp4Ar1ZIsPkaACfYOxQasxzTSHoPbjZxCS-kCng9aUp3Iu5I4jvceW4PHUa0S_hyq9ilPG3puCv21HqU4SKT-XK_lJw8E/s1600/IMG_4259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FGbszaC-CUVvO4m94e9dsUqd7V4dK73kaArL50GYzrD6u9Evp4Ar1ZIsPkaACfYOxQasxzTSHoPbjZxCS-kCng9aUp3Iu5I4jvceW4PHUa0S_hyq9ilPG3puCv21HqU4SKT-XK_lJw8E/s1600/IMG_4259.JPG" height="640" width="608" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>A large slough will be home to ducks, geese, large wading birds maybe even a White-faced Ibis</b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB3Kx5BJgE0R_B4pd8RlLrZ_eG4qGOBDNeOuNprtoikWNnxPWsW4E-xTjJnDp6tsOinE9kQpxM6pepDR44RHBHmCtuzPsFBaaFDYRHa6C1pkLTCxEDINJeP8BwbwypiyifzH46QqU2Wvg/s1600/IMG_4113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB3Kx5BJgE0R_B4pd8RlLrZ_eG4qGOBDNeOuNprtoikWNnxPWsW4E-xTjJnDp6tsOinE9kQpxM6pepDR44RHBHmCtuzPsFBaaFDYRHa6C1pkLTCxEDINJeP8BwbwypiyifzH46QqU2Wvg/s1600/IMG_4113.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a flock of dowitchers</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg8phCvTkInjYhORYcSCIs0lI00RGxqRc7t_cqsnlhCKg2r5tD3H5SyaaMk2kQu8f3TPz9_eEQOWrqIDrqb82EjfxCf2SmhqyvhxdjRFbEUGyVsbzwjWOwvCQYEta7y0Llrp9iqTGU7vj/s1600/IMG_3863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg8phCvTkInjYhORYcSCIs0lI00RGxqRc7t_cqsnlhCKg2r5tD3H5SyaaMk2kQu8f3TPz9_eEQOWrqIDrqb82EjfxCf2SmhqyvhxdjRFbEUGyVsbzwjWOwvCQYEta7y0Llrp9iqTGU7vj/s1600/IMG_3863.JPG" height="410" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> or an American Bittern</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2dR3D30WJ2WGLq71-MmsaZvMXzJTv3l_R2-p5yWH2qZ8xYW7GCp8GJfqD2TkbuqGPbsZLddY3E1QjtV7pBMRGybiJe6M4tp6mLVIdsgL8a7SETZi16hQL8QrP-fD0tMwCHAg-0j8RtuL/s1600/IMG_4426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2dR3D30WJ2WGLq71-MmsaZvMXzJTv3l_R2-p5yWH2qZ8xYW7GCp8GJfqD2TkbuqGPbsZLddY3E1QjtV7pBMRGybiJe6M4tp6mLVIdsgL8a7SETZi16hQL8QrP-fD0tMwCHAg-0j8RtuL/s1600/IMG_4426.JPG" height="610" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and a million other species of organisms. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Please appreciate your local wetlands. Thanks. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-9338948317393749892014-02-01T08:09:00.000-06:002014-02-01T08:09:56.377-06:00Meet Emission Nebula NGC 6188<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've never really been a 'night person'. I go to bed early and I get up at Insane O'Clock in the morning. I love my mornings. Therefore, I can't seem to convince any part of me that it would be a terrific idea to get up in the middle of the night - even on a warm summer night - to go outside to look at the stars. True, it is dark when I get up; however, unless I am going on a birding excursion, my early mornings are dedicated to coffee, playing with my cat, reading, blogging and other internet-involving stuff.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I look at the NASA site most mornings to get my 'self-importance' bearings - you know, just in case I start thinking any worlds revolve around me, etc. etc. etc....</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2kGfPH9TL_IRxd04TZY98XLwX1PSPjq9GWPwlWSGuXp09qy6LCSmEMxeU25yEPVcQ5Y_Xebd3JxhQIYpI1JNDpB-ZRiKoOXsUDlFVQ5xAyD4uMEHcC3AXXZwHrN_nCnFLiUALs6Ih3W-/s1600/ngc6188_boren950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2kGfPH9TL_IRxd04TZY98XLwX1PSPjq9GWPwlWSGuXp09qy6LCSmEMxeU25yEPVcQ5Y_Xebd3JxhQIYpI1JNDpB-ZRiKoOXsUDlFVQ5xAyD4uMEHcC3AXXZwHrN_nCnFLiUALs6Ih3W-/s1600/ngc6188_boren950.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<center>
<b> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NGC 6188 and NGC 6164 </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <br />
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Harel Boren
and Tal Faibish
</span></b></center>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Explanation:
Fantastic shapes
lurk in clouds of glowing gas in
NGC 6188, about 4,000 light-years away.
The <a href="http://fusedweb.llnl.gov/CPEP/Chart_Pages/5.Plasmas/Nebula/Emission.html">emission nebula</a> is found near the edge of a
large molecular cloud unseen at visible wavelengths, in the southern
constellation
Ara.
Massive, young
stars of the embedded Ara
OB1 association
were formed in that region only a few million years ago,
sculpting the dark shapes and
powering the nebular glow with
stellar winds and intense ultraviolet radiation.
The recent
star
formation itself was likely triggered by
winds and supernova explosions, from previous generations of massive
stars, that swept up and compressed the molecular gas.
Joining NGC 6188 on this cosmic canvas
is rare emission nebula <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090507.html">NGC 6164</a>,
also created by one of the region's massive O-type stars.
Similar in appearance to many
<a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110218.html">planetary nebulae</a>, NGC 6164's striking,
symmetric gaseous shroud and faint halo surround
its bright central star near the bottom edge.
The impressively
wide field of view
spans over 3 degrees (six full Moons), corresponding to
over 200 light years at the estimated distance
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9mZpAcbF8">of NGC 6188</a>.
Narrowband image data has been included in
the natural
looking color composite, adding to deep
red emission from hydrogen and sulfur atoms and the blue-green light
of oxygen atoms. </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/">http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/</a></span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-29865591082271914802014-01-31T09:44:00.002-06:002014-01-31T09:44:34.185-06:00Squeerrrllls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>One morning last May, a couple of very young Eastern Fox Squirrels (<i>Sciurus niger</i>) were fooling around in the elm tree outside my kitchen window. There were four altogether, the other two were less independent and were staying close to their nest in the tall spruce at the other side of the yard.</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnHqkRZ-kVl_LU6wJRSo1pB5hSqclpk8Q1XTVqK2JbGks6TYyDEsFgeCz6FjIdEyCORonbGEPDkvxjk-05Hnkpq5vteiMyonnzlb85J9oTva-y1TNqPQIcRgZRi89kbIXnyi6UgRAcgCp/s1600/IMG_2265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnHqkRZ-kVl_LU6wJRSo1pB5hSqclpk8Q1XTVqK2JbGks6TYyDEsFgeCz6FjIdEyCORonbGEPDkvxjk-05Hnkpq5vteiMyonnzlb85J9oTva-y1TNqPQIcRgZRi89kbIXnyi6UgRAcgCp/s1600/IMG_2265.JPG" height="640" width="504" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So much fun racing around the branches on a warm spring day.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39fpDuBEIp8uB9kmNR-xEfzj5vGqiAhTyEr_sg0ZZRLqm_u3_83rggboqHsTqB-vehUaRDK3STwVCwjeBFbE_qzP6tjzwyWEKiyN3_3aP3KisAsMYRS5nwGQbPppUjAxqLU62GuwS7mzX/s1600/IMG_2266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39fpDuBEIp8uB9kmNR-xEfzj5vGqiAhTyEr_sg0ZZRLqm_u3_83rggboqHsTqB-vehUaRDK3STwVCwjeBFbE_qzP6tjzwyWEKiyN3_3aP3KisAsMYRS5nwGQbPppUjAxqLU62GuwS7mzX/s1600/IMG_2266.JPG" height="634" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>These little mutts were about 30 cm/12 inches long, from nose to tip of tail; about half the size of an adult. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIxNQpohpVEQU-nKd2AD4Q6vIGezQvAW3uEjAIrFyKW53bkWV4qjnW9nzAiKyHfDHMB4fjDwJuYB-XCdBN4j7UVFCfbJ8m-L6hsNLBAGFyLjuMJh-N5phNvIkABS20Zt4uh_T8SQVj_Za/s1600/IMG_2282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIxNQpohpVEQU-nKd2AD4Q6vIGezQvAW3uEjAIrFyKW53bkWV4qjnW9nzAiKyHfDHMB4fjDwJuYB-XCdBN4j7UVFCfbJ8m-L6hsNLBAGFyLjuMJh-N5phNvIkABS20Zt4uh_T8SQVj_Za/s1600/IMG_2282.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Very cute.</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-64662862180495540172014-01-27T08:06:00.000-06:002014-01-27T09:29:28.634-06:00A Somewhat Famous Bird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDuLQSAv7LelEqmIkgJwX9acqBaHJkPDxz9pSqXbD-RLvh6n6kIGSjFlM3mrfUjAUDFqYcKmWAvKcWlCy5D1MZg68h7MjSTF27H4X_cE1WcmCaeu4eeSy6DdiVMipZ20El_NexnwhrYBr/s1600/IMG_3529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDuLQSAv7LelEqmIkgJwX9acqBaHJkPDxz9pSqXbD-RLvh6n6kIGSjFlM3mrfUjAUDFqYcKmWAvKcWlCy5D1MZg68h7MjSTF27H4X_cE1WcmCaeu4eeSy6DdiVMipZ20El_NexnwhrYBr/s640/IMG_3529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So what's famous about an Eastern Phoebe (<i>Sayornis phoebe)</i>?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It isn't fabulously coloured. Rather, it
definitely fits in the ubiquitous 'lbj' category (little brown job) of
birds. Overall drab, medium-sized flycatcher, grey-brown uppers, pale
whitish-yellow unders, maybe a bit more yellow on the belly, no
eye-ring, no wing bars, black bill and legs, long tail. Largish head. Sexes similar. (<i>Yawn</i>)</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There are a couple of things about this bird, though, that make it quickly identifiable. It sits
perkily upright on its perch, and its tail is usually in motion,
pumping and wagging.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And because it is a flycatcher, its mode of operation is to perch on a branch, sally out to snap up an insect, return to perch (or take tasty morsel over to nest to feed one of the 4-5 youngsters raised yearly). If near water, they will pluck insects and aquatic invertebrates off the water surface.</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTS_ngaTV97RvsA8w4oVolpq9dIILBhjA3oZqX5maLNNj1DyMu4gkvmtpk317A__T2HVd3TbotFtLqXpOKeCNLT3KsRLeZNWaO7xkWGnBeiO2aTS7qxnhL2qZb8pTrBYANC_PutlWGjEi/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTS_ngaTV97RvsA8w4oVolpq9dIILBhjA3oZqX5maLNNj1DyMu4gkvmtpk317A__T2HVd3TbotFtLqXpOKeCNLT3KsRLeZNWaO7xkWGnBeiO2aTS7qxnhL2qZb8pTrBYANC_PutlWGjEi/s640/IMG_3543.JPG" height="640" width="632" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eastern Phoebes don't winter very far south, so are one of the earliest returning songbirds
birds in spring. This fact alone makes it one of my favourites. Nothing is as joyful sounding in mid-April, as a snappy "<i>fee-bee</i>" coming from the bushes near a low bridge over the river. <i>"Hello, I'm back!"</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another fairly unique thing is that Eastern Phoebes have adapted better than many species to the steady removal of natural habitat and the building of man-made structures. Nowadays, they typically place their mud-and-grass nests in protected nooks on bridges, barns, and houses, preferably near water. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Consider yourself lucky if one should decide to build on your property. Excellent natural insect control. Also, please don't destroy the nest at the end of the season as the bird will probably return to it the following year.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji34nu32mKZByyeJ4oZSmsBwFIqXL86uTSfC_0PMQYqV6zW6gnOd1S6HPzN9s58kCyQSU8joYjfHLcuaSA0UT_CKRax-qcJrshy5Mi6QKah5mjt3a7RuVFWuGyiUdTbzZwkxWpwii8ZHxQ/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji34nu32mKZByyeJ4oZSmsBwFIqXL86uTSfC_0PMQYqV6zW6gnOd1S6HPzN9s58kCyQSU8joYjfHLcuaSA0UT_CKRax-qcJrshy5Mi6QKah5mjt3a7RuVFWuGyiUdTbzZwkxWpwii8ZHxQ/s640/IMG_3545.JPG" height="640" width="568" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now we are coming to the Somewhat Famous bit....</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>In 1804, John James Audubon tied a silver string to the leg of an Eastern Phoebe to see if it would return to the same nest site the following year, thus becoming the first bird to be banded in North America. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEimBo3srokSXKgzQTRewjlCBMOpUh6AKirS3hoy6AOYUwmwo9Mbkubi_a-BGeH105vgkyYm33zoQX80rAZuGbVroS1iQkSUhXo-fqiKAA83JWYoQPFVN0JEHEHfFSo6IcEDGZgZeUtzSgpoP1fowNjqDDLKZJX1oK2GZLtYz3qG1N_5UoabsQ=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eastern Phoebe Range Map" border="0" src="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/sayo_phoe_AllAm_map.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Information Sources</span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Phoebe/id"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All About Birds</span></b></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lonepinepublishing.com/cat/9781551055893">Birds of Canada </a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is another of our little birds of winter. Like chickadees, nuthatches are year-round residents here. It is always a pleasure to see one hitching down the trunk of a tree, head-first.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The White-breasted Nuthatch (<i>Sitta carolinensis</i>) is the largest of the four North American nuthatch species. Their habitat is deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests and treed residential areas (</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>that's me, waving hands</i></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>).</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pete Dunne describes this bird as "a</b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> chunky, neckless, child's fist-sized wind-up toy of a bird...."</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nuthatches get their common name from their habit of jamming large seeds and nuts into tree bark, then whacking them with their sharp bill to
“hatch” out the seed from the inside. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">White-breasted Nuthatches store food in cache sites with each storage place containing only one type of food. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nuthatches do not use their tails for stability as do woodpeckers and Brown Creepers. Instead, one foot is used to brace the bird against the tree, the other foot holds onto the bark. </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/sitt_caro_AllAm_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="White-breasted Nuthatch Range Map" border="0" src="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/sitt_caro_AllAm_map.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Range Map & Info source:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.lonepinepublishing.com/cat/9781551055893">Birds of Canada</a> </b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/id"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>All About Birds </b></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dunnes-Essential-Field-Guide-Companion-ebook/dp/B00BOE1BXQ"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion </b></span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-85913232020204071902014-01-06T15:06:00.000-06:002014-01-06T16:03:09.208-06:00Remembering a Summer Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suppose it is warm somewhere today - it isn't here. I'm not leaving for my winter vacation for another six weeks and I'm tired of looking out the window and seeing white (as in snow).</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What better time to sort through the files of downloaded photos from the past year? Let's see what happened on June 26th. Ah, yes, I went for a drive around my area.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the very frequent trains on the Canadian Pacific Soo Line; this one coming up from the US, looks like a shipment of new cars and trucks. One of my favourite birding locations is just to the left - Roche Percee Park.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is always a good day when I find a Cattle Egret (<i>Bubulcus ibis) </i> gracefully moving through the shallows of a prairie slough.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixx1sAe5fAZR6rQTKnbc6pjspnxOGUtQYTylVKYobZrsiPC0df10GEfRXzQzckI0wgYH-hzDZS_heJRaEXiH_NV3Q_FBmqQKE1MTgRQvSfU5J38uqKoV6-CGDRETJbTBken3pxUb_EBEp/s1600/IMG_3819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixx1sAe5fAZR6rQTKnbc6pjspnxOGUtQYTylVKYobZrsiPC0df10GEfRXzQzckI0wgYH-hzDZS_heJRaEXiH_NV3Q_FBmqQKE1MTgRQvSfU5J38uqKoV6-CGDRETJbTBken3pxUb_EBEp/s1600/IMG_3819.JPG" height="556" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looks like a big storm brewing 'over East'.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKs9YJ-70Fo4gwFsWdKbYwYFA9CD8UaWnVsdwWowaHUxx0kaXvmAYGZyScvY5cmyK9MxTrZUBewy-nm6CWzEDyos3nzgD3lb8CubjqoPOFUcWpdYewvIgqBS6PxhOwy98GA33yNVo0_ya/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKs9YJ-70Fo4gwFsWdKbYwYFA9CD8UaWnVsdwWowaHUxx0kaXvmAYGZyScvY5cmyK9MxTrZUBewy-nm6CWzEDyos3nzgD3lb8CubjqoPOFUcWpdYewvIgqBS6PxhOwy98GA33yNVo0_ya/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG" height="356" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ah, the memories of a warmer time.</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-70762970167090519912014-01-01T03:00:00.000-06:002014-01-01T21:39:25.634-06:00Happy 2014!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Happy New Year, Everyone! And, what better way to start a year than a post about my favourite little birds - Black-capped Chickadees (<i>Poecile atricapillus</i>)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzEN586ZNm4z-QUq8SRt_b9ATmCPJV29GfguZeFQ8svgZE7KR1ffUE8hz-TFmeksEsl5ywZh5u9n9ziGzS9YIZfn99p1aOZkQR4nDiv2L4b2WX09jYayDGD2QxfJ4PoBBpFfhtppGtMCe/s1600/IMG_6624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzEN586ZNm4z-QUq8SRt_b9ATmCPJV29GfguZeFQ8svgZE7KR1ffUE8hz-TFmeksEsl5ywZh5u9n9ziGzS9YIZfn99p1aOZkQR4nDiv2L4b2WX09jYayDGD2QxfJ4PoBBpFfhtppGtMCe/s640/IMG_6624.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who hasn't held out a handful of sunflower seeds, hoping a friendly, curious little chickadee will momentarily perch on a finger while taking a seed? Or, smiled on hearing the familiar <i>chickadee-dee</i>?</span><i> </i> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(I suppose the non-nature lover types haven't, but those people aren't likely to be here reading anyway)</span>.<i><br /></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>As familiar one is with this perky little bird,<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/lifehistory"> All About Birds</a> has some Cool Facts, you might not know. </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- The Black-Capped Chickadee hides seeds and other food items to eat
later. Each item is placed in a different spot and the chickadee can
remember thousands of hiding places.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Every autumn Black-capped
Chickadees allow brain neurons containing old information to die,
replacing them with new neurons so they can adapt to changes in their
social flocks and environment even with their tiny brains. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>It is quite probable that I, too, have allowed my brain neurons to die en masse, yet don't seem to have replaced them. I do not recall much of anything useful anymore and don't adapt as easily to change as I used to. I certainly wouldn't remember where I stashed any great number seeds. Oh, to be a 'tiny-brained' chickadee!).</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Chickadee
calls are complex and language-like, communicating information on
identity and recognition of other flocks as well as predator alarms and
contact calls. The more <i>dee</i> notes in a <i>chickadee-dee-dee</i> call, the higher the threat level.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Winter
flocks with chickadees serving as the nucleus contain mated chickadee
pairs and non-breeders, but generally not the offspring of the adult
pairs within that flock. Other species that associate with chickadee
flocks include nuthatches, woodpeckers, kinglets, creepers, warblers and
vireos. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>No warblers or vireos in winter here in the Canadian prairies - not for long, anyway.)</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Even when temperatures are far below zero</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">F</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">)</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">,
chickadees virtually always sleep in their own individual cavities. In
rotten wood, they can excavate nesting and roosting holes entirely on
their own. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Most birds that associate with chickadee flocks respond
to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species doesn’t have a
similar alarm call.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJJHyqZCydhWq9nQvCIs0t_LSNFqwfVay6HT13nSf8hROUHrJNHpdLCdFv_5YxiFbEb32NIuFQ-TdErS7aI-O0tOlezTAp_0DlNd1-kwBAgM-SBxXl32xe65XorIAFnQtz1youv9UPfKV/s1600/IMG_6627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJJHyqZCydhWq9nQvCIs0t_LSNFqwfVay6HT13nSf8hROUHrJNHpdLCdFv_5YxiFbEb32NIuFQ-TdErS7aI-O0tOlezTAp_0DlNd1-kwBAgM-SBxXl32xe65XorIAFnQtz1youv9UPfKV/s640/IMG_6627.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Dunnes-Essential-Field-Guide-Companion/dp/0618236481">Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion</a> is just about my favourite birding book and constant reference tome. BUT, I must take issue with Mr. Dunne in regard to his comments about Black-capped Chickadees. He describes them as: portly and robust. All right, that's fair enough. However, when comparing them with the Carolina Chickadee he says:</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Black-capped is a larger, more contrasting, more disheveled-looking chickadee than Carolina"</span></b></blockquote>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and </span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Black-capped looks like a scruffy ruffian of a chickadee; Carolina looks like a nice, well-groomed, well-bred chickadee"</span></b></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Oh, puh-leese. Those Southern Belle Chicks wouldn't last a minute Up Here</b></span>. <b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pfffttttt</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Information sources:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/id"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All About Birds</span></b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Dunnes-Essential-Field-Guide-Companion/dp/0618236481"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion</span></b></a><br />
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-8721472206410533652013-12-29T12:52:00.000-06:002013-12-29T12:52:24.188-06:00Intergrade Northern Flicker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I have had two Northern Flickers (<i>Colaptes auratus</i>) coming to my feeders today. One is a Red-shafted female, which is unusual for my area as I live in the eastern prairies. The other flicker is this one.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rewLQots3Md4kPDVaOBSZRisGcV6vUUK2NYgHnys-rjATTrSdiE4kO2-rg7EQ-SOYK1W55x62wsa4lCkAdsjmlon4LhSCG6MKjQodm63YvPZggCIbGh1-QZ5eI4snHxIb08wNGOqeJlH/s1600/IMG_6608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rewLQots3Md4kPDVaOBSZRisGcV6vUUK2NYgHnys-rjATTrSdiE4kO2-rg7EQ-SOYK1W55x62wsa4lCkAdsjmlon4LhSCG6MKjQodm63YvPZggCIbGh1-QZ5eI4snHxIb08wNGOqeJlH/s640/IMG_6608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>This is a hybrid or intergrade male, with the grey-crowned head and facial colouring of a Yellow-shafted, but with the red moustache of a Red-shafted (black in a Yellow-shafted)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Da95-LogBuRSAuCHuO47eLiiN1ZYwPTuwjl3SnXTIdTYOrGY3FbEMqpIkRg7xLQT__fBLYMuFVAN71isQeNTOvA-f2GEg6h_UYcwwiJvmO5UY5D4ZGvVSedZ6gcGy3raKEMQgluMYYg_/s1600/IMG_6558_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Da95-LogBuRSAuCHuO47eLiiN1ZYwPTuwjl3SnXTIdTYOrGY3FbEMqpIkRg7xLQT__fBLYMuFVAN71isQeNTOvA-f2GEg6h_UYcwwiJvmO5UY5D4ZGvVSedZ6gcGy3raKEMQgluMYYg_/s640/IMG_6558_1.JPG" width="526" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kt_y4OJiPA7i9HW4XpCSWOgJSJnFpfSwUywy0ULRpZ7tRPce5cPQxi09ByRPdidDwMdmubzy-Ed9dapEY9s8TmdFuHumr0vQfNnSnOMJX-DmU_UeK1m_a3GU-Dma__GAG6pzDP9gGOLB/s1600/IMG_6563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kt_y4OJiPA7i9HW4XpCSWOgJSJnFpfSwUywy0ULRpZ7tRPce5cPQxi09ByRPdidDwMdmubzy-Ed9dapEY9s8TmdFuHumr0vQfNnSnOMJX-DmU_UeK1m_a3GU-Dma__GAG6pzDP9gGOLB/s640/IMG_6563.JPG" width="586" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There's a hint of the Yellow-shafted's red crescent at the nape</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT-sQW5fnLaOCECASGKqWSw_6A-cjyfcPj44trO4cYgcNKRXlCtc492FLFE_600WXWdyTFZycfx6SNzCv1A2H6vMutSqS7kv9PJ_q1M78cjbEq1s7WRC1BQB2XAKF2zb4KTIwWJWMGjaw/s1600/IMG_6569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT-sQW5fnLaOCECASGKqWSw_6A-cjyfcPj44trO4cYgcNKRXlCtc492FLFE_600WXWdyTFZycfx6SNzCv1A2H6vMutSqS7kv9PJ_q1M78cjbEq1s7WRC1BQB2XAKF2zb4KTIwWJWMGjaw/s640/IMG_6569.JPG" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiAWoMYaiidSp9o4MXuv0pGQxflntQj2YymFhxQ3f4l8F9yp5g4Dj2fBbY-EInFvE1HHeTnO1FYo9XB5ynwlX_6vVRpp91h17Hxwj_cAbU7eVaydgcRb1vP4FyRpJa-g-guabvrx5YE2l/s1600/IMG_6583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiAWoMYaiidSp9o4MXuv0pGQxflntQj2YymFhxQ3f4l8F9yp5g4Dj2fBbY-EInFvE1HHeTnO1FYo9XB5ynwlX_6vVRpp91h17Hxwj_cAbU7eVaydgcRb1vP4FyRpJa-g-guabvrx5YE2l/s640/IMG_6583.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And, for the heck of it....flicker tongue!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi1ahdLCpjmbongLMwjMS1r2N1HlpDpLC8AmgQQiyDZ5VLbfQFWA7cKxh1ljUp8roXVKg3DBj62Vbk8o-JNW1bd8yMniTMHD6yOd3uuTnNw_XSsvhJejArPY_eZt9tdPfnsoQxT03WS_u/s1600/IMG_6582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi1ahdLCpjmbongLMwjMS1r2N1HlpDpLC8AmgQQiyDZ5VLbfQFWA7cKxh1ljUp8roXVKg3DBj62Vbk8o-JNW1bd8yMniTMHD6yOd3uuTnNw_XSsvhJejArPY_eZt9tdPfnsoQxT03WS_u/s640/IMG_6582.JPG" width="406" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I heard this fella singing/calling from a neighbour's tree when I went outdoors earlier to fill feeders. Very shortly, the Red-shafted female joined him. </b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-37364659440988250262013-12-26T07:15:00.000-06:002013-12-26T09:22:43.593-06:00Well, Merry Christmas, Everyone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another Christmas has wrapped up. I've been on and off with the enthusiasm this holiday season. The weather makes such a difference to me - and it has been too very cold for nearly all of December.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT, yesterday we had a break. It was -4C. It was even sunny! I went off on my now-traditional drive around the countryside, looking for birds and generally enjoying whatever I find.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some scenes captured along the way:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many Canada Geese in residence at Boundary Dam. Half of the reservoir is ice-free all winter. This is at a warm water bay. (The reservoir is used as cooling water for the electricity-generating turbines at the power plant) </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ahogkZvkgqkwp6rwBpxLl-OrYvJRBOFFO5K03U0mmggXVfPeZS2N1NvK3jFyCues2tXaN1Xh2BKdF9na82GnlGpMCYOfqVLXXa-HEcjysOZn51hlAgbMt9ftP-NkOzMGjII7Uz3FGNqx/s1600/IMG_6529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ahogkZvkgqkwp6rwBpxLl-OrYvJRBOFFO5K03U0mmggXVfPeZS2N1NvK3jFyCues2tXaN1Xh2BKdF9na82GnlGpMCYOfqVLXXa-HEcjysOZn51hlAgbMt9ftP-NkOzMGjII7Uz3FGNqx/s640/IMG_6529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There isn't a great lot of snow around, compared to places north of here. Fingers crossed it stays like this.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76VMzTV7HCx58XapqcF7PzVhsuP_lucOjBAjTWQ-kpZdC94ptFZLNyiWq510fYDUvxe3SCEnm1_AzNwYv6DoNfxLSNrYTZvftpKVFsHbzxk6P_geD9TjPWuxWs0B5Gsrq27ci10d7YWkY/s1600/IMG_6543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76VMzTV7HCx58XapqcF7PzVhsuP_lucOjBAjTWQ-kpZdC94ptFZLNyiWq510fYDUvxe3SCEnm1_AzNwYv6DoNfxLSNrYTZvftpKVFsHbzxk6P_geD9TjPWuxWs0B5Gsrq27ci10d7YWkY/s640/IMG_6543.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>My favourite little farm with the beautiful Percheron horses. Had only a minute or so to snap a quick photo as the farm dog, a large golden lab, was racing my way to check out why a vehicle was stopped at his farm. Generally, I try not to stop near farm building as it really is a bit disconcerting for the people living there. I just had to get a shot of this colourful scene, though.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQacjQeSnLMP6hBsa_vdCs67J5THXFgjD49yNaz-MSrvnDJHVBiem4xF2XffKDWJ_HPav2ADQQITSRWM0yKWeyr43mtLQz5bP8LSz0AUbgO5VRXbwaipS7oXNw8Ul-j17eQfhm6QhFjsR/s1600/IMG_6544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQacjQeSnLMP6hBsa_vdCs67J5THXFgjD49yNaz-MSrvnDJHVBiem4xF2XffKDWJ_HPav2ADQQITSRWM0yKWeyr43mtLQz5bP8LSz0AUbgO5VRXbwaipS7oXNw8Ul-j17eQfhm6QhFjsR/s640/IMG_6544.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Snowy Owl (<i>Bubo scandiacus</i>), one of four seen during the drive. There is a Snowy Owl irruption down into the Eastern US this year. We always have a few of these wonderful birds visiting during the winters. Fuzzy photo - he was quite a distance away, but I had to try for a shot.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrFYWywo1_cIl3gu_Z5Km_2IH1JhAb9ZaN9kpkLW8E5QP4ydjVinGR7YlElWGjRPWBMeN3t9M8QveZklDO4vG_OfLREgCRPnrNmBR8UvEK3KXfj4CIzQOvG1cpG_GsfrEUBu1TypTdgG5/s1600/IMG_6555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrFYWywo1_cIl3gu_Z5Km_2IH1JhAb9ZaN9kpkLW8E5QP4ydjVinGR7YlElWGjRPWBMeN3t9M8QveZklDO4vG_OfLREgCRPnrNmBR8UvEK3KXfj4CIzQOvG1cpG_GsfrEUBu1TypTdgG5/s640/IMG_6555.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas.</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-22738246976430359512013-12-17T16:54:00.001-06:002013-12-17T16:55:42.658-06:00Colourful In Winter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I went out driving around part of my usual winter birding route. Nothing, Nothing, Nothing. I don't blame the birds for not being here this year. We had a disgusting deep cold spell - as has most of North America - since early December. There just aren't many birds of any kind.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was, however, this quite magnificent male Ring-necked Pheasant (</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Phasianus colchicus</i>)
in a Sea buck-thorn shrub (well, I think it is Sea buck-thorn). I had exactly enough time to stop my vehicle, grab my camera, turn it on, back the vehicle up and snap a single photo before Mr. Handsome flew off. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBn0InVn2I9O3IXOT4T3Q_XvFdxQheZsv8iZWQpvF-jOa2PsPVtajbjnTA7larfeQoPvHczBy6MeOVC0MlTwTYy0S9YHSaJ1XrODDkYSd5VkctYRvJrpVqcOipnCvkV1FCoKnbjfDFnp0/s1600/IMG_6131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBn0InVn2I9O3IXOT4T3Q_XvFdxQheZsv8iZWQpvF-jOa2PsPVtajbjnTA7larfeQoPvHczBy6MeOVC0MlTwTYy0S9YHSaJ1XrODDkYSd5VkctYRvJrpVqcOipnCvkV1FCoKnbjfDFnp0/s640/IMG_6131.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If this is, in fact, a Sea Buck-thorn (</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hippophae rhamnoides</i> L.), its berries are very </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">high in protein, vitamins
C and E, and organic acids.</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-27343238507722624332013-10-19T10:30:00.000-06:002013-10-19T10:30:14.888-06:00Whooping Cranes <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>My annual trek to see the Whooping Cranes (<i>Grus americana</i>) at Muskiki Lake, SK. These are part of the wild flock that breeds in Wood Buffalo NP on the Alberta/NWT border, passes through Saskatchewan on their route to spend the winter at Aransas NWR in Texas.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There were 12 adults and 2 colts that day. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Er, my video skills are limited....so this thing is a little jumpy at the start and end. </b></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pAPpf4HJRuc" width="459"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-48458288480615264802013-09-24T08:15:00.002-06:002013-09-24T08:15:27.463-06:00Prairie Scenes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>This is what most LIttle Houses on the Prairie looked like</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNW1MpXRT3LNjdRMN11h95sPtbByTw0EcV2CBjtthYXWXQf-wLzLlUum45yajUEon52xEjhGgNtIuP3YpipQL5AYGY-hVuzlgT02pwmE4fSTgmZpu8_mm_4Nnat_PpvNyZquP4GnXd-PB_/s1600/IMG_4766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNW1MpXRT3LNjdRMN11h95sPtbByTw0EcV2CBjtthYXWXQf-wLzLlUum45yajUEon52xEjhGgNtIuP3YpipQL5AYGY-hVuzlgT02pwmE4fSTgmZpu8_mm_4Nnat_PpvNyZquP4GnXd-PB_/s640/IMG_4766.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Prairie sloughs</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn9k1FcxpgdmM3y1rd-rpWC3rGzVzfeaCuSaGctG0Ay-Uy6T4mtxdRBWxygka3PWseN3Rj5T8udydgL1tDcPs0hHNChBnH331n84EeaKQCZDE8Yqp_Y_cRMGBSgG09MIQHboa2_euO5OB/s1600/IMG_4767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn9k1FcxpgdmM3y1rd-rpWC3rGzVzfeaCuSaGctG0Ay-Uy6T4mtxdRBWxygka3PWseN3Rj5T8udydgL1tDcPs0hHNChBnH331n84EeaKQCZDE8Yqp_Y_cRMGBSgG09MIQHboa2_euO5OB/s640/IMG_4767.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4CWaVrTpDngMbhQoOohbNXBevnu0dpbPq9Qp4PW6FSghSOxCpqCksIgGLqBII17zoSNHFxkLsoyt9yOmrGzq1bzmFRueCM8XlrG48Y_Qt3sclgd5pBpGX9nWMWZ0kTdCaNrGVxULsaPM/s1600/IMG_4768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4CWaVrTpDngMbhQoOohbNXBevnu0dpbPq9Qp4PW6FSghSOxCpqCksIgGLqBII17zoSNHFxkLsoyt9yOmrGzq1bzmFRueCM8XlrG48Y_Qt3sclgd5pBpGX9nWMWZ0kTdCaNrGVxULsaPM/s640/IMG_4768.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b><br /><b></b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-57113485251122755902013-09-10T06:31:00.002-06:002013-09-17T15:06:14.633-06:00Immature Swainson's Hawk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>A beautiful young Swainson's Hawk watched me watching it.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v8EOizwMxuXMA8NukY2eeFqMAdrDLGRJIDPfhF_7Ca0yu328rVM6kYdRyqxIVSTRj8VSbKOQe4xQeQ4rtTTX8ahSCVNhq54-Zdq2KSKFIAqHCfPccKOnS2EUVDubPOEY4wLGMgpyaKqg/s1600/IMG_4667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v8EOizwMxuXMA8NukY2eeFqMAdrDLGRJIDPfhF_7Ca0yu328rVM6kYdRyqxIVSTRj8VSbKOQe4xQeQ4rtTTX8ahSCVNhq54-Zdq2KSKFIAqHCfPccKOnS2EUVDubPOEY4wLGMgpyaKqg/s640/IMG_4667.JPG" width="618" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Swainson's Hawks migrate 10,000 kms or so to winter in Argentina. It takes them roughly two months to fly down there, averaging 200 kms a day.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIklS35N2NUBSwygsl1sbTOj9tYnzR8QAgo2UoyVshldyihsQ_VP4ulsaN_ysKbquMxLvq55FzdtENbk5beYotCN92mKgar-KmMpU3jG-2NG4qjQjAdwkP7O1CVotwX1pMlY12Bp8k_-G/s1600/IMG_4669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIklS35N2NUBSwygsl1sbTOj9tYnzR8QAgo2UoyVshldyihsQ_VP4ulsaN_ysKbquMxLvq55FzdtENbk5beYotCN92mKgar-KmMpU3jG-2NG4qjQjAdwkP7O1CVotwX1pMlY12Bp8k_-G/s640/IMG_4669.JPG" width="624" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>During breeding season, eats mammals, birds, and reptiles. The rest of
the year it eats insects, especially grasshoppers and dragonflies. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpBBIqGtbE0aYL0WDFUdHag3bCEqOi1q6SYpGxGVbLEPsa4fQx6vAyq0m1GJ9rX9VEsbVAj2xILSmyEsCqoopW_IyvqGjhp-qfJK1Xhu5S8YI2XegC3kyGTVnaB5-5C9Qivu1U7LHdkj5/s1600/IMG_4670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpBBIqGtbE0aYL0WDFUdHag3bCEqOi1q6SYpGxGVbLEPsa4fQx6vAyq0m1GJ9rX9VEsbVAj2xILSmyEsCqoopW_IyvqGjhp-qfJK1Xhu5S8YI2XegC3kyGTVnaB5-5C9Qivu1U7LHdkj5/s640/IMG_4670.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>During 1995-96, heavy pesticide use in Argentina led to thousands of the deaths these hawks.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab6f5dGVbf8NHbrErw5l0r-djCrJWOFFEHICk7oE6ePXJ2ZQtwb6dydtcvzqkwW2edR0s80sj0aPmu0nTG7mfFdATV0oof72fKyQnTflkKKKCF9yO9peg5YbKL4DPrhrZziKifw49KKWG/s1600/IMG_4671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab6f5dGVbf8NHbrErw5l0r-djCrJWOFFEHICk7oE6ePXJ2ZQtwb6dydtcvzqkwW2edR0s80sj0aPmu0nTG7mfFdATV0oof72fKyQnTflkKKKCF9yO9peg5YbKL4DPrhrZziKifw49KKWG/s640/IMG_4671.JPG" width="602" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Swainson's Hawks gather in
huge flocks to make the migratory flight - it is a stunning sight that I have been fortunate enough to see a couple of times.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UkD8ZoaNKJ5NG_NwS8QHShHRx_O-PUaVJGuuh6TNWbyY_vMjLYljhdve9LdrJdct0mD1TpX74iqxvmXZEkz6xDSseF69E4j96Av0qjNC3TRqUIZmGVqp-cPUnRNirLBa2RP44vLMKWFe/s1600/IMG_4676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UkD8ZoaNKJ5NG_NwS8QHShHRx_O-PUaVJGuuh6TNWbyY_vMjLYljhdve9LdrJdct0mD1TpX74iqxvmXZEkz6xDSseF69E4j96Av0qjNC3TRqUIZmGVqp-cPUnRNirLBa2RP44vLMKWFe/s640/IMG_4676.JPG" width="566" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Information Source:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/lifehistory">All About Birds </a></b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-30194210491029171772013-08-28T04:00:00.000-06:002013-08-28T08:59:32.279-06:00Wildflowering Part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Late June into July is the best time for wild-flowering here in the Canadian prairies. June 21st is about when one should start looking for Wood Lilies.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Wood Lily (<i>Lilium philadelphicum</i>) This is the floral emblem of my province, Saskatchewan. I love this colour of reddish-orange.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>First Nations people used the bulbs of these lilies for food, raw or cooked, and as medicine. The cooked bulbs were mashed and applied to sores, bruises and swellings. </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwFKdti51JMAEaeEpkbRpCX8m3UAmfA2J_vSwd6IAU6nIrI9VwikVTvUG2uA0lw-ZUMmApLTfakM36zgwnHfNWkn9koYUYAfKIgYELnknqIvogWFFhvX6kchTG35MMNfp568ZR63SwSKR/s1600/IMG_3846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwFKdti51JMAEaeEpkbRpCX8m3UAmfA2J_vSwd6IAU6nIrI9VwikVTvUG2uA0lw-ZUMmApLTfakM36zgwnHfNWkn9koYUYAfKIgYELnknqIvogWFFhvX6kchTG35MMNfp568ZR63SwSKR/s640/IMG_3846.JPG" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Scarlet Butterflyweed or Scarlet Beeblossom (<i>Gaura coccinea</i>).. I swear the only reason I happened to notice this plant is because it was right beside the lily I was photographing. The petals are white when they unfold from the bud, turning light pink and then scarlet within a few hours.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So far, I haven't found any medicinal uses for this plant. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAPgxjI32nL0GsZ9TgS3ablrVcexdOeh2m7wlzDGU6ES9p2c-J04ZAQqqM_LtkEMYJ-0j6XVezdeOeKN_KPcK8rIE6CAzCHXDE3h0mW0b3-r-nU6x589G3YiHiCWbbMgtqt7ResOw4D7n/s1600/IMG_3847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAPgxjI32nL0GsZ9TgS3ablrVcexdOeh2m7wlzDGU6ES9p2c-J04ZAQqqM_LtkEMYJ-0j6XVezdeOeKN_KPcK8rIE6CAzCHXDE3h0mW0b3-r-nU6x589G3YiHiCWbbMgtqt7ResOw4D7n/s640/IMG_3847.JPG" width="482" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Northern Bedstraw (<i>Galium boreale</i>). The European version of this plant was used to stuff mattresses and strew on floors as an aromatic. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Medicinally, bedstraw has been used in hot poultices to stop bleeding and reduce swelling. The juice has been effective in reducing the effect of sunburn and insect bites - useful for the hot, dry, mosquito-filled prairie summer.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DEQe9eMoUwTo5TPRv-vzOD59yCPewlFA642g6yCL0sNCggEcaiGNjpTM7XC1suM8YWFOVUItNibGP6qCqlaKFMyYvdb6-x3vPIN5NAJdczMNF89VI34PaGm1USbD0giYVVcqWoulwd3-/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DEQe9eMoUwTo5TPRv-vzOD59yCPewlFA642g6yCL0sNCggEcaiGNjpTM7XC1suM8YWFOVUItNibGP6qCqlaKFMyYvdb6-x3vPIN5NAJdczMNF89VI34PaGm1USbD0giYVVcqWoulwd3-/s640/IMG_3849.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Shrubby Evening-Primrose (<i>Oenothera serrulata </i>Nutt.). This is another roadside wildflower that prefers a sandy, dry soil. Like most prairie plants, they grow low, sometimes recumbent. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> I do not know whether the seeds of this prairie species contain gamma-linolenic acid and other essential fatty acids of the Evening Primrose Oil extracted from <i>Oenothera biennis.</i> </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcZVqVFed7U55TvnjDEb48uzliLSJ6W65CXv2idi8XTI7doYblU0WrIMPkojqdyhS5AJ4ZWQo4AE5EPtJzCGa06An26d82XiS7T1G25p_JsJ1EapB58VyLRr7FmH83EC-kC2BMWRftXGb/s1600/IMG_3854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcZVqVFed7U55TvnjDEb48uzliLSJ6W65CXv2idi8XTI7doYblU0WrIMPkojqdyhS5AJ4ZWQo4AE5EPtJzCGa06An26d82XiS7T1G25p_JsJ1EapB58VyLRr7FmH83EC-kC2BMWRftXGb/s640/IMG_3854.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Prairie Rose (<i>Rosa arkansana</i>) is the floral emblem for the neighbouring province of Alberta. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The hips, or the seed-bearing fruit structure, are an excellent source of Vitamin C; they make an excellent tea and are a valuable winter emergency food. There are so many things to say about wild rose hips, that I might have to do a dedicated post on the subject sometime.....or else I'll just link to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_hip">Wikipedia. </a></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj422pPGPlwi9rRGYwG1bBcFwXbAxhIWHBr2GZX-_hkg9CNEAlQZENS9NmmTb1wenGNrDzwZNEeIpUCeSmx0Qo4zpykmYzxk1qdfZ87oCTWat886071-g0mr3qToN3ZueBAVUVLd0G3uB4/s1600/IMG_3855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj422pPGPlwi9rRGYwG1bBcFwXbAxhIWHBr2GZX-_hkg9CNEAlQZENS9NmmTb1wenGNrDzwZNEeIpUCeSmx0Qo4zpykmYzxk1qdfZ87oCTWat886071-g0mr3qToN3ZueBAVUVLd0G3uB4/s640/IMG_3855.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>All of these wildflowers were found in the same location along the side of the road, dry open prairie conditions. </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Information sources:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lonepinepublishing.com/cat/9781551053523">Manitoba Wayside Wildflowers, Linda Kershaw </a></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wikipedia</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-54255301043593161712013-08-27T04:00:00.000-06:002013-08-27T04:00:11.358-06:00Three Years Old<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>My blog SLWB and I have put in three years together.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We've had some cloudy times when I didn't post for weeks on end and once or twice considered putting the whole thing to rest. But, then what would I do with the photos I would inevitably take on my frequent birding excursions? </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYqu-Gz3QOw_WQtJVh-aS-W1cF01wu7zzq9zOOumnrCvD8Y1iOOTnd9c_QmXTTeE28t940ljX6eeM7581-XO6yNl-LMGUL8wrQasHJNh_TL-Ein_gZTWyiC6VVAKHtJvcNYruai8njd8g/s1600/IMG_4437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYqu-Gz3QOw_WQtJVh-aS-W1cF01wu7zzq9zOOumnrCvD8Y1iOOTnd9c_QmXTTeE28t940ljX6eeM7581-XO6yNl-LMGUL8wrQasHJNh_TL-Ein_gZTWyiC6VVAKHtJvcNYruai8njd8g/s640/IMG_4437.JPG" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So, life with birder and her blog still is and probably will be for another year. (Put a comma wherever you like.)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF0z36z9_lx3reWtZDJkmJVecrkN-AFu-siOZBuXkb8GabdJdPNfdH0yiTkxjUOjv8oN03He4KySIUNhdz4PMKocKyYsG__0ErM0_mW7Zu87TFhUOdSjjAUqEb844sLYY7nednhng8K91/s1600/IMG_4439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF0z36z9_lx3reWtZDJkmJVecrkN-AFu-siOZBuXkb8GabdJdPNfdH0yiTkxjUOjv8oN03He4KySIUNhdz4PMKocKyYsG__0ErM0_mW7Zu87TFhUOdSjjAUqEb844sLYY7nednhng8K91/s640/IMG_4439.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for reading.</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-63257541470067948672013-08-25T10:56:00.000-06:002013-08-25T10:59:11.623-06:00The Hell Diver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Really? </b></i><b><i> 'Hell Diver'?</i> </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>What a name for such a personable little bird</b></i><b><i>! </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The term was often applied to all grebes but especially to the Pied-billed Grebe <i>(Podilymbus podiceps</i>) because of its tendency to submerge, very quickly and quietly, when any threats occur.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pete Dunne says: "The old gunner's term for the bird, "the Hell Diver," refers to its reported ability to react to the flash of a fowling piece and submerge before the shot reaches the water." </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here's a Pied-billed Chick. Our sloughs and ponds are filled with these perky little cuties these days.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y0lhuHBjR1_Sy0EFW5IzbFSs_V4azhT-gY3CiL8xKbUtwTZNuupSQRUi6SVBK1_t7yjaPT5SRJz7zM8cPHTReHSon1YAF0Tmm4cNt0FupP9o3jtpVnrQP2r66WtSAXu0T1wjFxfQYtaV/s1600/IMG_4586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y0lhuHBjR1_Sy0EFW5IzbFSs_V4azhT-gY3CiL8xKbUtwTZNuupSQRUi6SVBK1_t7yjaPT5SRJz7zM8cPHTReHSon1YAF0Tmm4cNt0FupP9o3jtpVnrQP2r66WtSAXu0T1wjFxfQYtaV/s640/IMG_4586.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cool Fact from All About Birds:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The downy chicks can leave the nest soon after hatching, but they
do not swim well at first and do not spend much time in the water in
the first week. They sleep on the back of a parent, held close beneath
its wings. By the age of four weeks, the young grebes are spending day
and night on the water. For the first ten days their response to
danger is to climb onto a parent's back. After that, when danger
threatens, they dive under water. </span></b></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIurNI9oZ7rVAkNkG2t0gpz1TkdyVJWp35XubPSTTG_rk0uHd7nPLLWtT5y_vh5zst4_TbedBFp9YPkUw9c8eYDOhWv-r0UCdp6b1q96Q2xAq-QKyqPIOH7JCNMSOQYF5dNejHu3njg9d/s1600/IMG_4578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIurNI9oZ7rVAkNkG2t0gpz1TkdyVJWp35XubPSTTG_rk0uHd7nPLLWtT5y_vh5zst4_TbedBFp9YPkUw9c8eYDOhWv-r0UCdp6b1q96Q2xAq-QKyqPIOH7JCNMSOQYF5dNejHu3njg9d/s640/IMG_4578.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>These grebes have an ability to almost immediately sink out of sight with barely a ripple on the water surface. They compress their feathers to change shape thereby regulating buoyancy. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtCDeKQxc0G-f8bjTcXxAfnPLK-Lmz4mdTao4sr29e7T3ikGGDtYA2Xbn5o6n9Hj_VmK7mGHQ6EmsO-pHdWF89EJRMvylC7HVIWu_CVy2i6125boLH007v3RfF0WjJP6IiLBEYF-R8XZx/s1600/IMG_4579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtCDeKQxc0G-f8bjTcXxAfnPLK-Lmz4mdTao4sr29e7T3ikGGDtYA2Xbn5o6n9Hj_VmK7mGHQ6EmsO-pHdWF89EJRMvylC7HVIWu_CVy2i6125boLH007v3RfF0WjJP6IiLBEYF-R8XZx/s640/IMG_4579.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>They feed on aquatic insects, fish and small crustaceans (crayfish are a favourite).</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9PnmBsq-ptHTr55-XHmXYmmawi5d1U4sePBdz5osG2GhVsO__2GwQYG0i7k057UhBWyYkMXGNKZPgl5h9XAKEJhO3YOXBeQSs3w3VSYKjX3gqC0iXXqd0HZQurXwg-xYlzegQH-PEXZX/s1600/IMG_4580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9PnmBsq-ptHTr55-XHmXYmmawi5d1U4sePBdz5osG2GhVsO__2GwQYG0i7k057UhBWyYkMXGNKZPgl5h9XAKEJhO3YOXBeQSs3w3VSYKjX3gqC0iXXqd0HZQurXwg-xYlzegQH-PEXZX/s640/IMG_4580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The legs are placed at the rear-end so when a Pied-billed Grebe <i>has</i> to walk somewhere, it walks erect, like a penguin. (I have never seen this; I am taking Pete Dunne's word for it). </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pied-billed Grebes do not have webbed feet; instead each toe has inflated, flattened lobes that provides more paddling power.</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEAXm9GeupNKe7Wh73URRYMq3IohVosCPEMJ25UMluIVdU86h1PosNugvhtjQcF5b3jy2e-P3ZVbQb3DjBbuXuW23qt-tu4RYD3Sa5HYTchsz6ErYiEquK3Xm4mqnM6-Na_hMqEFGU7Gk/s1600/IMG_4588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEAXm9GeupNKe7Wh73URRYMq3IohVosCPEMJ25UMluIVdU86h1PosNugvhtjQcF5b3jy2e-P3ZVbQb3DjBbuXuW23qt-tu4RYD3Sa5HYTchsz6ErYiEquK3Xm4mqnM6-Na_hMqEFGU7Gk/s640/IMG_4588.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pied-billed Grebes only reluctantly fly on their home ponds, needing to make quite a long and ungainly run across the surface to become air-borne. During their migrations to breeding and wintering locations, they fly at night.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Range Map: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKxUkeUGUVINVrhrOQxf54_pu7sQ2EMypdF8oUVIeA385RFGdJWqoMJlOWQ1IoVddhAgdfa4kYdZxj9VvDH_ToAmbtsADPS8YScGofu85YIrvuGZE7hoPBW35_RJH8BE3TRtE-2zfUID0/s1600/podi_podi_AllAm_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKxUkeUGUVINVrhrOQxf54_pu7sQ2EMypdF8oUVIeA385RFGdJWqoMJlOWQ1IoVddhAgdfa4kYdZxj9VvDH_ToAmbtsADPS8YScGofu85YIrvuGZE7hoPBW35_RJH8BE3TRtE-2zfUID0/s400/podi_podi_AllAm_map.gif" width="285" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Information sources:</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/advanced/dunne_companion.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion</b></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/lifehistory">All About Birds </a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-84260781220798480332013-08-21T08:44:00.002-06:002013-08-25T11:03:01.866-06:00Least Flycatcher Nest <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>One day in late June, I stopped on the side of a road to make some notes about birds I had just seen. Movement in nearby trees caught my attention. I noticed a miniscule nest built in the fork of a small tree. What small bird made this?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I waited a few minutes and a Least Flycatcher flew in and settled down.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBxBOcOV1xxt_GI-InpFT9EFNtJhdo5-p965JVXS3ez9BPQYdWBtTYh7bedn6rLYRwOHiRvrAHQpastvunobsVicg3xoB49VjnpONbX5onEA4nTo4MmaSbA6ZUp7pKzMAHvjoeq7_4miU/s1600/IMG_3829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBxBOcOV1xxt_GI-InpFT9EFNtJhdo5-p965JVXS3ez9BPQYdWBtTYh7bedn6rLYRwOHiRvrAHQpastvunobsVicg3xoB49VjnpONbX5onEA4nTo4MmaSbA6ZUp7pKzMAHvjoeq7_4miU/s640/IMG_3829.JPG" width="612" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All About Birds nest description: Neat open cup woven of bark strips, grass, caterpillar webs, lichens,
hair, feathers, rootlets, mosses, and other bits of vegetation; lined
with fine grasses, feathers, hair, down, and plant stems; placed in
crotch or fork of small tree.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fast forward a couple of weeks, I was again in the vicinity. Madam Flycatcher was not on the nest. I was about to get out of my car and have a closer peek at the nest when she flew in with some sort of insect...</b></span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38yd4ggvT-bXLpcX1QK6ugc9610yv-pFiWOkAw64ly1D6U47S6v4d5Vz-Sckh7cRngTiZBFfmhVfcTphXPVZW4FV5bM2RAncyxo7SLGjJVVA86LAx1RLPh1zj27cb1IVz-XMhL5FmzESJ/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38yd4ggvT-bXLpcX1QK6ugc9610yv-pFiWOkAw64ly1D6U47S6v4d5Vz-Sckh7cRngTiZBFfmhVfcTphXPVZW4FV5bM2RAncyxo7SLGjJVVA86LAx1RLPh1zj27cb1IVz-XMhL5FmzESJ/s640/IMG_3831.JPG" width="484" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>...and up popped a tiny beak.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All About Birds Cool Fact: One Least Flycatcher nest was found to have used dragonfly wings as nest lining. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeX2VXfSoBa-riXxF_K3-lWBkGs8o52isXJa8lmv4BIgVs_BF5vKM4ddc3J5EZbh2dyvmImfGnCnXc8YYXtF9NlfiBdt5yYMcSF-5ZL9iyhHl1wCrx0g5U-Ohnt8nZJzJON2mgS7r9OZc/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeX2VXfSoBa-riXxF_K3-lWBkGs8o52isXJa8lmv4BIgVs_BF5vKM4ddc3J5EZbh2dyvmImfGnCnXc8YYXtF9NlfiBdt5yYMcSF-5ZL9iyhHl1wCrx0g5U-Ohnt8nZJzJON2mgS7r9OZc/s640/IMG_3832.JPG" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I'd never seen a baby Least Flycatcher before.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An adult is about 5.25 inches/13 cm long.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfHjyx1BwsZ-7W_pSVHL9OwqBzXFKJ_vAgJQ1z3qiPSYdGIv1UBIgzA9S-aAvK2wVCv04BO2_tzVmK9q6QpPLnZkHO-itYk9Bwk4hdH-3uUR5I1qt4EppRla4aVViRqlX0AyBXyj2C58C/s1600/IMG_3832a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfHjyx1BwsZ-7W_pSVHL9OwqBzXFKJ_vAgJQ1z3qiPSYdGIv1UBIgzA9S-aAvK2wVCv04BO2_tzVmK9q6QpPLnZkHO-itYk9Bwk4hdH-3uUR5I1qt4EppRla4aVViRqlX0AyBXyj2C58C/s640/IMG_3832a.jpg" width="544" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I watched her make several forays; she was feeding at least two chicks.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6op3Nh7OvfGWBFijm_V2PlNUUB_NR0Oms6gk2ECoFqapkSjynX62Q_u-Bsr-IWan8kGjddikozIPdITXurzgK_W7RNNJhg-lxptOC0qeI37bIxaP9fXDQ_3FT1cR5ZbWbY-CVxo0_ser/s1600/IMG_3833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6op3Nh7OvfGWBFijm_V2PlNUUB_NR0Oms6gk2ECoFqapkSjynX62Q_u-Bsr-IWan8kGjddikozIPdITXurzgK_W7RNNJhg-lxptOC0qeI37bIxaP9fXDQ_3FT1cR5ZbWbY-CVxo0_ser/s640/IMG_3833.JPG" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was another few weeks before I returned. The nest was empty. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhkOQ2s6W-H7WYx5bHLZuqQiqNtPuS6fnyCwta661NHDxS6EidUBjj8kGcZ9bpuwx7k6t9kjoVaDylW7op3AXPRTzkcZGuyRR6oCPJhpzlu0MNnK666Mcv3ubkVyVx27EhOJSc7898Vuu/s1600/IMG_4364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhkOQ2s6W-H7WYx5bHLZuqQiqNtPuS6fnyCwta661NHDxS6EidUBjj8kGcZ9bpuwx7k6t9kjoVaDylW7op3AXPRTzkcZGuyRR6oCPJhpzlu0MNnK666Mcv3ubkVyVx27EhOJSc7898Vuu/s640/IMG_4364.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>I hope the little family thrived and are now making their way to a southern destination.</b></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another Cool Fact: Unlike most species of songbird, adult Least Flycatchers
migrate to their wintering grounds before molting, while young birds
molt before and during autumn migration. Why such a pattern has
developed remains unclear, but it may result from strong selection on
adults for early arrival and establishment of territories on the
wintering grounds.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Range Map of the Least Flycatcher</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOBu3Cq69Ay34h1e4H3Af6t4kioDcipsnkQqxWXZ2Q-xakUrgk_OXtgXVegp5u84h3faWoivTEKwL6OLc3_6xsJRc7WGw-_LmYMsdah4efu_vka6LGwKoZCPNIW9R92tu_oFT1SfI-pPq/s1600/empi_mini_AllAm_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOBu3Cq69Ay34h1e4H3Af6t4kioDcipsnkQqxWXZ2Q-xakUrgk_OXtgXVegp5u84h3faWoivTEKwL6OLc3_6xsJRc7WGw-_LmYMsdah4efu_vka6LGwKoZCPNIW9R92tu_oFT1SfI-pPq/s640/empi_mini_AllAm_map.gif" width="456" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Information Source:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Least_Flycatcher/lifehistory">All About Birds </a></span></b><br />
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-15377615670138106522013-08-08T16:11:00.003-06:002014-02-01T09:25:38.972-06:00At The Sewage Lagoon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Our particular sewage lagoon complex is really stinky at this point in the summer, but it is a fabulous place to find birds.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Here are some of our resident Canada Geese (<i>Branta canadensis</i>), strolling down a trail.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_rgnmD2irspeHUBxp_hnSHNZ5u-jdNXqApmr9wDDXDLa-3iKXA9nLS4-QPXFfM3pZBtOdlW0PHMkDID3Euvy10pitji00tLoN8A3DXiIdHJY0WwyOO0Ay69pR3Ml14d19FZBJycfeaNz/s1600/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_rgnmD2irspeHUBxp_hnSHNZ5u-jdNXqApmr9wDDXDLa-3iKXA9nLS4-QPXFfM3pZBtOdlW0PHMkDID3Euvy10pitji00tLoN8A3DXiIdHJY0WwyOO0Ay69pR3Ml14d19FZBJycfeaNz/s640/IMG_4420.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>There are Eared Grebes (<i>Podiceps nigricollis</i>) with babes everywhere.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99AO3MTeUGxNBonz0mLWCov52Md1gtFRzoup5KNoV0gCHOAxwait0PMwPd806KPJskL-C8-2j_CW5JUEIsvoGVv2Ii8TFEYRrhyphenhyphenycS6MCebI5tSmad_PWTjIUardPNkuxXueyWMkTtool/s1600/IMG_4413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99AO3MTeUGxNBonz0mLWCov52Md1gtFRzoup5KNoV0gCHOAxwait0PMwPd806KPJskL-C8-2j_CW5JUEIsvoGVv2Ii8TFEYRrhyphenhyphenycS6MCebI5tSmad_PWTjIUardPNkuxXueyWMkTtool/s640/IMG_4413.JPG" height="464" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Wait for me! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6oei2TEUaArzUZRvpcegC3VfcoYwX3aR1TC5b25-22h4Rf4Qj11tkBGnQ_U05SZvJuIq3Sf5AuUUPpeOS3qJOYf9p3q4xngiRMzKpDnifjyrHymASDMFl8CZx1eLZHm0MWkKWbgxYGVC/s1600/IMG_4405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6oei2TEUaArzUZRvpcegC3VfcoYwX3aR1TC5b25-22h4Rf4Qj11tkBGnQ_U05SZvJuIq3Sf5AuUUPpeOS3qJOYf9p3q4xngiRMzKpDnifjyrHymASDMFl8CZx1eLZHm0MWkKWbgxYGVC/s640/IMG_4405.JPG" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>And a good many of the elegant American Avocets (<i>Recurvirostra americana</i>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>xxxxxxxxxxx </b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-17708841103069340552013-08-06T07:32:00.000-06:002013-08-25T11:03:51.424-06:00Jr. Forster's & a Duck<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The players: A family of Forster's Terns (one adult and three juveniles) and a female Canvasback Duck.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Setting: A very peaceful afternoon at a prairie slough. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7xUVrJiCYp1nq_2Eak0BfRNHxcck_WoAqg_z3sZyqSyEpMSVZP-blvj0EUwQWwyS6EuYn2WSlBDwgKL_s5z_3jyu7NXNN8py8awc9m4Qw6kfY6-iMHlM7MTQSQqohLhgMmOmJEN0lJi9/s1600/IMG_4508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7xUVrJiCYp1nq_2Eak0BfRNHxcck_WoAqg_z3sZyqSyEpMSVZP-blvj0EUwQWwyS6EuYn2WSlBDwgKL_s5z_3jyu7NXNN8py8awc9m4Qw6kfY6-iMHlM7MTQSQqohLhgMmOmJEN0lJi9/s640/IMG_4508.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Story: It is quiet.....quiet except for a very noisy, whiny Forster's Tern juvenile, very put out about having to feed itself.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7_kaRGbllK6FkJKu-YmdKmlwyra0p71iPMjkrcgDtqhxin1Ng6187z6k_NFbdMNAJrxpfXTAX1bAAq3v3M6EOG_jjx9A52JfNVMICvYZTLa4zemLBYruCEfWLBQysLBQSLFkMwPVcplu/s1600/IMG_4510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7_kaRGbllK6FkJKu-YmdKmlwyra0p71iPMjkrcgDtqhxin1Ng6187z6k_NFbdMNAJrxpfXTAX1bAAq3v3M6EOG_jjx9A52JfNVMICvYZTLa4zemLBYruCEfWLBQysLBQSLFkMwPVcplu/s640/IMG_4510.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh, it picked and pecked at things in the water,</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiSoAj-Ayvzj1DWOO-lZLGP5FXq6EAk68Fsi4mI_tVJSh6sBUJDQWyMNBv_vh_64bO1FH7K4MOqU7VQ6FE7o7NgbsKNIwTvEg_MB32MJJfBkuh7pZbDEuAdIfwmyfJeAHWVDV3QIPWIIx/s1600/IMG_4513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiSoAj-Ayvzj1DWOO-lZLGP5FXq6EAk68Fsi4mI_tVJSh6sBUJDQWyMNBv_vh_64bO1FH7K4MOqU7VQ6FE7o7NgbsKNIwTvEg_MB32MJJfBkuh7pZbDEuAdIfwmyfJeAHWVDV3QIPWIIx/s640/IMG_4513.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...but mostly Junior begged and fussed. The two other young terns slept with head tucked under wings. Perhaps they were tuckered out from their own extended begging antics.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPbNri0C9nPd_djim4nMM-uI98n1A7Ejt3Qey8IJit4JbAQndUpVl-10IxQi618Mz8NOY8q7O29snHSa6OaT87Zcc5SOQ-n5dkrIkPDJEtv1xJ5UyFW7LzN3RjQ7oJ_-WC0BRTK8xfzK8/s1600/IMG_4517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPbNri0C9nPd_djim4nMM-uI98n1A7Ejt3Qey8IJit4JbAQndUpVl-10IxQi618Mz8NOY8q7O29snHSa6OaT87Zcc5SOQ-n5dkrIkPDJEtv1xJ5UyFW7LzN3RjQ7oJ_-WC0BRTK8xfzK8/s640/IMG_4517.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Young Tern: "Feed me, Feed me, I Am Hungry"</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Parent Tern, humming tunelessly to itself, patiently says: "No darling, you must try to find your own food.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Duck: "Please be quiet. I'm trying to enjoy the day"</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PZ51vr-cMkz7dMMmHsKKaQxitUu06n3BVLsitTWEIkvvmN1p-JcKbbRoRCVcdbYu0Q08GKEFXY_T-SC5Y8B3V_b9YIlzwcOGtF9m2n7pSA95PITDDVQ_f1gOuMMOAg4-bJQQVfAE2PUG/s1600/IMG_4518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PZ51vr-cMkz7dMMmHsKKaQxitUu06n3BVLsitTWEIkvvmN1p-JcKbbRoRCVcdbYu0Q08GKEFXY_T-SC5Y8B3V_b9YIlzwcOGtF9m2n7pSA95PITDDVQ_f1gOuMMOAg4-bJQQVfAE2PUG/s640/IMG_4518.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">YT: "Can I have something to eat; give me something to eat, I'm starving, feed me"</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PT: "No, sweetheart, you must learn to feed yourself...see that nice piece of pond scum right there...it is so yummy....try it".</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Duck, muttering not quite to itself: "Give the kid something, anything" (I am sure a loud duck sigh could be heard).</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2_NPixy7v3UYlDCzGDk_xOitSxvjIZCcArDA4e8pQTIL67K8QsP7i510BiCevxN5-7wR11ocqjYcvarIZHNGz2ZTgtcpvKnOsXe_nzfX4Dm42yjelRfZ-M4qBRHSCyDXgIJMvXfceQc2/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2_NPixy7v3UYlDCzGDk_xOitSxvjIZCcArDA4e8pQTIL67K8QsP7i510BiCevxN5-7wR11ocqjYcvarIZHNGz2ZTgtcpvKnOsXe_nzfX4Dm42yjelRfZ-M4qBRHSCyDXgIJMvXfceQc2/s640/IMG_4519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">YT: "I Need FOOD!!! Why won't you feed me?"</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PT, randomly to all in the area: "Isn't he just so cute and clever?"</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Duck, not seeing the adorableness of the young tern: "I can't stand this anymore. I'm outta here. Honestly!".</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3tseSN8novvbindeoY2D0ekod-lCp-ZUNcxY7N8_ji_81AKWC3D12Rcz5jxlfjTfE7x0OApyDNwRqiApMOe9SmWwSQ5-GSwpuQBz-zCg99I04hhSmSRkyn8ly03yj-yFSN9Sg5H6XJYV/s1600/IMG_4521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3tseSN8novvbindeoY2D0ekod-lCp-ZUNcxY7N8_ji_81AKWC3D12Rcz5jxlfjTfE7x0OApyDNwRqiApMOe9SmWwSQ5-GSwpuQBz-zCg99I04hhSmSRkyn8ly03yj-yFSN9Sg5H6XJYV/s640/IMG_4521.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Of course, it was me, loitering from a distance, that made the duck waddle off, but still, I like to blame it on the noisy young tern as that is usually my own reaction when my space has been invaded by whiny children</b></span>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-85643933417004498742013-08-05T08:46:00.000-06:002013-08-06T09:45:47.646-06:00Pronghorns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The Lady Pronghorns (<i>Antilocapra americana</i>) with a couple yearlings </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The vigilant Gentleman Pronghorn</b></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3wKGjyD1ERjdWsX07z7RwSVjss8aniRdl7xPnknIdvK-k2E4vxnO5B4gqWHa45fan2RrvzhQvoYFCgjw55FbYBNBE8L34omz-Q6TKN_ifOVnfK5oMnsE6CqPDMu3eiDrCYbN8nEipGiS/s1600/IMG_4526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3wKGjyD1ERjdWsX07z7RwSVjss8aniRdl7xPnknIdvK-k2E4vxnO5B4gqWHa45fan2RrvzhQvoYFCgjw55FbYBNBE8L34omz-Q6TKN_ifOVnfK5oMnsE6CqPDMu3eiDrCYbN8nEipGiS/s640/IMG_4526.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Pronghorns live on the vast, wide-open prairies where there is little place to hide. They have not bothered with camouflage colouring because they have excellent eyesight and can outrun most predators. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>They are the fastest mammal in North America, capable of attaining speeds of 40+ mph. Fawns can outrun humans when just a few days old.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Pronghorns feed on whatever prairie vegetation is available, including many plants that are toxic to domestic cattle.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Information source:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.kaufmanfieldguides.com/Mammals.htm">Kaufamn Field Guide to Mammals of North America</a> </b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-57618137369667137232013-07-06T08:04:00.000-06:002013-07-06T08:04:16.903-06:00Kingfisher or Calvin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Belted Kingfisher (<i>Ceryle alcyon</i>) panting after a dive on a hot summer day. Now what does this remind me of?</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPXbEfJ9aLeT3pUqEpFcsp7TYu6iXgjq4acXpVc5g5s6ubO5CXXdx97X6VfFd1YpBqZJMf4zFeiZs6dFoxjNKEd0fsDQ84Q0RInzmVPrAzqHxSkY-Lhq2ASTj3IycTIhH5JdTNLdohLK6/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPXbEfJ9aLeT3pUqEpFcsp7TYu6iXgjq4acXpVc5g5s6ubO5CXXdx97X6VfFd1YpBqZJMf4zFeiZs6dFoxjNKEd0fsDQ84Q0RInzmVPrAzqHxSkY-Lhq2ASTj3IycTIhH5JdTNLdohLK6/s400/IMG_3917.JPG" width="368" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Got it! Calvin of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes"> Bill Watterson's very amusing comic strip,<i> Calvin & Hobbes</i></a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09585008979780342837noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674460779884171000.post-33939134903707963912013-07-04T15:43:00.000-06:002013-07-04T15:48:56.573-06:00Out On The Prairie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went for a long drive yesterday to my favourite place in Saskatchewan - the expanse of prairie ranch land in the The Big Muddy area.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive west from my current home. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And a Dickcissel (<i>Spiza americana</i>) at Avonlea - a tad fuzzy but hey, best I could do at the time.</b></span><br />
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