Yesterday morning I tossed all plans of a garden-work day aside...the weeds will wait. A mostly warm and sunny day, after several days of rain, was beckoning me out onto the roads. I travelled around part of my extended birding route, checking out points to the north and west of me.
Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) There were 3 at the Midale/Macoun Marsh. One bird was in high breeding plumage, with a very bright red bill (and legs, which aren't seen in this photo)
The other two were of this plumage, legs to match the bill.
Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) are common here, but seldom as co-operative for an impromptu photo-shoot as this one was.
A Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) puffed out its topknot but kept its distance.
And, the beautiful little Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Spring seeding is still in progress around here, in between massive rainfalls. I pulled off the road to let this monster sprayer zoom by. (No comment!)
Back to the soothing pasture land, which our Fed & Provincial gov'ts are trying to sell-off.....
The Common NIghthawks (Chordeiles minor) returned this past week. Wonderful birds, nighthawks.
Road bans are on, plus we had a few inches of rain lately. This rig was hauled in early and is waiting for things to dry up. Too bad it is just a short distance away from a former Burrowing Owl pasture (last year, the owners of this tiny bit of native prairie plowed up 75% of it and planted corn. If the owls returned, they didn't stay long enough to breed. Yesterday there weren't any owls around....so thanks a lot, Mr. Farmer).
It is hard to see an Upland Sandpipier (Bartramia longicauda) when it has landed in a stubble or lightly-worked field.
Last but definitely not least, a very bubbly Bobolink male, doing his very handsome best to attract a lady BOBO.
It was a very lovely and relaxing day. As I said, the road bans are still on, so the back roads were fairly quiet.
Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) There were 3 at the Midale/Macoun Marsh. One bird was in high breeding plumage, with a very bright red bill (and legs, which aren't seen in this photo)
Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) are common here, but seldom as co-operative for an impromptu photo-shoot as this one was.
A Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) puffed out its topknot but kept its distance.
And, the beautiful little Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Spring seeding is still in progress around here, in between massive rainfalls. I pulled off the road to let this monster sprayer zoom by. (No comment!)
Back to the soothing pasture land, which our Fed & Provincial gov'ts are trying to sell-off.....
The Common NIghthawks (Chordeiles minor) returned this past week. Wonderful birds, nighthawks.
Road bans are on, plus we had a few inches of rain lately. This rig was hauled in early and is waiting for things to dry up. Too bad it is just a short distance away from a former Burrowing Owl pasture (last year, the owners of this tiny bit of native prairie plowed up 75% of it and planted corn. If the owls returned, they didn't stay long enough to breed. Yesterday there weren't any owls around....so thanks a lot, Mr. Farmer).
It is hard to see an Upland Sandpipier (Bartramia longicauda) when it has landed in a stubble or lightly-worked field.
Last but definitely not least, a very bubbly Bobolink male, doing his very handsome best to attract a lady BOBO.
It was a very lovely and relaxing day. As I said, the road bans are still on, so the back roads were fairly quiet.
some Absolutely gorgeous pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank You, Alaina!
DeleteWhat a wonderful outing and set of pictures, Kathy. Unfortunately, with the price of corn and the subsidication of ethanol I tend to think there may not be an acre of ground except mountain or desert that is safe from the plow anymore....:(
ReplyDeleteThank You, TB. I have a sad feeling you are 100% correct. The farming around here is all dry-land operations - no irrigating, and corn was never a commercial crop until a few years ago (GMO seed, probably).
Delete