Inglewood Bird Sanctuary May 16, 2024

He said it was all about "the chase and the capture"!  That's what a guy told me last week while out and about birding when we ended up on the same trail at the same time chasing the same bird!  He shared his name with me and that he reports his sightings on eBird.  When I got home and checked the site, oh boy he does lots of chasing with amazing capturing.  Never before did I think of birding the way he explained it to me.  It all makes sense to me now, especially after birding at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary this morning for close to four hours and covering just shy of twelve kilometres.  At times it felt like I was on a "wild goose chase" but for the majority of the time, it was a fun chase and when I did capture a good one, I felt elated!  The feeling of being out in nature, lost in the sights and the sounds, is the best escape from reality!  

While the scenery was just as pretty as always and I did see coyotes, a beaver and lots of deer, this time around I am only sharing pictures of the birds I did chase and where I was able to capture a somewhat decent photo.  While I saw bald eagles, hawks and other birds, my photos of them did not turn out. I did not spend time photographing the ducks in the lagoon which there were many of and of a variety of species.  

It's prime time right now for birding and today I got caught up in it!  What has become of me!  For split seconds here and there, I was envious of the cameras other birders had and when they showed me the photos they captured, I was even more envious.  I will be content with what I use to capture while chasing!

three Goslings

Lincoln's Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

female Black-winged Blackbird

Swainson's Thrush

male Wood Duck

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-capped Chickadee

Song Sparrow

American Wigeon

Common Grackle

male Red-winged Blackbird

Western Tanager

Eastern Kingbird

two male Hairy Woodpeckers

Western Wood-pewee

male Yellow Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Tree Swallow

House Wren

two Mourning Doves

Clay-colored Sparrow

the Robin's Nest story May 15, 2024

From the moment on May 3rd when I came upon a Robin sitting on her nest, I knew I wanted to invest time in following this journey.  My initial thought when I saw a large mass at the bottom of a slope was that must be the porcupine people reported seeing near the pond.  I zoomed in only to see it was a bird nest with a Robin sitting on it!

On May 5th, I ventured over to the park to that location and when I noticed there were no Robins around, I scooted down the slope to have a peek in the nest.  There was one egg!  What excitement I felt!  Progress is being made in this journey!

Later that day, I painted this picture of the photo I took. My hope was that over the next couple of days I would get to see more eggs in the nest and possibly paint another picture.  

Early in the morning on May 6th, I made a quick detour down to the location.  I had done some googling about Robins and their nests and their eggs and timeframes. When I arrived at the top of the little hill, I could see she was not sitting on the nest.  I descended the slope and when I looked in the nest I saw two eggs.  I was so excited, I thought oh what a gift this is to see!

On May 8th, I made another early morning trip over to the nest.  Once again, no Robins were around. I learned they go out early to feed and then come back and she will sit on the nest the balance of the day. This would be the routine until she finished laying her clutch and then she would not leave the nest. When I saw no Robins around, I slide down the slope in the mud and discovered there were now four eggs.  Oh WOW!  Since she was not sitting on the nest, I wondered was she not ready to stay on the nest and could there be another egg on the way!

When I dropped by on May 9th during the early morning, she was sitting on the nest.  I zoomed in to capture this photo and when I saw her, I then just carried on with my walk.  Close to two hours later upon returning, she was still sitting on the nest.  

On May 14th, I finished painting this picture which I started on May 9th. I used the photo I took on May 8th as my reference.  I was going to be away for a few days and the plan was to check the nest area once I returned.  

This morning, May 15th, I made a very early morning visit to the area where the nest is.  From the top of the slope I could see she was not sitting on the nest and there were no Robins in the area.  I took a chance and went down the little hill to have a look in the nest.  It was empty!  My heart sank and I immediately felt sad!  I checked for eggs or pieces of egg outside the nest but saw nothing.  The nest appeared to be taller and the inside seemed to have less space.  It almost looked like another nest was built on top.

Nature takes its course and I wonder what transpired here over the past few days!  I enjoy so much about nature but I feel no enjoyment right now about this Robin's Nest story!  I do still feel invested and will continue to wander over that way and wonder about what may have happened!  My hope is that I will one day soon be in that area and she her back sitting on the nest! 

a weekend in British Columbia May 12, 2024

If I didn't have an important appointment tomorrow morning, I would have stayed in Radium another night, there was  vacancy.  When I woke this morning, I checked the local Radium weather which was to be another gorgeous day and I also checked the weather for Calgary.  This showed for Calgary! Oh No here we go again, was my thought!  The wildfire smoke from Northern Alberta and Northern British Columbia blew into Calgary and measured off the radar.  

I delayed leaving for the drive back home. I lingered longer around Radium and when I did hit the road, I made some stops along the way at viewpoints.  I also stopped in locations where I could walk for a bit.  

Marble Canyon is pretty no matter what time of year.   

This is looking back as I headed up the trail. 

a Robin collecting nesting material

I took this video from the far end of the trail. 

a rabbit almost done changing colour

I wondered how on earth did a rabbit get to Marble Canyon!

a Dark Eyed Junco

Back on the road again, I eventually made it to Banff.  I drove the Minnewanka Loop clockwise and took the detour down to Johnson Lake. This Solitary Sandpiper was standing on the shore. 

view of Johnson Lake

a Chipping Sparrow

one slice of ice left in the canal leading away from Johnson Lake

Time came to make my way back to Calgary!  When I arrived to the Lac DesArc location, there was a very distinct defined line across the sky above the Lake. To the west of the line was a beautiful blue sky, to the east the view was dull, grey and smoke-filled!

 

a weekend in British Columbia May 11, 2024

With lots on the agenda for today, I set off early under a beautiful morning sky!  My first stop was to have a look from the Columbia Lake Viewpoint.  I had never been there before.  It was a half hour drive south, with only me driving on that road in that direction at this hour.  It was a nice surprise to see a trail leading from the parking lot and following along the ridge for a short distance.  There were many wildflowers, this was my favourite.   

view of Columbia Lake from up on the ridge

After investing a little time at that viewpoint area, I drove back north to the Hoodoo Trail.  I hiked this  trail back in September of 2022 while spending four days in the area.  Springtime casts a whole different vibe which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The crocuses were in abundance which surprised me!  Spring comes earlier in the Columbia Valley and I thought the crocus season would have been long past.  

on top of the Hoodoo area looking out over the Columbia Valley and Columbia Lake

I heard loads of birds but saw only a few.  My Sound ID App told me what I was hearing, yet I could not see the majority of them.  The Dark Eyed Juncos were easy to spot though.  

This was the view ahead of me as I completed the entire loop and aimed back down hill to my vehicle.

By now it was quite hot.  Before aiming to my next location to hike, I headed back to my home away from home to change into shorts, get more water and additional snacks.  It was a short drive there and also to the parking lot for The Old Coach Trail.  This view greeted me as I hit the trail.  

OH my!  I was excited to reach the top of the trail!

This was the view after hiking the dirt road for a short distance, following the trail through the trees then hiking up that hill in the above photo. There was not a breeze to be felt, the reflection in the water was crystal clear.  I stayed here for quite some time to take it all in.

This is a short video of what I saw around me!

This crocus captured my attention 

as it looked so vibrant in front of the burnt tree stump.

a Dusty Flycatcher

I hiked a long distance along the ridge that followed the Columbia Valley and Columbia River.  

While taking a break at this location, along came people kayaking and canoeing along the Columbia River.  It was so peaceful and quiet here, I could here them talking even though they are quite a distance away down there.

a Chipping Sparrow

This can be a one way hike if you are with others and can arrange a car shuttle but being on my own, it was an out and back hike for me.  I followed the trail back and enjoyed it just as much, I had the mountains to the east as my view.   

I took one last look back before 

entering the forest and following the trail back to my vehicle. 

I was tired and I felt like a hot mess!

This Tiger Tail Ice Cream on a waffle cone perked me up!

After cleaning up once I got back to my home away from home, 

I went for a walk around the townsite and to spend some time sitting in this public garden.