Common Redpoll in falling snow - a photo on Flickriver

            I wasn't going to post any photos this morning, as I had none that were edited.  I had to spend hours yesterday, trying to contact various services to update my credit card information.  My previous card had been shut down when two suspicious transactions were made about a week before Christmas - such an absolute pain!  I felt totally drained at the end of yesterday - and I've had to waste hours this way on most days in the past week.  Still have a few more services to try and contact before I'm cut off from them, too, and then I really, really hope that is that.  A real waste of a week.  

On 19 December 2017, it was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for High River, a town to the south of Calgary.  I am adding the report by Gus Yaki, the leader of our small group of 7, travelling in two cars.  What Gus did not add, because he did not stay for the delicious Potluck supper after the Count, is that the forecast snow (Snowfall Warning in effect) arrived in full force in the evening and the drive back to Calgary was most unpleasant, with low visibility.  Looked like there were about 10" of the white stuff on top of my fence by the next morning.  Thanks so much, Lorrie and John, for being so kind and picking me up in the early morning and driving me all day long, and then dropping me off for the Potluck and returning later to collect me ready for the three of us to return to Calgary.  Appreciated more than I can say!  Thanks, also, to Greg Wagner for organizing the Count - as usual, great job!  Last, but not least, many thanks to those who organized and prepared such a wonderful feast for us all to thoroughly enjoy at the end of the day!  I left home around 7:00 am and arrived home about 8:15 pm, finally getting to bed at 2:00 am and eventually waking up at noon the next day!  Was I tired after a full day out, especially after only two hours sleep the previous night!

I should also add my thanks to the various property owners who very kindly gave us permission to wander round their farmyards in search of any birds.  Being allowed to do this adds so much more interest to our Count day, and we really appreciate it.

One exciting sighting was a beautiful female Moose, maybe two years old!  This was the very first sighting ever of a Moose in our SE quadrant of the High River Count circle.  From a distance, she was barely noticeable through the falling snow.

Common Redpolls were enjoyed at some feeders.  They gave me the first opportunity to take photos this season.  Much as I prefer photos without feeders, I am very glad for this chance.  They are such dainty little birds, and fast-moving.  It always looks like a feeding frenzy when they are at the feeders.

"High River CBC, SE Quadrant, including Frank Lake. 0800-1545, Tue, 19 Dec2017. Light overcast, light snow beginning at 1100. N Wind 10kph, -07 to -06°C. Ground bare initially, 3 cm at end. Little Bow River, mostly open.

Mallard-500 
Northern Shoveler-1 f. 
Northern Pintail-2 
Common Goldeneye-3 
Gray Partridge-8 
Bald Eagle-1 ad, on Frank Lake 
Prairie Falcon-1 
Rock Pigeon-56 
Great Horned Owl-6 
Snowy Owl-1 
Blue Jay-4 
Black-billed Magpie-17 
Common Raven-4 
Song Sparrow-1 
Snow Bunting-150 
Common Redpoll-790 
House Sparrow-202
Ring-necked Pheasant tracks by observation blind.

Gord Fraser, on W side of Little Bow, just N of 594 Av, had 40 Gray Partridges this a.m.

Coyote-4 
Skunk track by observation blind 
Meadow Vole-1 
Mule Deer-6 
Moose-1 f.

Km by Car- 58 
Km on foot -5 
Total km  - 63 
  
Time by car – 2 hrs 
Time on foot-5 hrs 
Total party hours-7 hrs"
   

Taken on: December 19, 2017

Tags:

Alberta

Canada

High River Christmas Bird Count 2017

SE quadrant of Count circle

nature

wildlife

farm

farmyard

feeder

bird feeder

ornithology

avian

bird

birds

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

finch family

feeding

front/side view

bokeh

outdoor

snow

snowing

fall

autumn

19 December 2017

FZ200

FZ200#4

P1270856

Panasonic

Lumix

annkelliott

Anne Elliott

Sets appears in: • High River Christmas Bird Count, 19 December 2017 • 2017, my most interesting photos more » • Winter 4 • Birds of Alberta 11 « less

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Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ200, f/3.5, 1/125 sec, 108mm, ISO 125 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-FZ200
Aperture:	f/3.5
Exposure Time:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:	108mm
ISO:	125
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 12.0 Windows
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