Yesterday I headed out on a hot prairie drive to Frank Lake and Weed Lake, two of the best spots for waterfowl and shorebirds in the Calgary region. I had an enjoyable day out and, when I tabulated my list at home, I made a pleasant discovery - scroll down for more.
A map of my route (I went anti-clockwise). Click to enlarge.
Highlights included a juvenile
Black-crowned Night Heron that I flushed from the reeds and a
Northern Harrier hunting shorebirds along the edge of Frank Lake. I had my digiscoping kit with me and caught some images of the shorebirds and others.
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| Long-billed Curlews are stunningly elegant birds |
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| Marbled Godwits aren't bad either |
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| As I've mentioned before, sometimes the scope is kind of overkill! Nevertheless, this Barn Swallow apparently doesn't mind posing. |
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| A Black-necked Stilt pauses to reflect (while Franklin's Gulls take a nap) |
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| These are Red-necked Phalaropes - at least I hope it's not a botched identification because that's my 200th ABA (i.e. North American) species! |
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| Calidris sandpipers are confusing - what species do you think this one is, and why? |
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteI think you got the Phalarope right - congratulations on the milestone.
As for the sandpiper: I'm not very experienced with these and I find them tough, so it's a good exercise to try to say why you ID it as one Calidris over another. It doesn't look like a Pectoral, and the black legs eliminate that and Least. It looks like the tail is at least as long as the wings, so probably not Baird's or White-rumped. The bill looks straight and thick, more like a Semipalmated than a Western. My best guess is Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate the feedback. I was fairly confident as the striped back seemed very prominent. As for the Calidris complex I'm still very challenged and I think a winter project will be to just sit down and learn them. Missed seeing you at bird study group this month - perhaps October?
David