Peacocks at the zoo

.

Lots of Peacocks (they're actually Indian Peafowl, males are called peacocks and females peahens) at the zoo, but it's usually hard to get a look at that big, beautiful fanned tail!

But we had good timing, or just good luck, there were a lot of vocal males all over the place, and lots of displaying going on!

They're fearless - everybody loves 'em!

.

Zoo wildlife

.

Going to the zoo isn't the most intrepid thing ever!  But Assiniboine Park Zoo has some neat wildlife amongst the fences. 

Lots of tree stands, and some fairly large treed areas.  Saw a good few crows, and heard a lot of other birds that I couldn't identify. 

This is Pearson Memorial Pond.  A very pretty little spot. 

As any park-like area, lots of Canada Geese around!  Time for the half-grown babies!

A real neat surprise was this Swainsons Hawk near the Elk enclosure!  It looked like he picked up a ground squirrel but dropped it...

Speaking of ground squirrels (Richardsons Ground Squirrel, to be precise), they were EVERYwhere!  This little guy raced right up to the stork (Saddle-Billed Stork), got this far, took a good luck, and scurried back under his rock!  Smart move, little guy!

This little guy was hanging out near the Cougar cage.  Just chillin', havin' a snack!

This guy's home was near the Bison.  Looks to me like he's saying "hey you kids, get offa my lawn!"

.

Trip report - Kildonan Park

.

Another afternoon trip to another city park.  Not a whole lot of birds, did hear a few that I couldn't identify.  Did get a quick glimpse of an Eastern Phoebe though, thought that was pretty cool!  No pic though - darn!

A little stream near one of the gardens.

Kildonan Park has park ducks.  I don't know if these birds are wild or released - they look much more compact than the wild mallards I'm used to!

Thought this guy was a "manky" mallard, a duck with some domestic ducks in his background.  But he also looks similar to some pictures I've seen of American Black Duck x Mallard hybrids.  So I don't know!  There were a LOT more male ducks than females present, and lots of chasing going on.  This guy was paired up with a female, and was pretty vigorous in going after any others who came too close!

Female Mallard, preening

Female Mallard, looking for corn.  Almost looks like a mini-Mallard!

Male and female, male complaining!

This was a surprise, a late Song Sparrow, hunched on a perch near the riverbank. 

And a very nice male American Robin, looking for worms amongst the tulips!

.

A big black yard bird

.

Crows aren't always popular.  But I love 'em.  Spending hours squinting through a pair of binoculars makes you pretty appreciative of anything you can identify on first sight!

They are also quite suspicious, very cagey and hard to get good photographs of!

So here's one that flapped onto the railing and picked through the millet looking for a few sunflower seeds.

Sorry for the cluttered pic, but I thought it was a neat pose.

.

The last of the yard birds

.

Sigh!  The trouble with living in the city is that we have so few birds during the summer.  I normally stop feeding, because usually the only birds are the S.S.P.'s (Starlings/House Sparrows/Pigeons), none of which need the help!

Our year round birds, Chickadees, Hairy/Downy/Pileated Woodpeckers and White-Breasted Nuthatches are typically scarce around the feeders during the summer.  We don't see many fledglings at all from these birds. 

There might still be a close by pair of Chipping Sparrows however, so with any luck, they'll bring some babies around to visit!

We did get a Baltimore Oriole, a male, that visited on the 27th.  He was most suspicious, and flew off anytime someone went to the window, so no photos!  But very glad to have the visit anyways!

A female Downy Woodpecker, wonder what's caught her eye!

Sure hope this works!  Caught a Swainsons Thrush having a bath, but didn't have much luck at photos, so thought I'd try a video!

.

Trip Report - St Johns Park

.

Gotta admit I was skeptical of seeing any birds here, this park, while it is on the river, is smack dab in the middle of town.

That's also an advantage though, it's nowhere near as crowded as some of the better destinations. 

There's a bit of a wayside park, just a nice big green area, before you get to the actual park.  Love to finally see all that green!

The river was still pretty high, and had formed a little lagoon at this spot.  That'll be shoreline within a couple of months!

I loved how these trees looked, fighting gravity so hard!  The shore where the roots were was well-trampled, they must be very attractive to kids!  I wonder how long they've been leaning into the water.

More shoreline trees, up to their knees in water.

The little lagoon was attractive to the ducks.  There was a lone Mallard male and a pair of Wood Ducks.  I managed to catch a picture of the male, but his mate was shy, and they took wing almost as soon as we spotted them.

The Mallard was a noisy guy!  I wonder if he had a mate and a nest nearby. 

We also got to see a Canada Goose family.  Baby goslings are the best!

There were a few warblers at the park itself.  Most were too high up and too active to pinpoint any identities.  I NEED to get better at birding by ear!  Did manage to get the binoculars on a singing male American Redstart (no pictures, darn!) and after a LOT of watching, managed to pin down a photograph (not the greatest!) of a male Yellow Warbler, who had also been singing his heart out. 

We also saw a few Chipping Sparrows (and heard a lot more!).  This American Crow was having a drink at another bit of floodwater. 

.

Trip Report - Oak Hammock Marsh

.

Very chilly, and very WINDY!  Especially out at the marsh, the birds were just being blown every which way.

Saw Red-Winged Blackbirds on the highway out to the marsh, as well as a few Canada Geese. 

Didn't even notice the baby til I was looking at the pic on the computer!

In one of the ponds near the interpretive center were a few Canvasback and Lesser Scaup.  Too distant for good pics though.

Soon picked up Yellow-Headed Blackbird, Brewers Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbird, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Killdeer, Mallard and American White Pelican. 

This Cliff Swallow was in a flock of about a hundred altogether, resting on the road.  Warmer?  Easier to weather the wind? 



Kind of a small brood!  Poppa was very protective of his family though!

We decided to try to road to the north mound, and picked up a few more species.  Northern Shoveler, Blue-Winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Harrier, and the highlight (for me) a singing and displaying male Bobolink!  No pics (darn!)

There's a more typical brood size!  Daddy hadn't crossed the road yet.  They had a bit of a time, herding all those babies down into the water, but they made it!

Last sighting was a Franklin's Gull, right before we got back to the highway.

.

 

Yesterdays birds (May 23)

.

No photos from the yard birds, didn't spend much time watching - got to go on a trip to Oak Hammock!  Will post shortly about that!

Yard birds included Chipping Sparrow and Pine Siskin.

But no pictures.  Darn!

.

Day before yesterdays birds (May 22)

.

Much better day than previously!

No firsts, but there were some American Goldfinches (two males, one female) again, and a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak male, singing from a treetop!

Other birds were Chipping Sparrows, American Robin, Pine Siskin, Tennessee Warbler.

Also took a short trip to one of the greenhouses outside of town, and managed to see Canada Geese, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Yellow-Headed Blackbirds and a few Killdeer.

Most of my pics were DARK!  Did manage to get one picture of a Hairy Woodpecker though!

.

Yesterdays birds (May 20)

.

Slower birding today, but did have a first of the year Nashville Warbler.

Other birds include two Chipping Sparrows, two pairs of American Goldfinches, a Swainson's Thrush and the Red-Breasted Nuthatch.

American Goldfinch, peeking from behind a pole!

A bit of a hide-and-seek, but there is a Nashville Warbler in there!  One of my better warbler pics this year - yikes!

A Chipping Sparrow taking a bath.  Not much light, had to use a slow shutter speed, but I got such a kick out of the "curly" wings!

No half measures here, this bird got WET!

An American Robin came next, took his time making his way over to the bath.  I like this pic, with the pot's scalloped edges.

Decision made, bathing to commence!

He got WAY into the experience, water was flying everywhere!  Love his wild-eyed look in the last two pics. 

.