Oh Canada Eh - part 5 - Jasper National Park

Monday 6th May

While in Jasper, we took a couple of excursions out to explore the national park. Lots to see in some spectacular scenery. Thanks to our JAC guides.

Our first view of a Bald Eagle in Canada.
This female was sitting tightly on a nest by Medicine Lake.

Big Horned Sheep - which ended up sunbathing on the road !!! - Angela's photograph.

Milbert's Tortoiseshell Butterfly ? by Maligne Lake.

An evening wildlife trip resulted in this stunning summer plumage Common Loon
(Great Northern Diver) on Pyramid Lake.

A group of Elk showed really well close to the vehicle,
including this collared individual.

A group of Mule Deer showed on a nearby hillside...

... but all were eclipsed by our second Black Bear sighting of the holiday.
Sadly this grass eating Bear quickly moved back into the trees
so my only shot was once again through glass.
A wonderful encounter nonetheless.

Oh Canada Eh - Part 4 - Banff to Jasper

Sunday 5th May

A big day travelling through some stunning scenery and taking in Lake Louisa and the Columbia Icefields. Even the earache that I had didn't stop me enjoying the views that we experienced. And of course as we neared Jasper it was topped off by the following sighting...

Black Bear !!! Taken by Angela from our coach -
Steve, our driver, expertly pulled over on the Trans-Canada Highway to give
everybody a great view and memorable experience.

Earlier in the day at the Columbia Icefields - This beast, worth  750,000 Canadian Dollars,
managed to get us on to the glacier. A bit different to the coach that we used that week !!!

About as cold as it got on the holiday. Standing on a glacier - a first !!!
Binoculars in hand - not a first - LOL !!! 

Oh Canada Eh - Part 3 - Fenland Trail, Banff.

4th May (still).

After our helicopter flight, we had a walk around the Fenland Trail in Banff and across to the Vermillion Lakes.

White-tailed Deer - one of 2 seen feeding here...

... allowing us to approach fairly close.

These handsome little fellas kept a close eye on us as we walked along a side road.

A passing cyclist told us that these are Richardson's Ground Squirrels.

Red Squirrel feeding - photo taken by Angela.

The Vermillion Lakes, Banff, where we saw a large number of wildfowl - Hooded Mergansers most notably
- Angela's photograph.

Oh Canada Eh - Part 2 - Canmore Heliport

4th May - Angela's birthday and a helicopter flight over the Rockies seemed the best way to celebrate !!!

Alpine Helicopters, based in Canmore - just outside of the Banff National Park.

Pre-flight photo - ahead of my first ever helicopter ride.

Our ride for the 30 minute journey over the mountains. Steve, our pilot, has the best job in the world...

As can be seen from the above photographs.

Back on the ground...

What a memorable flight !!!

Oh Canada Eh !!! - Part 1 - Calgary & Banff Arrival

Thursday 2nd to 11th May 2013

Here are some of the photographic highlights from our 'Heart of the Canadian Rockies' holiday. We had some marvellous weather, topping 30 Degrees Celsius in Kamloops, saw some absolutely stunning scenery and met some great people during the coach tour.

Calgary & Banff (3rd):

Canada Goose ... in CANADA !!! - Calgary.

Buffalo Statue at Fort Calgary.

Barrow's Goldeneye along the Bow River - Banff.

In display mode.

Bow River & Falls - Banff.

Pair of Harlequin Ducks on the Bow Falls.

Dark-eyed Junco - Banff.

A stroll around the Dungeness RSPB Reserve

Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 09:00 to 13:00
1 Bittern booming at Hookers, 3 Shelducks, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Marsh Harriers, 3 Kestrels (Dengemarsh), 6+ Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover (Dengemarsh), 2 Dunlin (Dengemarsh), 2 Redshanks, 2 House Martins, 1 Reed Warbler (singing with many Sedge Warblers in the Dengemarsh/Hookers area), 6+ Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Bearded Tits (Hookers & Dengemarsh), 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Tree Sparrow, 2 Ravens over Dengemarsh, 1 Little Egret (ARC Pit South End). 13+ Yellow Wagtails, 1 Blue-headed Wagtail behind Firth Hide with Yellow Wags.

A quick look at the sea revealed a few Gannets. There were several Arctic Terns amongst the Common Terns at the Patch.

Back inland...

Walland Marsh, 14:00
1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby (by the Woolpack Inn).

Kenardington, 15:00, RM Canal Bridge
2 Pheasants, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Snipe, 1 Little Owl, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6+ Swallows, 1 Reed Warbler (singing), 3 Blackcaps (2 males), 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff.

What A Weekend !!! Serin & Ring-necked Duck finds

Record shots of the cracking drake Ring-necked Duck that I found on the main lake at Conningbrook GP's, Ashford, yesterday lunchtime (14th April). I have finally found a rare bird on the local patch !!!

Conningbrook GP, 11:00 to 14:00

3 Mute Swans, 2 Gadwall (a pair), 1 Ring-necked Duck (cracking drake on the main lake with the Tufted Ducks), 90 Tufted Duck (circa, including 1 hybrid bird - showing Tufted x Pochard characteristics), 1 Great Crested Grebe (middle lake), 2 Grey Herons, 1 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel (KP also saw a Hobby.), 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Skylark (singing), 2 Sand Martins, 10+ Swallows, 1 House Martin, 5+ Blackcaps (3 males in a small flock), 5+ Chiffchaff (incl 3 singers), 2+ Willow Warblers (singing ), 2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Chaffinches, c40 Linnets, 2 Yellowhammers, 3 Reed Buntings (1 singing male).

Not bad for a quick run out with Angela locally to find some summer migrants !!! Some frantic phones calls to the parents and local birders plus further texts and tweets resulted in some happy faces too.

Some great photos of the RND can also be found here:
http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?rty=3&r=0&gallery=1&v=0&off=392017

Saturday 13th April: The other great find of the weekend!!!

Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 08:30 to 13:00

3 Goldeneyes (Females on Burrowes Pit), 1 Red-throated Diver (oiled summer plumage bird on ARC), 1+ Great White Egret (Cockles Bridge & New Diggings), 2 Little Egrets, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Sparrowhawk (ARC), 2 Oystercatchers (ARC south), 1 Green Woodpecker (ARC), 1 Sand Martin (ARC south end with several Swallows and House Martins), 2 Cetti's Warbler (heard), 2+ Chiffchaff (ARC Water Tower), 2+ Willow Warblers (ARC Water Tower), 1 Bearded Tit (Female - screen hide), 2 Tree Sparrows (Boulderwall Farm), 1 Raven over ARC Pit. 5 Yellow and 1 White Wagtails by visitor centre.

Dungeness Point, 09:00 to 11:00

7 Common Scoter, 1 Great Skua (flying east past the fishing boats), 1 Kittiwake (Immature on the beach), 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Skylark (heard), 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Black Redstart (male), 1 Stonechat (male), 8+ Wheatears, 1 Ring Ouzel (cracking male bird by Railway Station), 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Firecrests (in Gorse bushes by Railway Station).

But the star bird was...

A male SERIN, found by myself - seen flying into a bramble bush next to a singing Dunnock, near the New Lighthouse by the 5th Quarter shop. The bird then dropped down, feeding on the ground with House Sparrows. Several flights around the local area, calling and showing off the yellow rump before heading off towards the Old Lighthouse and the Power Station. Seen by c11 birders in total.

A great morning session with Angela and the parents before the afternoon rain hit with a vengeance.