The wetland bisected by Range Road 281, just west of the city, is very productive. In recognition of the many sora rails that call this area home, Red Deer’s most enthusiastic birdwatcher, Judy Boyd, has dubbed the area “Sora Central.”
I had the good fortune last month to witness one of the most magical and dramatic wildlife spectacles on the North American continent — the spring migration of sandhill cranes through the Platte River in Nebraska.
Redpolls are one of the most interesting and entertaining of our backyard neighbours. Considered to be the hardiest birds on the planet, these feisty little circumpolar finches breed in the Arctic and spend their winters in balmy Alberta!
I love chickadees. Who doesn’t? How drab our winters would be without these little cherubs of the snow!
I remember the first time when, several decades ago, I was able to steal up on a pileated woodpecker. The bird, a female, was hammering so furiously and intently at the base of a dead spruce tree that I was able to creep up to within range of the flying chips.
Turkey vultures may be one of North America’s most under-appreciated bird, given their appearance and eating habits. But looks and diet can be deceiving.
When a Snowshoe Hare turned up at Ellis Bird Farm last fall, we wondered what might happen to the trees and shrubs over the winter. But little damage was done, so our very patient and animal-loving gardener, Cynthia Pohl, decided this spring that the hare and its new mate could stay.
We all know that beaver activity can cause property damage from flooding. Beavers can also create chaos in a poplar forest, leave behind hazardous stumps and be annoyingly persistent.
Each spring, I enjoy watching Cedar Waxwings descend on our apple tree to gobble the delicate blossoms.
Alberta has six species of cavity-nesting ducks. Two species (Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead) are quite common while the others (Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Barrow’s Goldeneye and Wood Duck) are less common and/or have more limited distribution in the province.
Thanks to the wonders of webcam technology, people from around the world are watching the owl nest at Ellis Bird Farm.
For the past few years, I’ve had a bit of a photographic obsession with aspen poplar (Populous tremuloides) trees.
Owls have long held a special place in the hearts and minds of their human observers.
One night last May, an RCMP officer accidently drove over a female porcupine on a road near Rimbey. Upon inspecting the mother’s splayed corpse, the officer noticed the squiggling movements of a baby.
Over the past few years, we have seen an increasing number of moose near our home, which is located on a wooded stretch of Honeymoon Bay, Sylvan Lake.
I made a pilgrimage in mid-October to witness one of the most amazing natural history events on the planet: the return of sockeye salmon to the Adams River in B.C.
