Sunset in Blowing Snow: Saskatchewan

Winter. Winds howl, close to blizzard, though no fresh snow. Ground shifts, swirls in patterns, writhing snakes. Roads disappear in white scales, slither into fields. Over buried stubble, the sun sets. And the world burns, violet and orange.

Winter Sunset.  © Shelley Banks

What is this? Sunset over drifting snow
Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Photo date: January 6, 2013  

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Downy Woodpecker: Flash of red and hollow knocking

Walking past a stand of trees this morning, I heard the characteristic woodpecker knock-knock-knock. I paused, walked back, and saw a Downy Woodpecker enthusiastically working his way up and down and around the low branches.

Male Downy Woodpecker with red flash  © Shelley Banks

Did he see me? I'd like to think so, because he certainly managed to find a continuous supply of twigs and stumps to hide behind — each time, just when I thought I had succeeded in framing the classic, full-length-with-checkered-feathers woodpecker shot with my camera.

And when not in hiding, this Downy moved at feather-blurring speed, rapidly bobbing his head as he rapped his beak into tasty spots on the bark. (There's even an after-image red halo behind his head, above.)

What is this bird? A male Downy Woodpecker (males are the ones with the red heads) 

Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan. 

Photo dates:  February 16, 2013

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House Finches: scarlet and brown feeder birds

House Finches frequently visit our backyard bird feeder in Regina, Saskatchewan — and when they perch nearby in the sun, the males' feathers are amazingly bright!  

The male House Finch has a brown crown and bright markings on his head, chest and back — the latter is often visible as a flash of red between his wings. The female, as below, is a more subdued brown and white bird. 

Male House Finch; backyard   © SB

Female House Finch; backyard   © SB

What are these? House Finches.  
Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. 
Photo dates: February 8, 2013. 

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White-tailed Deer in the Qu'Appelle Valley

As I drove around a bend in the Seven Bridges Road towards Lumsden, Saskatchewan, three White-tailed deer bounded out from among the hay bales in a nearby field. I slowed down. The deer ran a short distance along the road ahead of me, their white tails high and feathery. And then, one by one, the deer stopped to watch me.

White-tailed deer, watching.   © SB 

What is this? White-tailed deer.

Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (on Seven Bridges Road/Lumsden). 

Photo date: February 4, 2013. 

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Snowy Owl near Regina, Saskatchewan

Two Snowy Owls so far this winter near Regina, Saskatchewan. At least, that's all I've seen in the area northwest of the city, and I believe they are the same Arctic birds, as each is always in the same place on the prairie, making me suspect they've chosen their winter-in-the-south territory.

I saw this Snowy Owl, below, first on New Year's Day, and then again in early February — on what I swear is the exact same power pole! (At the same small bend in the same rural road, anyway.)

Snowy Owl, on the road to Pense, Saskatchewan  © SB

Based on its extensive dark markings (and what All About Birds has to say about that), I would guess it's an immature female. From what I can see, young female Snowy Owls are the most heavily barred with black.

I love these birds! They make me happy when I just drive by them!

And while so far, I haven't seen any signs of an irruption of the scale we saw here during winter 2011/12 — during which I saw them within 15 minutes on every road I took outside of Regina! — I am just so happy any time I leave the city and receive the gift of seeing a Snowy Owl in a field or on a power pole. (They seem to love power poles — height, hunting viewpoints, and few entanglements for their six-foot wingspan.)

This owl, for those wondering, was about half an hour west of Regina; my other owl (who likes hanging out in heavy, unphotographable glare or shadow) is just a few minutes away.

For pictures of Snowy Owls from last year, you might be interested in these from this blog and Latitude Drifts, one of my other blogs:

• Immature male, on pole;
• Several Snowy Owls, including a few in flight; and
• A lovely mature male Snowy Owl —  almost totally white. 

What is this? Snowy Owl.

Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (on the road to the Town of Pense). 

Photo date: February 4, 2013. 

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Winter Scene: Blinded by snow and sunshine, Saskatchewan

White fields, white sky. Even the memory of blue sky fades before this landscape.

If on a prairie winter afternoon, you dropped into this vast expanse of light, could you find the horizon? Find your way home through white air, glare?

If on a winter's afternoon, a traveler... © SB 

What is this? Winter field against a cloudy sky (with, yes, the horizon, about 2/3 of the way down...)  

Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Photo date: February 4, 2012. 

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Winter Chickadee in Saskatchewan

First, a confession: I adore Black-capped Chickadees. I have even frozen my fingers feeding them — and while I don't like the burn of frostbite, I love the dry rasp of their claws on my skin.

The chickadees in my Regina backyard are shy and skittish. One sound, and they are gone.

The chickadees that live at St. Peter's Abbey in Muenster, Saskatchewan, however, are completely, delightfully tamed. And gorgeous.

Black-capped chickadee © SB

What is this? Black-capped Chickadee 
Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada

Photo date: November 22, 2012. 

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Common Redpolls: Winter Prairie Visitors

Common Redpoll
in seed-scattered snow © SB

This winter, small flocks of Common Redpolls have graced our bird feeder in Regina, Saskatchewan.

These small northern songbirds nest in the Artic, and spend the winter further south in balmy climates like ours, where the temperature ranges down to minus 30C, and below.

Both males and females in this finch family have dark red caps; in addition, the males also sport bright rosy breasts.

In our yard, at least, the Redpolls have been ground feeders — scurrying across the snow to peck at seed tossed down by our regular avian visitors, the House Sparrows.

Common Redpoll fluffed up against the cold. © SB

What are these? Common Redpolls
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Photo date: January 11, 2013. 

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Aurora Borealis over Regina, Saskatchewan: Fall Display

Recently, I caught the green and pink glow of the Aurora Borealis flickering over Regina, Saskatchewan.

Face of the Aurora Borealis.  © SB

With winter coming, I monitor the web for alerts for the Aurora Borealis for the Regina area, but most times the Northern Lights appear, our local skies are cloudy. When this vibrant show hit a few weeks back, however, I lucked out. I stepped outside just after sunset and saw green lights wavering across the darkness above me. We immediately got out our cameras and headed out of town. It was a mild evening, and we stayed out for several hours. (Mild = very cold in ski jackets by the time we came home, but not totally frozen...)

Here are some other thumbnails from that amazing display. The first image at left shows the green and pink Northern Lights over the Big Dipper. Click to open them on my Flickr photostream:

What are these? Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
Location: Slightly beyond the city lights of Regina, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: September 30, 2012.

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Great Blue Heron in Flight

Great Blue Heron in flight near Last Mountain Lake.© SB  

A Great Blue Heron rose from the water beside me and took flight. But I suspect I was more startled than it was. These magnificent birds are huge. (And I was fairly close when it lifted...)

What is this? A Great Blue Heron 

Location: Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: October 1, 2012. 

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