Rock Wren on a grasslands rock, southwest Saskatchewan

A Rock Wren — a small Western songbird  —  on southwestern Saskatchewan prairie grasslands, high above the Frenchman River.

Pale grey-brown songbird, the Rock Wren.   © SB

We listened to bison expert Wes Olson, counted wild flower species (new to me: Indian Breadroot and Clustered Broomrape), and enjoyed the dry prairie wind and sunshine.

And then birder extraordinaire Trevor Herriot spotted this Rock Wren.

On a rock, of course, with prairie grasses at the base and buttes beyond the river in the distant background.

The wind blows through the grasses above the valley,
below the rock of the Rock Wren. © SB

Seen on the Prairie Passages tour of PFRA and other publicly owned grasslands, with conservationists, authors, and photographers, including Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson, Alberto Yanosky (Executive Director of BirdLife affiliate Guyra Paraguay), and  Ian Davidson (Exec. Dir., Nature Canada). Organized by Public Pastures - Public Interest. For more on the tour, see Pasture Posts and Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes.

What is this?  A Rock Wren. 

Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: June 25, 2013.  

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Late June Aurora Borealis over Regina, Saskatchewan

Ribbons of pale green Northern Lights shimmered across the Regina, Saskatchewan, sky late last night. As I watched, the main band circled from east to west, with other flickers of Auroras along the northern horizon, aka, the roofline of my garage.

The power of Northern Lights: a heart, spade, solar explosion. Kapow! © SB

What do you see in the Aurora Borealis?
I see a woman, nude and dancing, long arms and legs extending... © SB

Shimmer, shimmer - a river of Northern Lights. © SB

Northern Lights, the fire to put the Big Dipper on the boil. © SB

I wish I'd braved the night and driven out into the country, where the lights must have been pure magic!

But I'm a bit spooked by, well, the thought of coyotes and the dark. When I'm alone, at least. And it's long after midnight and everyone else here is asleep. Except the dog, who stayed out with me for a while, then whined to go back to bed.


What are these?  Northern Lights. 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: About 1:00 a.m., June 29, 2013.  

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Sunday Super Moon - the year's biggest full moon.

Tonight, the Super Moon rose over Regina — and over everywhere else over which it rose, but I was in Saskatchewan, so that's the place over which I saw it.

Super Moon rising over Regina, Saskatchewan.  © SB

The Moon is now at its closest point to Earth on its rotation — at its perigee — and looks about 12 per cent larger than it will next January, when it's at its apogee, the farthest turn from Earth.

Watch for high tides to follow if you live by the shore, not high here in the dry lands, where only rivers rise... (And rise with sudden vengeance.)


What is this?  The closest - and biggest - full moon of the year. 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: June 23, 2013. 

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Blue-winged Teal: White mask, blue wings

A pair of Blue-winged Teals   © SB

Long after I learned to identify Blue-winged Teals by the white half-mask across the male's face, I finally saw blue wing flashes on these prairie ducks.

The blue is visible when they fly — as long as you're at the right angle to see it...

It's also visible at times (but not, to me, often) when Blue-winged Teals float and feed in their preferred shallow, marshy ponds.

The first photograph above shows a clear sideview of a male's blue and green wing markings; the one below also shows the blue on a female's wing.

A pair of Blue-winged Teals, with blue wing flashes showing. © SB

What are these?  Blue-winged Teals

Location: Along Rte 99, near Craven, Saskatchewan, and near Yellowgrass, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 25, 2013, and June 16, 2012. 

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Yellow-headed Blackbirds in Slough near Regina SK

Yellow-headed Blackbird, on reeds near Regina, SK  ©SB

Yellow-headed Blackbirds creak and dart among the reeds at a slough not far from my house in Regina, Saskatchewan.

On a recent drive, I listened to their rasping screeches and croaks, and realized that far more Yellow-headed Blackbirds were singing than I could see.

But those I could see were beautiful, their vibrant yellow, gold and amber feathers shining in the sun, their black suits, stark and sombre.

The males, that is.

The females are more subdued in colour, a blurry yellow with brown, the better to blend in the reeds and mud in the nest.

(I've only seen females in early spring — perhaps before their actual nest sitting?)

And as for a slough, that's a natural water-filled area, more shallow and reed-filled than a lake.

Female Yellow-headed Blackbird, in the slough  ©SB

Yellow-headed Blackbird ©SB

What are these?  Yellow-headed Blackbirds

Location: Slough north of Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 25, 2012. 

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Western Willet: Shorebird with grey legs and long grey beak

This Western Willet, a mottled grey, buff, white shorebird, was feeding in one of our insta-spring-lakes near Regina, Saskatchewan.

It dipped and bobbed its way across the flooded area beside the grid road, swallowed morsels of something it plucked from the water, then ambled on.

Western Willet, near Regina, Saskatchewan.   © SB

What is this?  Willet - Chevalier semipalmé

Location: Temporary slough, south east of Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 26, 2013. 

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White-throated Sparrow - White and Tan Morphs: May Backyard Sparrow, Regina, SK (7)

White morph White-throated Sparrow 
in the apple tree © SB

When I saw the first White-throated Sparrow this year in my Regina, Saskatchewan, backyard, I was puzzled by its markings.

The White-throated Sparrows I'd seen (or noticed, anyway) last year were crisply marked — white head stripes, white throat, yellow lores (spots between the eye and bill).

Even their bright throats were clearly outlined, like the bird at right, one of the later White-throated Sparrows to arrive in my yard.

This year's first arrivals, however, were drab and very generically little-brown-bird.

But when I took shots for identification and displayed them full-screen on my 24-inch monitor — and significantly lightened the exposure, shadows, etc. — I realized these, too, where White-throated Sparrows.

There are a couple of options for the IDs of these browner bird, and perhaps a reader can help clarify this?

1. I've seen several similar White-throated Sparrows on photo websites posted as immature birds, but my Stokes shows the immatures as clearly white-marked... 
2. There are also Tan-morphs of White-throated Sparrows, which my Stokes shows as looking fairly close to the brown birds in my photos, so perhaps that's what these are? And if so, I guess the bright white guys would be white-morphs... 

In any case, that's what I'm leaning to here: #2. Tan morphs. Below. 

And so, this year, both the White and Tan morphs of White-throated Sparrows showed up in my yard. 

Which doesn't seem all that unusual, as apparently mated pairs "almost always include one of each morph." (Sibley guides info on White-Throated Sparrows.)  And these birds pictured above and below were both in the same apple tree... 

Tan morph White-throated Sparrow
in the same apple tree. © SB

Tan morph White-throated Sparrow on the ground. (Even more difficult to see its murky markings) © SB

What are these?  White-throated Sparrows, White morph Tan morph.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 11, 2013. 

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Mourning Dove at Condie in a Shapely Brown Dress

I'd like a dress that flows like the back of this Mourning Dove, feather waist cinched, soft shawl collar flaring, brown narrow hips, and long long long long sleeves that go on and on and on and on...

(Edwardian? Victorian? I'm not clear on my period fashions.)

The Mourning Dove's eyes I could master with different glasses, but that's not the look that I'm going for. Green eyes, I have; googly rims, I don't need.

With this casual elegance, no need for a chair. Any old post or barbed wire will do.

A svelte and elegant Mourning Dove. © SB

What is this?  Mourning Dove
Location: Condie Nature Refuge, near Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo dates: May 28, 2013.

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Regina, Saskatchewan: Goldfinches in my Backyard

American Goldfinches started visiting our backyard feeders in Regina, Saskatchewan, a few weeks ago, sporadically, and in nothing like the numbers we saw last year. (But last year's Goldfinch visit was very brief. One day three finches showed up, then five, then 16, then 24, then no Goldfinches at all...)

These birds are small but highly visible, even in among the new yellow-green lilac leaves. And they are a true delight, even if they only stay for a short time.

(Still this week, they remain.)

2012: Feeder full of Goldfinches. © SB

American Goldfinch at the sunflower feeder.  © SB

Female Goldfinch, on the lilac tree. © SB

Goldfinch on a chain, waiting to assault the feeder. © SB

What are these?  American Goldfinches
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo dates: May 16, 2012; May 23, 2013; May 15, 2013; and May 23, 2013.

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White-Crowned Sparrow: May Backyard Sparrows, Regina (6)

Several White-crowned Sparrows have joined the in-migration flock of birds arriving in our Regina, Saskatchewan, backyard this month.

These native birds are larger than Lincoln's Sparrows and Clay-coloured Sparrows. They are also very dramatic with their clear, sharp colours. (I've noticed them in bushes, my attention attracted just by their bright, white stripes.)

White-Crowned Sparrow in the shade. © SB

White-Crowned Sparrow in the sunlight. © SB

What is this?  White-crowned Sparrow

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 11, 2013. 

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