What a beauty
Welcome to the prairies! In my day job I'm a microbiology prof in Saskatoon @hilllabsask.bsky.social, and weekends are for the birds (literally). 🇨🇦 Citizen scientist. Volunteer for birds. Photos by me.
22,051 followers 986 following 18,962 posts
view profile on Bluesky
What a beauty
OH YEAH! This one is really something 😍
I think it’s bearberry: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi but happy to learn different
I rinse and refill every day
Yes, usually they’re just a blur, sometime punctuated with a little explosion of feathers 😬
The image quality is great! Looking forward to viewing the traffic 😁
I imagine this crew can consume quite a bit
KiiKiiKiiKiikikikikik!!! Gorgeous Merlin!
Looks great!
Reservations recommended. So busy!
So much fun! “Listers” is worth a watch #birds youtu.be/zl-wAqplQAo?...
Between the splashing and their absorbency it’s hopeless
A couple of weeks ago I saw 6! House sparrows having a pool party in there. Needless to say, there was no water left when they were done
Thanks for the tour. This place is a must-see
Thanks. I just love the size contrasts
They sure do seem to like this one. There are multiple options but this is the fave
This tiny bird bath is a favourite spot for everybirdy in the neighbourhood, big or small #birds (Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Blue Jay)
Thanks! I don’t see them often but sometimes, especially around marshes
😄😊
TOO CUTE
Flying foxes are so cool! Would love to see them
I have donated quite a bit of blood to the local skeeters this week and am actively recruiting a bat entourage
I’ll take it
There’s some nice description of the grackle variations in the Sibley Guide: www.sibleyguides.com/2022/05/subs...
It was quite a surprise. It was circling round and round over the marsh pond, no doubt enjoying the many many many mosquitos
Thanks! I was totally surprised. Took a minute to figure out what the heck that was
Doesn’t it always?
Thanks! Many frames were taken… most were… less successful
Sora does NOT do re-takes
Love the purple ones!
The palette is changing so fast
Thanks! I was just so happy to get it in frame. It was SO FAST and flippity-flippity-flippity all over the place and of course I was not ready for BAT in general 😆
There is MUCH rejoicing ❤️
Another degree of difficulty in photography. Gotta be in the right place at the right time and have your s&*t together enough to be ready
All the colours! Can’t wait to have some visit here. Gorgeous photo
Right?! The huge flocks that happen this time of year are just jaw-dropping
Feather ID is just too much fun
It’s so great when things line up at just the right moment. Magic!
Kinda wish I’d seen the rest of the owl tbh 😂
😂
Phalarope-a-palooza
Right?! Just a few
Some bat species are not averse to foraging in the daytime. There are LOADS of mosquitos to eat around here
Just a few Phalaropes #migration #birds
Cool!
The toes! Wow, what a beautiful shot. That light is really something and I have a feeling it probably lasts for about 3 minutes in any one spot
The bugs are very “good” (if you’re a bat or any other insectivore). It’s mosquitopalooza!
That would be great. No luck today but I’ll probably be back there within the next few weeks so who knows!
According to the Feather Atlas this is a Short-eared Owl tail feather, which is cool because there was such an owl reported a week ago in the area where I found this www.fws.gov/lab/feathera... #birds
😂 Happy #Caturday indeed
😂
Don’t see them out in the daytime much, but sometimes. I suspect it’s enjoying our mosquito population explosion!
That cover! (Also, hello, Winston 😁)
Are you sure it’s Whiskers that’s upside down? Happy #Caturday!
Thanks. It was so fast, I can’t believe I got it in frame
They’re so cute. Big Brown Bat, I think - our most common bat here
That’s what I said 😂
Too busy enjoying the bumper crop of mosquitos we have currently
It was beautiful. The colour palette is changing again
Lit up by the sun behind. They are so translucent
I think it’s a Big Brown Bat and I do see them foraging in daylight sometimes. I understand they enjoy mosquitos and we currently have a *bumper crop* of those
“Hey, look out over the water - that’s an interesting looking b—“ 😲 #birds #mammals 🌿
Only for half the year 😂
This short documentary, “L'Oiseau Papillon" by Frank Neveu looks interesting based on the trailer. Three years of work to gather the footage! It’s available from Salamadre.tv (subscription) www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Rh...
Louise ❤️
I’ll bet!
💯
I think osprey was noticing that the pelicans and cormorants were busy so… must be fish! No luck on reading the band but that would be so awesome. I think I’d need to be a LOT closer
Great question. I’m sure there is a name for that type of feet
I would like to sit on this verandah 😍
Thanks! I just love watching them hover
Great shots! The grippy-flippers are such an awesome adaptation. I’ve never seen an Anhinga, but definitely enjoy the cormorants using their grippy-flippers to perch on utility cables over the river here
Bidule is on to something. Happy #CaturdayEve!
Thanks. It’s so cool how they hover. Head always down, scanning for fish. Also very neat to keep seeing this individual with a leg band
The onomatopoeia bird, “gracklegracklegrackle"
Haha I love this! Another fraction of a second and it’s eligible for #PlacesWhereBirdsWereJustASecondAgo 😆
So loud
Still wondering if this snake has figured out the lock system
Wowzers. Nature never disappoints!
ZZZOOOOOOOOMMMM 😁
Wonderful turtles!
Omg so many! Have zero here so far so corvidpalooza continues with magpie, crow and blue jay battling for bathtubs
Oh wow what a cool bird
It’s all so fascinating! What a great bird
I am a very fortunate commuter
Yup. My neighbourhood birds - magpie, robin, magpie, nuthatch, chickadee, HOLY CRAP WHAT IS THAT?! 🤣
I love to see them on my walk to work each morning
It’s so wild to see them all roosting together
Thanks 😁
Oh wow, that would be EPIC
🤣
Oh yeah. September is for BEKI!
They are such a great crew. An extended family of ~10 birds that is here all summer. I’ll miss them when they migrate!
Any time with one of the local ospreys is time well spent. Two snapshots of this beauty mid-hover as it scans the water below for fish #birds
😍 Adorable!
EDMONTON: HELP Mayday mayday SOS: both Fiasco and Franca have gotten out of the house through a busted window screen and the back gate was found open by my catsitter I am VERY FAR AWAY! If you are in the Highlands region can you keep your eye out
Always good to be curious about stuff
I don’t know the details, but I think it’s pretty common, especially in older birds. They have all kinds of funky skin adaptations I guess. I’ll see what I can find out!
If they can, they’re keeping it to themselves
Got to be prepared