Long-tailed Weasel

Here's a recent encounter a friend and I had with a Long-tailed Weasel that caught a Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel on a pasture . 

Saskatchewan Birds 2020 Calendar

Hi guys, my new calendar is available to order now.
Please click the link below to order to your door.
Thanks for looking!

http://www.lulu.com/shop/nick-saunders/saskatchewan-birds-2020/calendar/product-24307613.html

My 2019 calendar is available now to buy online. Take advantage of 15% off with the coupon code FIFTEEN until November 8th
The calendar ships Worldwide.
Other coupons should be available over the next 2 months.
You can preview every months photo on the website by clicking the preview button under the main cover image.
http://www.lulu.com/…/saskat…/calendar/product-23827629.html

Thanks for looking!

Fall Birding and catch up time !

Its been a rainy few weeks since my last update, but migration is in full swing.
I've found many nice species and have trawled parks and scanned alley ways and backyards looking for a glimpse of a colorful warbler , or something else passing through on its way south.

Here are some of the highlights seen recently :

Swainson's Thrush - They love the Elderberry and Red Osier Berries we have in our yard. There must have been 10 at our place over a 2 day period :





Blue-headed Vireo - One of my favourite species, I found him at a local park :



Yellow-rumped Warbler - Many of these were at local parks :





Swainson's Hawk - This dark-phased bird was near Blackstrap Lake recently :



Eastern Phoebe - I found this inquisitive flycatcher by the river on a low trail:



Great Blue Heron - This young Heron was at the Forestry Farm Park recently :



Canada Warbler - I found this at Cosmopolitan Park on a recent walk :



Clay-colored Sparrow - A few of these are still around in the open fields :

Ruffed Grouse and some recent Acomplishments

Another late update here, but this one is just to tide things over until I move house, which will be next month.
We have a beautiful new house and a big yard that I can turn into a bird paradise!

This male Ruffed Grouse was at a park about 30 minutes from town, sitting on its favorite log and attracting a mate by 'drumming' its wings which creates a loud thumping sound.
Many people have heard this sound from the woods, but not everyone has actually seen it. Very cool !





I thought I'd let some of my Blogger friends know that I've had a few things published this Summer ...

Birdwatch Canada magazine used several of my photos including the cover shot of a Western Meadowlark :



Prairies North Magazine - did a feature of the Red Deer River Valley and used a few of my photos in their Spring Issue. They will also be using one of my photos in their 2011 Calendar :



A 432 page field guide called 'The Birds of Quebec' by Jean Paquin, also used a number of my photographs. This can be bought on Amazon.com :



Also, anyone that lives locally can see my photos regularly in Nature Saskatchewan's Blue Jay Magazine and in the Sun newspaper in the 'Nature Notes " column.

More Catch-Up !

I haven't been birding much during July, as we are currently in the fun process of selling our house, but I thought you might like to see a bunch of recent images that I haven't had a time to put on the blog until now ..

American Goldfinch :





White Admiral :



Le Conte's Sparrow :



Helmeted Guineafowl :



Sora



Rock Wren




Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Big July Update !

Sorry for the long delay in updating!
Recently my wife and I took a few days off work to enjoy some time at Prince Albert National Park, where we found a few nice things , as well as ending up with more than a few Mosquito bites!
In the couple of days I was there, I only located a few Warbler species , but the highlight was a handsome male Bay-breasted Warbler, and we both got nice looks at a young Black Bear.
I've also been out and about when I haven't been working, so there are a ton of new photos to share ...

First lot are from Prince Albert National Park :

Black Bear



Gray Jay



Bay-breasted Warbler



Spruce Grouse (female)



Ovenbird




White-tailed Deer fawn



Bonaparte's Gull




Now, some local sparrow species from parks around town :

Savannah Sparrow




Clay-colored Sparrow



Nelson's Sparrow