Blog – Page 52 – CrazyM Bird & Nature Photography

Teal, Goldfinch & Yellowlegs

While personal matters have kept me away from the blog for a while, figured it was time to try and get back into the swing of things. So why not start with Reifel where I usually try to spend my Sunday afternoons helping out on the trails. This time of year can be quiet on the birding and visitor front, but I did manage to find a few cooperative subjects. First up,

… were some Blue-winged Teal that are still hanging around the outer ponds. The west marsh had lots of American Goldfinch activity. They were busy feeding in the tall grass,

… and on the cat tails.

They were also showing up adjacent to the trails as the thistle is blossoming. The only shorebirds around,

… were some Greater Yellowlegs still showing some of their breeding plumage.

To round out the afternoon was this Savannah Sparrow.

More Great Gray Owl

It was back to Reifel for the Great Gray Owl this afternoon in spite of the fact the weather was probably worse than yesterday. It was still overcast with fairly steady light showers. The only saving grace was the Great Gray Owl was active and actually came in a little closer.

It landed briefly in this tree while hunting.

Here it is with one of three voles I watched it catch and eat this afternoon.

Then taking time out for a nice pose on the post. The only thing we need now is for the bird to stick around until the sun makes an appearance again.

Great Gray Owl

While there was the odd sprinkle this morning, the rain held off for the most part today. I headed out to Reifel earlier than normal to help out as a Great Gray Owl had been sited there yesterday afternoon. This is the sanctuaries first record for this type of owl. When I arrived it had been spotted first thing, but had flown off over the sanctuary and not relocated. The area it has been frequenting to hunt is not open to the public, but staff have been taking groups in to view the bird.

It was a fairly busy Sunday with a decent number of visitors, so I spent time on the trails showing some the Great Horned and Northern Saw-whet Owls along the east dyke trail. Later in the afternoon I was notified that the Great Gray Owl had returned. It has been several years since I last saw and photographed one.

While it was quite some distance off across the field, it did provide good views to the many that had shown up to see it.