What is Project 366? Read more here! Encountered the first butterfly of the year down at the Whitemud Ravine yesterday. Actually, I saw quite few of these little guys. These are Compton tortoiseshell butterflies (Nymphalis vaualbum) and is usually one of the earliest butterflies to be seen in the spring. This species is circumpolar around…
What is Project 366? Read more here! The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest North American Woodpecker and quite likely also the cutest. The Downy Woodpecker holds a special significance to me as it is the first species that I identified for my 2019 Alberta Big Year. Today I found this little guy (the red patch…
What is Project 366? Read more here! Monday after school we grabbed a quick snack, out gear and headed right down to the Whitemud Ravine. After a weekend of birding out of town we were antsy to check in on our Great-horned Owl couple. The female is in a large tree cavity sitting on eggs…
What is Project 366? Read more here! This time of year the area East of Beaverhill Natural Area is buzzing with returning migrants and where there is food, there are predators. I imagine the birds of prey must be busy hunting to recover from (or prepare for) their migration and get ready for breading season….
What is Project 366? Read more here! The sun was rising over the highway as I was heading east on my way to an early morning excursion at Elk Island National Park. As far as national parks go, Elk Island National Park is the smallest national park in Canada. It is unique, however, in that…
What is Project 366? Read more here! Snowy Owls spend the winters in Alberta only to return to the arctic in March and April. Last weekend (April 6) we were out by Beaverhills Lake Natural Area, crisscrossing the country roads looking for returning migrants. We were hoping for a diverse assortment of water fowl and…
What is Project 366? Read more here! It is difficult to have the Monday blues when you got to spend the gorgeous spring weekend in the great outdoors. I did an early morning foray to Elk Island National Park to catch the bison at sunrise (I did not manage to convince anyone else to join…
What is Project 366? Read more here! The female Great Horned Owl in Whitemud Ravine is on her 29’th day sitting the eggs. We have been down checking in on her several times a week in the last little while and she is always in her nest. The male is always on guard in a…
What is Project 366? Read more here! As we are trying to figure how to use our new camera for wildlife photography one of the main challenges always seems to be to try to get close enough to your subject. Well, that is not a problem with the local American Red Squirrel population. This picture…
What is Project 366? Read more here! A few weeks ago, as the ice on the creek still was breaking up, we came across this fuzzy Muskrat sitting on a muddy back grooming himself. I imagine it must have just woken up from the long winter hibernation and was doing his “spring cleaning” of the…