Post by kastern on Jul 8, 2008 15:02:25 GMT -8
Figured I had better get this last lot of pictures posted...after all we've almost been home for a month now, already and this weekend we are heading out with our little car and new tent to give real camping a try and plan to take my inflatable kayak and hopefully have some new photos to post.
This is Gooseberry Lake provincial Park. The area is obviously hot and dry as the 'lawn' at the campground entrance was more 'cactus' than grass. Signs described the lake as being alkaline...which obviously must be favored by waterfowl and shorebirds because this photo only gives a hint of the abundance that was there.
A closer view of some of the Avocets
and closer still. I just find them a really attractive bird.
There were a few Bonaparte Gulls there. They look and act much more 'gull-like- than the Franklins
Next stop was Rochan Sands Provincial Park, sort of northeast of Red Deer. This was looking out at the lake. As you can see it had a marvellous marshy edge that was full of all sorts of things, including Yellow Headed Blackbirds.
I walked over to the actual beach area, where there was a sort of jetty going out into the lake, and in the calm water that the jetty created, there were these two Pelican busy feeding. Note the Scaup in the reeds as well.
I took this picture at the same place, just a few feet from our campsite, only because it illustrates the difference between a Canvasback duck (in the foreground) and Red Head Ducks (two at the rear). You don't often see the two species, side by side.
This Willet was seen in a puddle of water beside the highway. You can correct me if I have the ID wrong but I think it is a Willet.
The Wilson's Phalrope was at the same place, although we saw them everwhere.
and this is a Sandhill Crane family that we found in a very marshy field at the edge of bug infested Crimson Lake Provincial Park (probably the park I was least impressed with)....this is just outside of Rocky Mountain House.
And so ends the photos from the Alberta trip
I took this the July long weekend, this little guy, and 3 brothers or sisters were right at the edge of the road in the Kane Valley. That is where we are heading this coming weekend in hopes of seeing more.
Kathy
This is Gooseberry Lake provincial Park. The area is obviously hot and dry as the 'lawn' at the campground entrance was more 'cactus' than grass. Signs described the lake as being alkaline...which obviously must be favored by waterfowl and shorebirds because this photo only gives a hint of the abundance that was there.
A closer view of some of the Avocets
and closer still. I just find them a really attractive bird.
There were a few Bonaparte Gulls there. They look and act much more 'gull-like- than the Franklins
Next stop was Rochan Sands Provincial Park, sort of northeast of Red Deer. This was looking out at the lake. As you can see it had a marvellous marshy edge that was full of all sorts of things, including Yellow Headed Blackbirds.
I walked over to the actual beach area, where there was a sort of jetty going out into the lake, and in the calm water that the jetty created, there were these two Pelican busy feeding. Note the Scaup in the reeds as well.
I took this picture at the same place, just a few feet from our campsite, only because it illustrates the difference between a Canvasback duck (in the foreground) and Red Head Ducks (two at the rear). You don't often see the two species, side by side.
This Willet was seen in a puddle of water beside the highway. You can correct me if I have the ID wrong but I think it is a Willet.
The Wilson's Phalrope was at the same place, although we saw them everwhere.
and this is a Sandhill Crane family that we found in a very marshy field at the edge of bug infested Crimson Lake Provincial Park (probably the park I was least impressed with)....this is just outside of Rocky Mountain House.
And so ends the photos from the Alberta trip
I took this the July long weekend, this little guy, and 3 brothers or sisters were right at the edge of the road in the Kane Valley. That is where we are heading this coming weekend in hopes of seeing more.
Kathy