Sharp-tailed Dancers

Outstanding video from the Alberta Conservation Association! The sharp-tailed grouse is a native game bird that makes its home in the prairies, parklands and forest openings of Alberta. For much of the year the sharp-tailed grouse is a quiet, well-camouflaged bird; however, its spring shenanigans are undoubtedly one of the …

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Canada’s Shorebirds – Part 3, Calidrids and Turnstones

It was inevitable, but my shorebird stint (no pun intended) has come to an end, with this, the penultimate entry to the series. I’m going to break this down into four sections based somewhat on genetics, but also somewhat on the “easy” ones and the “hard” ones. The scare quotes …

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What To Do With An Old Lawn Chair

Yes, I had every intention of throwing out this old weather beaten, shredding lawn chair cushion. Early May wasn’t exactly warm enough to sit on the deck, so the chair was waiting for the spring yard work urge to strike. Apparently procrastination can pay off, as these American Robins now have …

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Life Bird: The Advantages of Hiring a Local Guide

With the arrival of the Common Nighthawk, one of the last arrivals, virtually all the migrating birds have returned to the Okanagan Valley. Undoubtedly this is one of the very most important breeding areas in all of Canada; with almost 200 species breeding here it is a critical environment for …

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Behind Closed Doors: Spying on Violet-Green Swallows

A few years ago my husband, Dennis, bought me a spiffy new nest box equipped with a nestcam for my spring birthday. Within two days several violet-green swallows (tachycineta thalassina) began checking it out. I’d expected an extended looky-loo period because that’s what happened the spring before when swallows nested under the eaves …

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