Tag: Saskatchewan

Cosmic Photo Challenge

First Hints of Spring

This is my contribution to the Cosmic Photo Challenge: First Hints of Spring prompt.

It was snowing hard when Dale posted the prompt so my contribution is from my archives.

Two hints of spring, a male Orange Tip Butterfly feeding on Bluebells in Cheshire, England.

A hint of spring, ice on Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada breaking up during the spring thaw.

April Squares: Singing from the Top of the Cattail

A hint of spring, a recently arrived male Yellow-headed Blackbird singing to proclaim his territory in Saskatchewan, Canada.

A hint of spring, a male Common Merganser swimming amongst ice on Lake Huron at Southampton, Ontario, Canada during the spring thaw. The Common Merganser is known as the Goosander in Europe.

Tags Bluebells, Cheshire, Common Merganser, CosPhoChal, dusk, ice, Lake Huron, Ontario, Orange Tip Butterfly, Saskatchewan, singing, spring, territory, Yellow-headed Blackbird

Weekly Topics

White-breasted Nuthatch

My Saturday Bird this week is continuing series of bird species photographed in winter.

This is a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) photographed in Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Saskatchewan, Canada at the same time as my recent Pine Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeak posts.

A resident of woodlands across North America. The species is non-migratory with adults normally staying on their territory year round.

Cee's Fun Foto Challenge: Pick a Topic from this Photo/Saturday Bird

Tags Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Saskatchewan, Saturday Bird, snow, White-breasted Nuthatch, winter

Weekly Topics

Horned Lark

Post author By David M
Post date 13/02/2021
4 Comments on Horned Lark

My Saturday Bird this week continues my look back at species photographed in Saskatchewan in winter.

This is the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris). It is known as the Shore Lark in Europe due to the species being found on coastlines in winter.

This individual was photographed feeding on wheat stubble near Punnichy, Saskatchewan in winter. Photographed through an open vehicle window on a -30°C morning.

Saturday Bird: Horned Lark or Shore Lark

Tags farmland, feeding, hide/blind, Horned Lark, Punnichy, Saskatchewan, Saturday Bird, Shore Lark, winter

Photo Challenges

Snow Geese Assemble

This is my contribution to the Tuesday Photo Challenge: Assemble prompt.

Snow Geese on autumn migration assemble, feed and rest up in Saskatchewan, Canada before continuing on their way south for the winter.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Chaos — Snow Geese flying to roost at sunset in the autumn, Middle Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.

One Word Sunday: Spectacle — Snow Geese take off from a section of the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada

Tags autumn, bird, flock, fpj-photo-challenge, Last Mountain Lake, Middle Quill Lake, migration, Saskatchewan, Snow Geese, wildfowl

CFFC

Red in the Sky, Reeds in the Snow

Post author By David M
Post date 10/02/2021
8 Comments on Red in the Sky, Reeds in the Snow

This is my contribution to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Reed, Read or Red prompt.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Special Spot Shots — A frozen section of the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan at dusk in winter.

Tags CFFC, cloud, dusk, Fujichrome Velvia, Last Mountain Lake, National Wildlife Area, red, reeds, Saskatchewan, winter

Weekly Topics

Male Evening Grosbeak

This week for my Saturday Bird I am continuing my recent theme of birds photographed in Saskatchewan in winter.

This is a male Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertinus) a member of the finch family. This individual was photographed in Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Eastern Saskatchewan, Canada in winter. There’s some light snow falling around the bird. It was around -25°C which is probably why the bird is warming one leg in its feathers.

The species is found in coniferous and mixed forest across a large part of southern Canada and western mountainous areas of the U.S. and Mexico. The species migration is very variable traveling as far as the southern U.S. some winters.

Tags bird, Evening Grosbeak, Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, male, Saskatchewan, Saturday Bird, winter

Weekly Topics

Female Pine Grosbeak

My Saturday Bird this week is the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator), a large finch with a long tail.

The species breeds in the far north of North America and Eurasia. It is an irruptive species meaning numbers can vary greatly if the birds move south for the winter. Often absurdly tame allowing close approach they will land within a few feet of an observer.

This is a female photographed in light snow at Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Saskatchewan, Canada in the winter. Males are pinkish red and gray.

Tags bird, female, Greenwater Lake Provincial Park, Pine Grosbeak, portrait, Saskatchewan, Saturday Bird, winter