Day of the Osprey

Calgary has been hot and smoky, so I ventured out early this morning to avoid both. The Osprey family on Saint Patrick's Island was front and centre this morning and I was able to take some pictures of them. Three are highlighted on this post. The first was taken after I ventured close to the edge of the Bow River. As I crept up to the edge I noticed this Osprey standing in the water looking a little frustrated at its lack of a catch. I quickly increased my iso in case it flew.

 *Sony a7 CR, FE70-200 F2.8 + 2X Teleconverter, 400mm, iso 2500, 1/1250, f/5.6.

The Osprey flew low over the water as if looking for a catch before it rose up and flew into the trees.

*Sony a7 CR, FE70-200 F2.8 + 2X Teleconverter, 400mm, iso 2500, 1/1600, f/5.6.

I followed the flight on the Osprey, and it landed in a tree overlooking the river, but not a pose that is unique. Following the path up to the George C. King bridge (Skip-stone bridge), I was able to get low enough to take the picture of three Osprey on the nest with the sun in the background.

*Sony a7 CR, FE70-200 F2.8 + 2X Teleconverter, 400mm, iso 2500,1/4000, f/6.3.

All pictures photo-edited with ON1 Photo RAW 2026

Best of May 2026

For May I thought I would pick my best bird, scenic and miscellaneous pictures. My favourite bird picture of the month was taken at the very end of the month (May31) during a driving bird count just south of Priddis. It was a rainy dark day and that darkness created some challenges. The ISO was bumped up to 3200 in order to take pictures of birds in flight, and this Wilson's Snipe was posing by the side of the road  -- no time to change the ISO. 

 Sony a7cr, 200mm, iso3200, 1/3200, f2.8

On Wednesday the 27th, my son-in-law and I went on a photograph and birding float trip with Drift Outwest. We had a great time and floated past a building and windmill that is part of a film set. I like the monochrome, but am also including the colour for comparison.

Sony a7cr, 168mm, iso400, 1/4000, f2.8

On May 19th I went on a bike trip down the Bow River and took this picture with a Leica Q3 43. A neutral density filter was used so that the spray from the rapids was smoothed out. I love the pattern in the calmer water.

Leica Q3 43, 43mm, iso50, 3.0 sec, f8

Best of November 2025

Our good weather held most of the month. At the end of the month, the cold and snow arrived and I would like to celebrate by sharing two pictures from that first storm. This truck has been parked at the entrance to Tom Campbell's Hill off-leash dog park for months. It is a lovely old vehicle and the snow really added to the picture. The truck scene just seems meant for a monochrome image. The view with the park bench is from just north of the Bridgeland area and is a favourite spot to sit and relax. Maybe not sit too long in the cold. 

 

November was a wonderful month for sunrises and sunsets, and a few of these made it to my list of favourites. 

In November I took more shifts at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. The changes that were made to the lagoon over the last two years seem to have really benefited the Muskrats. They have been very active in the lagoon as winter approaches. 

The name has not yet been changed to the Inglewood Bird and Muskrat Sanctuary, so I will end with a picture of Calgary's bird, the Black-capped Chickadee.

Walking the Neighbourhood

You don't always have to go a long way from home. Here I live in almost the heart of downtown, and the opportunities for pictures Saturday were many. Probably the most fun were these pictures from Saint Patrick's Island; first of an Osprey. This was perched along the South side of the island, and then flew off after being mobbed by a bunch of American Magpies.

There was also a Canada Goose eating in the lagoon. Yes and common bird, but I love the contrast between the extreme detail on the goose and the ethereal background. The subject also seems perfect for a monochrome presentation. 

Also a pretty common bird in Alberta, this Common Merganser was snorkelling along the pond looking for aquatic insects and minnows. 

Also on the island was this Drone Fly, which looks remarkably like a bee.

And finally on my way home, it seemed the colour of the day was red; lovely flowers. It was fun talking to the owners of the house about their pride in the garden.

Best of August 2025

August 2025 was a good month for photographs. The weather was good and there were some good opportunities to be outside.  There were many favourite pictures, and I will share some in categories. The first category is scenic. 

The first weekend of August was spent at the Nipika Mountain Resort. The first day there we walked to the Kootenay River. On the second day we walked to the Cross River.

On the second week I was lucky enough to be taken by a friend to Forget Me Not Pond in Kananaskis. I have never been there before and although we were birding, I did take my full frame camera for scenic pictures.

The last scenic picture of the month is of St. Ignatius Russian Orthodox Church from across the river in East Village in Calgary.

My favourite wildlife picture category is of this Chipmunk at Forget Me Not Pond.

For wildlife, I also love the picture of a Mallard hen taken on a morning walk on the Bow River and a Chickadee picture. 

And finally for the month, in a miscellaneous category, this flower struggling through the sidewalk in Bridgeland. Life always finds a way. Also in this category are some Asters at Nipika and a bee at Forget Me Not Pond. 

 

Best of July 2025

July started off with a celebration of Canada Day. I went down to the Bow River, by the Skip-stone bridge and Saint Patrick's Island. It was a hot day, and lots of people were floating the Bow. The first picture is of a couple floating the Bow and the second is of the Calgary Fire Service water rescue crew - trying to keep everyone safe. The third and last picture from that day is of a young woman taking a selfie down by the water.

 

Later in the month the canola fields were in bloom and I went back out to the canola field of which I took a picture last month. So different now! I took quite a few pictures, but I think this one is the best. The power lines down the left give the field some depth.

Sticking with the no bird theme this month, I would like to finish off with a picture of a Police Car moth (which only makes sense if the police cars in your area are black and white) and a monochrome picture of some flowers in the back alley in Bridgeland.

Okay, three  birds from the middle of the month. The Gray Catbird is an unusual photo because you can see the red coverts under the tail. The Bald Eagle because it is what it is, and the pretty little Song Sparrow are also both worth some recycled electrons.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025

Best of June 2025

My favourite pictues of the month have family in them, and I won't be showing those. In June I had a wonderful trip to Minneapolis and leaned over the bridge on the Mississippi to take this early morning picture of a rower. The river was very calm that morning and you can see the path of the skip in the water and the paddle strokes.

Facing the other direction, I took this picture on the same morning. This pictures shows the skyline of the University of Minnesota. 

Although I didn't take my birding camera to Minneapolis I was lucky enough to take this picture of a Great Egret.

We had wonderful weather in Calgary for the month of June and the following three pictures highlight the weather on the last day of the month. These pictures were taken at the Carseland Dam and Johnson Island areas.

 

One of my favourite pictues of the month was of these granaries and the field. I need to go back when the crop is in bloom and follow the changes through the growing season.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025

Best of April 2025

The good weather was with us for much of April. Early in April I went on a drive with another birder from Nature Calgary. This barn was beside the road Northeast of High River, Alberta. The telephoto really compresses the image so that the Rocky Mountains look right next to the barn.

This farm was also along that drive.

April was also the start of bicycle season for me, and this picture was from one of my first rides.

The Wood Ducks have returned to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. I used a letterbox format for this picture as well to show off the duck.

Middle of the month I was lucky enough to co-lead a field trip for Nature Calgary and East Village on Saint Patrick's Island in downtown Calgary. This was the first Pileated Woodpecker that the President of Nature Calgary and I have seen on the island.

On the same field trip, we noticed for the first time this year that the Osprey have returned to the island. They have successfully raised chicks for the last few years and they are nesting again this year  -- right on the Bloom art display.

With about a week remaining in the month I rode up to Queen's Park Cemetery and on the way home stopped at the south end of Rotary Park. This Elm was looking its finest.

The restored Centre Street Lion is near the same location.

Near the Bridgeland Market I passed this old Pontiac and took a monochrome picture of the front.

At the end of the month I participated in a Field Trip at North Glenmore Park and took this picture of a Black-capped Chickadee. I think this is my favourite picture of the month.

One of the last pictures I took for the month was of the NW Reader Rock Gardens tree. No blossoms yet, so monochrome.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025