This male Red-winged Blackbird and its mate gave me some much appreciated opportunities for photos back in July. This one was taken on 19 July 2013. Usually, these birds fly off as soon as I pull over somewhere, but this pair even flew to near where I was standing, on several days. I really enjoyed this year, driving some of the backroads SW of the city.

A friend asked me to ask anyone who is a birder, and if they keep lists, do you also include birds that you hear but don't see, and also bird tracks without seeing the bird? I did make a list quite a few years ago, but never continued with it. For me, personally, I wouldn't include birds on my list that are heard but not seen and I also wouldn't include birds for which only tracks are seen.

Was out for two and a quarter hours on a walk with birding friends in Weaselhead this afternoon. A beautiful, sunny winter's day that soared to 6C : ) We were reminded of the devastation cause by Alberta's Flood of the Century in June when we took the left trail after the wooden bridge. The fairly new, wooden boardwalk had been shattered and some of the fences had been pulled over by the power of the water. Only 11 species of bird were seen.