Birds from Rochon Sands Provincial Park (Alberta) (1 Viewer)

[AdamfromCanada]

All these photos were taken today.

1) I am guessing with the length of the bill, this has to be a female Northern Shoveler?

2) Small non-breeding grebe...eared or horned? A birder at the lake suggested they were pie-billed grebes, but the photo doesn't look at all like the pie-bills in the books.

3) I'm guessing this is a juvenile American Coot?

4) I am thinking maybe this is a vireo of some sort? Flitted back and forth near me as I stood on a long sand spit.

 

[AdamfromCanada]

I'm relatively confident this is the same bird, and that it is a juvenile tern...which tern, I can't tell though. Also from Rochon Sands Provincial Park today.

Although upon further reading, could be juvenile Bonaparte's Gull...

 

[lou salomon]

1. yes, northern shoveler
2. horned grebe (straight thick bill, angular head shape, white on cheeks sharply divided from black cap)
3. first winter american coot
4. american (buff-bellied) pipit
5. adult winter bonaparte's gull

best,

 

[AdamfromCanada]

1. yes, northern shoveler
2. horned grebe (straight thick bill, angular head shape, white on cheeks sharply divided from black cap)
3. first winter american coot
4. american (buff-bellied) pipit
5. adult winter bonaparte's gull

best,

Thank you, although with the pipit is it more likely the Sprague's Pipit? Central Alberta looks to be out of the normal range for the American Pipit.

 

[lou salomon]

no, this is definitely an american pipit. postbreeding dispersal and even migration has started with mid summer.

 

[ovenbird43]

1. yes, northern shoveler
2. horned grebe (straight thick bill, angular head shape, white on cheeks sharply divided from black cap)
3. first winter american coot
4. american (buff-bellied) pipit
5. adult winter bonaparte's gull

best,

agreed on all

 

[Tiraya]

I see no problems with seeing Am. Pipit in Central Alberta. It's a migratory species after all. They are attracted to water sources. Sprague's is a pure prairie species.