Deryl's Western Road Trip!

Deryl made a driving trip to Vancouver Island this summer. Since its been a slow week for me with photo opportunities, I thought it would be nice to show case some of his birding finds.

Burrowing Owls at Grasslands National Park live in open habitats including pasture, desert and prairies. They will nest in Prairie Dog and Ground Squirrel burrows. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see a third owl close to the owl on the left.

A slightly closer look at a Burrowing Owl. Insects, small mammals, amphibians, 

reptiles and other birds are on their food menu. Can you see a second owl in the photo?

A dark morph adult Ferruginous Hawk, just outside Grasslands National Park. Note the feathers on the legs which is diagnostic for this species.

A light morph adult Swainsons Hawk, just down the road from the Ferruginous. Note the bare, featherless legs.

Grasslands National Park! There are some hills in the prairies!

Sprague's Pipit, Grasslands National Park - If flushed from its grassy shelter, the Sprague's Pipit will fly upward and make a squeaky call. The American Pipit has a different call and flushes away, instead of up.

Western Meadowlark, Reed Lake, Saskatchewan.

These birds can push their strong bill into the ground, making a hole which 

gives them access to insects that most birds are unable to reach.

A pair of cuties! Western Kingbirds, outside Brandon, Manitoba.

Stay tuned for more Western pics in future posts.