Category: Birds
This nest, built out of moss was on a steep cliff next to a series of rapids near the Akamina road to Cameron Lake. There were three chicks nearing fledgling age that somehow managed to stay within the nest while extending their heads out to get fed by their parents. The two adults fed these chicks every 5-10minutes and tended to the nest. The fecal sacks produced by the chicks were removed by the parents and dropped into the rapids to wash them away.
An American dipper holds onto the slippery rocks after catching several insects along the river with the rapids splashing around the bird
An American dipper partially submerges in the rapids to search for insects to bring back to the nest.
This male mountain bluebird had just picked an insect off of one of the aspen trees. The scars on the aspen trees are from elk that eat the bark and sap.
Banff National Park
I have been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to get a decent photo of this bird. Finally I got this photo with the help of my parents who were driving (which makes it much easier to take pictures when you don’t have to do both at the same time!).
It took about 30 minutes of sitting in my car with my camera pointed out the window with my finger held on the shutter release button to get this photo. Finally the kestrel flew off to go hunting and quickly returned with a large insect. This was one of many kestrels I saw flying around and hunting in the valley below Mt. Vimy.
After spending a very cold night in my tent I woke up at 5am and drove down to the Maskinonge where I waited for the sun to start rising. One of the great things about Waterton is the sudden change from prairies to mountains which means you can get the equivalent of 3 sunrises as you make your way from the prairies into the mountains. On this particular morning I did just that. Started with this great blue heron spreading it’s wings in the fog, then to the elk making their way into the forest and about an hour later up near Cameron lake I photographed moose swimming and eating as the sun broke over the mountain and started evaporating the fog.
When I was walking around Akamina Lake in Waterton searching for moose I almost stepped on this spruce grouse chick and her mother. These birds will often sit along trails and only at the last instant will they fly off and usually not too far which makes them great photography subjects, but you have to wonder how smart they are!
This great horned owl fledgling flew off to join it’s sibling to feed on a ground squirrel that was delivered by their mom.
I took this photo near the park entrance to Waterton where this and one more GHO fledgling waited for their parent to come back with ground squirrels for them to feast on.
This fledgling bluebird was quiet particular about what insects it would accept from its parents. Several times the parents would return with an insect that either the fledgling would close it’s mouth at or if it looked tasty it would take the insect, the parents would fly off and then the young bird would spit it out. I guess some insects to birds are like some vegetables to kids!
Owen Slater Photography 