Tim J Hopwood Photography

'Welcome Winter Visitor' - Calgary, AB - Dec, 2020 Another colourful finch that I was very happy to see recently...the Evening Grosbeak is not a common bird around here, so having a couple show up locally the past few weeks was a pleasant surprise.

'Scarlet in the snow' - Calgary, AB - Dec 2020 The soft, sweet 'chirrups' that flocks of Pine Grosbeaks make as they feed together in the treetops perfectly complements their gorgeous plumage - and so they are always a highlight of the Calgary winter for me :).

'2020 - a prickle of a year' :) I am so thankful that, despite all of the terrible events of 2020, I have still been able to get out & enjoy nature. Truth be told, I have actually got to go out more often than before as my weeknights & weekends this year have been largely devoid of the busy scheduled sporting activities of my kids which we all enjoyed (well at least the games is what I really miss, not so much all the practices :)). As they say, I guess that's making lemonade out of lemons. So to see out 2020, and welcome in 2021, here's a pic of an American Porcupine - happily munching away on bark, NW of Calgary) that I got to see courtesy of a friend's tip & that was a highlight of my 2020 :).

'Present under the Tree' - Kananaskis, AB - Nov, 2020 Santa came early for me this year :). With the big snow dump overnight and windy conditions today I felt this pic of White-tailed Ptarmigan hunkered down against the cold was rather appropriate. After scanning the area intently for some time, I'd just about given up hope of finding a ptarmigan that morning when finally I spied a bright white 'snowball' amongst the foliage...success! I feel this 'environment' image best conveys the conditions I was up against that day :)

'Blending in' - Calgary, AB - Nov, 2020 Guess it's not too surprising that White-tailed Jackrabbits always seem to see me before I see them :).

'Spruce top Dweller' - Calgary, AB, Canada - Dec, 2020 Spruce cones are typically found in the top third of these trees, so it's not surprising that White-winged Crossbills - with a diet consisting mainly of spruce seeds - spend much of their time amongst the spruce tops. Such was the case with this handsome male Crossbill whom I found this past weekend enjoying a tasty cone high up on a cold Calgary morning :).

'Winter Sunrise' - Calgary, AB, Canada - Dec, 2020 -17C out this morning! Hope this pic - a Pine Grosbeak enjoying breakfast against a backdrop of spruce bathed in the rays of the just-risen sun - warms up your day :).

'Swan Stampede' - Calgary, AB - Nov 2020 At sunrise on the Bow River, a small flock of adult and juvenile Trumpeter Swans take to the skies :).

'The Stare' - Calgary, AB - Nov, 2020 Sometimes the local White-tailed Jackrabbits look a little grumpy :).

'Nemesis no more' - Calgary, AB - Oct 2020 The Rusty Blackbird has been a 'nemesis bird' the past few years for me...always seeming to elude me during their late fall migration through Calgary, so I was delighted to find a few the other weekend. They spent most of the time foraging amongst the rocks on the river bank and it was only when I got home and reviewed my shots (like this one here) that I was able to see what they had been searching for & dining upon - submerged insect larvae! :).

'Cygnus Candidus' - Calgary, AB - Nov, 2020 Elegance, grace, nobility...swans just seem to exude these traits in spades, and this Trumpeter Swan - lit up by the first rays of a new morning on the Bow River - was no exception :).

'Farewell Fall' - Calgary, AB - Oct 2020 Here we have a young gull back-lit by the morning sun's rays filtered through autumn foliage on the banks of the Bow River. With snow and cold temps in the coming week's forecast, these hardy birds won't stick around too much longer. Just thankful the warm temps we enjoyed these past few weeks lasted as long they did :).

'Hair-do Duel' - Calgary, AB - Oct, 2020 Me: 'I think Hooded Mergansers have the best bouffant on the pond'. Wood Duck: 'Hold my beer'.... ....that's a bird joke :) :) :)