Canada – Page 5 – Ripple Effects

Saturday Snapshot May 18: The Bow

The Bow is the newest addition to our downtown cityscape. Design architects are the acclaimed, London-based Foster and Partners. This new kid on the block has put Cowtown Calgary on the map as it is recently named one of The World’s Most Spectacular Corporate Buildings by the German building database Emporis.

You can see how spectacular it is on Foster and Partners’ website with their professional presentation. But for Arti, the Cowtown inhabitant roaming in the midst of the buzz and the dust, weaving through busy downtown traffic, these snapshots are personal and authentic, no posing, and believe it or not, shot with just her iPhone:

The Bow is named after the river that winds through our City. So it’s apt to design the building in a crescent shape, fluid as the river, and shaped like a bow:

A bit closer now, you can see the art installation in front of the building. It’s a 12 m. tall wire sculpture entitled ‘Wonderland’, created by the renowned Barcelona-based designer Jaume Plensa whose works can be found all over the world:

It’s the head of a girl, intriguing when you think of the title ‘Wonderland’. Why, of course, it must be a wonder to enter someone’s head. Here, you can do that through a door. See the green balloon inside her nose?

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. Click Here to see what other bloggers have posted.

A Long Farewell to Winter

It got up to 27C (80F) today, almost a record high. Looks like we’ve skipped spring and bounced right to summer.

In a previous post, I mentioned I missed snow for some reasons. Seeing the remnants of winter fade away gave me a sense of loss. Many of you responded with disbelief. Why would I miss snow? I couldn’t say why either. But just two days ago, I went birding at our local lake (reservoir) and saw these sights. Again, my sentiment was confirmed.

Ice melting in the water. Birds congregated. Open nature welcoming a change in the season, or, was it lingering a bit more in the passing moment? Part of this photo has now become my new Header picture on Ripple Effects:

Seems like these Mallards wanted to hang out a bit longer among the shimmering ice. When the ice all disappear, the water will lose a bit of glitz and glamour:

The distant Rocky Mountains are evidence of the glory of snow… a beauty that is appreciated more from afar.

However, what made my day was another first. Since I started birding last September, there had been many ‘firsts’. Yes, the Pheasant was a pleasant surprise for a life-long city dweller, but it was seeing my first Loon up close that made it personal for me:

And hearing its call… simply mesmerizing. Couldn’t capture it here in the photo, except the serene, solitary existence:

With the sighting of the first Loon in spring water, I’ll say farewell to snow and ice, willingly. If I want to see snow, I know where to go… my photo files.

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Why Did the Pheasant Cross the Road?

Why did the Pheasant cross the road?

To test Arti’s reaction time.

How did the Pheasant cross the road?

Ignoring traffic, thought he had the right of way. (Although I must mention there was just one car on that quiet road.)

So, I passed the test, parked the car quickly, then started stalking him. Just like in the movies…

From a distance, he knew someone was following him, so he quickened his step. And the stalker, with no lightpost to hide behind, picked up the pace but ever so quietly, camera in hand.

From a distance, these photos were taken, just in time for Saturday Snapshot:

I decided to spare him after a few minutes. He was almost in a panic of being followed, albeit from a distance. I’d never seen a bird so colourful and with so long a tail.

After I got home and did some researching and asking, I learned that I had sighted a male Ring-necked Pheasant, the blue-backed variety, which was supposed to be quite rare, at least, rare in my neck of the woods.

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

Sign of Spring: Nesting

Here are my photos for Saturday Snapshot April 20.

Spring is always a slow emergence for us. There’s still snow on some trails, and no green leaves or flowers for another month. But a sure sign of spring is birds nesting.

Canada Geese scouting for nesting spots and guarding them closely:

And here’s one well nestled inside a tree:

This one just wants to show off as spring spirit unfurls.

Remember the Papa Great Horned Owl I spotted a month ago? Just last week I saw Mama Owl nesting in the cavity of a dead tree, poking out just enough for me to take her picture. Other birdwatchers told me there were several young ones. Hopefully soon I’ll get to see them come out.

But nothing compares to the utter joy of seeing the Great Blue Herons yesterday. I had never thought I would see them right here in Alberta. But I found them following some directions to their nests, had to watch them from afar though as we were separated by The Bow River:

About a dozen nests high up on the trees:

My patience paid off as I waited and finally saw the Herons come out of their nests. Just to stretch their legs:

Again, from afar, they were black against the pale blue sky, too far for me to see clearly. Not until after I uploaded onto my computer and cropped them could I see a bit of their details. They look magical, albeit still blurry.

And yes, they are blue:

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. Click Here to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot March 23: Bohemian Waxwings

I came looking for them… Bohemian Waxwings, nomadic passerines, and I wasn’t disappointed. From a distance, I could hear their calls even before seeing them, buzzing, chirping, echoing, convivial. Flocks of them, maybe even a couple hundreds.

From a distance, I could see them congregate on tree tops, the sight could not match the sound. If not with intention, one could well dismiss them from afar, those ‘blackbirds’ on the trees, common sight, right?

But no. A closer look could tell they’re not ordinary at all. Their pose is elegant. And they’re not blackbirds. Here’s just a small corner of a tree, reminiscence of images on quilts and tapestry:

And a little more up close, one could sense their gregarious and convivial nature:

Not until I went home, uploaded and cropped the photos could I see their silky plumage, fine and translucent, their pointed crest, the colourful markings on the wings, the yellow-tipped tails:

Because of their nomadic nature, they can be here today, gone tomorrow. No wonder… they’re one of the birds included in the bucket list book: 100 Birds to See Before You Die.

1 down, 99 to go…

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

Saturday Snapshot Feb. 9: Flying

I only started birdwatching in September last year. In these short few months I’ve come to discover the three levels of joy in birding.

First is the pleasure of sighting a species I’ve never seen before. Then it’s taking photos of birds perching or staying still. The most gratifying is to capture them in flight and when I come home and upload the photos onto my laptop, find them relatively in focus.

This past week, I’d the pure joy of finding the Red-Shafted Northern Flicker again, and photographing its take-off and landing.

Here is a series of shots:

No words needed.

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted. Again, thanks Alyce for motivating me to get out of the house, walk and shoot, even in minus temperatures.

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PREVIEW OF UPCOMING POSTS:

FEB. 12: A Valentine’s Meditation

FEB. 15: Bonhoeffer Read-Along First Post, Chapters 1-18
(Look forward to reading your thoughts so far)

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Saturday Snapshot Jan. 26: Winter Birding

The sun and the birds are the main reasons for going into the woods in January. These are common birds for us, but catching a good photo of them is always a challenge. That’s when the common becomes a joy.

The Northern Flicker, I know where they hang out. And they’re not too hard to photo when perching or pecking.

But what I’ve been aiming for is when they fly, I can shoot from below, for the orange underwing is beautiful. I’ve spent frustrating hours wading and standing in deep snow just to wait for such a moment. Here’s a semi-successful one.

This is my first photo of a Common Redpoll. Look at her demure pose.

This Red-Breasted Nuthatch is easy. She comes near me as if to greet a friend:

And for all ye squirrel lovers, here’s another one, too oblivious to be bothered by me taking pictures of her (him?) having breakfast. Look at the open mouth:

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot Dec. 15

Some more photos I took a few weeks ago. This time, shorebirds. Before the birding course, all birds on water were the same to me. Now I can tell the difference between some of them. And oh… they can fly too other than swim. I’m learning everyday, weather permitting.

Common Goldeneye, male:

Common Goldeneye, female:

Male and female Mallard, first time I noticed the beautiful metallic blue on the male wing:

Canada Geese by the snowy shore:

Taking flight:

This one so close, it’s like I’m flying with them, no cropping has been done:

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Thanks to Alyce of At Home With Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot.

Saturday Snapshot: Life in the Snow

Some of you may still have roses in your garden and lush green lawn, but here in my neck of the woods, this is what we’re having… Exactly, with the snow falling.

But what did I find while birding recently? The woods teeming with life as in the summer sun. Take this buck, our curiosity is mutual:

Or this Blue Jay flying overhead:

This Pileated Woodpecker busy at work:

Or this Black-capped Chickadee having fun:

Or this Red-breasted Nuthatch lounging on two branches:

Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Robins, Blue Jays, Finches… They don’t migrate, but stay put and enjoy life where they are, even in deep winter when temperatures can easily dip below -20C. This is their hood.

It’s me who want to fly away to somewhere warm.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. Do click on the link to explore snapshots from other bloggers.

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Saturday Snapshot Oct. 27: Birds in the Snow

Yes, it’s snow for us all this week. A strong taste of early winter. But the birds don’t seem to mind. Here they are, Robins hanging out:

This is the attraction… juicy fruits:

But some are just born to work:

With so much food around, I’d rather be a slacker:

Now, roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of winter…

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Thanks to Alyce of At Home With Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot.

Saturday Snapshot: Gliding Into The Sunset

On Thanksgiving Monday (Canada, Oct. 8), I stopped by Iona Beach in Richmond, B.C. On the smooth water illuminated in a golden hue were Mallards gliding into the sunset.