Goodbye Alberta

(July 28th) I woke up to the rain still coming down, but much lighter now. As I went out to start shooting, gradually the rain stopped and eventually even the sun came out. While it was wet, I wasn't the only one feeling a bit miserable over the weather. Actually, wild animals like this bison ignore most weather. I found the expression and rain-soaked coat of this large bull quite humorous. After a couple of days in Elk Island National Park, I really think it should be renamed to Buffalo National Park since the bison are everywhere, but you rarely see the elk.

When it did start to get dryer, I saw an amazing number of birds. I saw some new species for me like some Clay-coloured Sparrows. While not new, this female Rose-breasted Grosbeak provided some very nice poses. Her more attractive mate was around too, but he didn't cooperate and stuck behind cover.

The stars of the day were definitely the Richardson's Ground Squirrels. These are extremely similar to prarie dogs in both appearance and behavior. A slightly longer tail is one of the main differences. They seem to have a relationship going with the bison, hanging out in the same areas. After the shy Columbian Ground Squirrels, I felt confident at being able to approach these guys. Sure enough, avoiding a few "presents" from the bison, I was able to lie down in the midst of the colony and witness some great behavior. Here is one individual giving an alarm call. It's definitely one of those pictures that looks best at full size.

I had great fun watching these critters. They are quite different from the Columbian Ground Squirrels that I saw in Jasper. The colony mentality is even tighter here. They seem to love eating the grass around them and I imagine the reason the field is kept free of shrubs and other plants is split between them and the bison. They can use their hands quite well, like this one grabbing a blade of grass before eating it.

As I left the ground squirrel colony, I came across a puddle from the rain that some Mountain Bluebirds were making great use of. I had to shoot them from inside the car, leaning the lens out the window. It seemed like the whole family was there for the fun - both an adult and several juveniles. I was hoping to get a nice majestic shot of the parent, but he was looking pretty wet and ragged the whole time. This juvenile looked much better. I was sad to leave Alberta - this trip had been amazing and I had seen so many amazing things from its wildlife and scenery. It was such a fantastic place, I definitely know that I'll be back!