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A vesper sparrow on a fence post near our campsite in Leduc, Alberta. Although the breeding range of the vesper sparrow is a wide swath across the North American continent, I have only ever seen the species a few times, and only in Alberta.  Its range extends through grasslands and fields where it feeds on grass seeds (among other seeds) and insects.   Vesper sparrows' main field mark for identification is the brown shoulder patch you can see in the photograph I took the other day.  The word "vespers" denotes singing in the evening, often being related to church services with an emphasis on prayer and worship.  Vesper sparrows tend to sing at twilight, which is where the name originated.   Identifying a vesper sparrow in the field may be difficult.  Every vesper sparrow I have ever seen had to be identified after I took the photo, and only when I had time to look at it closely on a monitor.  The photo below shows a vesper sparrow with the tel...

Left:  A tachinid fly is unaware of the nearby spider.  Right:  A flower crab spider. I think the above scene illustrates the situations we get ourselves into from time to time, when we are completely unaware of the danger around us.  Or perhaps we are aware, but are so used to the fact that we no longer heed it.  I think both are true. In the first instance, it is impossible to know what lurks in the mind of our fellow man.  Or, while walking along a trail, what creatures may be nearby without our knowledge.  In the second instance, driving down the highway poses tremendous risk.  Yet we do it without much attention to the fact that tons of metal are flying past us mere feet away.  The truth is that the Spectre of Death is just around the corner.  Yet, life goes on.  It has to; we have little choice. In the animal kingdom, survival is achieved through a myriad of means.  It comes down to being more about the species rather tha...

My dad and Roberta.  She was his soulmate.  He was her rock. My dad taught me what it means to be faithful and stoic in difficult times.  His first marriage, to my mom, was challenging due to her alcoholism and emotional burdens.  Despite the serious hardships he suffered, he stood the course.  She stopped drinking in 1980 and passed away 17 years later.  She died, as my dad would say, a friend to him. He met and married his second wife a few years later.  Unfortunately, she developed Alzheimer's three years later and passed away after 6 years of marriage to my dad.  She was the love he never knew; it was obvious she healed much of the torment he felt.  Then came Roberta. If there was ever a couple who were meant to be together, it was Roberta and my dad.  Like-minded, with a love of exploration, they travelled the country together.  I took the above photo of them while we were camping together in Oregon.  I shot the inset when...

A mated pair of red-necked grebes building up their nest; notice the egg on the left. I had the good fortune to come across a mated pair of red-necked grebes that were attending to their nest with a single egg.  They were stacking reeds on and around it to build it in height and size.  You can see the farthest right bird with a reed.  The center bird had just placed one.  They would dive and root around for something and bring it up.  The reeds were all dead, probably from last year.  I shot a video of their activities; I am putting it in a compilation I am making on Red-necked grebes. The female will likely lay another egg within the next day or two, and then more after that, spaced out in a similar manner.  I have never seen more than 3 chicks with their parents, but clutch sizes may range up to nine eggs.  Both parents incubate the eggs and tend to the young. The eggs hatch asynchronously,  the young being spread apart in age.  The yo...

I photographed this using my Nikon Z6iii, using raw and denoising in post. Electronic noise in digital photography is affected by a great many parameters.  You probably know the main ones: ISO, sensor size, exposure time, noise-reduction filters, image resolution, and camera model.  The nature of the image also plays a part, as shadows are more likely to have noise associated with them than highlights.  I would normally not use such a high ISO to capture an image of a bird, especially one at a distance, but the lighting was terrible (heavy overcast and backlit), and I stopped down quite a bit. Admittedly, I could have gotten the same result at a lower ISO if I had shot at f/11, probably with a little less noise, but you can't argue with the end results.  The details are fairly convincing.  Part of the reason for the good results, apart from using a full-frame sensor, was that I employed a noise-reducing filter in Photoshop. The lighting improved a bit and allowe...

You can see the caterpillar's true legs at the front (left) and its prolegs (mid and rear). While walking one of the trails between bridges along the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, I happened to see an interesting caterpillar.  It was unusual in that there was a noticeable hump at its back end (to the right in the image).  This is a defining characteristic of the Copper underwing caterpillar, which will become a moth after it undergoes pupation. I got an excellent side image of the beast, one that clearly shows all of its legs along the left side.  Caterpillars all have six proper or true legs and a number of false ones, often called prolegs.  The true legs are typical arthropod legs formed with joints (arthropod means joint-footed).  The false legs function through fluid movement (hydrodynamically) and have no joints as such.  Also, the true legs develop into the legs found on the adult of the species while the prolegs disappear completely. The last...

Male ruddy duck, shot with Nikon Z6iii, 500 mm PF lens, FTZ adapter. When you see a duck, you expect certain behaviours.  Swimming, dabbling, perhaps diving.  But I still remember the first time I saw a male Ruddy duck do this odd thing with its head and bill.  It was like the poor bird was having a seizure.  Only it did it repeatedly.  I've seen seizures before, and none of them looked anything like that. Short video of a Ruddy Duck in mating display. It turns out I was witnessing my very first mating display of the male Ruddy duck.  I took a short video the other day (above) where you can see the display.  However, I found a much better one on YouTube that you can see here . Sometimes called the bubble display, there is a particular method which the duck uses to create the foam forming in front of its breast.  The bird inflates its neck and proceeds to beat its bill against the inflated organ.  As it does, short-lived bubbles start to form....

I photographed these sparrows this year (except for the Lincoln's sparrow). Small brownish birds are often characterized as sparrows, and while that may be true, the sheer number of sparrow species is overwhelming.  There are about 25 species of sparrow that call Canada home on a regular basis.  Some, such as the house sparrow, are not native to the continent, nor do they belong to the same family of birds.  Then there are the sparrows that do not have the word "sparrow" in their names.  These include species such as juncos and towhees.  I have photographed both dark-eyed juncos and spotted towhees. I have also photographed white-crowned sparrows, black-throated sparrows, and golden-crowned sparrows.  I have never seen white-throated sparrows, although they are relatively common.  Sparrow species I have never seen include the grasshopper sparrow, Harris' sparrow, Baird's sparrow, and almost a dozen more.   My point in these thoughts is that i...

I caught an eyed sphinx moth and saved it for our granddaughter, Nora, who is afraid of bugs. Most fears are based not on concrete risk or horrifying experience, but rather on an unsubstantiated and unfounded belief.  That belief may be the risk of being hurt, bitten, or harmed in some way, but it can be said that it is all based in fear of the unknown.  I have seen serious fears, phobias, develop because of childhood traumatic experiences, and those can be hard to overcome.  But where there is fear of the unknown, it is reasonable to introduce the subject to them in a welcome and comforting way. I understand this to some extent based on a personal experience when I was in primary school.  I backed into a wall and ended up being covered by hundreds of baby spiders.  It freaked me right out; I remember it vividly to this day.  Walking into a spider's web causes me to do what my wife calls "The Spider Dance", where I throw my arms and body wildly around in co...

Bumblebee I photographed today from 15 feet away using my Z6iii system. I was experimenting today with my new system, a Nikon Z6iii, the 180-600 mm zoom, and Nikon's Ztc1.4 (the 1.4x teleconverter made for the Z system).  The problem with teleconverters is that they cause a loss of light (1 stop at 1.4x) and reduce the image quality (more glass means more distortion).  I have had good success with my 500 mm PF prime and F series 1.4tc (iii), but would the same be true with a zoom lens which typically produces poorer images than a prime does? I usually use my D500 with the 500 mm PF lens and TC which gives me a relative focal length of 1050 mm.  The Z6iii is full-frame, so there is no crop factor.  The 1.4 TC gives the system a focal length of 840 mm.  The D500 has modest noise issues at high ISOs, while the Z6iii is superb.  The fact that the system's internal VR has 8 stops of motion compensation as compared to the 500 mm PF at 4 stops means that I can sho...

Summer plumage grebes photographed at Lake Wabamun, Alberta.   Leucism is rare in birds.  Robins seem to have the highest rate of this pigmentation predicament, somewhere above 1% of the population (one study showed leucism in 8.2% of American robins, but that must have been in a very localized area, as I have seen it only occasionally, and the numbers are much less than 1 in 12 birds).  Bird populations, on average, rank at around 1 in 30,000 birds, which is just over 0.003%.  That number seems a little low, but Google knows better than I. What surprised me was seeing a red-necked grebe with obvious pigmentation issues.  Now, it's possible that the bird was still shedding its winter feathers in favour of its breeding plumage, but I photographed a red-necked grebe in Texas in its winter attire, and those feathers were gray.  Also, the neck feathers were completely normal, suggesting that it had already moulted. If we were to go with Google's 1 in 30,00...

Main - Foster's tern flying.  Top Left:  Plunge diving.  Bottom Left:  Coming away with a fish. While exploring the shoreline of Lake Wabamun, Alberta, I came across an awesome sight.  Terns were using the windy conditions to hover while searching for fish.  Then, in a decisive moment, a bird would plunge headlong into the water, submerge completely, and come up with a fish.  Not every time, mind you, but I did manage to photograph one successful individual. I was using my new Nikon Z6iii and 180-600 mm zoom lens.  I had the subject selection set to bird mode (yes, that's a thing!), with continuous focusing and 3D image tracking engaged.  Photographing them while flying parallel to the shoreline wasn't difficult, but trying to keep up with them when they were diving was very challenging.  I took about thirty photos all together.  I thought I might return to take some more the next day, but this was the only day they were present....

Bonaparte's gulls have black beaks and more of the head is dark on the adults. I have always been uncertain when seeing a black-headed gull as to whether it is a Franklin's or Bonaparte's gull.  One of the key differentiators is beak colour.  Both 1st and 2nd year Bonaparte's gulls have black bills, while Franklin's gulls have reddish bills.  There are other differences as well, such as the white crescent around the eyes in the Franklin's, which is absent or relatively minor in Bonaparte's.  Franklin's gulls also have red legs that are darker than Bonaparte's. That's the thing about bird identification.  It comes down to specifics.  There is general information, such as type of bird (heron vs chickadee, for example), and then there is specific information that allows you to narrow down identification further.  I have written about my dislike of identifying gulls in the past ( click here to see what I mean ), so I won't go into my rant on the ...

Male Hairy woodpecker (left) and female with chick (right).  Lake Wabamun Provincial Park. Every once in a while, I come across a woodpecker nest with young birds in it.  This year it happens to be the nest of a Hairy woodpecker.  Both male and female parents have been sharing the task of feeding. I discovered the nest because of the frequent calls of the chicks.  Their repetitive calls expressing, "Feed me, I'm hungry!" to the harried parents (perhaps that's where the name comes from?)  Its name actually comes from the long, hair-like feathers that run down the center of the bird's back.  It took me a while to find the nest; it wasn't until I saw a parent fly up to the hole that I located it.  Something that surprised me was that the hole was in the trunk of a live tree.  I often find woodpecker holes in dead trees, but few in living ones.  I don't know how many chicks are present. Hairy woodpeckers can be found throughout most of Canada and...

Red-necked false blister beetle - Asclera excavata - photographed today in Clearwater, BC. A red-necked beetle?  I wonder why it wasn't in Alberta. This is a false blister beetle.  It doesn't belong to the true blister beetle family, such as the black oil blister beetle does, which I photographed a number of weeks ago.  However, it still has the potential to create blisters with the chemical cantharidin that it can release if disturbed.  The chemical gets released from its joints; it is actually contained in its blood.  The chemical doesn't affect the beetle, but is poisonous or fatal if ingested by many other creatures.   It turns out that cantharidin also affects many other insect species, so much in fact that it can be used as a pesticide.  The problem, of course, is that the chemical also affects humans adversely, and so its use is not widespread. I used to confuse false blister beetles with soldier beetles, you can see one on a blog I wrote ...

The silvery blue butterfly hibernates in its pupal stage. When temperatures rise in the  spring, the pupa matures and the butterfly emerges ready to carry on its business. What is  particularly weird is that the pupae are cared for by ants. The ants look after the pupae because it  releases an odour that the ants themselves produce. The larvae feed on lupines, those biannual pretty blue flowers that pop up in the spring. As the  plant ages, it becomes more toxic. This is why the species pupates in the spring; it allows the adults  to mate early and lay eggs on lupines that are just starting to develop. Silvery blues have a wide range; they span across the entirety of Canada, including all the territories.  They can also be found down into Mexico. Thanks for reading. Eric Svendsen      www.ericspix.com

 

A species of clown beetle -  Gnathoncus rotundatus The beetle I wrote about in my last post was a carrion scavenger.  The clown beetle, also associated with carrion (I found it in the same dead bird as the one mentioned), feeds on the invertebrates that feed on the carrion.  Both the larvae and the adults are predators.   When an animal dies, its carcass becomes a site that attracts many species of insects.  These include flies and beetles, which are broadly grouped together as necrophages (another term for scavengers).  These organisms are important in facilitating the breakdown of dead animal tissues.  They often lay their eggs in the same place.  The larvae hatch, feed on the decomposing organic matter, and pupate into adulthood. Clown beetles feed on the larvae and adults of these necrophage insects.  Clown beetle larvae, known as grubs, attack and consume these scavangers.  They are confined to the rotting corpse as it is both...

Northern carrion beetle Yesterday I found a dead bird.  Normally, that would give me pause for the loss of one of my feathered friends, but in this case it meant that I might be able to find some carrion beetles.  And I found at least three, possibly four different species I have never seen before. The largest was the northern carrion beetle.  There were a couple of them I found crawling around the remains of whatever flesh was left, even a pair engaged in reproducing.  They could be seen crawling through various cavities; I moved the bird and managed to photograph one by itself.  The black, dimpled elytra (wing covers) are characteristic, as is the fact that they do not cover the entire abdomen. Another common feature is the clubbed antennae, which you can see in the specimen.  Northern carrier beetles live in temperate climates and often manage to go through two generations per year.  The adults from the fall generation overwinter and begin the next ...

California broad-necked darkling beetle (according to Google) I found this beetle 100 feet from our campsite in Clearwater, BC.  It is a darkling beetle.  They are similar to ground beetles but are usually have a matte sheen versus a shiny one.  I wrote about the differences between darkling beetles and ground beetles in a blog you can find here . When I disturbed it, the beetle lowered its head and raised its abdomen up in the air.  There was a dark, shiny liquid that was emitted from glands located in its back end.  I have seen this behaviour before in other darkling beetles.  My brother and I found a much bigger one in Texas that did the same thing. The dark brown liquid is made of benzoquinone, which is a noxious chemical that smells bad and tastes worse.  It is used defensively to prevent an attack from some potential predator.  The beetle isn't fast, does not have strong jaws, and is easily seen if in the open.  It uses the chemical as ...

Ornate checkered beetle, Dutch Lake, Clearwater. It's funny how pretty can be dangerous.  In nature, bright colours are used as a warning sign.  "Mess with me and you may die."  Then there are the fakers, those mimics that sport colours as a warning sign but are empty of peril.   The ornate checkered beetle is not poisonous, and I doubt it is using any kind of mimicry.  As an adult, the beetle spends a lot of time on flowers.  It eats the pollen and nectar.  It may eat smaller insects it comes across.  It also lays its eggs there.  I am inclined to believe that it blends in with the bright colours of the flowers it lives on.  They are fabulous pollinators.  Their hairy bodies pick up and distribute pollen.  They do dive deeply into flowers in search of nectar.   The insidious thing about ornate checkered beetles is that they kill solitary bees like leaf-cutter bees or potter wasps.  They do this by laying eg...

Western tanager eating an insect, Kentucky / Alleyne Provincial Park near Merritt, BC. I remember seeing my first western tanager many years ago; it was at a distance, but the moment remains burned in my mind.  It was a long time before my second sighting, and then, while camping near Merritt, I saw one on three separate occasions.   The above photo was the first of the three encounters.  I must have gotten forty photos.  The cool thing was that it saw an insect about ten feet away from me; it flew down from the tree, picked it up, and returned.  That was an amazing moment!   The second encounter happened while I was paddling my kayak.  I was near the shore of Kentucky Lake when a tanager flew down, landed in the water, and started bathing.  I brought a camera and long lens with me for just such an opportunity (I keep it in a case or a waterproof bag) and took more photos.  One is below. Western tanager bathing in the cold waters of...

Northern checkerspot butterfly feeding on a strawberry flower in Clearwater, BC. A small, black and orange butterfly got my attention as we were walking along the hiking trails near Dutch Lake in Clearwater.  I followed it for 50 or 60 feet as it lit from flower to flower.  It finally stayed in one spot long enough for me to get a few good images of it. Most butterflies rest with their wings folded vertically; you can only see the bottom of the wings when they are resting.  This is common in moths.  Northern checkerspots can easily be confused with other butterfly species, namely rockslide and Hoffman's; in fact, they may interbreed.  So I am not 100% sure of the identification, but the pattern seems to be about right. The caterpillars are black and thorny - you can see one here .  I find it hard to find caterpillars as they hide so well, are often only present at certain times of the year, and have very specific plant hosts.  The northern checkerspot ...

Oregon tiger beetle - photographed at Kentucky /Alleyne Lake Park. There are about 120 species of tiger beetles in North America; most of them occur in western half. The one above is the Oregon tiger beetle; I have photographed this species before in northern Washington. Tiger beetles are active hunters with strong jaws that can inflict a painful bite if you pick one up. There is a close up of the jaws in the image below (left). Picking one up in itself is an unlikely proposition though as they see well, are very fast runners, and are excellent flyers. I have never caught one by hand. A good insect net would be highly recommended and handling them with care is well warranted. Oregon tiger beetle - Jaws that mean business (left).  A mating pair (right). The larvae are like the adults in that they are predaceous. The difference is that they are stationary. They dig holes that they live in and lie beneath the surface in wait for passing prey. When triggered, they extend out of the hol...