Bird Nerds' Bird Search
We're closing in on 1000 photos on this website so we made this handy tool to help us easily find a particular bird or photograph.
![](/images/2023-09-09-stellers-jay-lg.jpg)
We have seen way more Steller's jay than normal including one in our Calgary yard, Beauvais Lake AB
![](/images/2023-06-02-blackburnian-warbler-lg.jpg)
Blackburnian warblers are maybe the most stunning bird in Alberta, Sir Winston Churchill PP AB
![](/images/2023-06-02-eastern-phoebe-lg.jpg)
Even a more mundane bird like an eastern phoebe can look great in the right light, Cold Lake PP AB
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Purple martins are hard to see in the wild but we often see them in specific birdhouses, Cold Lake AB
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When you see a bird in your periphery then realize it's a Stellar's Jay it's pretty cool, Pincher Creek AB
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We came by an Onsprey that was doing such weird vocalizations it made us laugh, Pincher Creek AB
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A special moment was when we saw wild turkeys since they were high on our most-wanted list, Pincher Creek AB
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Even though it was a million miles away we already knew we were looking at a lifer -- pacific loon, Comox BC
![](/images/2023-03-23-boreal-chickadee-lg.jpg)
In one day we scored an Alberta hat-chick (seeing three species of chickadee) -- boreal chickadee, Canmore AB
![](/images/2022-08-29-golden-eagle-lg.jpg)
Most golden eagles people see are actually juvenile bald eagles but golden eagles are massive, Elkwater AB
![](/images/2022-08-29-black-bellied-plover-lg.jpg)
Black-bellied plover have been uncommon for us during migration but we've never had great photos, High River AB
![](/images/2022-05-27-wigeon-lg.jpg)
We love ducks but don't pay as much attention to them as we used to but this wigeon really caught our eye
![](/images/2022-05-27-sandhill-crane-lg.jpg)
We had a very cool and close encounter with a pair of sandhill cranes in Elk Island. They were super chill and we left without scaring them
![](/images/2022-04-25-barrows-golden-eye-lg.jpg)
We had only seen one Barrow's Goldeneye before and this one showed up in the exact same spot a year later near MD Willow Creek, Alberta
![](/images/2022-04-25-greylag-goose-lg.jpg)
Had to look this one up but it's a greylag goose and it was hanging out with a group of Canadian geese in Denver Colorado
![](/images/2021-12-07-american-kestrel-lg.jpg)
Not sure if kestrels are rare on the island but we saw one which had attracted a group of birders
![](/images/2021-12-07-belted-kingfisher-lg.jpg)
We love kingfishers but we've had trouble getting close for photos in Alberta; no problem on Vancouver Island
![](/images/2021-09-01-american-dipper-lg.jpg)
They used to be a fairly common sighting but American Dippers have been much rarer since the 2013 flood
![](/images/2021-09-01-pileated-woodpecker-lg.jpg)
On a camping trip we had a flock of pileated woodpeckers fly through in the early morning hours
![](/images/2021-06-01-rattlesnake-lg.jpg)
Rattlesnakes like to hang out in trees -- who knew? Correction: based on the eye we were told this is a bull snake
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Red-naped sapsuckers have a larger red spot on the back of their necks and hang out more in Southern Alberta
![](/images/2021-05-13-lewiss-woodpecker-lg.jpg)
Lewis's woodpecker will often act like a fly-catcher hunting insects on the wing. This was a lifer sighting for us
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Dunlins are another rare sighting in Alberta because of their tendency to migrate almost non-stop through the province #lifer
![](/images/2021-05-14-willet-lg.jpg)
During breeding season willet populations moves inland to nest in grasslands and prairies near freshwater
![](/images/2021-05-14-semipalmated-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
Semipalmated sandpipers are so small that we naturally assume they're least sandpipers at first glance
![](/images/2021-05-01-hudsonian-godwit-lg.jpg)
Hudsonian godwits migrate through North America (often non-stop) and are a rare sighting in Alberta #lifer
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Every winter we anxiously await the return of the world's largest falcon but this season was the first time we've managed to see a gyr falcon (from very far away)
![](/images/2021-02-05-juvenile-bald-eagle-lg.jpg)
Juvenile bald eagles seem less cautious than matures but they still don't like people much (which is a good thing)
![](/images/2021-02-05-bald-eagle-lg.jpg)
Pointing out bald eagles to budding birders and naturalists is a good way to raise appreciation
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It's easy to mistake a caspian tern for a gull because they are similar size and fly like gulls
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Flycatchers are a species we've been paying more attention to and the least flycatcher is the most common
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California gulls are amazingly adaptable -- webbed feet but finding food in an A&W parking lot? Impressive!
![](/images/2020-06-01-long-billed-curlew-lg.jpg)
In a couple fields we spotted long-billed curlews which stand out with their impossibly long bill
![](/images/2020-05-15-barrows-goldeneye-lg.jpg)
We have been checking every goldeneye to see if they are a Barrow's goldeneye and we finally saw one that was
![](/images/2020-05-15-saw-whet-owl-lg.jpg)
We saw a saw-whet owl in a popular park and played it cool so that a crowd wouldn't gather and disturb it
![](/images/2020-05-15-black-necked-stilt-lg.jpg)
Black-necked stilts were the first shorebird migrant we saw this year and they have been abundant
![](/images/2020-04-15-american-robin-lg.jpg)
Robins are comfortable in the wilderness even though most people think of them as city dwellers
![](/images/2020-04-15-red-tailed-hawk-lg.jpg)
Red-tailed hawks are mostly pale below with dark bits around the tips and edges. They also have a dark belly band
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Tufted ducks wander to the Pacific Coast from Asia but have only been sighted in Alberta once before (in 1992)
![](/images/2020-02-21-black-backed-woodpecker-lg.jpg)
Our book says black-backed woodpeckers 'are rarely seen even by the most committed naturalist' so we felt lucky spotting one
![](/images/2020-02-07-ringed-kingfisher-lg.jpg)
Although our guides showed belted kingfishers in the area we are pretty sure we saw ringed kingfishers instead
![](/images/2020-02-07-painted-bunting-lg.jpg)
Painted buntings' Spanish name is colorín sietecolores which roughly means brightly coloured 7 colours
![](/images/2020-02-07-reddish-egret-lg.jpg)
A lifer sighting on this trip was the reddish egret which was hanging out close to a crocodile
![](/images/2020-02-07-orange-breasted-bunting-lg.jpg)
Orange-breasted buntings are one of the coolest birds anywhere -- they also match our brand colours
![](/images/2020-02-07-whimbrel-lg.jpg)
We were able to identify all the shorebirds we saw (including whimbrels) which was pretty cool
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One of the oldest domesticated fowl species in the world, the muscovy duck was already being kept by native people in Peru and Paraguay when the early Spanish explorers arrived
![](/images/2020-02-07-black-throated-gray-warbler-lg.jpg)
We thought we were watching a black and white warbler but the photos later showed a black-throated gray warbler -- another lifer!
![](/images/2020-02-07-painted-bunting-fem-lg.jpg)
The male painted bunting can make the cover of birding magazines but the female is interesting as well
![](/images/2020-02-07-social-flycatcher-lg.jpg)
One of the many flycatchers we saw in Mexico was the social flycatcher -- at least it is easy to identify
![](/images/2020-02-07-striped-headed-sparrow-lg.jpg)
The trail-head where we'd venture into the mountains was always full of birds including stripe-headed sparrows
![](/images/2020-02-07-snowy-egret-lg.jpg)
The slender snowy egret sets off immaculate white plumage with black legs and brilliant yellow feet
![](/images/2019-12-26-snowy-owl-lg.jpg)
The last few seasons all the snowy owls we have seen have been perched on telephone posts, Lyalta AB.
![](/images/2019-12-26-snow-geese-lg.jpg)
We are still figuring out a way to get closer to snow geese but we saw a flock of hundreds near Langdon AB.
![](/images/2019-12-26-squirrel-lg.jpg)
Squirrels -- they're sometimes annoying but when you look at them up close they're pretty cute too.
![](/images/2019-09-01-chestnut-sided-warbler-lg.jpg)
Immature chestnut-sided warblers look like a completely different species when compared to adults, Kinbook Island PP
![](/images/2019-09-01-yellow-warbler-lg.jpg)
Yellow warblers have yellow edging on their wings which is a way to tell them apart from Wilson's warblers, Kinbook Island PP.
![](/images/2019-09-03-blackpoll-warbler-lg.jpg)
Blackpoll warblers look different in the fall but the eye markings and double wing bars are distinctive, Medicine Hat.
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The grey catbird is true to its name because it's grey and it makes cat noises, Kinbrook Island PP.
![](/images/2019-09-03-eurasian-collared-dove-lg.jpg)
Even we have noticed that the eurasian collared dove is getting more common, Writing on Stone PP.
![](/images/2019-09-04-orange-crowned-warbler-lg.jpg)
Sometimes orange-crowed warblers will have a grey head which can make for a tricky ID, Writing on Stone PP.
![](/images/2019-09-04-wilsons-warbler-lg.jpg)
Even with lots of time and patience it can be tricky to photograph a Wilson's warbler, Writing on Stone PP.
![](/images/2019-09-05-spragues-pipit-lg.jpg)
Sprague's pipit is becoming less common but can still be found in large areas of healthy prairie, Kinbrook Island PP.
![](/images/2019-08-25-black-throated-green-warbler-lg.jpg)
Black-throated green warblers, blackburnian warblers, and Towsend's warbler required us to do research so we can differentiate them, Beaverhill Lake.
![](/images/2019-08-20-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
The dark legs, long wings, and slightly thinner more pointed bill helps us ID Baird's sandpiper.
![](/images/2019-07-12-wood-bison-lg.jpg)
We were birding a quiet part of Elk Island National Park when a wood bison came over to see what we were doing
![](/images/2019-06-20-yellow-rumped-warbler-lg.jpg)
The yellow-rumped warblers have been looking great this year! Seen in Confederation Park in Calgary.
![](/images/2019-04-07-boreal-chickadee-lg.jpg)
Although we've seen boreal chickadees many times this is our first posted photo (seen in Kananaskis Country).
![](/images/2019-04-13-ibs-wood-duck-lg.jpg)
Unlike other ducks, wood ducks are comfortable flying through woods (taken in Inglewood Bird Sanctuary).
![](/images/2019-04-21-meadow-lark-lg.jpg)
Meadowlarks have the scientific name 'Sturnella Neglecta' because they were originally overlooked.
![](/images/2019-04-21-red-winged-blackbird-lg.jpg)
There is a rest area on our way to Brooks that has been the first place we see red-winged blackbirds of the season.
![](/images/2019-04-05-pileated-woodpecker-lg.jpg)
A bird dashed by quick and we caught photos of it in flight -- turns out it was a pileated woodpecker in Weaslehead.
![](/images/2018-12-11-bullocks-oriole-lg.jpg)
Orioles are just fantastic! The Bullock's oriole has been spotted in Waterton NP but we saw them everywhere in Playa Grande.
![](/images/2018-12-11-turquoise-browed-motmot-lg.jpg)
The turqouise-browed motmot is the national bird of El Salvador and Nicaragua. We were very happy to spot them in CR.
![](/images/2018-12-05-black-madibled-toucan-lg.jpg)
The first toucan we spotted was a black-mindibled toucan. It was eating oranges in an orchard. It is the largest toucan in CR.
![](/images/2018-12-05-red-legged-honeycreeper-female-lg.jpg)
The female red-legged honeycreeper might not be as stunning as the male but it's still pretty cool.
![](/images/2018-12-05-keel-billed-toucan-lg.jpg)
Toucans make a low croaking noise similar to a frog. Did you spot the 2nd keel-billed toucan in the picture?
![](/images/2018-12-05-collared-aracari-lg.jpg)
Collared aracari are a type of toucan that look like something out of a Tim Burton movie -- amazing!
![](/images/2018-12-05-black-crested-coquette-lg.jpg)
The black-crested coquette was our 2nd favourite hummingbird lifer sighting (snowcap were our favourite).
![](/images/2018-12-03-southern-lapwing-lg.jpg)
The southern lapwing was first recorded in Costa Rica in 1997 and has been expanding from South America.
![](/images/2018-09-05-pectoral-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
Short straight bill and rufous ear patch makes us think this is a semipalmated sandpiper, Frank Lake AB
![](/images/2018-09-05-plover-lg.jpg)
Semipalmated plover's black patches turn brown when they're in non-breeding mode, Frank Lake AB
![](/images/2018-09-05-bairds-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
Black bill, black legs, wings that extend beyond the body, and light speckling makes us think this is a Baird's sandpiper, Frank Lake AB
![](/images/2018-08-30-glaucous-winged-gull-lg.jpg)
The dark eye, the red dot on the bill, and the lack of black wing tips tell us this is a glaucous-winged gull.
![](/images/2018-08-30-mew-gull-lg.jpg)
Originally we looked at this and thought it might be a mew gull but now we think it's a young ring-billed gull.
![](/images/2018-08-30-least-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
We didn't see the massive flocks of sandpipers like we thought we might but were happy to spot a least sandpiper.
![](/images/2018-08-19-gull-lg.jpg)
We thought we had sighted something amazing but we talked to our 'gull guy' and learned this is a first-year Franklin's gull.
![](/images/2018-08-25-ovenbird-lg.jpg)
Ovenbirds have neat markings on top of their heads but they look plain if you see them in a tree, Cold Lake Provincial Park.
![](/images/2018-08-05-philadelphia-vireo-lg.jpg)
Philadelphia vieros sounds like red-eyed vireos but look totally different, Sheep River Provincial Park.
![](/images/2018-08-05-mountain-chickadee-lg.jpg)
It makes sense that we see mountain chickadees closer to the mountains, Sheep River Provincial Park.
![](/images/2018-08-05-rose-breasted-grosbeak-lg.jpg)
It was a proud moment when we identified a female rose-breasted grosbeak off the top of our heads, Sheep River Provincial Park.
![](/images/2018-07-01-meadow-lark-lg.jpg)
Meadowlarks can disguise themselves as borrowing owls when you're searching for borrowing owls.
![](/images/2018-05-15-glaucous-winged-gull-lg.jpg)
This gull looked a little strange so we photographed it and believe it's a glaucous-winged gull first sighting.
![](/images/2018-05-10-mountain-bluebird-lg.jpg)
Mountain bluebirds are slightly larger than a Cassin’s Finch and considerably smaller than an American robin.
![](/images/2018-04-27-savannah-sparrow-lg.jpg)
Our sparrow ID skills are a bit rusty after a long winter. It took a second for us to recall what a savannah sparrow looked like.
![](/images/2018-04-27-franklins-gull-lg.jpg)
On a trip to Carburn Park in Calgary a handful of Franklin's Gulls were acting like ducks near shore.
![](/images/2017-08-22-semipalmated-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
The dark legs, dark short straight bill, and blunt ending on the bill are signs this is likely a semipalmated sandpiper.
![](/images/2017-08-20-white-crowned-sparrow-lg.jpg)
White-crowned sparrows will share territories with fox sparrows but not chipping sparrows or juncos.
![](/images/2017-08-05-eastern-phoebe-lg.jpg)
The eastern phoebe's head shape and earthy colours make them look like miniature flying bison.
![](/images/2017-08-05-night-heron-lg.jpg)
Sandra spotted a night heron from the truck so we pulled over and walked back -- luckily it was still there.
![](/images/2017-08-05-rose-breasted-grosbeak-lg.jpg)
Even though we were hoping to get a good shot of the male, female rose-breasted grosbeak are cool too
![](/images/2017-08-05-bittern-lg.jpg)
We were on a path around Beaverhill Lake when this bittern jumped out and told us off. We quickly left but it scared us pretty good.
![](/images/2017-08-05-yellow-warbler-lg.jpg)
In winter, yellow warblers mainly hang out in the mangrove forests of Central and South America.
![](/images/beaverhill-area-04-lg.jpg)
Short-billed dowitcher, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper, Wilson's phalarope.
![](/images/2017-07-12-lark-sparrow-lg.jpg)
One of our favorite sightings on the trip was the lark sparrow -- they fit the area perfectly.
![](/images/2017-07-12-yellow-bird-lg.jpg)
Yellow birds can be tricky because the female yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler and orange-crowned warbler all look similar.
![](/images/2017-07-12-dirt-mound-lg.jpg)
We drove around for hours looking at gopher mounds searching (unsuccessfully) for burrowing owls.
![](/images/2017-07-09-swainsons-hawk-lg.jpg)
At the end of summer nearly the whole Swainson's hawk population will fly as far South as Argentina.
![](/images/2017-07-10-spragues-pipit-lg.jpg)
Sprague's pipits may look like a meadowlark at a glance but they're more uncommon (actually, I think this is a meadowlark).
![](/images/2017-07-11-northern-flicker-lg.jpg)
Even though we have northern flickers in our backyard they're always great to see on the road.
![](/images/2017-07-11-turkey-vulture-lg.jpg)
As we left Cypress Hills we saw this turkey vulture in a heavy fog. We spotted 4 on our trip which was super cool.
![](/images/2017-07-07-black-necked-stilt-lg.jpg)
Only flamingos have longer legs than the black-necked stilt (relative to their body size). Seen at Frank Lake.
![](/images/2017-07-07-american-avocet-lg.jpg)
The American avocet's bill is shaped for skimming the surface of shallow waters. Seen near Nanton.
![](/images/2017-07-09-sandhill-crane-lg.jpg)
We couldn't miss these sandhill cranes, near Police Outpost, because they're the size of deer.
![](/images/2017-05-21-baltimore-oriole-lg.jpg)
We've been looking for Baltimore orioles but they usually stick to the very tops of very tall trees.
![](/images/2017-05-21-house-wren-lg.jpg)
This house wren was in Carburn Park but we've been seeing (and hearing) them everywhere lately.
![](/images/2017-06-03-great-grey-owl-lg.jpg)
We were driving near Bragg Creek and went down a few back roads searching for great grey owls.
![](/images/2017-05-29-female-harlequint-lg.jpg)
This female harlequin floated by moments/minutes/seconds after we mentioned we hadn't seen one yet.
![](/images/2017-05-26-white-faced-ibis-in-flight-lg.jpg)
White-faced ibis look like they're from the tropics but can be spotted in Alberta on rare occasions.
![](/images/2017-05-22-semipalmated-sandpiper-lg.jpg)
After researching sandpipers more we realize that most of what we see is semiplamated sandpipers.
![](/images/2017-05-26-willet-standing-lg.jpg)
Willets find prey using the sensitive tips of their bills and can feed both during the day and night.
![](/images/2017-04-25-bewicks-wren-lg.jpg)
Bewick's wrens are master vocalists belting out a string of short whistles, warbles, burrs, and trills.
![](/images/2017-01-14-chickadee-lg.jpg)
Young chickadees sometimes move large distances, but these movements are irregular and are called 'irruptions'.
![](/images/2017-01-14-redpoll-3-lg.jpg)
On a roughly 2-year cycle, redpolls come far south in winter and occasionally reach the central or southern United States.
![](/images/2017-01-14-pine-grosbeak-lg.jpg)
A large, unwary finch, pine grosbeak make periodic winter irruptions into southern Canada and northern United States.
![](/images/2017-01-01-pine-grosbeak-03-lg.jpg)
The tameness and slow moving behavior of the pine grosbeak gave rise to local name in Newfoundland of 'mope'.
![](/images/2016-12-31-pine-grosbeak-01-lg.jpg)
Winter flocks of pine grosbeak may stay near a tree with abundant fruit until all of it is consumed.
![](/images/2017-01-01-downy-woodpecker-lg.jpg)
The downy woodpecker eats foods that larger woodpeckers cannot reach such as insects living on or in the stems of weeds.