tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65917998290153923212012-01-21T20:58:49.634-08:00Birding and nature watching in SaskatchewanNick Snoreply@blogger.comBlogger2601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-21998505874609374662012-01-09T14:22:00.000-08:002012-01-11T05:51:54.738-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!So, I finished up doing seven bird counts in the end. Each one just as fun as the next, and the decent weather stayed unseasonably mild for everyone involved.Some of the bird (and mammal ) highlights included :Gyrfalcon - a gray-phase bird at ElbowNorthern Goshawk - a juvenile at ElbowBald eagle - many at Gardiner Dam and one in SaskatoonSnowy Owl - several around

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-15700736965052382102011-12-17T03:45:00.000-08:002011-12-17T03:49:43.414-08:00

Greetings friends, I'm happy to reveal, I just won first place in the 'Welovebirds" Photo competition, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and NRDC.My winning image of six Saw-whet Owl chicks can be seen on their website here :http://www.welovebirds.org/page/top-10-photos-winter-2011

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-44616616515586725232011-12-15T12:49:00.001-08:002011-12-15T12:51:46.992-08:00

Well, its that time of year again, and I'm happy to be doing another batch of bird counts, six to be exact.There's always the possibility of finding something rare too, and I'm always on the lookout for mammals that I've not seen before!Here's a Northern Flicker that I got as it was coming in for a landing at the bird bath a few weeks ago :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-41082980161428914472011-11-29T12:55:00.000-08:002011-12-08T15:16:22.615-08:00

Greetings friends. I'm happy to announce the release of my first publication. It is a collection of some of my favourite photos of nearly 120 birds found within the Province of Saskatchewan.For a preview of some of the pages and to order, just visit the website below. Thanks for looking!http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2627171

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-61403428047214930672011-11-18T07:53:00.000-08:002011-11-18T21:37:00.672-08:00

Greetings friends. I have been busy processing many photos over the past few weeks, and trying to cram in birding and work at the same time.Saskatoon now has its annual covering of snow, that is now unlikely to go anywhere until at least March!So now comes the beginning of Winter birds, & birding!I can't believe its almost time to start the Christmas Bird Counts again...I hope you enjoy these

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-41662965066978683702011-10-26T15:09:00.000-07:002011-11-11T04:58:37.644-08:00

Greetings friends! My 2012 Saskatchewan Birds Calendar is now ready to order. Professionally coil-bound and printed on high quality photo paper. The calendar is now bigger and better at 11x17 inches, with a full colour photo for each month that fills the page, but is still the same price at $20.00 For a preview of the pages and for shipping costs (if needed), please email me at : nikovich@

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-68751212190483682152011-10-06T15:35:00.000-07:002011-10-06T16:07:30.784-07:00

Greetings friends. I find myself  just about 2 months late with any recent updates, so thought it high time I shared some new images taken since my last post. Our backyard has been a flurry of activity, with many of the expected fall migrants coming and going, with a nice selection of sparrows, some warblers and raptors! So far this Fall, our yard has been host to over 40 species of birds,

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-39646845577698271692011-08-06T14:51:00.000-07:002011-08-06T15:31:44.626-07:00

My family recently came and stayed with us from the Uk, so we thought we'd not only show them around town and some local sights, but also a trip to the Rockies would be in order, so we stayed in the beautiful town of Jasper for a few days, swung by Banff and Lake Louise, then drove home through Drumheller.Of course I had some ideas to see a few species that were still on my 'want list' , and also

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-38222930243248117402011-07-08T16:32:00.000-07:002011-07-08T17:37:27.742-07:00

On Monday a friend and I took a drive down south to Chaplin and Reid Lake to see if there were any rare shorebirds around, any returnee migrants, and also to see if we could find (or at least hear), some grassland sparrows, buntings and longspurs.We were unsuccessful in finding any rare shorebirds, but we did see and hear Baird's Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Nelson's and Le Conte's

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-56999814577436859752011-06-20T10:17:00.001-07:002011-06-20T11:57:01.347-07:00

Greetings everyone. I know, its been a long time since my last update. We've had rain galore here, flooding in places, and I completed my 6th Spring bird count, so I hope this flurry of new photos is enough to make up for my time away! These were all taken over the past 5 weeks.I have some great friends who are also fellow wildlife enthusiasts. A couple of these photos would not have been

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-11134284278061887932011-05-03T23:54:00.001-07:002011-05-04T07:16:08.295-07:00

Since its been a few weeks since my last update, I thought I'd share some new photos.Rough-legged Hawk Merlin I have a pair of Merlin's setting up nest very close to my backyard, keeping most of the small songbirds very wary from feeding. I'm thinking I won't see much in my yard until this pair have fledged some young and moved on.Here is the male, taken over a few days, including eating a

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-46478339273393683252011-05-03T01:19:00.000-07:002011-05-03T01:38:59.326-07:00

The new book 'Hawks at A Distance' by Jerry Ligouri dropped into my mailbox recently, and I was eager to see if it matched or even surpassed his previous book on raptors entitled Hawks From Every Angle, which I also own and have combed through many times. This new book exceeds all expectations.From the excellent, new colour photos , literally depecting raptors in flight from every conceivable

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-11952151741690806592011-03-28T15:27:00.001-07:002011-03-28T15:49:56.975-07:00

For the past couple of months now, we've had an over-wintering Merlin hanging around our neighborhood .At times this can be a little frustrating, as she keeps many of the feeder birds from showing up in the yard, as they are too afraid to be exposed on a feeding platform where they could fall victim to the hungry little falcon.In the Spring I intend to make some more sheltered spots in my new

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-70627006798557727942011-03-25T12:08:00.000-07:002011-03-25T12:19:40.955-07:00

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book a few weeks back and now that I have had some time to go through it, I have to say I'm very very impressed.With thousands of photos, showing birds from almost every conceivable angle, as you would do in the field, it is truly a leap forward in bird identification guides.How many times has a birder been at a lakeside or marsh and seen only

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-83833600236116722362011-03-14T11:54:00.000-07:002011-03-23T07:01:02.975-07:00

Well, once again I'm late with my updates, but I hope you will enjoy some of the new photos I've taken this past month from February into March ...Northern Saw-whet Owl :American Three-toed Woodpecker :Boreal Chickadee :Bohemian Waxwing :White-winged Crossbill :Great Gray Owl :Common Redpoll :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-19550100180648698812011-02-04T09:43:00.000-08:002011-02-04T10:24:05.551-08:00

Its been a month since my last update, so I thought it was about time I added some new photos to my blog.Finishing the last Christmas Bird Count on the 3rd of January after completing 6 of them, was great fun as usual.The weather has dipped down to the extreme's and then back up again, with many of my backyard birds being scared off by a resident female Merlin.I have had some good fortune though,

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-80158985471260446442010-12-23T13:28:00.000-08:002010-12-23T20:55:11.367-08:00

I would like to wish all of my followers and readers a very Merry Christmas, and thank you all for visiting my blog , emailing and sending messages and comments.As always , I appreciate all feedback ! :-)I recently completed my 'mini marathon' of Christmas Bird Counts, getting 4 of them out of the way. 3 of which were back to back. Some in fair weather, and some in pretty nasty weather with winds

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-20067208996852100452010-12-14T08:13:00.000-08:002010-12-15T06:43:10.058-08:00

Yep, it's that time of year again, where us ( crazy ? ) folk head out in minus weather conditions to count birds and see if we can find anything rare or unusual while we are at it.This year I'll be doing 6 counts , the first one starting this coming Thursday.Last year I managed to find some nice species such as Harris's Sparrow, Red Crossbill and Townsend's Solitaire.I hope this year brings

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-51998748999816960852010-11-15T17:53:00.000-08:002010-11-20T16:18:17.756-08:00

I was very happy to learn that my photo of a hungry American Robin, taken in very cold weather during a cold February this year won the overall prize for the Great Backyard Bird Count Photo Competition.The website is here - http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/2010photowinnersHere also are some new photos taken since we had a big snowfall recently !House Finch - This male was enjoying frozen fruit from

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-69386358904747051792010-10-29T14:02:00.000-07:002010-10-29T14:10:52.603-07:00

I was thrilled to have another visit from a Golden-crowned Kinglet ( 2 in fact ) again last week.Here is a female, posing on Red-osier Dogwood, with my fence as a nice backdrop. As usual click on images for full size version :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-5919797860390849742010-10-23T15:46:00.000-07:002010-10-23T16:27:47.813-07:00

Our new backyard is proving to be a great haven for birds. In just four weeks of living here I've made a yard-list of 27 different species that have visited so far, the most recent being a Northern Shrike that caught a House Sparrow and devoured it in the confines of our Hawthorn Tree!Here are a couple of new photos :Golden-crowned Kinglet - We had 2 of these speedy little guys show up recently:

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-62728797902251289822010-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:002010-10-15T07:11:27.696-07:00

My 2011 Saskatchewan Birds Calendar is now at the printers, so I will be taking orders as of now, for those who'd like them. Once again, they are $20.00 each. I am also releasing a second calendar called 'Saskatchewan Wildlife' which features only mammals. This is a 'limited edition' and unless demand is high, I have only ordered 30 of these from the printer, so if you want one, you will have

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-80508478186583222262010-10-04T07:01:00.000-07:002010-10-06T06:47:39.725-07:00

Well, once again, I'm late updating, but I have valid reasons. Not only have my wife and I finally moved into a beautiful new home , complete with a lovely big yard, I also managed to jinx myself by boasting that I'd not had a bad cold since moving to Canada way back in 2002. Well of course, I ended up with the flu , which stuck around for nearly 10 days ! As it turns out , almost everyone I have

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-76706273373029103902010-09-09T14:04:00.000-07:002010-09-10T08:29:25.887-07:00

Its been a rainy few weeks since my last update, but migration is in full swing.I've found many nice species and have trawled parks and scanned alley ways and backyards looking for a glimpse of a colorful warbler , or something else passing through on its way south.Here are some of the highlights seen recently :Swainson's Thrush - They love the Elderberry and Red Osier Berries we have in our yard

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-37159907724790586062010-08-16T06:59:00.000-07:002010-08-16T07:46:39.138-07:00

Another late update here, but this one is just to tide things over until I move house, which will be next month.We have a beautiful new house and a big yard that I can turn into a bird paradise!This male Ruffed Grouse was at a park about 30 minutes from town, sitting on its favorite log and attracting a mate by 'drumming' its wings which creates a loud thumping sound.Many people have heard this

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-1229923129382698562010-07-30T18:49:00.000-07:002010-08-02T19:30:45.154-07:00

I haven't been birding much during July, as we are currently in the fun process of selling our house, but I thought you might like to see a bunch of recent images that I haven't had a time to put on the blog until now ..American Goldfinch :White Admiral :Le Conte's Sparrow :Helmeted Guineafowl :SoraRock Wren Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-27861116033886465712010-07-13T13:53:00.000-07:002010-08-05T18:12:49.621-07:00

Sorry for the long delay in updating!Recently my wife and I took a few days off work to enjoy some time at Prince Albert National Park, where we found a few nice things , as well as ending up with more than a few Mosquito bites!In the couple of days I was there, I only located a few Warbler species , but the highlight was a handsome male Bay-breasted Warbler, and we both got nice looks at a young

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-91063660989833168332010-06-22T07:41:00.000-07:002010-06-22T08:21:39.685-07:00

Last weekend my wife and I enjoyed a few days of nature-watching and relaxation at Grasslands National Park with our friends from the local nature society. The park is in south-western Saskatchewan, and is as close as you can possibly get to the US border.Rolling hills and plains are all you can see for miles around, and the park is home to Bison, Rattlesnakes and Burrowing Owls ( all of which I

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-57790320298901406782010-06-08T04:55:00.000-07:002010-06-08T08:10:28.283-07:00

I recently finished another May Day Bird count for the Saskatoon area. A good pal and I have done this count together now for the past 5 years and always have a blast.Last year was exceptional , and because of the very late Spring , we had an amazing 140 species documented by the end of the day. This time the weather was against us, and it rained hard pretty much all day. This did not deter us

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-30298989529022831922010-05-25T22:38:00.000-07:002010-05-26T06:57:02.738-07:00

It feels like I haven't blogged in ages, but I have been out and about, birding and taking photos quite a bit in my spare time.Migration is in full swing here and I have many new year birds that I will list later.For now, I hope you enjoy some of my latest pictures , but be warned, there are lots for this update ! :As usual, all photos are best viewed full size, by left clicking on

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-61788162705817070732010-05-09T10:42:00.000-07:002010-05-09T11:02:16.176-07:00

Last week, I took a nice walk along the riverbank, and visited one of my favorite parks in town, Cosmopolitan Park. This can be a great place to find migrants and other choice species if you get there at the right time of day.I was there fairly early in the morning, and had actually been there briefly a few days before, and had flushed a lone Cooper's Hawk, while walking one of the trails .This

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-64462005053144974902010-04-26T16:44:00.000-07:002010-04-26T16:52:31.048-07:00

Well , for the third year in a row, I was lucky enough to witness the amazing, and sometimes comical spectacle of Sharp-tailed Grouse, doing their courtship and displaying rituals, sometimes known as 'dancing', at a pasture not too far away from town.I hope you enjoy these photos ( left click photo for larger version ):

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-46910311382337697692010-04-19T15:39:00.000-07:002010-04-19T15:58:41.672-07:00

Well, we finally have some decent weather here in Saskatchewan, with clear blue skies, and the return of some much missed migrants.I have been out a few times since my last post and am happy to report that the Pelicans are back in town already at the weir. Tree Swallows have also just arrived, and now Swainson's Hawks are making an appearance.A juvenile Thayer's Gull is now currently residing at

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-75880002538561774872010-04-09T10:56:00.001-07:002010-04-09T11:01:46.614-07:00

Only in Saskatchewan, can you get a snow storm in April !Today we have gusting winds of up to 70kph and blowing snow and sleet...a great day to stay inside!2 friends and I did an Owl survey the night before this storm kicked off, so its a good job we chose Wednesday night when there was hardly a breath of wind and clear skies.We got lucky and managed to hear 5 Saw-whet Owls and about 7 Great

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-73445056389434879722010-04-06T17:11:00.000-07:002010-04-12T15:12:20.945-07:00

Well, I've been away for a while , had a few rough things to get through over the past few weeks, including the latest which involved me breaking 2 ribs which is insanely painful! , but I will not bore you with the details, especially on a nature blog !Going out for a nice drive with my missus this morning we found several newly arrived species , and I got a bonus by finding a lingering Northern

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-5441284175563367662010-03-24T07:03:00.000-07:002010-03-24T07:12:56.951-07:00

Here is a different one ...Back in winter last year I discovered a strange-looking chickadee at a Provincial park not too far from Saskatoon.The park is a haven for Black-capped Chickadees, that are actually very used to humans and allow us to feed them by hand. Most of the chickadees here don't care if you have food or not, half the time, and will readily try to land on you regardless!It was at

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-73646792816572223552010-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:002010-03-22T10:47:23.919-07:00

Gulls are now returning in smallish numbers, as are Mountain Bluebirds. I hope to see more of these species over the coming weeks.Here are some recent shots of Gray Partridge taken on a back road not far from town. These birds can often be notoriously difficult to spot because of how well they blend in with their surroundings..

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-9296470045774166992010-03-17T12:39:00.000-07:002010-03-17T12:51:07.288-07:00

While on a leisurely trip, just driving some dirt roads with a good friend recently, we were complaining to each other that we were not seeing much, even though we both knew full well that it was still to early for anything too exciting to be back yet.One always hopes to see a winter raptor though, or an interesting mammal.After awhile we got our wish by spotting this American Badger laying out

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-125871815937384892010-03-14T07:22:00.000-07:002010-03-14T07:30:35.049-07:00

I love these little guys. We don't get them in town, so you have to drive at least an hour north to find them. I lucked out while on a recent trip up to Candle Lake & then Anglin Lake the following day.

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-12919578762985239952010-03-11T19:24:00.000-08:002010-03-12T11:52:49.286-08:00

While enjoying a relaxing break recently with some friends at Anglin Lake SK, we found 2 River Otters, diving and catching crayfish in some open water.I was very careful not to spook these wonderful creatures and kept my distance but stayed low , and got the following shots of one individual with his meal :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-27755444180429580532010-03-08T07:07:00.001-08:002010-03-08T07:14:23.558-08:00

Last weekend, myself and some friends from the local nature society, visited Montreal Lake in northern SK. to look for Owls. We got lucky and managed to find several Hawk Owls during the time we spent up there.Here is one individual we found :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-32790009550456852272010-03-07T06:22:00.000-08:002010-03-07T06:45:06.546-08:00

I would like to introduce you all to a friend of ours from Saskatoon..This is taken from his website :Saskatoon Saskatchewan entrepreneur John Remai has turned his love of building into a hobby that is now a special project to fundraise for equipment for the new Children's Hospital in Saskatoon Saskatchewan. After many years of building and managing hotels, motels, apartments and condominiums,

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-77904526862094383482010-02-17T00:39:00.001-08:002010-02-17T08:16:34.958-08:00

Well, it's been a while since my last update, but you'll have to forgive me , as its been far too cold to go birding outside for the most part.Luckily , it did warm up over the long-weekend, givng myself and a couple of friends the chance to get out and see what species we could find for the Great Backyard Bird Count.After 4 days of scouting around looking for bird species, Saskatoon's tally

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-74020466280374219162010-01-28T14:29:00.000-08:002010-01-28T14:33:59.948-08:00

Things are a little slow right now, and a little cold too! We had a ton of snow dump on us a few days ago, which meant lots of shoveling and helping people to get their cars unstuck. The great thing about Saskatchewan, as well as the wildlife, are the wonderful people, who always rally together in times like this.Here's a female Downy Woodpecker from a recent look around Pike Lake :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-85661367956358970712010-01-23T12:50:00.000-08:002010-01-23T12:53:24.045-08:00

Here are a couple more birds I've found over the past week. These two were at Pike Lake :White-breasted Nuthatch :Common Redpoll :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-10137825267859684152010-01-13T06:01:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:51:57.786-08:00

Well, after the fun of the Christmas Bird Counts and finishing up 2009 short of my goal of 250 species found in Saskatchewan (but snagging a still-respectable 249), the last Christmas count until next December was at Pike Lake.Myself and my 3 compadre's had an excellent day, notching up 24 species, which I think was an all time high for that particular route. Highlights were :Great Horned OwlPine

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-56357829477196824442010-01-01T10:01:00.000-08:002010-01-01T10:03:47.796-08:00

Happy New Year to all ! Thanks again to all my faithful blog readers and friends. Have a great one !Here is a new shot of the Short-eared Owl I recently found at Gardiner Dam.

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-59896316464246619942009-12-28T07:06:00.000-08:002009-12-28T16:21:05.365-08:00

This is Christmas Bird Count time, and upon writing this, I have completed 6 of them, each with their own highlights. I still have 2, maybe 3 more to go up until the 2nd of January, when the last one will be at Pike Lake. For most of the counts the weather has been pretty tolerable. I remember, much of last years count-weather was absolutely freezing, with wind chills of minus 50 degrees

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-63642129976716644782009-12-20T04:48:00.000-08:002009-12-20T04:55:21.029-08:00

I would like to thank all my blogger, and birding friends and every other single visitor to this webpage during 2009.Let's hope that 2010 is an even better year for birds and wildlife !I have already completed 3 Christmas Bird Counts and am almost out the door to begin my 4th.After that, will leave 3 more counts up until January 2nd finshing up at Pike Lake.I have 11 more days to see if I can

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-17645060707627568452009-12-11T15:26:00.000-08:002009-12-11T15:32:04.867-08:00

Here's a Great Horned Owl from last Sunday near Martensville, Sk.I'm lucky there was some blowing snow at the time the photo was taken. A shame we can't get that nice effect in all our Owl photos !PS. My Saskatchewan Birds 2010 Calendar will be here tomorrow, so folks who live locally can email me to collect theirs in the afternoon. I will priority-ship the calendars to my friends in the US, to

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-2962767499588327482009-12-07T17:00:00.000-08:002009-12-07T20:01:33.459-08:00

On Saturday I went on a trip to Gardiner Dam to look for waterfowl and see what other treats may be in-store.I added a few more birds to my winter-list , and on the way home , there really was a treat to behold...A very co-operative Short-eared Owl (click to see full size):

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-15487515747828437372009-12-04T09:54:00.000-08:002010-03-25T15:52:57.195-07:00

Seeing as I spent a long time trying to get shots of this species, here are three more from my time at the park :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-84900473245492899592009-11-25T15:25:00.000-08:002009-11-25T16:56:38.319-08:00

One of my favourite birds, but certainly not the easiest to photograph !I found two at a city park this morning and eventually got lucky with some photos that I thought turned out ok.The first one was when the sun was just coming up, and the second one I had to wait a long time to get, when I waited for him to come around from behind the tree and in the full sun.Not the warmest of days. It felt

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-59445521217755368502009-11-23T14:49:00.000-08:002009-11-25T13:52:07.421-08:00

Towards the end of the year, a few rarities show up in Saskatchewan , either having migrated the wrong way, lingered too long or are birds that are getting a more permanent foothold in the Province.The Eurasian Collared Dove is one such bird .There are a several growing populations in various towns within the Province.This one was photographed in Moose Jaw, SK during the recent trip I took,

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-59030804650517817142009-11-15T11:41:00.000-08:002009-11-16T07:08:06.698-08:00

One thing I love about birding, is you never know what might show up during the tail end of migration.For instance, this male Yellow-throated Warbler, which spends its winter at the Gulf Coast states of South America, has somehow taken a wrong turn and ended up in a backyard at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan last week. There are two subspecies of this warbler, and the one furthest south, from the Gulf

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-10081027453536358792009-11-10T02:16:00.000-08:002009-11-10T02:19:45.703-08:00

Here is a male Pileated Woodpecker taken at Pike Lake Provincial Park last week.I had seen him the day before and went back the following day and found him on this snowy tree stump.The snow only lasted a couple of days and has stayed away for the time being :-)Please click for full size :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-34416521393256158802009-11-06T06:12:00.000-08:002009-11-06T06:16:52.394-08:00

A couple of weeks ago when we were at P.A.N.P , my wife and I decided to walk the 'Boundary Bog' Trail to look for Spruce Grouse.Unfortunately none could be found that day, but we did find a lone Snow Bunting on the outskirts of the trail, at first sitting on the handrail of one of the paths, and then he conveniently landed on a lovely spruce perch covered in ' old mans beard' .As with all

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-33912492652989789762009-11-04T07:44:00.000-08:002009-11-04T07:59:14.717-08:00

I thought some of my blogger friends ( and friends from everywhere else ! ) might like to know that the 2010 WWF Calendar is now for sale.It features one of my photos ( for March ) and proceeds go towards the World Wildlife Fund.If anyone wants to order it, here's the link :http://wwfstore.donorportal.ca/p-105-2010-photo-contest-calendar.aspxSome of you will recognize the photo that they used for

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-41708968558214309122009-10-28T07:57:00.000-07:002009-10-28T08:02:32.339-07:00

Another wonderful highlight of our recent trip up to Prince Albert National Park was this gorgeous Dark-phase Red Fox that we found ambling along the road as we were heading home.One more post from Prince Albert after this, then its back to seeing what I can find around town or perhaps a nearby lake.I just love his markings...

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-10738725353666021842009-10-23T21:19:00.000-07:002009-10-23T21:42:42.954-07:00

Last Sunday was a special time for me and my wife. This will be remembered as the first time we saw a wolf in the wild.After hearing that a wolf ( or wolves ) had been sighted in the park a few weeks back, we decided to go for a drive up to Prince Albert National Park and try our luck.The weather was on our side for Saturday, and we found some nice birds and animals but no wolf.My next update

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-51054776974881431112009-10-20T21:29:00.000-07:002009-10-20T21:36:12.882-07:00

Here is the male Northern Hawk Owl found recently at the South end of Blackstrap Lake not too far from Saskatoon.My wife and I had an excellent little trip out to Prince Albert National Park last weekend where we were treated to our first ever wild Wolf, a River Otter and a beautiful dark-phase Red Fox.I'll post those photos next time...Click to see him much larger

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-83691647577222190352009-10-17T05:20:00.000-07:002009-10-17T06:04:20.602-07:00

Its been a strange , and mild fall this year . We still have a small group of migrants visiting our front and backyard that on previous years would be on their way south by now.We got some snow , but for the most part, it is mostly thawed. The lawn in our backyard is still nice and green, and there are many leaves still on the trees !This weekend it is supposed to get up as high as 14 degrees, so

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-50606897059334522392009-10-06T08:56:00.000-07:002009-10-13T12:04:41.477-07:00

My 2010 Saskatchewan Birds Calendar will be going to the printers next month, so anyone that would like one (or more) copies, should let me know, so that I can order them and make payment arrangements.They will be $20.00 and can be picked up at my place on request ( if local ) or I can post them for an extra $3.00. They are printed on heavyweight, glossy cardstock that is easy to write on and

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-4193886832599037192009-09-29T09:15:00.000-07:002009-09-29T09:29:57.295-07:00

Well, if our current weather is anything to go by, I'd say that Autumn is in full swing.As I'm typing this, the wind us gusting with speeds up to 40mph and our backyard has become a shelter for White-crowned Sparrows, a lone Song Sparrow , Dark-eyed Junco's , Magpies and of course many House Sparrows.Yesterday we had visits from a Spotted Towhee and 2 Orange-crowned Warblers.Here are some new

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-26743598255966212142009-09-20T08:40:00.000-07:002009-09-20T09:05:26.343-07:00

The Fall Bird Count I took part in last Saturday, wasn't as productive as last years count, with 55 species tallied compared to the year before ( 69 ).This could be because of the late spring we had and cool weather during the breeding season that kept many species away ?I'm thinking many migrants overflew us days before and headed straight south.We have had many clear calm nights, over the past

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-36962892147226481452009-09-11T15:29:00.001-07:002009-09-11T15:44:17.843-07:00

Here is another bunch of photos from my recent trip to the Cypress Hills ( as usual click to see bigger versions ):Ruby-crowned Kinglet - I found this youngster on the 'Highland trail' portion of the park :Turkey Vulture - My wife and I found a few of these perched at Eastend, a nice drive not too far from Cypress Hills :Swainson's Hawk - I caught this hawk as he was about to lift off . The

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-82290301451417466922009-09-05T16:43:00.001-07:002009-09-05T17:39:23.519-07:00

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, is somewhere I've always wanted to visit, and at the end of last month, my wife and I spent an enjoyable 4 nights there.The park sits on a rise about 600 meters above the vast Great Plains between Saskatchewan and Alberta and is the only place in Saskatchewan where you can see Lodge pole Pines growing.The scenery really is something to behold, and even if you

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-33869249922252138872009-08-25T14:34:00.000-07:002009-08-28T13:15:14.983-07:00

This update has been awhile in coming, again, mainly because of work and also the fact that I had 2 long trips back to back, having been to Cypress Hills and then Porcupine Plain within hours of each other. I will have a big update soon with all the Cypress Hills birds I managed to find.Over the weekend, I saw this beautiful male Chestnut-sided Warbler almost still in breeding plumage, (except

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-36693091110275752132009-08-12T14:44:00.001-07:002009-08-14T14:20:07.091-07:00

Here are some more photos taken during our stay at Lac La Peche this summer. ( click for full size images )Evening Grosbeak Warbling VireoBlack & White WarblerLeast Chipmunk Wood FrogAnd lastly, a bonus young Moose from Hudson Bay last month:

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-2602105968021998612009-08-05T08:20:00.000-07:002009-08-06T01:04:16.539-07:00

Ok, I've finally gotten around to doing an update ! I've been working and traveling , so have lots to catch up on...Last week, my wife and I had our annual stay at the resort of Lac La Peche, a beautiful and quiet place to stay near the town of Blaine Lake, SK.The weather for the first two days ended up being quite windy with cloudy skies, making birding fairly difficult. The wind was so strong

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-13615216393282136442009-07-21T13:28:00.001-07:002009-07-21T13:34:20.509-07:00

Yesterday , I was given the heads-up that a Chukar had been seen in downtown Saskatoon, by a local resident who had seen the bird perched atop a shed roof.This morning my friend and I spent awhile trying to find it, then had success, locating it on the edge of a park, in the company of a Gray Partridge.The bird did not have any leg bands, so who knows where it originated from.Here is some

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-7044790247817679682009-07-18T18:44:00.000-07:002011-10-03T11:12:27.761-07:00

My friend and I found this Sora Rail at a marsh near Hudson Bay while doing our songbird survey : Here is a Gray Jay from back when I stayed at a friends cabin in early July :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-68442044715522221922009-07-15T19:32:00.000-07:002009-07-15T20:05:26.128-07:00

One of the best things about living in Saskatchewan, and in particular , my home town, is that the network of birders, or the ' birding grapevine' is pretty amazing.I had the pleasure of making a new friend this morning who's co-worker lives just on the outskirts of town.His acreage has been playing host to a rare visitor for the past few days. A beautiful male Lazuli Bunting, a bird that is

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-40981682235306818452009-07-11T13:28:00.000-07:002009-07-14T04:44:08.122-07:00

Last weekend , I participated in a songbird point count census along the Red Deer River Valley, east of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan near the Manitoba border, with a renowned local birder.The country up there is wonderful and despite the biting insects, bushwhacking through 6ft high soaking wet ferns and climbing over slippery deadfall, I would do it all again next week ! :-)We found quite a good

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-57454456582354777002009-07-08T07:32:00.000-07:002009-07-08T10:48:31.755-07:00

I've been very busy of late, and have only just recently gotten through some of the photos I wanted to share from my recent trip up north.I just returned from Hudson Bay where I have photos to share from that trip also.So meanwhile , here's the rest from Beauval ( Click to see full size )Winter Wren - This energetic little songster was serenading us close to the cabin every night :Prickly Rose

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-91398972009868110352009-06-30T15:24:00.000-07:002009-07-01T15:32:55.882-07:00

I have just returned from a stay at Little Amyot Lake, not far from the town of Beauval, SK.While there, I also found time to bird the areas of La Loche , Buffalo Narrows , Beaver River and Peter Pond Lake.The weather for the most part was excellent, with mostly sunny days and a few scattered showers.A recent plough wind had ripped through the Amyot sub-division and wrecked havoc, with many

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-8742529980131102822009-06-24T06:22:00.000-07:002009-06-24T07:01:04.709-07:00

I still get regular emails, quite often a few times a week, from good folks who have birds showing up that they need identifying, or birds that make them go " wow ".A particular "wow" bird that has been 'doing the rounds' of late has been the Northern Mockingbird.Usually found in the US and pretty unusual here in Saskatchewan ( although they HAVE bred here a handful of times ), I've had two

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-73488543313506202722009-06-19T07:24:00.000-07:002009-06-20T14:57:21.496-07:00

A pair of Eurasian Collared-Dove's have found their way into town and have taken up residence it seems in a Spruce Tree in one of the older neighbourhoods.This species of Dove is gradually expanding its range and small populations can now be found in many towns in Saskatchewan. Pretty soon they will be as common as Mourning Doves at this rate.Here is one of the pair on lookout duty :Eurasian

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-26085611994788055472009-06-15T08:23:00.000-07:002009-06-16T01:03:55.302-07:00

On Saturday I traveled with my pal Marten to the Nisbet Forest where I then had the pleasure of meeting bird bander Harold Fisher and his wonderful family.Out of thirty-something Saw-whet Owl boxes put up in various spots throughout the woods , three were successful and had young inside that were in pretty good shape.Afterwards, Marten and I found a Northern Hawk Owl, a couple of Common Nighthawk

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-40056471024755894292009-06-12T00:01:00.000-07:002009-06-12T00:30:26.262-07:00

I spent an hour or so, walking around the Forestry Farm Park before work during the week and found a few nice things. Most of the Warblers have headed north now, but I did see a female American Redstart and the usual Yellow Warblers.There were baby Robins and also newly fledged Catbirds just sitting on the grass.From high in the Spruce trees, a lingering Ruby-crowned Kinglet was calling , and a

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-11368870382113015442009-06-09T07:57:00.000-07:002009-06-09T08:24:59.281-07:00

I'm still catching up on photos taken back in May, and will add a few other pics taken when ever I can sneak out after work for a few hours in the morning.I have so many things going on this year, but I will continue to find time for this blog as I get such great feedback via the comments and in private emails.The good thing about blogging, is that I can work on it from home and add photos before

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-13327853801400391632009-06-06T09:24:00.000-07:002009-06-06T09:43:03.861-07:00

I recently notched up a sort-of lifer during the week. I found a male Canada Warbler skulking on one of the lower trails of a local park. I have only ever heard one , and never actually seen one until now.I wish I could have gotten a decent photo, but he was very deep in the brush, still.. he has the distinction of becoming my 211th bird of the year :-)I don't want to fall too far behind on

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-55203410677492244112009-06-02T00:03:00.000-07:002009-06-02T00:44:57.458-07:00

I just spent an enjoyable weekend at Candle Lake where I added to my year list a Blue-headed Vireo, a Red-eyed Vireo, 2 Bay-breasted Warblers and an American Redstart , putting my current tally at 210 species seen so far in 2009.It really has been a slow spring though with only a handfull of Warbler species up north with more still to arrive.Cape May Warbler's were quite numerous up at Candle ,

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-17701281020439061072009-05-28T00:17:00.000-07:002009-05-28T00:54:50.993-07:00

Well, its catch up time again. I've been birding like crazy lately, trying to see and document as many migrants as possible, and also attempting to take better photos of existing species for my files.There will many more updates to come, with lots more photos, as they are all mounting up, in particular a new series on Shorebirds and some other recent outings.My friend Guy and I did our 4th

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-86517871117659687562009-05-25T00:10:00.000-07:002009-05-25T00:17:29.935-07:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting a friends very famous yard, north of Pike Lake where we were treated to excellent views of 15 newly arrived Baltimore Orioles and 3 Cape May Warblers that were enjoying slices of orange that was set out for them.The following day, I looked out of our kitchen window and saw a male Oriole in our apple tree, so I went outside with some orange and hoped he'd

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-31318774313826709762009-05-21T11:01:00.000-07:002009-05-22T07:56:15.720-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I received several phone calls and emails from friends with the news that a male Scarlet Tanager was visiting the backyard of a couple of bird watchers here in Saskatoon.Of course, I had to be there and thanks to the kind hospitality of the house owners and the friends I went with, I got great views of this life bird through the main dining room window.This is only the 7th

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-79201308962256715902009-05-19T09:51:00.000-07:002009-05-19T18:13:33.419-07:00

The weather right now is pretty miserable , with gale force winds and overcast skies. The yard has been alive with migrants so expect to see more photos soon!In the meantime, here are some more Spring birds I have seen and photographed over the past week or so...Gray-cheeked Thrush - Another one from a recent walk around the neighborhood :Yellow-rumped Warbler - These are still hanging around :

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-34560854822659959802009-05-17T06:40:00.000-07:002009-05-20T00:38:12.923-07:00

I have many new photos to post, but I'll leave them for next time as I wanted to post the most up-to date sightings, which happened yesterday around Prince Albert National Park...Myself and two friends set out to P.A.N.P where the plan was to do a big day.Sometimes , plans don't always work out and unfortunately we had to cut the big day short into only a 'little day', but nevertheless, a

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-91765720561943455362009-05-14T20:50:00.000-07:002009-05-16T12:14:05.982-07:00

Since my last update we've had a mixed bag of weather here in Saskatchewan.Today it got down to a measly 1°C and it pretty much snowed all day. Snow.. in May !There have been a few new arrivals here in town , most noticeably Thrushes, Sparrows and a few Warblers.Yesterday I saw the following species:Swainson's Thrush - 25Gray-cheeked Thrush - 2 ( New for the year )Ovenbird - 1Blackpoll Warbler -

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-47995539066046170722009-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:002009-05-09T20:56:31.293-07:00

We don't see too many of these handsome flycatchers in our area, in fact I only saw one all last year.This morning while on a drive with a friend. This Say's Phoebe appeared seemingly out of nowhere, fairly close to the Dundurn miltary range.There were many of the usual suspects to be found in nearby sloughs , most of the Grebe's,Ducks and a few shorebirds were present, and at Blackstrap I got my

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-71290873439027668722009-05-08T09:44:00.000-07:002009-05-08T10:49:20.522-07:00

Here are some more photos from the Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek , plus a couple of others from the river...Sharp-tailed GrouseRuby-crowned KingletCompton's Tortoise-shellMerlinRock Pigeon

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-25592007087198561792009-05-06T08:45:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:48:05.108-07:00

I recently went back to a community pasture I had previously visited last year to photograph the courtship and stand-offs between Sharp-tailed Grouse.I took a few photos on Monday , and I will post more from the set later.Here is my favourite from the day :( Click to see full size version )

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-23507210621559627582009-05-04T12:43:00.000-07:002009-05-04T16:09:59.293-07:00

Well , I've been very busy the past few days, and so have the birds it seems.There are more new species to add to my year list and I've had some nice sightings, so this is quite a big update with lots of pictures.I often take several shots of one particular species and won't always post those photos here on the blog, as it will take up a lot of space.I will add those shots to my Saskatchewan

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-52331004444471348812009-04-30T21:52:00.000-07:002009-04-30T21:57:02.451-07:00

While on a recent look along the river while checking to see if the American Dipper was still around ( it is ) I found these two new birds for the year.A Myrtle race Yellow-rumped Warbler & a Hermit Thrush.I was wondering when they'd show up and now, more should start appearing every day...Yellow-rumped WarblerHermit Thrush

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-7190339243673293682009-04-29T09:52:00.000-07:002009-04-29T14:48:54.890-07:00

A friend and I recently visited Gardiner Dam, Broderick Reservoir and the neighboring countryside.Most Duck and Grebe species are back now in fairly good numbers, as are the Geese and Swans, plus a few shorebirds.We had a pretty great trip, and found 73 species in total.Here are some photos from the day...( as usual , click to see full size versions )Snow Goose/Greater White-fronted Goose &

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-88934884778166572822009-04-27T19:37:00.000-07:002009-04-28T16:14:39.625-07:00

More new species are arriving every day and migration seems to be in full swing.I'm playing catch up time right now, as I have taken so many photos and will post new one's every other day.So, here are some photos from the river last week, followed by a recent list of new year birds...Common Loon - There were 10 of these on the river, the most I have seen here in the city.Mallard Green-winged

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-26366429034567660912009-04-25T12:08:00.000-07:002009-04-25T12:23:54.861-07:00

Last night , myself and two friends headed out in chilly conditions to partake in an Owl survey.The weather over the past few days had been very windy, so last night we were treated to only minimal gusts of 4k and sometimes less, but it was actually below freezing!The sky was clear, the stars were bright and it was pretty much perfect!On the way up to our location, as the sun had just gone down

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-77824404658314314522009-04-23T06:57:00.001-07:002009-04-23T07:10:30.526-07:00

Well, it seems as if the Junco's have already moved on. We had them in our yard for about 5 days, but I got to enjoy them while they were here, and I'll see them again up north next month anyway.We have had a pair of American Crows visiting us for the past couple of days, taking shelled peanuts meant for the Blue Jays, and also some American Robins have stopped by for a drink.Some friends and I

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-38767433017738852262009-04-21T07:58:00.000-07:002009-04-21T20:43:23.722-07:00

Here are some new photos taken along the river , and a couple from a drive out to Goose Lake on the weekend.Northern Shrike American BeaverRichardson's Ground SquirrelHorned LarkWestern Meadowlark

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591799829015392321.post-20390944795220602972009-04-20T11:17:00.000-07:002009-04-20T19:37:24.894-07:00

Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon and early evening birding with my friend around Goose Lake ,then finishing up at Pike Lake, we then decided to check the Gull roost opposite the QE2 power plant.It wasn't long before we found a dark backed gull among the many other usual species.This particular gull has been the subject of much debate, but the general feeling is that it is now a

Nick Snoreply@blogger.com14