The last of summer is rapidly looming. Some of our breeding birds are moving south for the winter already, and birding is a bit more challenging because so many birds are in eclipse plumage. The sounds of harvesting are evident in the countryside, as well as the smells that bring back so many memories of my life on a farm as a boy in southern Alberta. I recently spent a few days birding back there, renewing my memories of those times so long ago. Birding on the open plains is different from that in the forested areas, and the birders' best friend is a good spotting scope on a window mount. Most times, the birds I saw were so far away that binoculars could only enlarge the puzzle. With the scope, those old friends were there in plain sight. I guess that old eyes and ears need all the help they can get! I am going back to the south, and to the Great Sandhills of Saskatchewan for the Labour Day weekend, to do some more birding and beetling, and to watch the shooting of an "Acorn, the Nature Nut" show. (Might even manage a quick on-screen appearance, if I do something silly!) While birding down there in cattle country, I will have to remember the prairie birder's advice: "Keep looking up, but watch where you step!"

Birders in Alberta have been very fortunate over the past few years. We have been able to see some fairly rare birds, such as a White-faced Ibis at Beaverhill Lake. It must have been heading up from its' wintering grounds in Mexico, and forgot to stop! This bird normally breeds in the south-western United States, but has been known to breed in southern Alberta, on Pakowki Lake, but never any farther north.. Another one was a Snowy Egret, also near Beaverhill Lake. This bird is usually seen in the southern US. As well, I have seen Cattle Egrets in central Alberta in the past. The Snowy Egret is classed as a vagrant here, as are the Cattle Egrets. Vagrants or accidentals, birds like these make the hobby very interesting. These birds, and the Sabine's Gull can elude a birder for years, and cause a lot of excitement when finally seen! I know how excited I was when I saw the Sabine's Gulls on a local reservoir. I also know how mad I was, when just as I was ready to take a picture of the small flock, a fisherman in a noisy truck roared up onto the bank and scared the gulls away. The thought of "Anglercide" was VERY appealing!

I note that this column is starting the second year with this issue. It has been fun doing this for the on-line birding community, and I have appreciated the comments from readers. You have all been very kind, both those who dropped me a line because they like the column, and those who have refrained from telling me that they don't! One can't please everyone, no matter what the subject of the column, so I generally write about what amuses me, or makes me angry. Most of you are very probably more knowledgeable than I, so I write to entertain as well as to pass on odd bits of exotica from the natural world. As you can probably tell, I am most intrigued by the behaviours of the birds and animals that I see as I wander around my part of the world, or while watching nature programs on TV. As always, I am open to suggestions about topics.