Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: deciduous

Talk about a lucky weekend for Great Gray Owls - just what the doctor ordered! One individual seen on Saturday and then two different individuals seen on Sunday, 11 March 2018. The owl in this photo was taken on the Saturday, when a Great Gray Owl was sitting in a bare tree, giving a chance for several shots before it flew off and landed in a more distant area of woodland. And there it sat, and sat, and sat, partly hidden by a tangle of too many tiny branches. If only they would choose trees with no branches that get in the way, lol! On the Sunday, I decided to go with a group of friends for the first part of their day's outing. The rest of their day was going to be a walk in an area that is treacherous in winter, as well as being a long hike. The very last thing I need at the moment is to break an arm or a leg - or anything. I am so glad I got up early and started the day with them, as we ended up seeing two separate Great Gray Owls. The first owl was perched in a group of trees and then flew to a tree that was somewhat closer to us. It is always amazing to see such a large owl perched on a very thin branch/twig, showing that most of the bird is a mass of light-weight feathers. The second owl, seen in the third photo I have posted today, was at first perched in a tree that had beautiful dead leaves, adding a welcome splash of colour. The light was challenging, but at least it wasn't snowing. A few minutes later, it flew off and landed on the top of a far-away evergreen tree. Again, the light was a challenge. After parting from my friends, I had to drive past this location again and was happy to see the owl still in the same distant tree. I waited a little while, hoping it might fly and land closer, but it seemed perfectly happy staying exactly where it was. I was just in time to get back to the city and join a different group of friends for a walk at Mallard Point in Fish Creek. Park. The birds we saw were too far away for any decent photos - but I didn't need any, after such an amazing owl morning. After the walk, we headed for Tim Horton's for late afternoon coffee and snack. Just being outdoors on such a lovely, sunny, comparatively mild day felt good.

Talk about a lucky weekend for Great Gray Owls - just what the doctor ordered! One individual seen on Saturday and then two different individuals seen yesterday, Sunday, 11 March 2018. Yesterday morning, I decided to follow a group of friends for the first part of their day's outing. The rest of their day was going to be a walk in an area that is treacherous in winter, as well as being a long hike. The very last thing I need at the moment is to break an arm or a leg - or anything. I am so glad I got up early and started the day with them, as we ended up seeing two separate Great Gray Owls. The first owl (seen in the next photo) was perched in a group of trees and then flew to a tree that was closer to us. It is always amazing to see such a large owl perched on a very thin branch/twig, showing that most of the bird is a mass of light-weight feathers. The second owl, seen in this photo, was at first perched in a tree that had beautiful, dead leaves, adding a welcome splash of colour. The light was challenging, but at least it wasn't snowing. A few minutes later, it flew off and landed in a far-away evergreen tree. Again, the light was a challenge, but I should be able to rescue a few shots. After parting from my friends, I had to drive past this location again and was happy to see the second owl still in the same distant tree. I waited a little while, hoping it might fly and land closer, but it seemed perfectly happy staying exactly where it was. I was just in time to get back to the city and join a different group of friends for a walk at Mallard Point in Fish Creek. Park. The birds we saw were too far away for any decent photos - but I didn't need any, after such an amazing owl morning. After the walk, we headed for Tim Horton's for late afternoon coffee and snack. Just being outdoors on such a lovely, sunny, comparatively mild day felt good.

Talk about a lucky weekend for Great Gray Owls - just what the doctor ordered! One individual seen on Saturday and then two different individuals seen yesterday, Sunday, 11 March 2018. Yesterday morning, I decided to follow a group of friends for the first part of their day's outing. The rest of their day was going to be a walk in an area that is treacherous in winter, as well as being a long hike. The very last thing I need at the moment is to break an arm or a leg - or anything. I am so glad I got up early and started the day with them, as we ended up seeing two separate Great Gray Owls. The first owl (seen in this photo) was perched in a group of trees and then flew to a tree that was closer to us. It is always amazing to see such a large owl perched on a very thin branch/twig, showing that most of the bird is a mass of light-weight feathers. The second owl, seen in the previous photo, was at first perched in a tree that had beautiful, dead leaves, adding a welcome splash of colour. The light was challenging, but at least it wasn't snowing. A few minutes later, it flew off and landed in a far-away evergreen tree. Again, the light was a challenge, but I should be able to rescue a few shots. After parting from my friends, I had to drive past this location again and was happy to see the second owl still in the same distant tree. I waited a little while, hoping it might fly and land closer, but it seemed perfectly happy staying exactly where it was. I was just in time to get back to the city and join a different group of friends for a walk at Mallard Point in Fish Creek. Park. The birds we saw were too far away for any decent photos - but I didn't need any, after such an amazing owl morning. After the walk, we headed for Tim Horton's for late afternoon coffee and snack. Just being outdoors on such a lovely, sunny, comparatively mild day felt good.

This morning, 30 September 2017, is overcast and a bit windy, with a temperature of 13C and a chance for light rain. The beautiful yellow leaves are falling to the ground and it looks like a lot will be blown down in the rain forecast for tomorrow and the snow forecast for the next day. I knew that yesterday was going to be my last chance to see some fall photos, so I drove all day long through Kananaskis country. Of course, the mountains look beautiful in any season, but there is something extra special on a sunny fall day. Though it looks like I might have hiked for hours - which I can no longer do! - to be in such amazing surroundings, I had simply pulled over and taken this shot from my car. People come from all over the place to see the Larch trees in their fall colour. "Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 20 to 45 m (66 to 148 ft) tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south. Larches are among the dominant plants in the boreal forests of Siberia and Canada. Although they are conifers, larches are deciduous trees that lose their needles in the autumn." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larch If I remember correctly, this was the first time I had driven alone quite this far, reaching the northern end of Spray Lakes Reservoir. Unfortunately, when I got there, the sun was in the wrong position and there was a haze over the mountains. I wasn't sure how far I would go, as I had intended topping up with gas at Highwood House, along Highway 40. I had also planned on buying a sandwich and a coffee there. However, it was all closed. As it was, I still managed to do the drive I wanted and still have gas in my car. My drive started by going to Turner Valley and taking the back road to join the main Highway 40. Last fall, the views were amazing and the sky full of spectacular clouds along this route. Yesterday, there was a hazy view and the sky was a washed-out, pale blue with not a cloud in sight. Part way along Highway 40, I encountered a cattle drive, which was great to see. Only a small herd with one cowboy, who looked as if he was enjoying his work. He was accompanied by his herding dog, of course. When I came to the area where the little Pikas (Rock Rabbits) live, I didn't even stop, as I really wanted to reach Spray Lakes Reservoir, in Spray Valley Park. I had left home later than I wanted, 9:45 am, and wanted to make sure I was not driving home in the dark. As it was, I reached home about 7:15 pm, with little daylight to spare. The road to Spray Lakes, from the main Highway 40, is a dreadfully dusty, gravel road. This was a Friday, so I wasn't expecting many people in Kananaskis, but there were lots of cars, which made it difficult to drive this length of road. I was almost constantly in a thick cloud of dust with little or no visibility. The distance for the road from the Spray Lakes road turn-off from near Kananaskis Lakes to the northern tip of the huge Reservoir is 48 km, so just under 100 km return on this dusty road. The dust seeps inside the car, even with all windows closed. I also called in just long enough to take a handful of photos at Peninsular and Buller Pond, which are both along this Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Trail. The return journey home (giving a total trip distance of 422 km), back the same way I had come, was uneventful, which is usually a good thing when doing such a drive. The gas station near home was a must, so now I have a full tank and I can see out the windows - just in case the forecast snow for Monday doesn't materialize and I can make perhaps the last long drive of the year.

I overslept this morning, so I will have to finish my descriptions and tags later this afternoon. I'm going to have to post and run. Yesterday, 26 November 2016, friends and I were so very lucky. On a walk in Fish Creek Park, we found not only an owl, but two owls, and different species - a Great Horned Owl and this teeny, popcan-sized Northern Pygmy-owl. It had been almost two years since I last saw a Northern Pygmy-owl. That one, also, had been seen in Fish Creek Park. Yesterday, it was near the top of a very tall tree, so this photo was fully zoomed and cropped and posted just for the record. I have added two previously posted, much closer images from January 2015, in a comment box below. The Great Horned Owl, however, was seen nice and low and out in the open. The bird was large and fairly pale, so we think it was probably a female. After taking a few photos through the trees, we continued our walk and I was able to get a few shots from a different angle, just before she closed her eyes and went to sleep. Will add our leader's list of bird species seen, in a comment box below. We split into two groups, so not everyone saw everything on the list. My group only saw one Northern Pygmy-owl, not two. "Northern Pygmy Owls are 'sit and wait' predators, that hunt mainly by vision, diving down onto prey on the ground and driving the talons into the prey's throat. They will also attack birds in shrubs, crashing into the hapless victims. Most prey is carried off in the feet to feeding sites. Birds are usually plucked before being consumed. They often eat only the brains of birds and the soft abdomen of insects. One of these little owls can carry prey weighing up to 3 times its own weight. The Northern Pygmy Owl feeds on a wide range of small prey including small mammals, birds, and reptiles and amphibians. Voles make up the bulk of their diet, with birds comprising most of the rest (mainly songbirds, but as large as a California Quail). Other small mammals include shrews, mice, chipmunks, bats, moles, young rabbits, and weasels. Insects may be very important when they are most abundant. Other prey taken are toads, frogs and small lizards and snakes. During winter, surplus prey is cached in a cavity, often in large quantities. Summer caches are usually much smaller. Pellets are very small, averaging about 3cm long. They are formed only occasionally as these owls don't consume large amounts of fur, feathers, or bone. The pellets tend to fall apart shortly after ejection." From OwlPages. www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Glaucidium&species=ca... www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pygmy_owl

I just loved the fall colours seen at the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens on 1 October 2016. The Oak leaves were gorgeous, some of them with tiny insect galls on them. With our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to a photo from 1 October 2016. On that day, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my city driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. At least I now have some bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the long months of winter. "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

I just loved the fall colours seen at the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens on 1 October 2016. The Oak leaves were gorgeous, some of them with tiny insect galls on them. With most of our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to a photo from 1 October 2016. On that day, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my city driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. At least I now have plenty of bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the seven (?), long months of winter. "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

With most of our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to photos from 1 October 2016. On that day, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my city driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stopped and stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. At least I now have plenty of bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the seven, long months of winter. "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

With most of our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to a photo from 1 October 2016. On that day, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my city driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. At least I now have plenty of bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the seven, long months of winter. "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

Yesterday, 1 October 2016, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all know that snow isn't far away - it has fallen in parts of the mountains, but not yet in the city - so I am trying to get out as much as I can before having to deal with the long, dreaded months of winter. Apologies to everyone for not much commenting at the moment!! "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

I ran out of time to add a description here, as I decided to go on a birding walk at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary this morning, 20 September 2016. Forecast was for rain, but the next few days looked no better. We had light rain all morning and it was chilly! This afternoon, the temperature is only 6C (windchill 3C) and it really is a miserable kind of day. I think most of the birds were keeping warm somewhere, unlike us. Took maybe a couple of dozen photos and I'm not sure if even one will be of any use. Many trees seem to be getting close to losing their leaves and the colour is not as vibrant. So much for the "long, warm fall" that I saw mentioned recently. So different from three days ago! On 17 September 2016, it was a long day, spent with a group of people - some of us travelled north from Calgary and others lived in or near the capital city of Alberta - Edmonton. Two friends had been invited to meet with members of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, to do a walk at a newly acquired 640 acre parcel of land, immediately to the east of the Devonian Botanic Garden. Edmonton is a three-hour drive north of Calgary, so it makes for a long drive when one goes for just a day trip. That, plus walking for several hours (my pedometer said 16,175 steps by the time I went to bed last night) completely knocked me out. One of the two friends I went with, Dr. Peter Whitehead (who drove us there and back, which was wonderful) is an ecologist and bryologist, founder of the Western Canada Bryophyte and Lichen Interest Group. See the first link below about his exciting program for school children. www.seriousaboutscience.org/ www.ablig.com/ www.capeecology.ca/people.html The other friend I went with was Dr. Janet Marsh, Lichenologist. She is considered one of Canada's leading authorities on lichens. So, as you can see, I was in the company of extremely knowledgeable people. I'll add that I have been on many outings the last few years that have included both these specialists. Always most enjoyable and lots of fun! My big confession is that so many of the lichens that they find are growing in forests - and when I'm in a forest, my focus immediately turns to fungi! Which is why I still barely know anything about lichens : ) I do enjoy photographing lichens, however, and have quite a few in my photostream. I was able to see a number of different fungi, which made my day. Not the sharpest photos of all of them - I guess the light in the forest was worse than I thought. The people of Edmonton and area are so very fortunate that this land is being preserved by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. What a beautiful area of meadows, bogs and forest! I especially liked the spectacular Birch trees that were growing there, with their beautiful peeling bark - some of these trees were quite large. Thanks so much to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for inviting us for this walk. I know you will receive extensive lists of the species that Peter and Janet found. Many thanks, Peter, for all the driving you did, too. I really appreciated the opportunity to visit this new area and capture a few species with my camera. Even the weather cooperated, giving us a very pleasant temperature for walking (around 18C?) and even the rain that had been falling in Edmonton earlier in the morning, stopped for the rest of the day. A great day in great company!

"The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has a rare opportunity to protect a 640-acre (260-hectare) property neighbouring Alberta's capital city. In 1974, five families bought Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area — a parcel of land bordering Edmonton near the Devonian Botanic Garden. For 40 years the families cared for the land, protecting important habitat for moose and numerous other species. The five ownership families have generously offered to sell Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for half the asset value. Their vision is to ensure that the land is conserved for our province; particularly for our children. Over the years Bunchberry Meadows has remained intact. But the surrounding lands and the city of Edmonton have undergone significant changes. Natural spaces in and around Edmonton continue to be developed. It’s increasingly difficult for city dwellers to find open green spaces to enjoy a sunny afternoon, or teach their children about the outdoors. The campaign for Bunchberry Meadows was officially launched in Edmonton on May 21, 2015. Since then, Edmontonians have stepped up in support so that this special community amenity can be created. Urban development on this property would mean the loss of habitat for many plant and wildlife species, and the loss of a wonderful space in which Albertans and all Canadians can reconnect with nature. In June 2016, the Bunchberry campaign was closed sucessfully. NCC willl open Bunchberry to the public in the fall of 2016 as a natural retreat for everyone to enjoy." www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/alberta/feature... www.youtube.com/watch?v=FibqXugavrc There are about 17,000 species of lichen worldwide and yesterday, I saw just a handful of them, including the leafy foliose lichens in this photo : ) I need to add that basically I know nothing about lichens, so am unable to identify any photos I take, unless IDs are given by a specialist. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen Yesterday, 17 September 2016, was a long day, spent with a group of people - some of us travelled north from Calgary and others lived in or near the capital city of Alberta - Edmonton. Two friends had been invited to meet with members of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, to do a walk at a newly acquired 640 acre parcel of land, immediately to the east of the Devonian Botanic Garden. Edmonton is a three-hour drive north of Calgary, so it makes for a long drive when one goes for just a day trip. That, plus walking for several hours (my pedometer said 16,175 steps by the time I went to bed last night) completely knocked me out and I couldn't keep awake long enough to get my "daily three" photos ready last night. Today has had to be a day at home, recovering, lol. One of the two friends I went with, Dr. Peter Whitehead (who drove us there and back, which was wonderful) is an ecologist and bryologist, founder of the Western Canada Bryophyte and Lichen Interest Group. See the first link below about his exciting program for school children. www.seriousaboutscience.org/ www.ablig.com/ www.capeecology.ca/people.html The other friend I went with was Dr. Janet Marsh, Lichenologist. She is considered one of Canada's leading authorities on lichens. So, as you can see, I was in the company of extremely knowledgeable people. I'll add that I have been on many outings the last few years that have included both these specialists. Always most enjoyable and lots of fun! My big confession is that so many of the lichens that they find are growing in forests - and when I'm in a forest, my focus immediately turns to fungi! Which is why I still barely know anything about lichens : ) I do enjoy photographing lichens, however, and have quite a few in my photostream. Yesterday, I was able to see a number of different fungi, which made my day. Not the sharpest photos of all of them - I guess the light in the forest was worse than I thought. The people of Edmonton and area are so very fortunate that this land is being preserved by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. What a beautiful area of meadows, bogs and forest! I especially liked the spectacular Birch trees that were growing there, with their beautiful peeling bark - some of these trees were quite large. Thanks so much to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for inviting us for this walk yesterday. I know you will receive extensive lists of the species that Peter and Janet found. Many thanks, Peter, for all the driving you did, too. I really appreciated the opportunity to visit this new area and capture a few species with my camera. Even the weather cooperated, giving us a very pleasant temperature for walking (around 18C?) and even the rain that had been falling in Edmonton, stopped for the rest of the day. A great day in great company!

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 16 January 2016. The weather was dull, cold and most unpleasant, yet three of us turned up at a meeting place, ready to go on a day trip west of the city. Apparently, 8 other people got the message that this trip had been cancelled at the last minute, lol. I, however, was already outside, clearing the snow off my car, to drive across the city. After waiting for just over an hour, we decided that instead of going home, we would go for a walk at nearby Baker Park. I had heard of this park, mainly because there used to be Great Horned Owls there, but I had never been. The park was much larger than I was expecting, and a very pleasant place to walk. A beautiful mix of trees make a wonderful habitat for birds, most of whom seemed to have more sense than we had, keeping hidden from the cold, miserable weather. We did see a few Black-capped Chickadees, though, and Bohemian Waxwings and White-winged Crossbills. I may have a fourth photo from yesterday morning to post sometime, but that's it! Still, it was fun spending the morning with friends and enjoying a very late breakfast at the Angel's Cafe, which really hit the spot.. Thanks so much for driving us to Baker Park, Darlene. I really appreciated the chance to finally visit this area. I didn't think the forecast looked particularly good for today, either, so had decided that I would probably join a group of friends for a birding walk this afternoon. However, the sun is actually out at the moment and it is supposed to be a mix of sun and cloud for this afternoon, so I might just make myself do a drive east of the city, if I'm ready in time. Not a drive I look forward to, but maybe I will be rewarded by finding an owl?

Ha, I didn't notice that this photo was blurry when I posted it this morning. When I looked at it later in the day, it had a less than desirable effect on my eyes : ) On 1 October 2015, I finally managed, for the first time this year, to get out to the mountains as far as Forgetmenot Pond - really an on the spur of the moment decision. The weather called for some sun and some cloud, which sounded good. I knew I had better not leave it any longer to get out there - as it was, we had a light dusting of snow the following night. You really need good, clear reflections to get the best photos at the Pond, but it wasn't quite calm enough for that and it was quite hazy for much of the drive. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. Forgetmenot Pond is the only mountain drive I will do on my own and it's one of my favourite places. It only takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from home to the Pond, so makes a very pleasant half-day trip. On the return drive, I called in at a place not far from Forgetmenot Pond, where I have found a few mushrooms in previous years, but found nothing this time. I didn't see a whole lot of anything during the few hours I was out, other than the spectacular mountain scenery. The fall colours were beautiful - a mix of Aspen yellows and the dark greens of the coniferous trees. I was comparing it with a photo I took on the same drive on 24 September 2007. The mountains above the tree line were all covered in snow, unlike this fall.

On 1 October 2015, I finally managed, for the first time this year, to get out to the mountains as far as Forgetmenot Pond - really an on the spur of the moment decision. The weather called for some sun and some cloud, which sounded good. I knew I had better not leave it any longer to get out there - as it was, we had a light dusting of snow the following night. You really need good, clear reflections to get the best photos at the Pond, but it wasn't quite calm enough for that and it was quite hazy for much of the drive. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. Forgetmenot Pond is the only mountain drive I will do on my own and it's one of my favourite places. It only takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from home to the Pond, so makes a very pleasant half-day trip. On the return drive, I called in at a place not far from Forgetmenot Pond, where I have found a few mushrooms in previous years, but found nothing this time. I didn't see a whole lot of anything during the few hours I was out, other than the spectacular mountain scenery. The fall colours were beautiful - a mix of Aspen yellows and the dark greens of the coniferous trees. I was comparing it with a photo I took on the same drive on 24 September 2007. The mountains above the tree line were all covered in snow, unlike this fall.

Today, I'm taking a break from posting images taken in Waterton Lakes National Park, and instead adding three photos taken yesterday (23 July 2015), closer to home. Five of us spent the day botanizing the land belonging to Darryl Teskey, SW of Calgary and W of Millarville (maybe a 40-minute drive from the city). This was the first time I had been there and I'm so glad I went - I would have missed all sorts of things, including a family of Ruffed Grouse and several fungi. Fortunately, the rain stayed away until we started driving back to Calgary. Quite a lot of black clouds, reminding me of the tornado that passed through Calgary just the day before (22 July 2015). Our walk took us over grassland and through forest, everywhere treacherous with so many fallen logs, some of which were often barely visible. I have never, ever seen so many tiny Skipper butterflies - there must have been hundreds or even thousands of these bright orange beauties that were flying or perched on flowers of every colour. Our purpose, as always, was to find and list everything that we saw - wildflowers, trees, grasses, birds, insects, fungi, etc.. Our leader then compiles an extensive list of our finds and this is later sent to the landowner, along with any photos that we might take. Always a win/win situation, as the landowner then has a much better idea of just what is on his property - and we have a most enjoyable day. This summer, with so many botanizing outings like this, plus two 3-day trips to Waterton Lakes National Park, I am so behind with the photos that I need to edit and e-mail!

I'm posting my "daily three" around 2:00 am on 21 February 2015, as I'm not sure if I'll go for a day of birding. Depends partly on the weather (snow is forecast) and whether I end up sleeping right through two alarm clocks that play very loud music for an hour, and my kitchen timer, lol! Shortly after lunch today, I managed to get over to one of the local parks, where I bumped into a couple of friends. The forecast was for snow, and that's exactly what it did for part of the time I was there. Looked quite pretty when you were standing in it, but it was cold. Such a pity that this old barn is so neglected.

On my last visit to the Calgary Zoo, on 14 October 2014, I photographed the beautiful red berries of this Pyramidal Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia 'Fastigiata'). Native from Europe to Asia Minor. “Pyramidal Mountain Ash features showy clusters of white flowers held atop the branches in mid spring. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The oval compound leaves turn an outstanding orange in the fall. The orange (red) fruits are held in abundance in spectacular clusters from early fall right through to late winter. This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and usually looks its best without pruning. Pyramidal Mountain Ash will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations.” search.millcreeknursery.ca/11050005/Plant/1409/Pyramidal_... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've only been on Flickr the last half hour, but I see that they have still not fixed the "views" problem that has been going on for many hours now. The Stats for Your Account (only available to the old Pro account members) seems to be working OK, but the number of views under each individual image is either stuck at 0 or counts just a very few of the actual number. Apparently, Staff do know about this issue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like we had maybe 2-3" of snow yesterday and overnight. As I type, there is just very fine snow falling, barely noticeable. I think it may be very slippery out there, so it will probably be another day at home. It's 1°C right now, supposedly climbing to 3°C this afternoon. I was hoping that the snow on my car would all melt, but it doesn't look like that will happen.