Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Sandy Beach

These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. On 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. Will have to remind myself of their name later today. Early cinquefoil? "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

My thoughts continue to be with all the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta, who are being devastated by a massive wildfire at the moment. All 88,000 people were forced to flee the city, many leaving everything behind. Now, much-needed rain and cooler temperatures are helping. "Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:28 AM - After a week of fighting a devastating wildfire that sent thousands of Fort McMurray residents fleeing, it seems firefighters have been holding the line -- and the weather has actually been cooperative." From The Weather Network. www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/weather-factoring... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. On 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a steep hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. Will have to remind myself of their name later today. Early cinquefoil? "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. Yesterday, 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. WIll have to remind myself of their name later today. "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

I'm posting my daily three photos really early today. I will be out with a few friends and I would have needed to get up around 2:00 am in order to get to the meeting place for around 4:00 am. Normally, I might not have even got as far as my bed by 2:00 am and I knew that if I went to bed, I would sleep right through three alarm clocks and miss the trip! So, the only way to ensure that I was awake (kind of!) was to stay up all night. I only got about an hour's sleep last night, so all I want to do right now is catch a few hours of desperately needed sleep. Not going to happen, though. On the morning of 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but most were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

On the morning of 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but most were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

Yesterday morning, 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but they were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

If I hadn't gone looking for Prairie Crocuses on 30 April 2014 and taken this photo, I might not have believed this had really happened. You could say we are back to winter yet again. There must be around 8" of snow on my fence this morning - and it's still snowing! I decided not to go on a birding day out, east of the city, today, as I wasn't sure what any of the roads would be like. I had half expected the trip to be cancelled. Not sure I can even go out very locally, as I don't think I'll be able to lift my arms high enough to clear all the snow off my car, with my painful arms and shoulder. It's quite the winter wonderland, though. We are now into the eighth month of snow!!!! Just noticed that we have a Snowfall Warning in effect: "Snowfall late morning to early morning Sunday (tomorrow). A long period of snowfall, with total amounts of 20 to 30 cm is expected. 10 to 20 centimetres of snow has fallen since last night. An additional 10 centimetres of snow will fall today." From the Weather Network. "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

Yesterday, 30 April 2014, was a sunny day and so I thought I'd better get out on a morning birding walk in South Glenmore Park. Always enjoyable to walk along the edge of the Glenmore Reservoir - still has some ice on it, but plenty of open water. Several Loons were spotted, one within camera reach - just! Also a very distant Double-crested Cormorant, and a good variety of duck species, most of which I don't see, as I don't use binoculars. A fascinating thing we saw on the return walk was a tiny Boreal Chorus Frog blowing a huge "bubble" : ) We could hear these frogs from a distance - amazing how such tiny creatures can make so much "noise"! While we were standing there, trying to see if we could find one of the submerged frogs, someone spotted a single frog that wasn't completely submerged and that kept puffing out its neck into a large "bubble". www.carcnet.ca/english/amphibians/species_accounts/anuran... I had to drive straight to a volunteer shift after this three-hour walk and, when that was over, I decided to face the rush-hour traffic and drive to Sandy Beach to see if there were any Prairie Crocuses in bloom. The weather forecast is for light snow and mixed precipitation for the next five days, so I knew this might be the last chance I'd get to photograph these beautiful flowers of spring. They were growing on a steep hillside which is always a bit nerve-racking, as my balance isn't the greatest, ha. plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/?page_id=297

We passed by a boulder at Sandy Beach three days ago, where a leaf print is nicely displayed. The rock formation is around 40 million years old. If you look closely (LOL), you can see the veins. Apparently, it is most likely a Poplar leaf.

I haven't heard whether anyone has seen a first Prairie Crocus in bloom yet, this spring. They can be seen as early as mid-March, but more often closer to the end of March, I believe. This image was taken on 26 April 2011, probably at Sandy Beach, Calgary.

It's always so good when the wild Prairie Crocuses start to bloom after a long, cold winter. I love the centres of these flowers, with their bright yellow anthers. The petals act as reflectors, aiming the sun's rays towards the flower centre. Found this one growing at Sandy Beach four days ago. It was so windy, I could barely keep my footing on the steep hillside. Please don't dig up Prairie Crocuses to put in your garden - they don't transplant well, as they have a deep root system. Leave them where they are supposed to be - and that way, everyone else can enjoy them, too : )

A macro shot of a beautiful Prairie Crocus that was growing at Sandy Beach on 26th April. These wildflowers were so late in blooming this year, after such a cold April. Jim (Garnite) - the sight and smell of spring is being wafted your way, from me to you, hoping that you are feeling just a tiny bit better today. Stay strong!

I thought this clump of Prairie Crocuses (growing at Sandy Beach recently) might serve as a reminder of just how lucky we are to have endless beauty around us, in different forms for each of the seasons of every year. Human beings seem to have a talent for "messing up" the balance of nature in so many ways and mistreating our earth. May we be blessed with enough wisdom to look around around us, to actually SEE how fortunate we are, and to not just know that we need to take much greater care of our planet, but to also do everything we can, before it's too late, to ensure that future generations get the chance to enjoy nature's wonders. Will add Ambre's link up here - thanks, Ambre! Question: How many petals does each flower have? ANSWER: there are NO petals - the purple parts are SEPALS! Sorry, it was a trick question : ) I spent all morning this Earth Day, walking along the Bow River with friends. Straight afterwards, I drove over to the Zoo for a while, mainly to visit the amazing butterflies : ) An hour and a half or two hours of roasting and sweating in tropical humidity and warmth is far from enjoyable, but oh, SO worth it!

Now that plants and trees have started to bloom, I'll be posting photos of the various flowers to add to my Plants of Alberta Sets. They probably won't be of too much interest to some of you, so please bear with me, LOL! This photo shows the male flowers of the Trembling Aspen tree, seen a couple of days ago at Sandy Beach.

Well, the poor Prairie Crocuses looked rather battered and droopy this morning, after the awful snow storm we had two days ago! They were all closed up, with their little fur coats - solar heating, Crocus style! "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it's really an anemone, in the Buttercup family."

Buckbrush, also known as Western Snowberry, is a shrub in the honeysuckle family. These are the berries at the end of a long, hard winter, seen at Sandy Beach on the east side of the river. These berries, whitish green then turning purplish black, are inedible.

I must add straight away that, no, I wasn't lying flat on my stomach or back to get this photo and, no, I didn't pick the flower, LOL!! When I was on a walk with friends on Friday morning, at Sandy Beach, one of us noticed that this Prairie Crocus flower had been broken off, probably by foot or by dog. Of course, I didn't want to see it wasted, so I made sure I took a few photos of it : ) Oh, by the way, it's SNOWING again this evening!

Moss Phlox is one of the earliest blooming plants each spring. This plant, which grows on dry, eroded slopes and prairie grasslands, has semi-woody, tufted branches. A very low-growing plant with stems up to 5 cm tall, with flowers that are only 8-14 mm across. Occasionally, you can come across a plant that has bluish flowers instead of white. The flower in my photo was blooming at Sandy Beach, west side of the river.