Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: with prey

For many years, I had longed to see Bear Grass / Xerophyllum tenax, and finally, in 2015, I was lucky enough to visit Waterton Lakes National Park and saw and photographed it for the very first time. The photo I posted today was taken on 24 June 2017, when I went on the annual Nature Calgary day bus trip to Waterton Lakes - each year, we go to a different destination in Alberta. The edge of the road we drove along had hundreds (thousands?) of these most impressive wildflowers. Each flower varies in shape - some have just a short length of tiny flowers near the top of the tall stem; others have flowers extending a bit further down the spike. The flower in this photo is still waiting to open all the flowers higher up the spike. We noticed the tiny Crab Spider only because the darker prey caught our eye. To visit Waterton for just one day does make for a very long day, though - takes about 3 hours to drive each way, for a start. "Xerophyllum tenax is a North American species of plants in the corn lily family. It is known by several common names, including bear grass, squaw grass, soap grass, quip-quip, and Indian basket grass. Xerophyllum tenax has flowers with six sepals and six stamens borne in a terminal raceme. The plant can grow to 15–150 cm in height. It grows in bunches with the leaves wrapped around and extending from a small stem at ground level. The leaves are 30–100 cm long and 2–6 mm wide, dull olive green with toothed edges. The slightly fragrant white flowers emerge from a tall stalk that bolts from the base. When the flowers are in bloom they are tightly packed at the tip of the stalk like an upright club. The plant is found mostly in western North America from British Columbia south to California and east to Wyoming, in subalpine meadows and coastal mountains, and also on low ground in the California coastal fog belt as far south as Monterey County. It is common on the Olympic Peninsula and in the Cascades, northern Sierra Nevada and Rockies. Xerophyllum tenax is an important part of the fire ecology of regions where it is native. It has rhizomes which survive fire that clears dead and dying plant matter from the surface of the ground. The plant thrives with periodic burns and is often the first plant to sprout in a scorched area. This species has long been used by Native Americans who weave it in baskets. They also braid dried leaves and adorn them on traditional buckskin dresses and jewelry." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerophyllum_tenax We had two main stopping places in the park - the lookout at Maskinonge Lake and a longer stop at Cameron Lake. The views from both places are spectacular. Luckily, we had beautiful weather all day. Actually, we weren't too sure if the road going through the mountains to Cameron Lake was going to be open. It was due to reopen the day before out trip and, fortunately, the gate was open. Once at Cameron Lake, we found an empty picnic table right near the beach, and ate our picnic lunch. We were able to walk along the forest trail that followed the shoreline on the right edge of the lake. At a certain point, one had to turn around and go back along the same trail. Cameron Lake is one of my favourite places in the park, with a beautiful view of the lake and a pleasant, flat walk through the forest. There didn't seem to be a lot of forest wildflower species in bloom - maybe we were just a bit too early for them. However, the huge, creamy white flowers of Bear Grass growing along the edge of the road up to the lake had everyone in absolute awe. The road is only narrow and our bus was huge, so on the drive there, all we could do was gasp in amazement, with no chance for taking photos. We asked our excellent driver if there was any chance he would be willing and able to stop at one of the very small pull-offs at the edge of the road on the return drive - and he did! He was expecting maybe five or six people would get off, but I think almost everyone wanted to get a close look at these amazing plants. Even the driver himself got out to look and take photos. He had apparently never been to Waterton before and had never seen Bear Grass. We noticed tiny Crab Spiders on two of the flowers; one was lying in wait and the other had caught an insect. These spiders don't construct webs, but camouflage themselves by changing their colour to that of the flower they are hiding in, and then they wait. We also saw several stems of Striped Coralroot orchid in the ditch by some of the Bear Grass. After spending a couple of hours at Cameron Lake, the driver took us back into town, as some people had said they wanted to eat there before the long drive back to Calgary. Others, including myself, would have preferred to have spent the time somewhere else, seeing nature and taking photos. However, we were able to walk to the lake's edge, from where we were able to take a few scenic photos - something I had been hoping for. On our way back to the bus, some of us called in at a very popular ice cream shop - we all agreed it was the best, tastiest ice cream we had ever had! A huge, single scoop of wild cherry in a waffle cone - what more could one want? Penny, you did a great job of organizing this wonderful trip for us all! I know a lot of work goes into setting up an outing like this, and we all appreciate the time and effort you put into planning this. Such a perfect destination for this year's annual bus trip! Pam, thanks for your company on this long drive - helped make it far more enjoyable!

I'm slipping in this distant, poor quality photo as my third image this morning - too grainy to see in larger size! Just wanted it as a record of seeing the owl with a Meadow Vole that day - taken just before the rest of the Vole was swallowed in one big gulp. I decided to drive NW of the city on 11 February 2016, to make a second visit to see if there was any sight of the Northern Hawk Owl. It looked like the three hours of driving round trip, plus driving several of the backroads nearby a few times, were going to be in vain. Sure, the sun was shining, the sky a deep blue and some of the scenery was beautiful, but, let's be honest, it would have been disappointing to not see any owls, of any species. After a great deal of patience, managed only because friend, Bonnie, had also decided to go there that day, we finally were in luck. At the time the owl was spotted by another photographer (thanks so much, Harshad!) who was further down the road from us, I had just said to Bonnie that I had spent enough time up there and really wanted to do the long drive home before it got dark, because of poor night vision. There were just the three of us when Harshad saw the owl on top of a distant tree. During the afternoon, though, various people came and went. No owl baiters turned up, thank goodness, unlike on my first visit. That day, one of the photographers who was already there got rid of them very quickly, as soon as they arrived. Part way through my visit, I enjoyed such an interesting chat with someone who happened to be driving down one of the backroads in the opposite direction to me. Stirling Clark is a carpenter, who makes beautiful furniture (and other things) in the Finish style. He has 20+ years of experience with Finish carpentry, door and trim installation, built in custom cabinetry, hardwood floor installation, stairs and railings, outdoor decks, siding, renovations and new construction, and general carpentry. His (other) passion is photography, enjoying nature, landscapes and wildlife. He told me that he had a Northern Hawk Owl visit him at his carpentry workshop recently - quite a treat. A pleasure to meet you, Stirling! www.stirlingclark.ca/carpentry.html www.stirlingclark.ca/photography.html "The type of prey the Hawk-Owl catches will determine its eating strategy. For mammalian prey the ritual is generally the same: the Northern Hawk-Owl will eviscerate its prey, eats the head first (especially for prey like the red squirrel, whose head is fairly large), and then—when tackling larger prey—it will eat the organs and cache the remains; with smaller prey, the owl will simply swallow the body whole." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hawk-Owl "The Northern Hawk Owl can detect prey by sight at a distance of up to 800 meters (half a mile). Though it is thought to detect prey primarily by sight, the Northern Hawk Owl can find and seize prey under 30 cm (1 foot) of snow." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_hawk_owl/lifehistory

Just over a month ago, on 13 January 2015, I spent time with friends again, down in Fish Creek Park. As usual, for most of the time, this tiny, popcan-sized Northern Pygmy-owl sat very high up in very tall trees. Patience is definitely needed when hoping to get photos of this beautiful little bird - it tends to sit in the same place for an hour or even two. If it wasn't for other people to chat with, I know I could never stand there, watching and waiting for so long if I was by myself! This is a 48x zoomed image, Focal Length (35mm format) - 1200 mm. This photo was taken just after the ferocious little hunter flew down and caught a Meadow Vole, part of which you can see. "The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it’s a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pygmy_owl

Yesterday afternoon, 13 January 2015, I spent time with friends again, down in Fish Creek Park. As usual, for most of the time, this tiny, popcan-sized owl sat very high up in very tall trees. Patience is definitely needed when hoping to get photos of this beautiful little bird - it tends to sit in the same place for an hour or even two. If it wasn't for other people to chat with, I know I could never stand there, watching and waiting for so long if I was by myself! THANK YOU TO ALL MY FRIENDS FOR HELPING TO MAKE THE LOSS OF MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, FIONA, EASIER TO BEAR! YOU HAVE ALL MADE SO MUCH DIFFERENCE THE LAST 10 DAYS! I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. This photo was taken when the ferocious hunter flew down to the path, caught a Meadow Vole, and then flew up into a much smaller Spruce tree. "The Northern Pygmy-Owl may be tiny, but it’s a ferocious hunter with a taste for songbirds. These owls are mostly dark brown and white, with long tails, smoothly rounded heads, and piercing yellow eyes. They hunt during the day by sitting quietly and surprising their prey. As a defensive measure, songbirds often gather to mob sitting owls until they fly away. Mobbing songbirds can help you find these unobtrusive owls, as can listening for their call, a high-pitched series of toots." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pygmy-Owl/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pygmy_owl

We were SO lucky to see not just a Northern Pygmy-owl (rare to uncommon in Alberta), but to see it swoop down and catch this unfortunate little Meadow Vole. Witnessed at Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park, on November 13th. This tiny owl is popcan-sized, about the size of a person's fist, and it is a vicious predator and will attack and kill prey that is larger than itself. Average length of a female Northern Pygmy-owl is 18.5 cm (7.3"), male: 16.5 cm (6.5"). A heavily cropped image : ) talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=164 "Measurements of average adult male Meadow Voles are: total length, 150 mm (6 in); tail, 37 mm (1.5 in); weight, 31.5 g (1 oz). Females are only slightly smaller." talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=542

A female Merlin seen on the annual High River Christmas Bird Count, on 18 December 2012. It had just caught some kind of small bird (Common Redpoll?) down the road ahead of us, but not on my side of the car. Then it flew way down the road behind us and I was able to quickly get out of the car and take a very distant shot.