Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: lying

I KNOW YOU LOVE DOGS, PAM. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE THIS SWEET FARM DOG THAT LIVES AT THE SASKATOON FARM - A PLACE I LOVE TO VISIT. It is almost time for Smugmug to close down Flickr for maintenance so that they can perform the mammoth task of transferring every single thing on Flickr to a new server. Hard to imagine, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the transfer all goes smoothly. There will probably be a few glitches to iron out afterwards, but these will no doubt eventually be fixed. The day before yesterday, 19 May 2019, I was out for the day with my daughter, to celebrate Mother's Day and yet another birthday for me. I always look forward to a day like this - my favourite way to spend a day! I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and windy, especially when we went to Frank Lake after spending time at the Saskatoon Farm. We both still managed to get a few photos and, today, the colourful ones are most welcome, as we have yet another gloomy day. I think it must have rained again last night, as I can see there are puddles out there. Our day started with a delicious breakfast at the Farm, after which we walked around the grounds. I always enjoy seeing the farm cats and dogs wandering about, inside and outside. Visitors are not allowed to bring dogs, which means that the farm animals can roam in peace. The gardens have not yet been planted with flowers - just as well, as I noticed that there was a risk of frost on two recent nights. There are flowers blooming in the greenhouses, though. Our next destination was Frank Lake, where we hoped to see at least a few birds. It was very quiet, with little to photograph - not the best time of the day. Two Eared Grebes were swimming near the blind, but what a challenge they were! Non stop swimming and constantly changing direction, fast. I think I ended up with a couple of photos that might be sharp enough to post - the rest have been deleted. A Yellow-headed Blackbird, perched on a cattail, was swaying in and out of the viewfinder. It felt really good to get out, as I have been spending so much time going through all the images from our trip to South Texas. It did feel a little strange to be driving, as I have barely been out the last few weeks.

Woke up an hour before my alarm clocks went off, after just three hours' sleep, so thought I would quickly add one photo. Just checked the weather forecast for today - a high of -2C (windchill -8C), wind 37km/hr with gusts of 52 km/hr, and snowing. Do I really want to go out in this, lol? On 21 August 2018, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body ached like crazy at the end of it. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there. Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography. It was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed two Swainson's Hawks, as the hay bale they were standing on was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. A lone Common Nighthawk also helped make my day. For several years, I had longed to see one of these unusual birds and, finally last year (2017), I managed to find four of them. That time was almost two months earlier than my recent find, so I wasn't expecting to see any in late August. I would still love to find one lying on a wooden railing rather than a metal railing. Last year, I got a photo of one on a fence post, but the angle was not the greatest. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id "North America has 13 nighthawk populations. All but one are in decline and the species is considered threatened in Canada and several U.S. states." www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/little-backpacks-gps-used-to-trac... naturecanada.ca/what-we-do/naturevoice/endangered-species... A Horned Lark, a Western Meadowlark juvenile, and a Vesper Sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and a lone hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting, as these hawks are so few and far between.

On 21 August 2018, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body ached like crazy at the end of it. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there. Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography. It was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed two Swainson's Hawks, as the hay bale they were standing on was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. A lone Common Nighthawk also helped make my day. For several years, I had longed to see one of these unusual birds and, finally last year (2017), I managed to find four of them. That time was almost two months earlier than my recent find, so I wasn't expecting to see any in late August. I would still love to find one lying on a wooden railing rather than a metal railing. Last year, I got a photo of one on a fence post, but the angle was not the greatest. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id "North America has 13 nighthawk populations. All but one are in decline and the species is considered threatened in Canada and several U.S. states." www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/little-backpacks-gps-used-to-trac... naturecanada.ca/what-we-do/naturevoice/endangered-species... A Horned Lark, a Western Meadowlark juvenile, and a Vesper Sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and a lone hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting, as these hawks are so few and far between.

On 21 August 2018, it turned out to be such a great day, with some much-appreciated sightings. I must have spent about 8 or 9 hours driving and almost every inch of my body ached like crazy at the end of it. Now, each summer, I try and do two or three longer (for me) drives, making sure I don't lose confidence to get there. Weather-wise, it was around 24C, so not too hot. Yes, it was still smokey from the British Columbia wildfires, making distant hills barely visible and deleting mountains from view, but it didn't have too much effect on closer photography. It was a good day for Hawks, seeing three on the way south and a few on the way home. I almost missed two Swainson's Hawks, as the hay bale they were standing on was way out in a large field. At first, I thought there were three hawks together, but when I stopped to take a few photos, I realized that there were only two - one looked almost like two hawks close together, but then I saw that it had its wings mantled. I guess it wanted to make sure that the second hawk behind it couldn't steal any of the food from it. A lone Common Nighthawk also helped make my day. For several years, I had longed to see one of these unusual birds and, finally last year (2017), I managed to find four of them. That time was almost two months earlier than my recent find, so I wasn't expecting to see any in late August. I would still love to find one lying on a wooden railing rather than a metal railing. Last year, I got a photo of one on a fence post, but the angle was not the greatest. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id "North America has 13 nighthawk populations. All but one are in decline and the species is considered threatened in Canada and several U.S. states." www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/little-backpacks-gps-used-to-trac... A Horned Lark, a Western Meadowlark juvenile, and a Vesper Sparrow gave me the chance for a photo or two, and a lone hawk I spotted way in the distance was a Ferruginous Hawk. A happy sighting, as these hawks are so few and far between.

The weather alert for poor air quality continues, though this morning is low risk, unlike the extremely poor air quality the last few days (10 and 10+). This changes all the time. Our temperature is only 7C at 10:00 am! Looks like we could have rain tonight, which would be wonderful if it happens. Hoping rain is in the forecast for British Columbia and down in the States, too, to help with fighting the endless, devastating wildfires! I don't plan on leaving the house today, though, so I thought I would add a few more photos. Three days ago, on 16 August 2018, I was invited to go with a friend to visit a mutual friend down in Turner Valley and see the birds that come to her beautiful back garden. Only small, this area has been so thoughtfully and beautifully laid out, encouraging all sorts of birds and other wildlife to visit. She is so fortunate that a wildlife corridor is just beyond her deck and garden. Totally unexpectedly, Jackie made us a delicious cheese bun sandwich for lunch that included tomatoes she has grown herself on her deck, along with cold, refreshing lemonade. Thank you so much, Jackie, for your kindness, as always! Pam, I really appreciate your invite to go with you, and thanks so much for driving a few new back roads and a stop at Frank Lake. I don't know where all the birds were, but there were so few at the Lake and most of those were far, far out. It was a real treat, though, to start off our morning with a beautiful Swainson's Hawk that was perched on a metal fence railing, and to end our day with several (was it three?) American White Pelicans in flight and then landing on a pond in the city. We were lucky that one of them was still on the water by the time we had parked and walked to the pond. Despite the thick blanket of smoke everywhere and the dreadful air quality, the faint landscape that surrounded us was eerily beautiful. It will feel almost strange to see our beautiful foothills and mountains once again, when the wildfire smoke finally comes to an end.

Our Heat Warning continues, with a forecast of 32C for this afternoon. This has been going on all summer, apart from a few odd days. On 1 July 2017, it was such a thrill to see this Common Nighthawk / Chordeiles minor (a rather strange looking bird), as I had always wanted to see one actually lying on a fence post or wooden railing. People get such amazing photos of them like that, and that is what I was determined to find this summer. Last year, I had driven to this area in southern Alberta, hoping to find one, but had been out of luck. Though I ended up with this one lying on a hard, metal railing that lacked character, I'm still happy as can be. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. Not only did friend Pam and I see this one, but there were three other Nighthawks there, too. Two of the others were also on a metal rail, but the fourth was on a fence post - not the best angle, but it was still nice to see a fence post perch. How close we came to missing them! I said I wanted to just check the first part of a small side road first, before continuing on the road we were on - and there they were! It took a round trip of 414 km to get them, but it was so worth it! I had seen a nighthawk on maybe five different occasions over the years, but never been able to get a proper photo. For Pam, this was the first time she had ever seen one, and she was so happy to see this lifer. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id I was so tired after driving such a long distance and it was a hot day - the temperature got up to 30C. I so rarely do such a long drive, and I've barely driven all winter and spring. It felt so good to actually get out on a long drive like this, and we saw all sorts of interesting things that we just had to stop and photograph - of course!

Four days ago, on 1 July 2017, it was such a thrill to see this Common Nighthawk / Chordeiles minor (a rather strange looking bird), as I had always wanted to see one actually lying on a fence post or wooden railing. People get such amazing photos of them like that, and that is what I was determined to find this summer. Last year, I had driven to this area in southern Alberta, hoping to find one, but had been out of luck. Though I ended up with this one lying on a hard, metal railing that lacked character, I'm still happy as can be. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. Not only did friend Pam and I see this one, but there were three other Nighthawks there, too. Two of the others were also on a metal rail, but the fourth was on a fence post - not the best angle, but it was still nice to see a fence post perch. How close we came to missing them! I said I wanted to just check the first part of a small side road first, before continuing on the road we were on - and there they were! It took a round trip of 414 km to get them, but it was so worth it! I had seen a nighthawk on maybe five different occasions over the years, but never been able to get a proper photo. For Pam, this was the first time she had ever seen one, and she was so happy to see this lifer. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id I was so tired after driving such a long distance and it was a hot day - the temperature got up to 30C. I so rarely do such a long drive, and I've barely driven all winter and spring. It felt so good to actually get out on a long drive like this, and we saw all sorts of interesting things that we just had to stop and photograph - of course! A few old barns, wildflowers and other bird species. Towards the end of our day, the rain arrived, accompanied by lightning streaks. This couldn't have been timed more perfectly, to wash off a lot of the dust that covered my car after 12 hours of driving hot, dusty roads! So welcome! We have another hot day today and the forecast is for very hot days for at least the next few days. So far, the forecast is 33C for Friday, 35C for Saturday and 31C for Sunday. Every single time I go out with my camera for a drive, I never forget to be SO thankful to live in a country where I have the freedom and safety to go where I want, and to see such beauty. Thank you, Alberta and Albertans - and Happy 150th Birthday, Canada! Such a young country.

Happy 4th July to all Americans, wherever in the world you happen to be living! This is another photo of one of the four Common Nighthawks I was so lucky to see three days ago. Only this one was perched on a wooden fence post, which I prefer, but this was the only angle I could get - it makes the bird look much shorter than it actually is. The other three birds were lying on metal railings. Happy to get anything, needless to say! On Canada Day, 1 July 2017, it was such a thrill to see this Common Nighthawk / Chordeiles minor (a rather strange looking bird), as I had always wanted to see one actually lying on a fence post or wooden railing. People get such amazing photos of them like that, and that is what I was determined to find this summer. Last year, I had driven to this area in southern Alberta, hoping to find one, but had been out of luck. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. Not only did friend Pam and I see this one, but there were three other Nighthawks there, too. How close we came to missing them. I said I wanted to just check the first part of a small side road first, before continuing on the road we were on - and there they were! It took a round trip of 414 km to get them, but it was so worth it! I had seen a nighthawk on maybe five different occasions over the years, but never been able to get a proper photo. For Pam, this was the first time she had ever seen one, and she was so happy to see this lifer. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id Towards the end of our day, the rain arrived, accompanied by lightning streaks. This couldn't have been timed more perfectly, to wash off a lot of the dust that covered my car after 12 hours of driving hot, dusty roads! So welcome! We have another hot day today and the forecast is for very hot days for at least the next week. So far, the forecast is 33C for Friday, 35C for Saturday and 31C for Sunday. I was so tired after driving such a long distance and in the heat - the temperature got up to 30C. I so rarely do such a long drive, and I've barely driven all winter and spring. It felt so good to actually get out on a long drive like this, and we saw all sorts of interesting things that we just had to stop and photograph - of course! Every single time I go out with my camera for a drive, I never forget to be SO thankful to live in a country where I have the freedom and safety to go where I want, and to see such beauty. Thank you, Alberta and Albertans - and Happy 150th Birthday, Canada! Such a young country.

Just in case ipernity does not continue, I and all my photos can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott . Yesterday, 1 July 2017, it was such a thrill to see this Common Nighthawk / Chordeiles minor (a rather strange looking bird), as I had always wanted to see one actually lying on a fence post or wooden railing. People get such amazing photos of them like that, and that is what I was determined to find this summer. Last year, I had driven to this area in southern Alberta, hoping to find one, but had been out of luck. Though I ended up with this one lying on a hard, metal railing that lacked character, I'm still happy as can be. These birds are 9½ inches from the tip of bill to the tip of tail. Not only did friend Pam and I see this one, but there were three other Nighthawks there, too. Two of the others were also on a metal rail, but the fourth was on a fence post - not the best angle, but it was still nice to see a fence post perch. How close we came to missing them. I said I wanted to just check the first part of a small side road first, before continuing on the road we were on - and there they were! It took a round trip of 414 km to get them, but it was so worth it! I had seen a nighthawk on maybe five different occasions over the years, but never been able to get a proper photo. For Pam, this was the first time she had ever seen one, and she was so happy to see this lifer. "On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id I was so tired after driving such a long distance and it was a hot day - the temperature got up to 30C. I so rarely do such a long drive, and I've barely driven all winter and spring. It felt so good to actually get out on a long drive like this, and we saw all sorts of interesting things that we just had to stop and photograph - of course! Last night, I was too tired to edit any photos to post today, and then I overslept till about 11:30 this morning, which is why I'm posting so late today. Every single time I go out with my camera for a drive, I never forget to be SO thankful to live in a country where I have the freedom and safety to go where I want, and to see such beauty. Thank you, Alberta and Albertans - and Happy 150th Birthday, Canada! Such a young country.

A friend pointed out (as he does so many times - lucky me!) this Momma Red Squirrel when we were botanizing the Threepoint Creek Natural Area (Sheep River Natural Area) on 30th July. He thought she looked really cute with her little front legs folded under her chin and her chin resting on them. As I approached a little nearer, she turned to look at me. I hope she was enjoying her short break away from the "kids". I felt a little guilty, disturbing her during those precious few moments to herself.

Talk about intricate pattern and detail, and protection : ) This Inland bearded Dragon resides at the Calgary Zoo (behind glass, unfortunately). "The beard has an expandable dewlap with spiky scales. The beard is used for both mating and aggression displays. Both sexes have a beard, but males display more frequently, especially in courtship rituals." nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactS...

Gosh, I took this photo of Canada Goose goslings way back on 3rd May last year, at Carburn Park. I kept coming across it, but never got round to checking whether I had already uploaded it to my Flickr photostream. Apparently, I hadn't, and so here it is : ) If we can just get the next three months behind us, spring won't be all that far away ... sigh. Sounds so good!

...but oh, so adorable : ) I'm still picking out the odd image I took of these Red Fox kits that day. Most of my photos came out far too blurry, for some strange reason, but I'm still finding the odd one or two that are just about fit to be posted. I wonder how these little guys are doing now. Maybe they have already dispersed?

This little guy, seen at Reader Rock Garden over two weeks ago, seemed to think that if he kept really, really still, we wouldn't be able to see him, LOL. Beautiful little thing.