Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: specnature

Took a number of photos of this little Red Squirrel yesterday afternoon, when I couldn't find the Northern Pygmy-owl for quite a while. Didn't want to go home without any new photos, LOL! It has part of a seed caught in the fur of its right hand.

I've now just about reached the centre of this Ornamental Kale, having had to remove all the dead, outer leaves! Just about heart shaped - hope you think so, too, Jan, LOL!

These were such pretty, bright Trollius flowers at the Reader Rock Garden earlier in the summer. Member of the Buttercup family.

This plant is growing at the Reader Rock Garden, but we don't know what it is. Does anyone know its name? Some of the flowers were blue. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Note added a matter of minutes later: thank you, ngawangchodron, for sending the ID to dougwaylett! Oh, just as I was typing this, comments from Nuytsia@Tas and Old Stone have arrived. Wow, thank you all for the ID - and for sending it SO quickly! Very much appreciated!

This is where I spent the evening of the Summer Solstice! We walked around Manysprings pond, looking for all sorts of plants. It is such a beautiful wetland area at the foot of the eastern edge of the mountains, very rich in flora and fauna.

We saw this little spider eating its lunch a few days ago. I have seen them before on wild roses. They can change colour to match their background, but I guess this one was so focussed on food that it "forgot" to change colour, LOL!

My usual little White-breasted Nuthatch (male). Happy Feathery Friday, everyone!

I think this is Brome Grass. When the sun catches the leaves, they shine like gold.

Much of its time was spent in this tall, upright position. What a long, lean animal! Wow, just noticed that this made Explore #4 today, 28th December 2006!! Thanks everyone - very much appreciated! "Counting its tail, a large Long-tailed Weasel male, the largest of the three species in Canada, stretches nearly half a metre (20 in) in length, yet can slip into a hole just 3 cm (1.25 in) across. This enables it to enter small rodent tunnels used by mice and voles. In summer, it enters ground squirrels burrows in search of its favourite food. Average males measure 406 mm (16 in), their tail is 135 mm (5.25) long and they weigh 225 g (12.6 oz). Males are approximately 25 per cent larger than females, which on average weigh only 102 g (5.7 oz). When winter approaches, within 30 days it grows a coat of white, giving it perfect camouflage against the snow -- all except for the tip of its tail, which stays black. A hungry predator, such as a hawk or owl, aims for that black tip, enabling the weasel to escape. Towards spring, between late February and April, in only 25 days, it reverses the process, acquiring the cinnamon-brown topcoat it will use all summer. This includes brown feet, unlike the other two species which retain white feet. The underside is usually buff-coloured." (Taken from the weaselhead.org website).

This guy landed on a log quite close to me this afternoon, posed, and gave me the chance to finally get a reasonable photo of a Hairy Woodpecker. Out of luck with the little Downy Woodpecker - maybe next time? Happy Feathery Friday, everyone! (Note to self: I used a horizontal version of this image for my 2008 calendar).

Seen at the Pasu Sheep Farm, north of Calgary. This bird's feathers were the worse for wear but the beautiful colour of the head and neck remained. This was # 69 on 8th November 2006.

Can't wait for these beautiful Prairie Crocus flowers to push through the ground next spring - and winter isn't even quite here yet! I just don't want to think about what is in between. The highest position for this photo was #70 on 31st October 2006.