Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: fluffy

This morning, 16 July 2019, I woke up to find that it's raining - again! It definitely feels like it has rained almost every day for weeks. "Risk of a thunderstorm" seems to be the norm these days. Our temperature is only 11C (windchill 9C) at 10:00 am.. Yesterday afternoon, I just needed to get out for a quick drive, so, despite the forecast for rain, I drove SW of the city along several usual roads. I soon discovered that one of the roads I was going to drive had roadworks going on - oiling the road. With a car that was already covered in dead insect "splats", from my 12-hour drive south of the city, the last thing I wanted was to add oil to the mix. So, yesterday's drive ended up being very short; just a couple of hours in total. Amazing what one can come across in a short time, though. A Wilson's Snipe was perched on a fence post, giving me yet another chance for a few photos. A Red-winged Blackbird was perched on another fence post, happily and noisily displaying its scarlet and yellow shoulder patches. Down a different road, a fluffy Tree Swallow fledgeling sat on the barbed-wire by its nesting box, all alone. Leaving the area, ready to go home, I came across two immature Red-tailed Hawks, both perched on the same wooden beam at the top of a utility pole. Such beautiful birds. Further on, I suddenly decided to drive up a road that I don't think I have ever driven before. What a treat I discovered - a gorgeous old barn! Absolutely made my day.

This afternoon, I called in at my local park and searched for the two Great Horned Owlets. When I went down in the pouring rain yesterday, all I could find was Dad, but no sign of Mom or the young ones. I had the feeling that the babies had fledged and become branchlings, but could see no sign of them. Photographer Phil told me that he had seen them out of the nest yesterday (or was it the day before?), so my gut feeling was correct. I was about to go home today, after a fruitless - or should I say, owless? - search, when my eyes caught sight of two very fluffy "behinds", LOL! They were perched way, way up in a tall tree, motionless (asleep, I suspect). After a while, they began to move and I managed to get a few distant photos. They must be around six weeks old, I think. Very unsteady on their feet when moving along the branch and I witnessed a few balance problems. At one point, I even let out a very loud gasp. Very cute to see. Oh, and Phil, they are MY owls, not YOURS, LOL! Thanks for your comment on my previous owlet image that had the long narrative (about malicious gossip) below it - hilarious, and I'm still smiling! Thanks for SHARING your information - the more eyes, the better : )

Took this photo of these two young Canada Goose goslings near one of the small ponds at the Calgary Zoo, on 20 April 2012.

This was another of the four Great Gray Owlets that I photographed (with permission from the land owner) on June 4th and that was banded by Richard Chamberland of "The Owl Guys". I should add that only three of the four owlets were banded - the fourth couldn't be reached - so I can't be sure exactly which three were banded. On the banding evening, all the owls (and people) were pretty wet from the fog and rain, so looked very different from the previous day. Richard came down to Calgary on the evening of June 5th and I had been invited to join him and several others to watch them band a Northern Hawk Owlet, three Great Gray Owlets and two adult Great Grays. One of the adult Great Grays was banded en route, so a few of us didn't see that one. A miracle that any of my photos came out - on both days - dark within the forest and two of the owls especially were so high up (perhaps the highest I've ever seen an owl). So thankful for zoom! www.naturenorth.com/Gray_Owl/Gray_Owl.html

..... and your little legs get tired easily, lol! This little Canada Goose gosling was one of several that were busy feeding along a gravel roadway in Bridlewood, right next to a road. My heart would miss a beat each time one of these youngsters moved closer and closer to the main road, but somehow they seemed to know that they mustn't go any further. Both Mom and Dad were, of course, keeping very close watch over them. In fact, one of them was only a couple of feet away from this little one. I noticed that some of the goslings had these striped markings on their neck - anyone happen to know if this is a male/female thing? Needed a day at home today after a very long day trip yesterday that lasted about 13 hours : ) A two and a quarter hour drive south of Calgary took a few of us to the Small Whaleback, where the beautiful, rolling hills were covered in carpets of wildflowers. Our walks are always very slow, while we search for and record all plants, insects, birds, mammals, etc.. Even so, at the end of our hike, I managed to hobble the last few feet and was luckily able to collapse on the low trailer that we discovered parked in the parking lot. Fortunately, the owner didn't return before the rest of our group returned to the cars a short while later - it felt SO good to be able to sit down! What a beautiful area this is and I am so grateful to have had the chance to visit and explore a few of the hillside slopes and meadows. The weather was beautiful - sunny but not too hot and a lovely cool breeze that felt really good but was a bit of a pain when it came to taking flower and insect photos! Thanks so much, Moya, for leading this amazing trip and for driving some of us there and back. Today, last night's rain continues. Too bad for anyone going down to the Stampede Grounds today. I keep forgetting that it's the Calgary Stampede for 10 days! "The Royals", Kate and WIlliam, got the chance to go down to the Stampede Grounds a few days ago, before it was open to the public. They seem to have had a great time here in Canada - England will feel so small to them now, after visiting such a vast country : )

Little Canada Goose goslings are growing up so fast, but a few of the ones I saw on June 9th were still at the cute stage : ) I love to see them when they are out for a walk with Mom and Dad and then suddenly flop to the ground. Seen at a local wetland in south west Calgary.

This adult female Great Horned Owl and two of her owlets were up really high, surrounded by a tangle of thin branches, and in dreadful light and a strong wind, LOL. What looked like the youngest owlet was further along the branch, right next to the tree trunk. Still masses of baby fluff, which is always cute to see (except when it's very windy and you are trying to take a photo, ha). This is a family of owls that lives near the Calgary Zoo.

I was concentrating on photographing three Pelicans who were enjoying a small stream at the Zoo, when I suddenly heard rustling near me. The grass seemed to explode into a mass of the tiniest Mallard ducklings I think I have ever seen! And SO many of them - must have been about a dozen. The female took them out on to the water, which the male Pelican did not appreciate, and in fact he attacked her. Soon, Mom brought all her babies back to the bank, right near me, which surprised me. Babies preened themselves and eventually collapsed and fell asleep, after their exciting trip!