Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Boat Launch area

This photo was taken yesterday, 8 September 2016, when our birding walk was at the east end of Fish Creek Park, in the Sikome area and also a little way along the river, south of Highway 22X. My main reason for going was that I was really hoping either to see one of the Black-crowned Night-herons that have been seen on several days, or that at least I could find out exactly where they had been seen. We saw three of them, all juveniles, but they were in the trees and extremely difficult to see and photograph. My next photo is being posted just for the record.

Common Burdock (Arctium minus) is an invasive weed, but I always find the prickly burs attractive. This macro shot was taken on 2 September 2013, in the Boat Launch area in Fish Creek Park. "The prickly heads of these plants (burrs) are noted for easily catching on to fur and clothing (being the inspiration for Velcro), thus providing an excellent mechanism for seed dispersal." From Wikipedia.

I couldn't believe my luck this afternoon when I went for a walk in a local park. Just after I had decided that it was time to leave, I glanced down and saw three of these amazingly beautiful Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth caterpillars on a Leafy Spurge plant!. Actually, two had this colouring and the third had a lot more green on it. I had seen one of this species a couple of years ago, again by pure chance. This is not my favourite shot of it, but it does show what the head end and underneath are like. Doug, I would love to have popped it into a tiny box to keep for you to photograph, but of course knew I couldn't do that.

Not the most spectacular of icicles, but I like seeing them hanging from a rusty pipe beneath Highway 22X, where it crosses the Bow River in Fish Creek Park. Did a long, four-hour walk yesterday morning, from Hull's Wood to the southern edge of the LaFarge area and back. Of course, we have already had snow, but I was thinking more about the frigid temperatures that will eventually arrive. Hope the sun comes with them on as many days as possible - the past week has been such an overcast, dreary week. This morning looks like it will be a sunny one, with the temperature at 0C (32F) right now and supposedly getting up to 5C (41F) this afternoon. Scattered flurries forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

I was SO lucky to get this shot the other day! I was driving through Fish Creek Park and was about to turn into the parking lot, when this beautiful Eastern Kingbird flew and landed on a fencepost near the road. Managed a couple of shots before it flew off. These birds can display aggressive behaviour towards intruders who happen to venture near their nest. "It is widely distributed in southern Alberta in the southern grasslands, aspen parkland, and southern boreal forest. The Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is a neotropical migrant that winters in South America. It is found wherever it can hunt flying insects, preferring open sites such as woodland edges, and riparian habitat. Their diet is flying insects, supplemented by fruit in winter." talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=205

I lightened this a little too much, I think, but I was trying to show the markings on the breast. The quality of the image is atrocious (noisy!), but I don't get all that many raptor shots, so wanted to include it. Perhaps someone could correct me on the ID if I am wrong - thanks. This young hawk was calling non-stop down in a local park yesterday.

I was so surprised when I saw that one of the three Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth caterpillars that I came across yesterday was a different colour. To show my ignorance, are caterpillars either male or female? I'll have to do some research : ). By the way, the end with the "horn" and two white eyes (you can only see one in the photo) is the tail end.