Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: interestingness#132

I don't know if this little Great Gray Owlet had ever flown to the open area next to the forest before, but we found it sitting down on the ground, giving us a much better view. Its three siblings were still high up in the trees - all of them very cute, needless to say. So thankful for powerful zoom on occasions like this : ) It's hard to believe, after all the rain and cooler temperatures we've been having since then, but it was actually getting rather hot on that day and this little owlet was feeling the warmth, too. The day after I took this photo, I was invited to join Richard Chamberland, licenced owl bander, who came down from near Edmonton to band this family with several other banders. The weather while banding was fog and rain and the (2-hour) drive home was in the worst rainstorm I have ever experienced, ha. Literally driving "blind" - an adventure I hope never to repeat!

Sometimes, the underside of a mushroom or a polypore is even more beautiful than the topside. This one has a coarse structure. Seen on August 13th either at the Bearberry Prairie Natural Area or adjoining Sundre Natural Area. Added on 13th December 2010: many thanks to Harvey Medland who suggested Polyporus Alveolaris for the ID. Actually, I've just noticed botany friend, Doug, who took photos of the same specimen, had given a similar ID - Polyporus Alveolaris s. lato. Thanks to both of you : )

Yesterday, I spent a wonderful day with friends at Lake Louise, out past Banff. Near Castle Mountain, we stopped to take photos of Ravens that were hanging around a pull-off. Smart birds that they are, they have learned that people probably stop here and maybe eat a snack - and they love food! In the city, it's impossible to get a photo of a Raven, so we were really happy to get this opportunity. The weather was beautiful, around +10C, (apart from being very cold at Lake Louise), though the dazzling sunlight created very harsh shadows. I think we have passed on our recent bitter winter weather to those living in eastern Canada - sorry, everyone : ) Honest!