Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Marston Creek

Can't give you an ID - will wait until you post yours, Doug : ). This was such an exciting find yesterday on our botanizing trip to Marston Creek, on the most south easterly edge of Kananaskis. When we first saw it, only part of it was visible, seen from the side, growing on a fallen log. After taking photos, Doug pulled it out completely to reveal the whole cap and stalk for identification purposes. I've never seen a mushroom like this before - makes me think of a poached egg : )

Though Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a weed that grows in our natural areas, I still like coming across it, with its beautiful bright yellow, button-like flowers. This particular plant was photographed on the Marston Creek Trail in Kananaskis, but I could just have easily photographed it in the city, such as in Fish Creek Park. In Alberta, this plant is listed as Noxious. "Introduced from Europe in the 1600’s, its pungently aromatic foliage has been used medicinally, as an insect repellant, and for embalming. Common tansy forms dense stands and the plants contain alkaloids that are toxic to both humans and livestock if consumed in large quantities. Cases of livestock poisoning are rare, though, because tansy is unpalatable to grazing animals. Because of its long medicinal and horticultural use, Common tansy is still available in plant nurseries and from herbal remedy suppliers. Gardeners should not purchase Common tansy." www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-CommonTansy.pdf

This is a macro shot of Bearberry, a common, native, woody groundcover shrub 5-30 cm high. The leaves are evergreen, remaining green for 1–3 years before falling. New stems can be red if the plant is in full sun, but are green in shadier areas. Older growth stems are brown. In spring, they have small white or pink flowers. The fruit is a red berry. Also known as Kinnikinnick and Pinemat manzanita. Photographed this one on the Marston Creek trail, on the southern edge of Kananaskis. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctostaphylos_uva-ursi

A most uninspiring image for most of you, LOL, but I was thrilled to bits to be shown this completely different Cladonia species the other day, on a hike at Marston Creek, on the southern edge of Kananaskis, off Highway 40. I can never remember the names of any lichens I see, so will have to wait for friend, Doug, to upload his shot of it along with an ID : )

Just one of many views seen on our full-day hike at Marston Creek in Kananaskis Country yesterday. This area is on the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and right where Kananaskis Country begins, south of the city. As you can see, the weather was beautiful - we felt maybe half a dozen raindrops as the day wore on, that's all. The trees were such an amazing, brilliant green. One word about the "Creek" here - when we did this hike a year ago, the creek was just a little trickle. Yesterday, it was a fast-flowing stream that we had to cross somehow. People crossed at a couple of different places - I ended up crossing at what was described as the "best" place to cross, i.e. inching my feet across a slippery log from bank to bank, holding on to a long, sturdy stick that I pressed into the water, and grabbing so tightly to my backpack that a very helpful friend was carrying across for me, LOL. Thanks SO much, Arnold, for all your help! Would not have made it on my own, that's for sure! And thanks, David, for carrying my camera safely across for me - it would have been a sad thing if I had fallen in along with my camera! Of course, the whole process had to be repeated on our way down : )

Lots of Lichens to see on our full-day hike at Marston Creek in Kananaskis Country yesterday. I liked this bright orange one growing on a dark brown rock. Mother Nature is so artistic : )

Fairly near the beginning of our day hike at Marston Creek two days ago. This area is on Highway 40, south of Calgary, just where Kananaskis begins (i.e. the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains). There are beautiful Limber Pines on the hillsides - quite photogenic trees.

Friend Doug found this fungus for us yesterday, on a day hike to Marston Creek, Kananaskis. At first, it was thought it might be an old mushroom, but a closer look at it on the hike down the hillside revealed that it might not be. Thanks to Doug for identifying this as a Brain Mushroom, Gyromitra esculenta, a "spring morel look-alike" which is poisonous. Later: thanks to ressaure for the correct ID! The weather was beautiful - we felt maybe half a dozen raindrops as the day wore on, that's all. The trees were such an amazing, brilliant green. One word about the "Creek" here - when we did this hike a year ago, the creek was just a little trickle. Yesterday, it was a fast-flowing stream that we had to cross somehow. People crossed at a couple of different places - I ended up crossing at what was described as the "best" place to cross, i.e. inching my feet across a slippery log from bank to bank, holding on to a long, sturdy stick that I pressed into the water, and grabbing so tightly to my backpack that a very helpful friend was carrying across for me, LOL. Thanks SO much, Arnold, for all your help! Would not have made it on my own, that's for sure! And thanks, David, for carrying my camera safely across for me - it would have been a sad thing if I had fallen in along with my camera! A great source of information at Tom Volk's website: botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/may2002.html

Doug, I do hope you don't mind, but I took the information below from your photostream. Seen at Marston Creek, Kananaskis, on 3rd August last year. "Thanks to funginerd for the suggested ID. Coprinus sterquilinus (?) 'Shaggy Mane', Looks like C. comatus but is growing in dung".

Lichens found and photographed on a hike along the Marston Creek Trail, Kananaskis, on 3rd August 2009.

I always find it difficult to believe the colour of some of these wonderful Boletes! We've seen these fungi/mushrooms in a number of different locations, with this one being found alongside the tiny trail at Marston Creek, Kananaskis, on 3rd August 2009.

I always love mushroom gills - to me, the underneath of a cap can be even more beautiful than the top. I was rather intrigued by the pattern on the stalk. Seen on 3rd August last year, on a hike at Marston Creek, Kananaskis.

Yesterday, a few of us did a hike at Marston Creek, at the most south easterly edge of Kananaskis. I shouldn't really use the word "hike", as we take our time while we botanize an area : ) However, that doesn't alter the fact that we still had to climb upwards, upwards and more upwards, LOL! Part way, we wandered through a forest area, where we found various beautiful fungi, and then continued our climb. I almost gave up just before this high point, but forced myself to do the last 50 yards or so. Was glad I did, as a friend found a Clustered Broomrape plant up here on the rocks - on its dying legs, but it was still a Broomrape plant : ) Didn't get much of a view, as the cloud was coming in lower and lower until it finally turned to rain for the whole of our descent. At least it wasn't HOT!!

This was an especially beautiful Wild Bergamot flower, with many petals, seen on the Marston Creek hike in Kananaskis on 3rd August. Also known as Horsemint, this native member of the Mint family grows in open woods, fields and prairie grasslands, June-August.