Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: off Highway 8

I always think this is rather a strange flower, but with such a beautiful pattern on the petals. Photographed this noxious weed on 23 June 2015, when I was on a botany walk at Griffith Woods. "An annual or biennial (forming a rosette the first year) plant that reproduces by seed only. Black Henbane was introduced from the Mediterranean and has been used as a medicinal plant since the Middle Ages, and was also used in ancient religious rites because of its hallucinogenic properties. It was even used as a flavoring in beer until the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and animals when ingested – tissues contain several toxic alkaloids. Symptoms of poisoning include impaired vision, convulsions, coma, and death from heart or respiratory failure. It is a member of the nightshade family and also called ‘stinking nightshade’. A single plant can produce as much as half a million seeds in one season, which are viable for about 4 years." www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-BlackHenbane.pdf -

This was seen in Griffith Woods back on 14th October 2008. I'm not sure, but I think this is perhaps a Rusty-gilled polypore. Such a delight coming across its bright colour when walking in the woods or forest.

Love these tiny, pink bell flowers of Bearberry. Taken at Griffith Woods on 23 June 2011.

Taken yesterday, 10 August 2012, when five of us spent a few hours botanizing the Elbow Valley Estates. This area is on the western edge of Calgary, just off Highway 8. It was the first time some of us had been there - always nice to explore a new area, recording every species of flora and fauna that we find. Sow Thistle is a noxious weed. Not sure if this is Annual or Perennial Sow Thistle but, either way, this little Hoverfly was making good use of it.

When I was on a three-hour walk with friends on February 23rd, at Griffith Woods, someone happened to notice this tiny, old Hummingbird nest hanging from a very low Spruce branch. So beautifully made. In a photo I posted a few days ago, a friend was holding a $10 bill for someone else to take a photo and, though I usually never add something for size in any of my photos, I thought it might work for that one. The photo above is a closer look at this amazingly built nest. The inside of it is about the size of half a walnut shell. This is a link to a short video from YouTube, of Hummingbirds from "egg" to when they actually leave the nest. Amazes me that they don't poke each others' eyes out with those long, thin beaks! Photographing nests and nesting birds is frowned upon by many people/birders, so hopefully this video was taken with a very powerful zoom lens. Hummingbirds sometimes return to use the same nest. They build their tiny nests from spider webs, soft cottony material, moss and plant fibres, and hang beautiful lichens from the spider webs. The elasticity of the spider silk allows the nest to expand beautifully to accommodate the growing young in the nest. The typical hummingbird nest is tiny, about the size of half a walnut shell! Nature is so amazing! youtu.be/gG59PaCiiDg youtu.be/AcyjOgKvx88 birding.about.com/od/birdhouses/a/hummingbirdnests.htm

So beautiful, yet so devastating! This is one of our main invasive weeds, also called Canada Thistle, and it has taken over so many parts of our lovely natural areas. This species is native throughout Europe and northern Asia, and widely introduced elsewhere (including here, unfortunately). The name "Canada Thistle, is misleading, as the plant is not native to this country. Creeping Thistle is the preferred name - and WE don't want to be blamed for something so destructive, when we didn't start the whole thing, lol!! Each spring, it forms extensive clonal colonies from an underground root system that sends up numerous erect stems. Photographed (macro) this particular plant at Clearwater Park, on the west side of the city, off Highway 8, September 4th last year. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_arvense

It was such a treat to come across a cluster of these spectacular Shaggy Mane mushrooms early in September, when we were on a walk at Clearwater Park.

Photographed on a walk at Clearwater Park, along Highway 8, on September 4th. Not sure if these are the buds of Perennial Sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis) or Annual Sowthistle (Sonchus asper). Both are introduced, invasive plants. I always enjoy seeing the buds that are shaped like the middle one in my photo.

Also known as Hart's Clover, King's Clover, King's-crown, Plastic Clover, Ribbed Melilot, or Yellow Millet. This wildflower is not native to Alberta, but was introduced from Europe. Grows in fields and roadsides and flowers bloom June-September. Photographed this plant (macro shot) at Clearwater Park, Calgary.