Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Horseshoe Canyon

This was a new plant found on 21 August 2010, on a climb down into Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, north east of Calgary. I have never seen it anywhere since. The whole, solitary plant (a dense, spike-like cluster), was maybe three inches tall. I will add a previously posted macro of just a few of the very tiny flowers in the cluster in a comment box below. This is native to North America. In a United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, for Dinosaur Provincial Park, also in the Badlands of Alberta, the following was reported: "Threatened species, or those at the limit of their biogeographic range, include Orobanche ludoviciana ..." "Louisiana Broomrape has no chlorophyll and is parasitic on species of Artemisia spp. and other members of the aster family. There are over a 100 species of Orobanche identified worldwide and a number of them are very serious economic crop pests in arid regions, by starving their host plants of nutrients and moisture." From Minnesota wildflowers. www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/louisiana-broomrape This is where a group of us spent the day botanizing. To the north east of our city, there are endless miles of flat prairie. Then, suddenly, one comes across the amazing Badlands - our own mini Grand Canyon! This is one of the best-known sites in the Canadian Badlands, located 17 kilometres west of Drumheller on Highway 9. Horseshoe Canyon is about 145 km (88 miles) from Calgary. It takes between 1½ hours and 2 hours to drive there from Calgary. "Horseshoe Canyon is an isolated pocket of badlands amidst the Alberta prairie. Apart from its aesthetic value, Horseshoe Canyon also represents three unique habitats or ecosystems: the prairie, the wooded coulee slopes and the badlands." www.natureconservancy.ca/site/PageServer?pagename=ab_ncc_... www.tyrrellmuseum.com/

I don't have the ID for this Lichen that we found growing at Horseshoe Canyon, a long drive east of Calgary to the Badlands near Drumheller. Thought it was quite attractive, though. Macro shot taken on a botanizing trip on 14 July 2011.

A flower that I had always longed to see and photograph was a Prickly Pear Cactus flower (or any kind of Cactus flower). I finally got my chance when a few of us went east of Calgary to spend the day botanizing at Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller and the Badlands, on 14 July 2011. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia

This was the first time I had seen Alkali Cordgrass and I was surprised at how beautiful it was. This macro was taken down at the bottom of Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller in the Alberta Badlands, on July 14th. "It is native to western North America from northwestern Canada through the western United States and eastern California, and into central Mexico. It grows in moist alkaline habitat, such as evaporating streams and shorelines, alkali flats, and inland marshes." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartina_gracilis

Much as I love to see the bright berries of the Star-flowered Solomon Seals, I am not ready for berries of any kind yet! It feels as if summer has barely begun and some plants are already over. Photographed in Horseshoe Canyon on July 14th.

A banded cliff wall being eroded in typical fashion at Horseshoe Canyon, near Dumheller, Alberta. We were surrounded by rock walls like this one when we spent a few hours on July 14th exploring the walls and the floor of the canyon. Most people tend to stand on the canyon rim, breathing in the spectacular view, but the hike down in the canyon reveals all sorts of interesting things. Last summer, we even found a family of Great Horned Owls down in the Canyon.

Not sure which species of Cladonia lichen this is. This little grouping was growing at Horseshoe Canyon, August 21st last year, when a few of us spent the day botanizing the canyon. This location is in the Badlands of Alberta, east of Calgary. This is a macro shot - these Cladonia are only tiny. Later: thanks to Doug (dougwaylett) for the ID, Cladonia pyxidata, Pebbled Pixie-cup. Much appreciated! According to the Alberta Wild Species General Status Listing, 2010, the status of Cladonia pyxidata is Secure.

This is a macro shot of the very tiny seedpods of Blue-eyed Grass. They are round balls, which split open to disperse lots of black seeds. Found on 21st August in Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller. This location is in the Badlands of Alberta, north east of Calgary.

All my life, when I thought of "grass", I pictured a long green blade. If you've never taken a really close look at grass when it's in flower, you might get quite a surprise. This macro shot shows you the VERY tiny flowers of Soft-leaf Muhly grass, seen growing in Horseshoe Canyon, in the Badlands of Alberta, near Drumheller. Taken on 21st August.

This is where we spent the day botanizing on Saturday, 21st August - Horshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta. To the north east of our city, there are endless miles of flat prairie. Then, suddenly, one comes across the amazing Badlands - our own mini Grand Canyon! This is one of the best-known sites in the Canadian Badlands, located 17 kilometres west of Drumheller on Highway 9. Horseshoe Canyon is about 145 km (88 miles) from Calgary. It takes between 1½ hours and 2 hours to drive there from Calgary. This shot was taken just before I reached the top rim after a day of plant search. Unfortunately, the invasive Creeping/Canada Thistle was growing here in abundance. "Horseshoe Canyon is an isolated pocket of badlands amidst the Alberta prairie. Apart from its aesthetic value, Horseshoe Canyon also represents three unique habitats or ecosystems: the prairie, the wooded coulee slopes and the badlands." www.natureconservancy.ca/site/PageServer?pagename=ab_ncc_... www.tyrrellmuseum.com/

This was a new plant found two days ago, on our climb down into Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, north east of Calgary. The whole, solitary plant (a dense, spike-like cluster), was maybe three inches tall and this is a macro of just a few of the very tiny flowers in the cluster. This is native to North America. In a United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, for Dinosaur Provincial Park, also in the Badlands of Alberta, the following was reported: "Threatened species, or those at the limit of their biogeographic range, include Orobanche ludoviciana ..."

A macro photo of this tiny-flowered plant, found on Saturday, when several of us spent the day botanizing Horseshoe Canyon in the Badlands of Alberta. This place is a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive, north east of Calgary. I don't remember seeing this plant before and found that it's quite pretty when seen magnified this way. www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/ontweeds/prostra...

This was a fascinating thing to see down at the bottom of Horseshoe Canyon, in the Badlands of Alberta, north east of the city. Several of us spent the day on 21st August botanizing the amazing area. This spider web was so different and very intricate, constructed down in the grass. Too bad the little (?) owner didn't show itself - maybe camera shy?

A friend happened to notice this little Nuttall's Cottontail on Saturday, when several of us drove north east of the city to Alberta's wonderful Badland area. We spent the day botanizing Horseshoe Canyon and this little rabbit was at the canyon bottom, tucked into a "cave" caused by erosion of the hillside. I think perhaps he felt that we couldn't see him? : ) I've only ever seen one of the Rabbits maybe three or four times before, so this was a real treat. Thanks, Susan!

This was one of the many plants we found in bloom on the floor of Horseshoe Canyon on Saturday. Several of us went north east of the city to the Badlands near Drumheller and spent the day botanizing Horseshoe Canyon. I very rarely see Blue Lettuce, but I love the small flowers.

We were watching this little green Stink Bug (also called a Shield Bug), part way up the trail at Horseshoe Canyon a few days ago. This area is a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive north east of Calgary, to the Badlands near Drumheller. Famous Dinosaur country : ) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatomoidea

I'd never seen Russian Thistle up close before. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, green-white or pink, and are usually solitary in the leaf axils. Photographed this plant on the canyon floor at Horseshoe Canyon, Badlands of Alberta near Drumheller. www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/russthis.htm

This young (?) Grasshopper was hiding out in a Gumweed flower when a few of us went to botanize Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, in the Alberta Badlands (Dinosaur country!) on 21st August. This is a common native plant of western North America, though I don't see it very often. The underside of the flower is gummy. Also called Curlycup Gumweed. Belongs to the Sunflower family.