Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: ribbed cap

Earlier today, just about everything was going wrong on Flickr (for me, at least), including difficulty in even opening the website. Don't know if anyone else has had problems today. Something tells me that my photos may not be showing up today? Definitely something wrong! Ah, just checked the Help Forum and I see I'm not the only one. Today, I'm again leaving my Waterton images and instead adding three more photos taken five days ago (23 July 2015), closer to home. Five of us spent the day botanizing the land belonging to Darryl Teskey, SW of Calgary and W of Millarville (maybe a 40-minute drive from Calgary). This was the first time I had been there and I'm so glad I went - I would have missed all sorts of things, including a family of Ruffed Grouse and several fungi. These Grouse were the rare rufous-morph, and we startled them when we were walking through the forest in their direction. Usually, you don't see Grouse because they are so well-hidden. When you get fairly close (sometimes very close) to them, they suddenly "explode" from the tangle of shrubs and plants of the forest floor, making ones heart beat fast! Our walk took us over grassland and through forest, everywhere treacherous with so many fallen logs which were often barely visible. I have never, ever seen so many tiny Skipper butterflies - there must have been hundreds or even thousands of these bright orange beauties that were flying or perched on flowers of every colour. Fortunately, the rain stayed away until we started driving back to Calgary. Quite a lot of black clouds, reminding me of the tornado that passed through Calgary just the day before (22 July 2015). Our purpose, as always, was to find and list everything that we saw - wildflowers, trees, grasses, birds, insects, fungi, etc.. Our leader then compiles an extensive list of our finds and this is later sent to the landowner, along with any photos that we might take. Always a win/win situation, as the landowner then has a much better idea of just what is on his property, and we have a most enjoyable day. This summer, with so many botanizing outings like this, plus two 3-day trips to Waterton Lakes National Park, I am so far behind with the photos that I need to edit and e-mail!

I found just three mushrooms to photograph on a visit to Brown-Lowery Provincial Park on June 30th - the cap of this tiny, fragile one was maybe quarter of an inch tall. Just a very few fungi have appeared, though the peak of mushroom season is August, so there is still hope. Last year wasn't good at all for fungi, so maybe this year will be better. Have to admit, though, that after the last few months of watching birds, especially various Owls, mushrooms might just be lower on my "passion" list, but I know that if I do come across something spectacular (like the recent amazing Stinkhorns), I'm bound to take a photo or two : ) Posting this one really more as a record of what I see and when.

Meaning photos of mushrooms, not mushrooms themselves : ) This was a tiny fungus found in West Bragg Creek on 12 August 2010. Unlike last year, 2010 was a good year for fungi.

Another photo of this small mushroom that I found growing on the end of a broken-off twig on the ground at Mallard Point, Fish Creek Park, back on 21st September 2010. It was just so perfect. I think these little ribbed shrooms are so pretty. The cap was maybe half an inch in height. Growing out in an open, grassy area not too far from the Bow River. Not like my usual fungi photos, which are usually taken in a dark forest. It's -27C (plus windchill) and I have to go out on a photography walk this morning. Crazy weather, after enjoying such mild temperatures recently. Never even thought about plugging in my car, so hopefully it will start. Not sure my camera will work in such frigid temperatures, though. Later: we didn't do a whole lot of walking this morning, thank goodness, as -27C (-17F), -36C windchill (-33F) is a bit chilly, lol! We did see a few birds, though the light was not great (until the sun came out at after our walk). Hot coffee and cauliflower cheese soup from Tim Hortons' drive-through for lunch felt SO good!

I can't remember how small this fungus was, but maye around three-quarters of an inch. One of the prettiest mushrooms I think I have ever seen : ) I was just walking through a grassy area at Mallard Point on September 21st, looking for any logs to check for fungi, and I came across a small, broken-off branch lying in the grass. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what was growing from near one end : )))))) Aren't they just amazing things? Seems such a shame that they are so temporary. That's what I love about photography, though. Something can be captured and remembered "forever."