Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: FlickrGold

Yesterday, I went on a bus trip to Lake Louise to see the Ice Sculptures there. Lake Louise is a two-hour drive from Calgary, through gorgeous mountainous scenery. This was the 14th annual Ice Magic Festival and the 2008 theme was "Snow Queen, Ice Fairies and the Enchanted Forest." "Twelve teams of three carvers are given 15 blocks of ice, weighing 300 lb each, which they must transform into seven-foot tall world-class ice sculptures in three days. Weather permitting, the sculptures will remain on display through March 2008." www.banfflakelouise.com/experience-the-park/ice-magic

When we came across this immature Bald Eagle two days ago at Beaverdam Flats, I noticed that it kept a very watchful eye on Pete as he walked along the path, getting closer to the tree. Not sure if Pete was keeping a very careful eye on the massive, powerful bird that was perched just above him, LOL! www.petejones.ca/

I gave myself a break from searching for the little Northern Pygmy-owls today. I have a very painful neck, thanks to all the looking up that I have been doing the last two weeks, LOL! Such spectacular little owls, just the size of a popcan, but fierce. This is the male as he has a yellow bill, unlike the female who has a more orangy bill. About 10 minutes after I took this photo, he flew to the next tree and mated with his little lady owl : ) It was funny today - I called in at a Value Village thrift store and just happened to notice a thin book on North American Birds of Prey. When I opened it, it went straight to the page about the Northern Pygmy-owl!

Calceolaria x herbeohybrida, one of the many beautiful spring plants that have recently been planted in the Butterfly House at the Calgary Zoo.

Not sure where I took this photo on 15th September - possibly either Weaselhead or Beaverdam Flats. I just liked the way the rim was curled upwards, exposing the gills. Thank you to Joseba Castillo for kindly identifying yet another mushroom for me! Much appreciated!

Took this photo last night of the fern patterns that had been made on my computer room window by Jack Frost. The orange glow from a street light added a welcome illusion of "warmth" to the image.

I love Echinacea flowers at all the different stages they go through, from a bud like this one, to the dried flowers in the late fall.

"Just" one of the usual butterflies seen in a Butterfly House, this one at the Calgary Zoo. They were all a-flutter, to put it mildly!

This is one of several gorgeous Maple leaves I brought home from Bowness Park a few days ago. I'm still puzzled, as the shape of the leaf is that of Silver Maple, yet anything I have read about this species says that the leaves are yellow in fall, not red. Need to do more research : ). I held this leaf up against my backyard fence, as it was very windy. Note, later: apparently, it is definitely Silver Maple, perhaps just genetically different (hybrid?).

Looks like the winter bird photography season is just beginning - yeah! This little female White-breasted Nuthatch flew down into a tree near where I was standing and I managed to get a quick shot. It was joined by Chickadees (of course!) and a little Downy Woodpecker. I'm going to have to brush up on my bird photography skills after all the summer months - I can see why "they" say that bird photography is the most difficult!

There is something "strange" about this photo, which maybe someone will pick up! The gorgeous orange Sunflower was bought at Safeway last week. The insect - a Clearwing Moth. Now, what is wrong with this image, LOL??

On my walk later this afternoon, a male White-tailed Deer came bounding through the grass and bushes, and crossed the path ahead of me. I noticed that he joined a very young deer. Then along came Mom, seen in this image, accompanied by her twins. Always a delight to come across deer when walking in Fish Creek Park.

This very dainty wildflower was growing at Big Hill Springs park, just NW of Calgary. Also known as Felwort. "Felwort has been used as a tonic medicine since the 1st century AD. Some sources report Felwort to be a purgative, while others indicate that it stimulates appetite in people suffering from Anorexia, old age and stomach ailments." From "Plants of Alberta" by France Royer and Richard Dickinson.

Crownvetch is not a true vetch, although it resembles common and hairy vetch. Crownvetch spreads from rhizomes and will form a dense cover. It has been used for soil stabilization and as an ornamental for many years. Coronilla means "little crown", and varia refers to variations in flower color as well as growth habits.