Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: explore2014June15

On Thursday, 12 June 2014, I drove westwards to the eastern edge of the mountains, along Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66) as far as Maclean Pond. I did a very slow walk, finding just a few things to photograph. I was surprised at how few wildflowers were in bloom - this was the only tiny Blue-eyed Grass that I noticed. The main plant was the Dandelion, so it was obviously too early after our late spring. Also found a very few Shootingstars, several Valerian flowers, an occasional cluster of Mouse-eared Chickweed, and not much else. I drove home via the backroads SW of Calgary, where I photographed a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, a Tree Swallow, a Brewer's Blackbird, a Black Tern that was perched on a fence post, and a Snipe.

On Thursday, 12 June 2014, I drove westwards to the eastern edge of the mountains, along Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66) as far as Maclean Pond. I did a very slow walk, finding just a few things to photograph. I drove home via the backroads SW of Calgary, where I photographed a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, a Tree Swallow, a Brewer's Blackbird, a Black Tern that was perched on a fence post, and this Snipe. Usually, when I see a Snipe, it's standing on one leg, so this one looks a little strange to me : )

"The garden zinnia was bred via hybridisation from the wild form. Zinnias are popular garden plants with hundreds of cultivars in many flower colors, sizes and forms. There are giant forms with flower heads up to 6 in (15 cm) in diameter. Flower colours range from white and cream to pinks, reds, and purples, to green, yellow, apricot, orange, salmon, and bronze. Some are striped, speckled or bicoloured. There are "pom-pom" forms that resemble dahlias. Sizes range from dwarf varieties of less than 6 inches (15 cm) in height to 3 feett (0.9 m) tall." From Wikipedia. Photographed this shocking pink flower in the garden at the Calgary Zoo, on 8 September 2011.