Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: not native to Alberta

This was one of the plants I saw in my friends' garden yesterday. It is just a small flower, but so pretty. Apparently, it grew out of a packet of wildflower seeds, though I think I'm right in saying it doesn't grow in the wild here. I was so happy to find an ID on Google Images late last night - Five-spot Nemophila - but then realized that of course it has six petals and spots, not five. I haven't been able to find anything that mentions a Six-spot plant. All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 21 July 2017, when friend, Dorothy, invited me over for a BBQ supper and the chance to maybe see and take photos of the beautiful Ruby-throated Hummingbird that has been visiting their colourful garden. I did try to get an OK photo when a group of us was there for a BBQ just a matter of days ago, but I didn't get a single photo that was fit to post. They suspect that any day now, this tiny bird will be leaving. She has been extra busy at their feeders full of sugar-water, getting ready for her long migration journey across the Gulf of Mexico. Her nonstop journey will be more than 1,030 km. Thanks so much, Dorothy and Stephen, for such a lovely time! The meal was delicious, and it was so much fun to get a better look at your tiny Hummingbird. Like other years, you are going to miss her when she leaves!

This little (actually, not so little!) ball of fluff was 45 days old when I photographed it on 20 July 2014. Lol, a face that perhaps only a mother could love? I have added a previously posted close-up photo of the owl's face in a comment box below. We don't have Barn Owls in the wild in Alberta, but this was seen at an exhibit. That day, I plucked up courage to do a drive that I’d never done before. I had been that route once before that I can think of, when I carpooled with others. A good part of the drive was in familiar territory, but I’d never driven the last part of the journey myself. I had met my youngest daughter at 9:00 a.m. and we were both eager to see a display of birds of prey that had been brought up from the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre. This year, there were fewer birds, but it was great to see any at all. There was a Burrowing Owl, a Barn Owl, a Great Horned Owl, and a Golden Eagle. Another real treat that was an amusing one, was seeing this baby Barn Owl that was just 45 days old! This little ball of fluff was acting as a great ambassador, letting young kids get a close view and ask questions, and fall in love with it – and to hopefully, in the future, do everything they can as adults to protect our precious wildlife. The enjoyment of seeing these birds up close reminds one that the reason these birds are not free to live in the wild, is because of some kind of interaction with humans – such as permanent injuries from being hit by a vehicle, pesticide use, or even worse, being shot by a human! This is what happened to “Spirit”, the magnificent Golden Eagle, shot and blinded by someone. This exhibit was our first destination in the park, though on the drive from Calgary, we had stopped at the small McDougall Church at Morley (photos posted the last two days). After seeing and photographing the birds of prey, we then drove to Middle Lake that’s in a different part of the park. We walked the very short distance to the edge of the lake, but didn't walk around it. From there, we drove to Many Springs Trail and did a very slow walk around the lake, stopping to look at different wildflowers and photograph a few butterflies. Certain wildflowers were already finished, including various Orchid species, but there were still plenty of other species to see and enjoy. Even the weather cooperated, though the forecast had been for isolated showers. Not too hot, nice clouds in the sky and lovely to have my daughter’s company for the day. Thanks so much to the people down at the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre (near Lethbridge, down towards the Canada/US border) for bringing your gorgeous birds of prey for us to see! I have been south to the Centre three times I think, and always long to go back again, but it's not somewhere I can drive to, so this was a much-appreciated treat! Posting really late again today - early afternoon.