Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Spiny Rose Gall

Yesterday, 7 June 2015, was a hot day – way too hot for my liking. Today, the forecast is for 30C this afternoon. I wasn’t keen on the idea of being out in the sun for three hours, but neither could I have stayed in my place one more minute - it feels like an oven! Decided to join birding friends for a walk at the west end of South Glenmore Park and we had a lovely, leisurely walk, stopping often to look at, or listen to/for, a variety of birds. I think my favourites were a pair of colourful American Goldfinch. It was also fun to see a little Black-capped Chickadee looking out from its nest cavity. Will add Janet and Bernie’s bird list below, for my own memory. There were quite a few species of wildflowers as well. I so rarely go on a walk, so I tend to miss many of the wildflowers. The colour of these small Spiny Rose Galls (I think I have the correct ID) growing on a wild Rose caught my eye when we were walking through the forest. Galls are abnormal plant growths resulting from activity of the tiny, non-stinging cynipid wasps - (Diplolepis bicolor). Insect larvae develop inside the gall. Each gall is round with many pink spines - I find them quite attractive. Thanks for such an enjoyable afternoon, both of you! A stop afterwards at the Good Earth café was so much appreciated, too. 1. Great Blue Heron - 1 2. Canada Goose - 40 3. Mallard - 5 4. Gadwall - 2 5. Swainson's Hawk - 1 6. Franklin's Gull - 30+ 7. Woodpecker sp. likely Sapsucker - 1 8. Olive-sided Flycatcher -1 9. Least Flycatcher - 12 10. Red-eyed Vireo - 2 11. Black-billed Magpie - 1 12. American Crow - 4 13. Common Raven - 1 14. Tree Swallow - 4 15. Black-capped Chickadee - 2 @nest site. 16. House Wren - 11 17. American Robin - 6 18. Cedar Waxwing - 6 19. Yellow Warbler - 10 20. Chipping Sparrow - 1 21. Clay-coloured Sparrow - 4 22. Baltimore Oriole - 1 23. Red-winged Blackbird - 3 24. Brown-headed Cowbird - 3 25. House Finch - 3 26. American Goldfinch - 5 27. House Sparrow - 2 Least Chipmunk - 1 Muskrat - 1 Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly - 10+ Blue Azure - 1 Alpine sp. Butterfly - 15+ Janet & Bernie