Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: 6 October 2015

This bird, along with various other species, are free to roam in part of the Tropical building at the Calgary Zoo. While we do not get these birds in the wild, if one is lucky, one can see a White-faced Ibis on various slough locations outside Calgary, such as Frank Lake, SE of the city. Both species have such gorgeous, iridescent feathers. This photo was taken on 6 October 2015. “The southern bald ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a large bird found in open grassland or semi-desert in the mountains of southern Africa. This large, glossy, blue-black ibis has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long, decurved red bill. It breeds colonially on and amongst rocks and on cliffs, laying two or three eggs which are incubated for 21 days before hatching. It feeds on insects, small reptiles, rodents and small birds. The ibises are gregarious long-legged wading birds with long down-curved bills; they form one subfamily of the Threskiornithidae, the other subfamily being the spoonbills. The two Geronticus species differ from other ibises in that they have unfeathered faces and heads, breed on cliffs rather than in trees, and prefer arid habitats to the wetlands used by their relatives.” From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_bald_ibis www.arkive.org/southern-bald-ibis/geronticus-calvus/

Most of the photos I have been taking recently have had green backgrounds, as usually there have been green fields in the distance. I really needed a break from that, so dug into my archives last night for two of the three photos posted this morning. This photo was taken on 6 October 2015, at the Calgary Zoo. This was the last time I visited, as my usual parking lot then closed for the winter. SInce then, road construction and bridge replacement have been going on and will continue into 2017. The drive to the north entrance of the Zoo is definitely out of my driving comfort zone, so I probably won't be seeing the Zoo for a long time yet. "Nestled at the very heart of the Calgary Zoo, these pink beauties might seem dainty, but don’t let their slender bodies and fancy feathers fool you. Flamingos are tough cookies. They can stand on one leg for hours and, in the wild, withstand extreme conditions – including stifling summers and frigid winter temperatures that dip to -30 C. In the wild, Chilean Flamingos live near salt lakes, coastal mudflats and marshes. Their diet consists of algae and small aquatic animals. If flamingos don’t eat pink food, their feathers turn white. At the zoo, special diet supplements keep the birds’ feathers vibrant." From the Calgary Zoo Website. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_flamingo "When not eating or preening, flamingos will sleep, facing the wind, head tucked under their wings, usually standing on one leg, with the other leg tucked up under their feathers. They do this to conserve warmth, whether they're in a warm or cool climate." Read more: Information on Pink Flamingos | eHow.com www.ehow.com/about_5082532_information-pink-flamingos.htm... "Chilean flamingos live in large flocks in the wild and require crowded conditions to stimulate breeding. During breeding season, males and females display a variety of behaviors to attract mates, including head flagging—swiveling their heads from side-to-side in tandem—and wing salutes, where the wings are repeatedly opened and closed. Males and females cooperate in building a pillar-shaped mud nest, and both incubate the egg laid by the female. Upon birth, the chicks have gray plumage; they don't gain adult coloration for two-three years. Both male and female flamingos can produce a nutritious milk-like substance in their crop gland to feed their young. The Chilean flamingo's bill is equipped with comb-like structures that enable it to filter food—mainly algae and plankton—from the water of the coastal mudflats, estuaries, lagoons and salt lakes where it lives." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamingo

This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015, the last time I visited. SInce then, my usual parking lot has been closed (for the winter} and now for construction in the area while the old bridge I always use is replaced and won't be ready till 2017. I would have to use the north parking lot, which is totally out of my driving comfort zone. I have posted three previous photos of this beautiful tropical bird, but this is the first image that shows the whole bird and its very long, narrow tail. The first time I ever saw this beautifu bird, it took my breath away. Have added a previously posted, closer view in a comment box below. "The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis regius), also known as royal starling, is a medium-sized, up to 35 cm long, passerine in the starling family. It is distributed in the grassland, savannah and shrubland of East Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. The adult has a metallic green head and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young are duller than the adult. The golden-breasted starling is a social animal, living in groups of three to twelve individuals." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-breasted_starling Later, I just discovered a Calgary Sun newspaper article from 23 June 2015, about a family that discovered this bird (or a different individual - I seem to remember seeing two of these birds when I was at the Zoo a few days ago) that had escaped from the Zoo. Actually, this story reminded me that when I was in a small store a couple of days ago, buying a new pedometer, a Magpie flew in through the open door and perched on the counter by the till : ) The sales woman was surprised when I told her about her unexpected visitor! www.calgarysun.com/2015/06/23/inglewood-family-helps-calg...

This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo has been closed (for the winter) since 13 October, and I did want to get in one last visit. Now it will continue to be closed because the old, narrow bridge over the Bow River, which I would normally drive over, is being replaced. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so normally tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. Now I would have to do this till the bridge is completed next year (2017). "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. The forecast for 6 October was for sun with some cloud, but it turned out to be overcast the whole afternoon and most of my photos, especially those taken indoors, came out blurry : ( I was amazed that this and several others taken of this amazing Mandrill came out OK, including because of the dirty glass and everyone's reflection making it a challenge. This guy was walking around his enclosure the whole time, except when he paused on a log for a few seconds a couple of times, to give a nice pose. A black squirrel added a a bit of interest for him, too, and he liked to give chase. The previous time I was at the Zoo, I saw this black squirrel in there. The glass of the enclosure is extremely high, so I don't know how it got in or out. "The world’s largest monkey, mandrills in the wild are found in the rainforests of equatorial Africa in countries such as Guinea, Nigeria and Cameroon. Known for the vivid red, blue and yellow markings on the muzzle and rump, mandrills also have long canine teeth that make a memorable impression. The monkeys are largely ground-dwelling omnivores that forage on grubs, eggs, fruit, leaves and reptiles, but they will climb trees for fun or for a safe place to sleep. Mature males can weigh up to 50 kg. and live up to about 25 years of age. Their colours also get brighter as they mature. Males can appear aggressive when they flash their canines at one another, but that is really a sign of friendly communication common in their complex social hierarchies, said Celli. In fact, despite their striking looks, mandrills tend to be quite shy. Because the group at the zoo is all male, you won’t see any displays of bravado that signal mating behaviour, but you will see the younger males following the lead of their dominant oldest brother, Yusufu. Zoo curator, Dr. Malu Celli, said the adolescent younger brothers will copy his mannerisms and even his walk. The trio were born in captivity in the Granby Zoo in Granby, Q.C. (Quebec) and were part of a family group there that had too many males. Celli said it is not unusual to find bachelor groups of mandrills in the wild, or males that hang out on the peripheries of a “super group.” From an article in the Calgary Herald on 16 May 2014. www.calgaryherald.com/technology/things+know+about+colour... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrill

This photo was taken in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo has been closed (for the winter) since 13 October, and I did want to get in one last visit. Now it will continue to be closed because the old, narrow bridge over the Bow River, which I would normally drive over, is being replaced. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so normally tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. Now I would have to do this till the bridge is completed next year (2017). "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. The forecast for 6 October was for sun with some cloud, but it turned out to be overcast the whole afternoon and most of my photos, especially those taken indoors, came out less than sharp. There were several of these huge plants in bloom. They quickly caught my eye - can't remember if I've ever seen this species before. Love the pattern of the yellow bracts. "“The plant's inflorescence is set atop a spike and can measure up to 30 centimetres (12 in) in height. The bracts attached to the structure can differ in colour, from white, to yellow, orange, or even red, often darkening as the bracts mature and develop. The flowers themselves are small, with purple petals and yellow spots, and a fragile, papery texture.” From Wikipedia.

Thought I had better post bright, colourful images today after posting three rather dull images yesterday : ) This beautiful Water Lily was growing in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, on 6 October 2015. That was the last time I visited the Zoo, as the parking lot that I have always used was closed from October and won't be opening again till sometime next year, 2017! The City will be replacing the bridge over the river that I always use, so that road will be closed off. Not sure if I'll be able to make myself drive to the north parking lot and then have to come home via the dreaded Deerfoot Trail. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun newspaper. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeaceae

This beautiful, yellow Hibiscus plant was growing in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, on 6 October 2015. The flower centre is always fascinating, I think, especially when seen up close. Love the texture of those bright red stigmas. "Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

I took this photo at the Calgary Zoo on 29 September 2015. That day, my alarm clock was set for 6:30 am so that I could go on a birding walk with friends. Unfortunately, I didn't read the e-mail carefully enough, so hadn't seen that the meeting place was not where I thought. Of course, no one else showed up where I was, so I took myself off to the Calgary Zoo instead. I had planned on going there after the walk, anyway. This beautiful tropical bird, a Golden-breasted Starling, took my breath away! It has such vibrant colours and sheen, and an extremely long, narrow tail (which obviously isn't seen in this close shot). Unfortunately, the light is terrible in this hot, humid building, so I find it's difficult to get a sharp photo of anything, hence the grainy shot. "The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis regius), also known as royal starling, is a medium-sized, up to 35 cm long, passerine in the starling family. It is distributed in the grassland, savannah and shrubland of East Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. The adult has a metallic green head and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young are duller than the adult. The golden-breasted starling is a social animal, living in groups of three to twelve individuals." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-breasted_starling Later: I discovered a Calgary Sun newspaper article from 23 June 2015, about a family that discovered this bird (or a different individual - I seem to remember seeing two of these birds when I was there) that had escaped from the Zoo. www.calgarysun.com/2015/06/23/inglewood-family-helps-calg...

This beautiful, yellow Hibiscus plant was growing in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo closed about a week ago, and won't reopen till April 2016, so I did want to get in this one last visit. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun newspaper. "Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

I love to see the tiny bubbles and patterns that form around the edge of a Water Lily leaf/pad. This photo was taken in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from 13 October till April 2016, so I did want to get in another visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway (Deerfoot Trail) has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun newspaper.

This beautiful, yellow Hibiscus plant was growing in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from today, 13 October, till April 2016, so I did want to get in one last visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. "Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from 13 October till April 2016, so I did want to get in another visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. This beautiful tropical bird, a Golden-breasted Starling, took my breath away! It has such vibrant colours and sheen, and an extremely long, narrow tail (which obviously isn't seen in this close shot). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-breasted_starling Later: I just discovered a Calgary Sun newspaper article from 23 June 2015, about a family that discovered this bird (or a different individual - I seem to remember seeing two of these birds when I was at the Zoo a few days ago) that had escaped from the Zoo. Actually, this story reminded me that when I was in a small store a couple of days ago, buying a new pedometer, a Magpie flew in through the open door and perched on the counter by the till : ) The sales woman was surprised when I told her about her unexpected visitor! www.calgarysun.com/2015/06/23/inglewood-family-helps-calg...

Problems with Flickr this morning - Bad, bad Panda. It seems Flickr was down for a short while. More Bad Pandas when I got home this evening. All three photos posted this morning were taken at the Calgary Zoo yesterday afternoon, 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from 13 October till April 2016, so I did want to get in another visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. The forecast was for sun with some cloud, but it turned out to be overcast the whole afternoon and most of my photos, especially those taken indoors, came out blurry : ( I was amazed that this and several others taken of this amazing Mandrill came out OK, including because of the dirty glass and everyone's reflection making it a challenge. This guy was walking around his enclosure the whole time, except when he paused on a log for a few seconds a couple of times, to give a nice pose. A black squirrel adds a a bit of interest for him, too, and he likes to give chase. Last time I was at the Zoo, I saw this black squirrel in there. The glass of the enclosure is extremely high and I wonder if it has a way of getting out. "The world’s largest monkey, mandrills in the wild are found in the rainforests of equatorial Africa in countries such as Guinea, Nigeria and Cameroon. Known for the vivid red, blue and yellow markings on the muzzle and rump, mandrills also have long canine teeth that make a memorable impression. The monkeys are largely ground-dwelling omnivores that forage on grubs, eggs, fruit, leaves and reptiles, but they will climb trees for fun or for a safe place to sleep. Mature males can weigh up to 50 kg. and live up to about 25 years of age. Their colours also get brighter as they mature. Males can appear aggressive when they flash their canines at one another, but that is really a sign of friendly communication common in their complex social hierarchies, said Celli. In fact, despite their striking looks, mandrills tend to be quite shy. Because the group at the zoo is all male, you won’t see any displays of bravado that signal mating behaviour, but you will see the younger males following the lead of their dominant oldest brother, Yusufu. Zoo curator, Dr. Malu Celli, said the adolescent younger brothers will copy his mannerisms and even his walk. The trio were born in captivity in the Granby Zoo in Granby, Q.C. (Quebec) and were part of a family group there that had too many males. Celli said it is not unusual to find bachelor groups of mandrills in the wild, or males that hang out on the peripheries of a “super group.” From an article in the Calgary Herald on 16 May 2014. www.calgaryherald.com/technology/things+know+about+colour... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrill

All three photos posted this morning were taken at the Calgary Zoo yesterday afternoon, 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from 13 October till April 2016, so I did want to get in another visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. The forecast was for sun with some cloud, but it turned out to be overcast the whole afternoon and most of my photos, especially those taken indoors, came out blurry. I always find that sunshine is needed in the ENMAX Conservatory in order to get any decent photos. The butterfly room is winding down for the season - only a few left, mostly the same handful of species. It was so hot and humid in there yesterday, so it's just as well that there weren't many butterflies to try and photograph. Just as I was about to leave the room, I happened to notice a few specks of white on a distant leaf of a tropical plant. When I zoomed in, I saw that they were butterfly eggs. Wish I could have got closer, as these are quite attractive, with their ridged pattern, when seen close up. I wonder if they are Owl Butterfly eggs.

All three photos posted this morning were taken at the Calgary Zoo yesterday afternoon, 6 October 2015. The west entrance to the Zoo will be closed from 13 October till April 2016, so I did want to get in another visit before then. I don't like the drive home on Deerfoot Trail from the north entrance, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. "Calgary's infamous freeway has taken the dubious top spot when it comes to this city's most dangerous place to drive." From the Calgary Sun. The forecast was for sun with some cloud, but it turned out to be overcast the whole afternoon and most of my photos, especially those taken indoors, came out blurry. The Zoo has an adult Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) called Loka. She is the oldest female Komodo dragon in captivity and she arrived at the Calgary Zoo in 2014. Later, the Zoo acquired four new young ones (all from the same litter). When they arrived, they were put in the adjacent enclosure, so that they wouldn't get eaten. My photo is a close-up shot of one of the young ones. The IUCN Status of the Komodo Dragon is ENDANGERED – there are only between 3 to 5 thousand Komodo dragons left in the wild. “The Komodo dragon’s size (2.4 - 2.7 m or 72 - 108 in length) and appearance as well as the yellow color of its long, forked tongue inspired the ‘dragon’ portion of their name, evoking thoughts of mythical, firebreathing creatures. Komodo dragons are the largest lizard in the world. As such they are also the largest of the monitor lizards, an ancient reptile group with ancestors that date back more than 100 million years. Their habitat is hilly and rugged volcanic forest and grassland where conditions are hot and dry; tropical dry forest and sometimes moist deciduous monsoon forests of southeastern Indonesia. Komodos can eat large chunks of food without chewing because of their loosely-articulated jaws. Powerful neck and throat muscles help this process. A Komodo dragon can consume up to 80 per cent of its own body weight at one time.” From the Calgary Zoo website. www.calgaryzoo.com/animals/reptiles/komodo-dragon simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon