Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: dead leaves

Talk about a lucky weekend for Great Gray Owls - just what the doctor ordered! One individual seen on Saturday and then two different individuals seen yesterday, Sunday, 11 March 2018. Yesterday morning, I decided to follow a group of friends for the first part of their day's outing. The rest of their day was going to be a walk in an area that is treacherous in winter, as well as being a long hike. The very last thing I need at the moment is to break an arm or a leg - or anything. I am so glad I got up early and started the day with them, as we ended up seeing two separate Great Gray Owls. The first owl (seen in the next photo) was perched in a group of trees and then flew to a tree that was closer to us. It is always amazing to see such a large owl perched on a very thin branch/twig, showing that most of the bird is a mass of light-weight feathers. The second owl, seen in this photo, was at first perched in a tree that had beautiful, dead leaves, adding a welcome splash of colour. The light was challenging, but at least it wasn't snowing. A few minutes later, it flew off and landed in a far-away evergreen tree. Again, the light was a challenge, but I should be able to rescue a few shots. After parting from my friends, I had to drive past this location again and was happy to see the second owl still in the same distant tree. I waited a little while, hoping it might fly and land closer, but it seemed perfectly happy staying exactly where it was. I was just in time to get back to the city and join a different group of friends for a walk at Mallard Point in Fish Creek. Park. The birds we saw were too far away for any decent photos - but I didn't need any, after such an amazing owl morning. After the walk, we headed for Tim Horton's for late afternoon coffee and snack. Just being outdoors on such a lovely, sunny, comparatively mild day felt good.

Another photo from my archives. I'm always happy to come across a Puffball or a group of them in the forest. I love the texture on the caps. Found this one and a few other species in Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, SW of Calgary, on 17 August 2013. Apparently, 2013 was not a particularly good year for fungi, but I also only got out maybe four or so times to look for them. So many places were closed due to devastation caused by Alberta's Flood of the Century in June. It was a strange and quite depressing summer for everyone, especially, of course, for all the many thousands of people who suffered damage to their homes or lost them completely.

Not the kind of photo I particularly like to take, but this is where this Mourning Cloak butterfly was sitting. The first one I had seen this year, so thought I'd keep the shot for the record. After missing birding walks with friends the previous two weeks, I finally got myself out to the walk yesterday afternoon. It was held at a location that I have only been to a handful of times before - Pearce Estate, near the community of Inglewood - and I never like the last part of the drive there. Yesterday, I got caught at the railway tracks and had to wait forever for the long, slow freight train to come to an end. At the next road intersection, there were roadworks and a sign saying that my lane was closed ahead, with a large arrow pointing in the opposite direction. It all looked fine to me, and I was easily able to go where I wanted. On the way home, though, there was a 'no left turn' sign, so I had to find another way out of there. Never something I enjoy! "The Pearce Estate Wetland lies in a curve of the Bow River as it flows through the southeast part of the city. The 15-hectare wetland area, when combined with the adjacent provincially operated Bow Habitat Station, results in a 21-hectare park. The area was donated to the city by William Pearce, a prominent early Calgarian who died in 1930. The current wetland area and interpretive trail were redeveloped and opened to the public in 2004." www.calgary.ca/csps/parks/pages/locations/se-parks/pearce... During our walk almost as far as Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, we were delighted to see a Great Horned Owl twice; the second time, it was being harassed by several Magpies. Though the river at this location is safer now, we still miss seeing the dozens or even hundreds of American White Pelicans that used to congregate at the old Weir. I add three previously posted shots of some of these Pelicans in a comment box under the previous shot, of the River Passage art installation. We also enjoyed seeing this beautiful butterfly, warming itself in the sun. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphalis_antiopa After our walk, we decided to call in at the nearby Blackfoot Truckstop for an early supper. Being Easter Sunday, it was fairly empty and quiet and we all enjoyed the good food that this place is well known for. For me, this was a Western Omelette (with green peppers, ham, mushrooms and cheese) and hashbrowns. Perhaps not exactly what one thinks of as Easter dinner, but it was so very enjoyable being there with good friends. Thanks so much, Bernie and Stephen, for leading this walk! I will add their report of species seen: "1. Canada Goose 12 2. Mallard 6 3. Common Goldeneye 5 4. Common Merganser 9 5. Ring-billed Gull 14 6. California Gull 1 7. Rock Pigeon 14 8. Great Horned Owl 1 9. Downy Woodpecker 7 10. Northern Flicker 8 11. Black-billed Magpie 11 !2. American Crow 8 13. Common Raven 2 14. Black-capped Chickadee 16 15. White-breasted Nuthatch 4 16. American Robin 12 17. House Finch 4 18. House Sparrow 5 Richardson Ground Squirrel 3 Eastern Grey Squirrel 4 Morning Cloak Butterfly 1"

Thursday, 20 November 2014, was a good morning for seeing this Long-tailed Weasel and being able to get some photos of it. Some days you are lucky, and others you are not. I went out on a birding walk with friends that morning. The weather has been reasonably mild recently, with sunshine and blue skies, perfect for a leisurely walk. Our weather changed yesterday and today (30 November 2014), when snow returned along with brutally cold temperatures again. After the walk, I paid another visit to where the Long-tailed Weasel can sometimes be seen. Various friends were there, too, and we were treated to a few good photo opps, including with some of the eight or so Meadow Voles it caught while we were there. It is an amazing hunter, moving so rapidly over the uneven, snowy ground and tangles of dead plants and fallen logs. "Counting its tail, a large Long-tailed Weasel male, the largest of the three species in Canada, stretches nearly half a metre (20 in) in length, yet can slip into a hole just 3 cm (1.25 in) across. This enables it to enter small rodent tunnels used by mice and voles. In summer, it enters ground squirrels burrows in search of its favourite food. Average males measure 406 mm (16 in), their tail is 135 mm (5.25) long and they weigh 225 g (12.6 oz). Males are approximately 25 per cent larger than females, which on average weigh only 102 g (5.7 oz). When winter approaches, within 30 days it grows a coat of white, giving it perfect camouflage against the snow -- all except for the tip of its tail, which stays black. A hungry predator, such as a hawk or owl, aims for that black tip, enabling the weasel to escape. Towards spring, between late February and April, in only 25 days, it reverses the process, acquiring the cinnamon-brown topcoat it will use all summer. This includes brown feet, unlike the other two species which retain white feet. The underside is usually buff-coloured." (Taken from the old weaselhead.org website). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_weasel