Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: interestingness#416

This handsome male Red-winged Blackbird gave me quite a few chances for photos, which I really appreciated. He didn't even dive-bomb me, which these birds often do. Taken SW of Calgary on 14 July 2013 - in sunshine, which we haven't seen very often this spring and summer, ha. www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/9390722197

Sorry, yet another Red Panda photo, but I thought this one was rather cute : ) Both animals were on top of one of their "tree houses" this afternoon and it was snowing and this one looked so cuddly and playful. Decided to go over to the Zoo early afternoon, as I had been walking all morning near the Bow River so was half way to the Zoo already. The sun refused to come out and it started to snow - plus there are a lot of slippery patches on the paths at the Zoo - like everywhere else at the moment : )

This beautiful Leather Flower was growing at the Reader Rock Garden a few weeks ago. Added 7th January 2011, when I compared this flower with a photo of Clematis 'Roguchi' posted by Doug (dougwaylett). I thought the two flowers were perhaps the same, but:: "Thanks Anne but it isn't the same clematis. Clematis 'Roguchi' never opens this much and the stalks are a much darker purple. In my photo of C. 'Roguchi' that is as open as the bell gets. This one may well be C. durandii one of the parents of Roguchi and a much easier to come by clematis that can be obtained at most garden centres. C. durandii is also one of my favourites and is one of the bluest of the blue clematises. It may also be one of many other Clematis integrifolia hybrids. I have never seen Clematis 'Roguchi' for sale at a local garden centre. The only person who sell it in Calgary is Rod Shaver at Rundlewood Gardens."

Wish I had seen this bird out in the wild, though I have seen Great Greys in the countryside before but from a distance. Instead, I have had to make do so far with getting my closer shots at the Calgary Zoo. The aviaries there have Great Greys as well as other owls, with nothing between you and the birds. This owl was sitting in a tree inside one of the huge aviaries maybe 10 feet away from me. Quite an experience to find oneself looking into THESE eyes! Not a single slight movement was missed by these sharp eyes. This is a photo I posted when I first joined Flickr and I don't have any record of what # it reached in Explore. I do know that it was at #416 at one point. Thanks, everyone, for taking a look!