Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: berry

Tonight, I have just added 7 photos taken at the Saskatoon Farm, after my longish drive further SE, to look at a few old barns. Lots of colour at the Farm - lots of people, too. Our few hot days have come to an end, at least for now, and we are back to cool, rainy days (the last two days and today, with more to come). This morning, 12 August 2019, the temperature is only 12C again. Four days ago, 8 August 2019, was definitely more of a barn day than a bird day. A while ago, another photographer had mentioned that a few barns in a certain area SE of Calgary had been removed and I was curious to see if any of the ones I had seen before were now missing. There is one huge barn in particular that I am always hoping still stands. I would love to be able to get photos from both sides of it, but it is way out in a farmer's field that is, of course, private property. Standing in the road, I can only get a distant shot and, as often happens, I had a problem with heat distortion on distant shots. There is an old, round, wooden grain bin and a partly hidden, smaller barn just near the barn, too. I think the first time I ever saw the barn was on 21 January 2015, when I took my daughter out for the day. My intention two days ago had been to leave early in the morning, but it was already 10:45 am when I climbed into my car. Seeing that the weather forecast for the next six days included rain on each day, I knew I just had to do this trip straight away. Some of the roads I drove to get to my destination(s) were familiar, but others less so. There are two or three highway intersections that are confusing to me and I usually end up taking the wrong turn. For a change, I turned off the main highway going south before my usual turn, in order to shorten the distance. My first sighting was a distant Red-tailed Hawk perched on a wooden fence at a wetland that used to be a great spot, but now is totally dried up. After a quick stop at a tiny church that I always photograph when I am out that way, I continued east till I came to the three old Mossleigh grain elevators - one of the places I always get confused about which way to drive. Ideally, a dramatic sky would have been great, but I have taken better photos in the past. From Mossleigh, I did my usual exploring, finding that a lovely old, wooden house was still standing. I believe this was built from a kit years ago, and it remains in reasonably good condition. Eventually, I found the large barn that I wanted to see again. It took me a while to work out which road it was on (thought I knew!), but I found it after some driving back and forth. It was good to see the smaller barn, in less then good condition, just down the road. The other two times that I have been standing in the road to take photos of this smaller barn, a lady has come along the road from a nearby farm and very kindly told me to on in and take any photos I'd like. No-one around yesterday, so I stayed on the road,of course. At one point, I happened to glance up the road and saw what I thought was someone's dog on the crest of the road. When I zoomed in on my camera, I realized it was a coyote, who started walking towards me. Unfortunately, it turned off into the field and disappeared. When I was at this smaller barn, it amused me to see a magnificent Mule near the barn, plus a horse. The Mule looked huge and was a real poser, wanting to be in almost every shot I took. Such a gorgeous creature, that I don't remember seeing there before. Once I had taken a few photos, I started on my homeward drive, not stopping anywhere as I could see that, if I hurried, I could get to the Saskatoon Farm in time to get a meal before the restaurant closed for the day. Yay, I just made it. Knowing that Frank Lake was only a short drive away, I couldn't resist driving back south to have a quick look. Found a couple of my friends there and spent some enjoyable time with them. Only took a few photos there, most to be deleted, before heading home. A fun day, though hot and hazy. Total distance covered was 275 km.

For a splash of colour! Also to remind me of yesterday's botany walk in North Glenmore Park, in Calgary. I took very few photos as the park has changed dramatically. Lots of road construction going on, and so many of the trees and shrubs along the long trail near the houses were dead. It looked like they had all been sprayed to kill them. Everywhere was a total mess, and we wish we knew why. When I see a Mountain Ash tree covered in bright red berries, I can't resist taking a quick photo. The following interesting article is by Myrna Pearman, of the Ellis Bird Farm in Alberta. She is a very knowledgeable person, great photographer, and has published several beautiful books. "Although bohemian waxwings are the birds most often see gobbling mountain-ash berries in the winter, many other species will also dine on them. I have seen pine grosbeaks (shown here) and house finches feast on the berries, and a quick reference search indicates that many other species will as well: cedar waxwing, ruffed grouse, common grackle, European starling, American robin, northern flicker, Townsend’s solitaire, purple finch, yellow-rumped warbler, hermit thrush, evening grosbeak.. The seeds are indigestible, so birds are responsible for “planting” mountain-ash trees far and wide." From link below. www.reddeeradvocate.com/community/birds-etc-mountain-ash-... When we reached our usual furthest point of this walk, we discovered that a round bed of garden flowers and a second bed further away were both overgrown and full of dead plants. It used to be my favourite part of this walk. One of the house owners had created this display, so maybe it became just too much to maintain. I feel very grateful for the pleasure it gave over several years. Adding a bit of information on the wildfires in British Columbia: "British Columbia spent more than $568 million on firefighting efforts last year (2017), and while the figures for 2018 are still coming together, the bill is estimated to be higher than $300 million. Since April 1, humans have been responsible for starting more than 420 of about 1,950 wildfires in British Columbia, although the B.C. Wildfire Service said it's too early to be more specific about the causes since many are still under investigation. On average, the Wildfire Service says 40 per cent of fires over the past 10 years, or 666 per year, have been caused by humans. This season has seen an unusual amount of lightning activity, which has skewed that ratio." www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/b-c-wildfires-interactive-... At the moment, Waterton Lakes National Park is safe from the wildfires just south of the Canada/US border. I think I'm right in saying that the evacuation alert has been lifted (for now, at least).

Yesterday morning, 27 July 2018, there was a good turnout for a bio-inventory walk in a woodland area in Black Diamond. Geoff Hoffner and Jean Gallant had invited us to go and explore this area, though they were a little concerned in case we didn't find it particularly interesting. Quite the contrary! It was a great morning, seeing so many species of plants, along with a few birds and even a few insects. I was thrilled to spot three small, beautiful Cottonwood Leaf Beetles. "All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra The berries of this plant start off green, then change to either red or white. The flower cluster is white and beautiful. "Black Diamond, named after the high grade coal once mined here, maintains the traditional values of a small town community, where people care about their neighbors and work together to maintain a sense of pride and respect for one another, the town's history and its beautiful surroundings." From link below. www.town.blackdiamond.ab.ca/251/Come-Visit During our walk, we kept hearing a distant hawk, but we weren't sure if it was a Red-tailed or a Swainson's. Further along the trail, we were able to see a very high and very distant nest with one white, fluffy youngster visible - there may have been others, too. Mum/Dad flew over to the nest and then flew off and landed on top of a very tall coniferous tree, giving a chance for a quick shot or two. Thanks so much, Geoff and Jean, for arranging this outing. We always enjoy visiting a new place and seeing what species can be found there. Always nice to come across people who are keen to find out more about where they live. Thanks, Dorothy and Stephen, for the much-appreciated ride. This was the first time I had ever seen this much of Black Diamond.

Yesterday morning, 27 July 2018, there was a good turnout for a bio-inventory walk in a woodland area in Black Diamond. Geoff Hoffner and Jean Gallant had invited us to go and explore this area, though they were a little concerned in case we didn't find it particularly interesting. Quite the contrary! It was a great morning, seeing so many species of plants, along with a few birds and even a few insects. I was thrilled to spot three small, beautiful Cottonwood Leaf Beetles. It was a very hazy day, but the temperature was pleasant. "All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra The berries of this plant start off green, then change to either red or white. The flower cluster is white and beautiful. "Black Diamond, named after the high grade coal once mined here, maintains the traditional values of a small town community, where people care about their neighbors and work together to maintain a sense of pride and respect for one another, the town's history and its beautiful surroundings." From link below. www.town.blackdiamond.ab.ca/251/Come-Visit During our walk, we kept hearing a distant hawk, but we weren't sure if it was a Red-tailed or a Swainson's. Further along the trail, we were able to see a very high and very distant nest with one white, fluffy youngster visible - there may have been others, too. Mum/Dad flew over to the nest and then flew off and landed on top of a very tall coniferous tree, giving a chance for a quick shot or two. Thanks so much, Geoff and Jean, for arranging this outing. We always enjoy visiting a new place and seeing what species can be found there. Always nice to come across people who are keen to find out more about where they live. Thanks, Dorothy and Stephen, for the much-appreciated ride. This was the first time I had ever seen this much of Black Diamond.

Another case of either delete the image or try adding a bit of filter effect in post-processing. Just seeing anything bright red is always welcome, especially on a cold winter's day, so I decided to go with the filter idea. On 5 November 2017, I joined a few birding friends for a walk in Carburn Park. Afternoons are usually not the best time of day to see birds so, as usual, we saw far fewer species than the morning groups - 19 species of bird. Though cold, it was a beautiful afternoon to be out in nature. It was cold enough for there to be a few clusters of small ice pillars along the edge of the Bow River - something I always enjoy seeing. Carburn Park is a very popular place for birding in the city, offering water and woodland species. According to eBird, a total of 211 species have been recorded within the park. In comparison, at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary (the top Hot Spot in the city) 252 species have been recorded. In the Weaselhead Natural Area, 227 species have been seen. There were about 10 Black-capped Chickadees that kept following us along some of the paths. Over the years, I have taken many photos of them, but I so rarely go for walks any more. From now on, I know it will be much harder to make myself put on all my winter layers, including struggling to get ice grippers on to my winter boots, and leave the comfort of my home. The main roads had been cleared, and were very reasonable to drive on. I do enjoy going for coffee and a chat after these walks. Eight White-tailed Deer were also seen, mainly hidden, but sometimes sharing the path with us. Always a treat to see either kind of deer, with their look of innocence. "The Black-capped Chickadee is notable for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights, its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (they can feed from the hand)." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_Chickadee www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id "The chickadee's unerring spatial memory is remarkable enough, says Colin Saldanha, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University and an anatomist who has studied songbirds for six years. But it is what happens inside the tiny songbird's brain that Saldanha finds amazing. In the fall, as the chickadee is gathering and storing seeds, Saldanha says, its hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial organization and memory in many vertebrates, expands in volume by approximately 30 percent by adding new nerve cells. In songbirds, the hippocampus is located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain right beneath the skull. In mammals, the hippocampus is located beneath the cortex. In the spring, when its feats of memory are needed less, the chickadee's hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size, Saldanha says." From article on ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

Wondering .... is this photo showing as my main image for today? Not supposed to be. This photo was taken on 11 November 2016, when my daughter and I had a day out together. We started off at 9:00 am and drove straight to the Saskatoon Farm for breakfast - I had my usual delicious meal of quiche and sweet potato fries. On a quick wander round the grounds, several Ornamental Cabbage or Flowering Kale were the only plants with colour. The rest had all gone to seed. These hanging fruit caught my eye, but I don't know what they are. The background is a wall of a huge greenhouse. The Saskatoon Farm is an interesting place that is maybe a 25-minute drive SE from the southern edge of Calgary. You can collect your own Saskatoon berries in season, look around their outside greenhouses, and their inside gift shop full of unusual things, and buy special baking, jams, teas and so on. They also have a restaurant that offers great food. www.saskatoonfarm.com/ We then drove west into Okotoks, to go to the antique store, All Around the House, and to the Christmas Market being held in the town. From here, for some insane reason, we drove as far as Millarville to go to their annual Christmas Market. I don't think I have ever seen as many cars anywhere, for anything! It was totally crazy, with endless vehicles lined up along various nearby roads, waiting to be able to park in the fields, as the market parking lot was full most of the time. Thankfully, they had arranged for two or three small school buses to transport people from the field to the Market. Some people chose to get a wagon ride instead, or walk. Later, when we were ready to leave, we had to wait for a bus again. More time (hours?) was spent waiting for buses than was spent actually walking around the huge Market. Once inside, it was absolutely packed, so you couldn't really get to any of the booths to look at things, anyway. I think we've both decided that this would probably be our last annual trip to this Market! We know that it would be much more relaxing and fun to be driving the back roads, looking for birds and other things to photograph : ) However, for me, the main reason for this day was to spend precious time with my daughter, so it was a good day. Thanks, Rachel!

This photo was taken on 1 October 2016. On this day, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/ After our walk in the Gardens, I went back to Sandy's place and we had an early supper. Managed to catch her sweet dog, Finn, for a couple of photos.

A couple of days ago, on 25 September 2016, it was a day of birding east and south-east of the city, with a group of birding friends. We set out at 8:00 am and our main stopping places were Weed Lake, Marsland Basin and Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park. I will add our leader's (Howard Heffler) list of species below. Pretty much the usual sightings - lots of ducks, a number of Hawks including a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk and several juvenile White-throated Sparrows which were seen while walking around at Lynn and Sue's acreage at Marsland Basin. Also, a Merlin that was perched high up on a power pole. The water level at the wetland at Marsland Basin was very high, so there was no sign of the mudflats there - consequently, barely any shorebirds to be seen. We did have three small flocks of Greater White-fronted Geese fly in formation high overhead while we were looking out over the water, which was great. As usual, most birds we saw were much too far away for photos. As usually happens, when birds are too far away for me to see, my camera lens turns to a few other subjects, including the shrub with its bright red berries in this photo. Many thanks for leading this trip, Howard, and thanks, too, to Jim for driving half of us. I always appreciate a trip like this, with people who are all expert birdspotters - and then there's me, lol! "Eight participants met at Carburn Park at 8:00 AM and spent a beautiful fall day birding three locations east of Calgary. We first stopped at the south end of Weed Lake. Water levels were high so there was almost no shorebird habitat. A highlight was the large numbers of American Pipits. Marsland Basin, thanks to Lynn and Sue, is a wonderful spot for both the wetland and the treed areas. Next we went Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park. We were not able to pick out a Mew Gull that had been recently reported there among the 100’s of Ring-billed Gulls. Thanks to Nimali Seneviratne for keeping track of species and doing the eBird postings. The combined list for the day was: Greater White-fronted Goose 108 Canada Goose 36 Gadwall 45 American Wigeon 22 Mallard 325 Northern Shoveler 400 Northern Pintail 80 Green-winged Teal 278 Bufflehead 18 Common Merganser 3 Ruddy Duck 5 Gray Partridge 20 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Eared Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 3 American White Pelican 12 Great Blue Heron 4 White-faced Ibis 1 Bald Eagle 1 Northern Harrier 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Swainson's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 6 American Coot 51 Killdeer 4 Long-billed Dowitcher 9 Wilson's Snipe 2 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Franklin's Gull 3 Ring-billed Gull 1,000 Rock Pigeon 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 Northern Flicker 1 Merlin 1 Blue Jay 2 Black-billed Magpie 6 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 Swainson's Thrush 2 European Starling 34 American Pipit 95 Ovenbird 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 4 Yellow-rumped Warbler 5 Dark-eyed Junco 5 White-throated Sparrow 6 Western Meadowlark 5 Common Grackle 2 House Sparrow 12

Posting this quick shot just so that I can add it to my Bunchberry Meadows album. On many websites, this is given as Viburnum trilobum, but the Cornell website gives the name Viburnum opulus var. americana, formerly Vibernum trilobum. www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/cranberries.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viburnum_trilobum "The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has a rare opportunity to protect a 640-acre (260-hectare) property neighbouring Alberta's capital city. In 1974, five families bought Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area — a parcel of land bordering Edmonton near the Devonian Botanic Garden. For 40 years the families cared for the land, protecting important habitat for moose and numerous other species. The five ownership families have generously offered to sell Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for half the asset value. Their vision is to ensure that the land is conserved for our province; particularly for our children. Over the years Bunchberry Meadows has remained intact. But the surrounding lands and the city of Edmonton have undergone significant changes. Natural spaces in and around Edmonton continue to be developed. It’s increasingly difficult for city dwellers to find open green spaces to enjoy a sunny afternoon, or teach their children about the outdoors. The campaign for Bunchberry Meadows was officially launched in Edmonton on May 21, 2015. Since then, Edmontonians have stepped up in support so that this special community amenity can be created. Urban development on this property would mean the loss of habitat for many plant and wildlife species, and the loss of a wonderful space in which Albertans and all Canadians can reconnect with nature. In June 2016, the Bunchberry campaign was closed sucessfully. NCC willl open Bunchberry to the public in the fall of 2016 as a natural retreat for everyone to enjoy." www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/alberta/feature... www.youtube.com/watch?v=FibqXugavrc Four days ago, on 17 September 2016, it was a long day, spent with a group of people - some of us travelled north from Calgary and others lived in or near the capital city of Alberta - Edmonton. Two friends had been invited to meet with members of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, to do a walk at a newly acquired 640 acre parcel of land, immediately to the east of the Devonian Botanic Garden. Edmonton is a three-hour drive north of Calgary, so it makes for a long drive when one goes for just a day trip. Set my alarm for 4:20 am. That, plus walking for several hours (my pedometer said 16,175 steps by the time I went to bed) completely knocked me out. One of the two friends I went with, Dr. Peter Whitehead (who drove us there and back, which was wonderful) is an ecologist and bryologist, founder of the Western Canada Bryophyte and Lichen Interest Group. Also, see the first link below about his exciting program for school children. www.seriousaboutscience.org/ www.ablig.com/ www.capeecology.ca/people.html The other friend I went with was Dr. Janet Marsh, Lichenologist. She is considered one of Canada's leading authorities on lichens. So, as you can see, I was in the company of extremely knowledgeable people. I'll add that I have been on many outings the last few years that have included both these specialists. Always most enjoyable and lots of fun! My big confession is that so many of the lichens that they find are growing in forests - and when I'm in a forest, my focus immediately turns to fungi! Which is why I still barely know anything about lichens : ) I do enjoy photographing them, however, and have quite a few in my photostream. This day, I was able to see a number of different fungi, which made my day. The people of Edmonton and area are so very fortunate that this land is being preserved by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. What a beautiful area of meadows, bogs and forest! I especially liked the spectacular Birch trees that were growing there, with their beautiful peeling bark - some of these trees were quite large. Thanks so much to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for inviting us for this walk. I know you will receive extensive lists of the species that Peter and Janet found. Many thanks, Peter, for organizing this trip and for all the driving you did, too. I really appreciated the opportunity to visit this new area and capture a few species with my camera. Even the weather cooperated, giving us a very pleasant temperature for walking (around 18C?) and even the rain that had been falling in Edmonton, stopped for the rest of the day. A great day in great company!

An overcast, dreary morning here today, 14 December 2015, Temperature is -5C (windchill -11C). There was s slight dusting of snow overnight. And Flickr is being a real pain this morning - one problem after another. Yet again, I'm having to dig into my archives. I've only been able to get out on two walks since the car accident I was involved in (but not at fault) on 28 November 2015, and barely got any new photos. My car has been repaired (damaged heat shield from the impact), my very last overseas Christmas letter was written last night - and now I'm good to go! Just in time for the start of the various Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, too, so hopefully I'll be able to get some new shots. Meanwhile, this is a macro of the beautiful, vibrant, red berries of the Baneberry plant, seen here at the Reader Rock Garden on 23 July 2014, but it also grows wild. Some Baneberry plants produce white berries, which are also attractive. "All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra After a volunteer shift that day, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk with a few friends. Having been to that location quite a few times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. The main thing I wanted to see there were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a weed, but I love to see them. With a couple of hours to "kill" till the botany walk, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

An overcast morning today, 22 October 2015. The sun is supposed to shine this afternoon - I'm just hoping it won't rain, as I washed my car yesterday and vacuumed it out, ready for the arrival of winter. I then dropped it off at my Tire place to get my winter tires put on today - thought that if I left it any longer, too many people would be making appointments to get the same done. Another thing completed this week was having two people come and remove everything from my tiny back yard. It had become one tangled jungle mess and, as I can't bend or kneel to do anything, it had been become totally out of control. It now looks completely bare and wonderfully tidy! That big, black cloud that has been hanging over my head for years has finally gone, and it feels so good. This photo was taken on 20 October 2015 in South Glenmore Park, down by the Glenmore Reservoir. I went on a birding walk with a group of friends, but couldn't resist a quick shot of these bright Mountain Ash berries. By now, the leaves have died and shrivelled, leaving just the clusters of red. "European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) is frequently planted for its showy clusters of white flowers in spring followed by an excellent display of fruit that develop in tight clusters 4-5" wide. Individual fruits are about 3/8" in diameter. Fruits start maturing in August and hang on through October." In winter, Bohemian Waxwings seek out the ornamental Rowanberry/European Mountain-ash for its berries. However, widely planted in gardens, this ornamental tree has escaped and replaced native plants in our natural areas. Not good news! Link to an article from CTV News page, on Bohemian Waxwings getting drunk on fermented Mountain Ash berries: www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/birds-drunk-on-fermented-berries-... I've just read the following suggestion of an alternative tree species on the City of Calgary's Yard Smart webpage: "Snowy Mountain Ash (Sorbus decora) – A small, dense tree with flower clusters and then red berries. Needs well-drained soil. Twenty feet tall and fifteeen foot spread. Full sun. Attracts birds such as waxwings. Avoid its relative the European Mountain Ash (Sorbus auduparic) which can be invasive." www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pages/Water-conservation/Lawn-an...

Usually, when we see Rose hips (berries, fruit), they are red or orange. During a walk on Frances and David Dover's acreage on 25 September 2015, we noticed these beautiful, large, dark purple Rose hips. Does anyone happen to know what species of Rose produces hips like these? I would imagine it's a garden variety rather than a wild Rose species. In the morning of 25 September 2015, six of us were lucky enough to explore a tiny part of the land belonging to Frances and David Dover. For two of us (myself and our leader), this was our second visit - for the rest, it was a first time there. I will copy and paste the description I posted on Flickr from our first visit to the Dover's acreage, on 7 August 2015: "Yesterday, 7 August 2015, four of us were extremely fortunate to have the chance to visit the home and highly varied topographic 62-acre property belonging to Frances and David Dover. We felt honoured and privileged to meet and spend time with Frances and David, and also their daughter Carolyn and her husband Clair. A delightful family who welcomed us so warmly into their home and land. This acreage of grassland, forest, rolling hills - and special gardens - is not far from Millarville, SW of Calgary. In fact, it's in an area that I often drive through when I only have time for, or only feel like doing, a short drive. Amazing what little gems exist out there. This is not just a beautiful property, but is very special for various reasons. For one thing, read any history of Alberta and you will find the Dover family, including David's mother, Mary Dover. Second, among the trees and open "lawns", there are Peony flower beds, containing 100-150 heritage Peonies, each one different, that have now multiplied to more than 300 plants. Unfortunately, they bloomed a couple of weeks early this year, and all the flowers had gone to seed. Another open area had a different kind of ground cover - Thyme, which smelled wonderful. If I remember correctly, this was the open space where the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performed on one occasion! There are two large ponds on the property and another smaller area of water that they hope to turn into a Japanese Garden. It was while walking around the latter that a large brown 'shape' could be seen through the dense trees - a handsome Moose buck. I will look properly at the four or so photos I just managed to get and will slip one of them into my photostream sometime soon, just for the record, definitely not for the photo quality : ) This was also where a Great Horned Owl was seen flying through the trees by some of us (not me, ha!). There are grassy paths winding through the acreage, up and down hill, that take David seven hours to mow. They are not pristine, velvety paths, but instead, they seem to take nothing away from the wildness of the whole area. One of the animals that have passed through is the Cougar. In fact, several years ago, I saw a video taken on a nearby (or adjacent?) property, where a 'kill' and night-time camera had been set up and a total of six different Cougar individuals were seen! Even the Dover's home is unique and beautiful. It is completely built of concrete - floors, walls, ceilings, roof, deck, and so on. A Hummingbird feeder and regular bird feeders, set up on the patio, attract a variety of birds. We sat on the patio after our walk to eat our packed lunches - and to enjoy a delicious Orange Pound Cake that Frances had made for us, along with refreshing Iced Tea - thank you so much for this, Frances! Yesterday, while I was waiting for one of three tiny Calliope Hummingbirds to come back, I was lucky enough to see a little Mountain Chickadee, along with many Pine Siskins. We could also hear a Red-tailed Hawk in the area. There is just so much I could write about this visit and family. Instead, or for now, I will add several links to more information on the Internet. This was a memorable day for us. Thank you so much, Frances and David, Carolyn and Clair, for being so kind and welcoming us into your home and gardens. books.google.ca/books?id=Tr36Tq_gadcC&pg=PA290&lp... www.westernwheel.com/article/20110727/WHE06/307279983/-1/... David's mother, Mary Dover (her father was A. E. Cross), was "a dynamic and distinguished Calgarian, particularly known for her work with the military during World War II." As well as being an army officer, and an alderman, she was also a preservationist. See the following link. www.albertachampions.org/champions-mary_dover.htm#.VcY1KP... ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesMainResults.aspx?XC=/searc... glencoe.org/documents/10184/637479/The-History-of-Elbow-P... page 44-45 ." After our visit to the Dover's on 25 September 2015, I decided to drive eastwards along a road that I'd never driven before, until I reached the main road going south. From there, it was a fairly short drive to the Saskatoon Farm. As usual, I wandered round the grounds with my camera and then, when I was ready to leave, I ordered a pizza to take home with me. The inside of the gift shop has recently been renovated and they now have a pizza oven and area.

This photo was taken on 8 September 2015. In the morning, I joined a group of friends for a three-hour stroll at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. 38 bird species were seen, though I didn't manage to see any of the tiny, fast-moving Warblers. It was good to see 28 Wood Ducks, but they were far, far away, in an area that is still closed due to devastating flood damage. The Sanctuary had been closed for about two years for this reason and only very recently re-opened just a part of the area. The Calgary Zoo is very close to the Sanctuary so, after our morning walk, I decided to call in there. I hadn't been for about a year and I really missed going there. Of course, many of the garden flowers were past their prime, but I did find a few that were fit to photograph. I knew I wouldn't be able to walk far, having already been walking all morning, but I really wanted to get to the ENMAX Conservatory to see what was going on. I had been longing all summer to see the tropical butterflies and plants. The butterfly season will be coming to an end (or maybe already finished?) for these tropical beauties, but there were still plenty of them to be seen. Also, this month, the parking lot that I use will close for the winter and I don't like the drive back home from the north parking area, using Deerfoot Trail, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. I was fascinated by the name of the tree in this photo - Ice Cream Bean / Inga edulis. Later; just had an e-mail from Wendy, letting me know that my original ID for this tree was incorrect! Have to dash out right now, so don't have time to do any researching. Thanks so much, Wendy! I just took a photo of the label that was by this tree. Could it be a Coffee Bean tree? Yes, I believe it is. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_bean en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea There was so much activity going on at the Zoo on this most recent visit. People everywhere, carrying large animals wrapped in white, protective coverings, preparing for ILLUMINASIA, Lantern & Garden Festival. Each animal is an individual lantern and there are so many of them. I noticed that several of the real animals in their enclosures were watching all the unaccustomed activity, which made me smile. A good day, despite the overcast sky, and plenty of photo opportunities. Recently, I have been finding far fewer things to photograph, with fall on its way, so a day like this was more than welcome.

I would imagine (and hope) that many, many people will be stopping today to remember the horrific events of 11th September 2001. So many mental images that will never, ever leave our minds and hearts. People from so many different countries, not just the US. So many stories of loss and heartbreak - and so many stories of bravery and heroic actions. Remembering .... all those who lost their lives on that fateful day: all those who lost loved ones and close friends or fellow workers; all those who rushed in to "do their job" or "to help others" in any way they could. Remembering .... all those who were severely injured on that fateful day and who have bravely suffered every day since then; all those Firemen, Emergency Medical people, Police - men and women, who have suffered and continue to suffer emotionally and physically, including illnesses caused by being exposed to harmful chemicals. The list goes on and on. Remembering ... and praying that we never see another day like September 11th, 2001. This photo was taken yesterday evening in South Glenmore Park, down by the Glenmore Reservoir. I went with three friends for our last but one botany walk of the year. "European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) is frequently planted for its showy clusters of white flowers in spring followed by an excellent display of fruit that develop in tight clusters 4-5" wide. Individual fruits are about 3/8" in diameter. Fruits start maturing in August and hang on through October." In winter, Bohemian Waxwings seek out the ornamental Rowanberry/European Mountain-ash for its berries. However, widely planted in gardens, this ornamental tree has escaped and replaced native plants in our natural areas. Not good news!

Yesterday, 17 May 2015, I finally got out with my camera for a few hours. The previous few days had been dreary and overcast, with rain the last couple of days. The sense of freedom felt so good, as I stopped in at a wetland in SW Calgary and then drove my usual loop along the backroads SW of the city. At this first pond, I saw the usual Mallards, Lesser Scaup, Redheads, Common Grackle, Red-headed Blackbirds, and a quick glimpse of a distant pair of Cinnamon Teal glowing in the sunshine. I had intended walking around to where I had seen the Canada Geese nest in other years, but before I did so, I suddenly noticed a distant pair of Geese swimming in my direction. I didn't really think much about it, but as they got closer, I realized that they were escorting 10 little goslings. They swam right up to where I was standing, as if to show off their new little family. And then they were gone, swimming off in the direction from where I had seen them come. After taking a few more photos of the nearby ducks, I carefully looked at each pair of Geese on the pond and none of them had any goslings swimming with them. Maybe they had returned them to the edge of the wetland and hidden them well. These were my very first goslings this spring, so I was happy as can be to see them. A week earlier, on 10 May, my daughter and I had great views of the pair of Red-necked Grebes, who seemed to be building a nest closer to shore than previous years. It was disappointing to see that the tiny "island" that they seemed to have chosen was now very low in the water, after all the rain we had had. Hopefully, they won't move to a higher mound that is further away, but that is what I am expecting. Makes me thankful to have seen the pair fairly close a week ago From this pond, I continued on my drive, greatly appreciating the sunshine and fairly empty roads, despite this being the Victoria long weekend here. The Brewer's Blackbirds were perched on fence posts, and I always love to see these birds with their white eyes. In one large pond, I watched two pairs of Blue-winged Teal, a Muskrat, a Pied-bill Grebe, and a pair of Red-necked Grebes. Most of these birds were very far away, but I just managed to get a few shots of the Teal. This is where I photographed this little group of hanging Rose hips. I also noticed when I got home that there is a very faint spider's web behind them. At the next slough that I stopped at, I saw one solitary Swan, too far away to tell if it was a Trumpeter or Tundra. I also spotted a funny little Pied-billed Grebe swimming fairly close to the road, but by the time I had driven a bit further in order to turn my car around, the Grebe was already closer to the far shore. Further on, I stopped to see a pair of Mountain Bluebirds that came to their nesting box just once while I was there. Tree Swallows made a quick appearance at the nest box that was nearby. Continuing my drive, I passed a pair of Wigeon preening themselves at a tiny slough, along with a Green-winged Teal. Further yet, I stopped to take a few photos of Red-winged Blackbirds and - to my great delight - a Wilson's Snipe, one of my favourite birds to photograph. Last year seemed to be such a great year for Snipe, so I was hoping this spring might be the same. When I drove this road in one direction, I was happy to spot a distant Snipe down in the grasses, but still wished that it had been standing on a fence post. After turning my car around, I slowly drove along the edge of the wetland again and, this time, there it was! Absolutely made my day - anyone would think it was my very first sighting ever of a Snipe! It didn't stay for long, but gave me time to get three or four shots. From here, it was time to return home along some of the backroads before eventually having to get back on to the highway. A dark phase Swainson's Hawk was where I had seen it (same one?) on a couple of other occasions. Took a photo or two through the windscreen, so not the best photos, but I thought it might fly if I got out of the car. It was so good to get out and, though I saw no new or rare birds, I was as always happy to see the more usual ones, especially when they are close enough to photograph.

I'm fairly sure that I have the correct ID for this plant - also known as Thimbleberry. We noticed a lot of these plants during our stay in Waterton Lakes National Park. Apparently, though edible for humans, the berries are tart and rather dry. Provides food for songbirds, game birds, and large and small mammals. There were no flowers left, but I thought the fruit and surrounding bracts were most attractive. I will add a previously posted image of a flower, found in Calgary, in a comment box below. I spent 26, 27 and 28 August 2014 on a road trip with friends Cathy and Terry, spending the first two days in Waterton Lakes National Park and the third day driving east of Waterton in search of Burrowing Owls and Yellow-bellied Marmots. During our three days away, we saw so many things. This always happens when I go anywhere with Cathy and Terry - every day is a very long, fun-filled day, full of exciting finds. Of course, we couldn't have had a more beautiful area to explore! Waterton Lakes National Park has amazing scenery and wildlife. The weather forecast that I saw before we left Calgary said that we were in for three beautiful days of sunshine - too often, it can be rainy weather. So, luck was on our side, giving us warm, sunny days - until the BIG STORM hit, lol! This storm was approaching very fast, around 5:00 p.m. just before we started our return trip to Calgary. It was like nothing I had ever seen before - someone from the Alberta Tornado Watch group later told me that this storm was a mesocyclone! This storm was very scary, but at the same time, exciting (only because all turned out OK in the end!). Our road trip sure went out with a bang! A few of the things we saw - fantastic scenery, 4 Black Bears (including one that was swimming in the lake), Bison, Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, various bird species including the Burrowing Owls (new to all three of us), a few wildflowers, several Yellow-bellied Marmots (a first for me!), a few different insect species, and a family of Dusky Grouse. I even got the chance to see three or four new-to-me old, wooden grain elevators.

I'm fairly sure that I have the correct ID for this plant - also known as Thimbleberry. We noticed a lot of these plants during our stay in Waterton Lakes National Park. Apparently, though edible for humans, the berries are tart and rather dry. Provides food for songbirds, game birds, and large and small mammals. There were no flowers left, but I thought the fruit and surrounding bracts were most attractive. I have added a previously posted image of a flower, found in Calgary, in a comment box below. I spent 26, 27 and 28 August 2014 on a road trip with friends Cathy and Terry, spending the first two days in Waterton Lakes National Park and the third day driving east of Waterton in search of Burrowing Owls and Yellow-bellied Marmots. During our three days away, we saw so many things, I hardly know where to start. This always happens when I go anywhere with Cathy and Terry - every day is a very long, fun-filled day, full of exciting finds. Perhaps I will simply mention some of the things and then add more detail to each photo as I add them to my photostream. Of course, we couldn't have had a more beautiful area to explore! Waterton Lakes National Park has amazing scenery and wildlife. The weather forecast that I saw before we left Calgary said that we were in for three beautiful days of sunshine - too often, it can be rainy weather. So, luck was on our side, giving us warm, sunny days - until the BIG STORM hit, lol! This storm was approaching very fast, around 5:00 p.m. just before we started our return trip to Calgary. It was like nothing I had ever seen before - a menacing shelf (?) cloud that was travelling fast and furious. Despite trying our best to get away from it, it eventually engulfed our car, surrounding us with more or less zero visibility, pounding hail, thunder and lightning, and very strong winds. There was nothing to do but stop the car and sit tight, hoping that the hail would not break the car windows and that this severe thunderstorm would not develop into a tornado! This storm was very scary, but at the same time, exciting (only because all turned out OK in the end!). Our road trip sure went out with a bang! A few of the things we saw - fantastic scenery, 4 Black Bears (including one that was swimming in the lake), Bison, Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, various bird species including the Burrowing Owls, a few wildflowers, several Yellow-bellied Marmots (a first for me!), a few different insect species, and a family of some species of Grouse (still not sure what kind). I even got the chance to see three or four new-to-me old, wooden grain elevators. Cathy and Terry, thanks so much for yet another wonderful trip with you! Can't thank you enough for inviting me along. You always do such a great job of finding so many interesting things for us to see and enjoy. Lots of fun!

Photographed this bright red Canada Buffaloberry fruit at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park today, 16 July 2013. It's roughly a 45-minute drive for me, SW of Calgary. On the way, I noticed that a Wilson's Snipe was "waiting for me" and it looked beautiful with purplish grasses in the background. Just had to stop and take a few shots, hoping it wouldn't make me later than I wanted. "Fruits are extensively collected by some Canadian First Nations peoples such as Nlaka'pamux (Thompson), St'at'imc (Lillooet) and Secwepemc (Shuswap) in the province of British Columbia. The bitter berries are not eaten directly but rather processed as sxusem ("sxushem", also xoosum/"hooshum") or "Indian ice-cream". Branches bearing fruit are hit with a stick and only the very ripe fruits that fall off are collected. A clean mat or tarpaulin is placed below the bush for collection. The berries are later placed into a great bowl that is absolutely free of oil or fat and are mixed with some sweet fruit such as raspberries. The mixture of berries is crushed and vigorously beaten in the manner of whipping cream in order to raise the typical foam of the confection. The berry is sweet and bitter possibly comparable to that encountered in sweetened coffee. The substance is believed by the First Nations peoples who prepare it to have many healthful properties, but the saponin chemicals making up the foam may also cause gastrointestinal irritation if consumed greatly. Native theme restaurants in British Columbia have occasionally had sxusem on the menu in recent years." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherdia_canadensis "Buffaloberry are somewhat unusual in that there are both male and female plants. The flowers are inconspicuous, looking like small yellow growths that emerge below the new leaves. In late-July or early-August, the berries begin to ripen. Only the female plants will bear fruit. They are round, approximately 4-6 mm (.25 in) in diametre, and vary from bright red to orange (occasionally yellow) They are also somewhat translucent. If you learn to identify only one plant in the Canadian Rockies, make it this one. The new millennium brought with it a high incidence of bear encounters throughout the eastern slopes, all because of a bumper crop of buffaloberry. Once the berries ripen, this becomes the most important plant for bears within the northern Rockies. Any trail with an abundance of buffaloberries will also have bears. Try to avoid heavily berried trails in August and September, or at the very least make a lot of noise while hiking in such locales. Remember, an adult grizzly may eat upwards of 200,000 buffaloberries every day during this period. They may also get so engrossed in feeding that they do not hear you approach. Make sure you make lots of noise." www.mountainnature.com/Plants/PlantsLatinNameResult.asp?ID=69