Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: 12 September 2017

In the afternoon of 12 September 2017, I just needed a short break from watching TV footage of all the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in south-east U.S.. Decided to dash down to a wetland in SW Calgary, hoping to see a few birds. Half a dozen Coots and a Mallard were all I saw, but I was happy to catch a Cabbage White butterfly perched on (invasive) Creeping Thistle. "The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. A close look at a coot—that small head, those scrawny legs—reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. But they’re closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the nearly invisible rails than of Mallards or teal." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot/id

These plants were growing among the very tall grasses down at Bridlewood, on 12 September 2017. I couldn't get a decent photo, but am posting this one for the record and maybe someone will be able to ID it for me. I've never seen it before, so it may be an escapee from one of the nearby gardens? Thank you, Andrey Zharkikh, for the ID and info - Origanum! Much appreciated. That day, I just needed a short break from watching TV footage of all the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in south-east U.S.. Decided to dash down to a wetland in SW Calgary, hoping to see a few birds. Half a dozen Coots and a Mallard were all I saw.

Yesterday afternoon, 12 September 2017, I just needed a short break from watching TV footage of all the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in south-east U.S.. Decided to dash down to a wetland in SW Calgary, hoping to see a few birds. Half a dozen Coots and a Mallard were all I saw, but I was happy to catch this Cabbage White butterfly perched on (invasive) Creeping Thistle. "Habitat: One of the most common butterflies, the Cabbage White was accidentally introduced in Quebec back in 1860 and has since spread across the entire country since. It is found throughout the entirety of Alberta. Description: A very plain looking butterfly, it is mostly white with a few dark patches on its upper wing. Size: 40-50 mm Diet: It is a huge pest to farmers, snacking on mustard family plants like broccoli, kale, cauliflower and of course, cabbage. Fun Fact: The caterpillars can survive in soggy, oxygen-low environments and have been known to survive in the human digestive tract when accidently swallowed. Talk about butterflies in your stomach!" Source: Acorn, John. Butterflies of Alberta. Edmonton: Lone Pine Publishing, 1993. Print.

Yesterday afternoon, 12 September 2017, I just needed a short break from watching TV footage of all the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in south-east U.S.. Decided to dash down to a wetland in SW Calgary, hoping to see a few birds. Half a dozen Coots and a Mallard were all I saw, but I was happy to catch a Cabbage White butterfly perched on (invasive) Creeping Thistle. "The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. A close look at a coot—that small head, those scrawny legs—reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. But they’re closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the nearly invisible rails than of Mallards or teal." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot/id