Album Rocky Mountains trip, May 2014 from Anne Elliott

Columbian Ground Squirrel

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:51:43 +0000

These little Columbian Ground Squirrels are seen only in the mountains, not in the city. Photographed this one when friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, had a quick stop on 15 May 2014. Saw quite a few of them during our two-day trip through the Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary.

I always think of these animals eating grass and plants, so I found the following information interesting.

"Diet includes a wide variety of vegetation: roots, bulbs, stems, leaves, seeds, and berries. Also eats some animal food (e.g., insects, mice, dead fish). May climb into trees and shrubs to obtain buds and fruits. Spends about 70% of year in hibernation."

www.iucnredlist.org/details/42466/0

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_ground_squirrel

Black Bear from last spring

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 19:16:59 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

The first thing I'll add here is to say that I use 48x zoom on so many of my photos (probably most), no matter what the subject, from butterfly to bird - and especially Bears! Like the typical Black Bear that we might be lucky enough to come across, this one was just busy eating and checking out what was growing around it that looked good to eat (i.e. grasses, roots, not people, ha). My photos were taken from the safety of the car and the bears look much closer than they really were. Friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, don't stay for more than a short while, watching very carefully, to make sure that the animal shows absolutely no sign of discomfort or stress. The Bears we do see show no interest in us and don't attempt to approach the vehicle. They just slowly walk on by, feeding as they go. One bear was so totally relaxed that it decided to have a quick roll in a large puddle not far from the edge of the road! It lay right down on its side and seemed to be enjoying the coolness of the water. The sun shone and we couldn't have had better weather.

Can't remember if it was the very first bear we spotted, we were of course thrilled at the distant sighting, and then, to our horror, we saw a photographer walking towards the bear, that was walking towards him!! The guy had parked in a small pull-off and was some distance from his vehicle. I'm still shaking my head that someone would do such a foolish thing. So unfair to the bear, too, as it's always the animal that pays the price (i.e. having to be destroyed), if an attack takes place.

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that my friends dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear on this trip, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything interesting or beautiful : )

Thanks SO much, Cathy and Terry, for so kindly inviting me along on this trip. It's always so much fun to spend time with you guys, and you are both so knowledgable. Thanks for so many chances to take photos of such a variety of subjects!

Mountain Sheep

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:23:41 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

My friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday, 14 May 2014, and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight on Thursday, 15 May, that they dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! This is just one of the many females - the males were off somewhere else and we didn't see any males at all that weekend. Yes, females also have horns, but just these small ones. Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen. My friends are good at telling individual bears, often by a certain scar and, of course, the actual location. Many of the bears we see, they have seen before.

I was so tired after the trip, that I had no choice but to fall into bed at 7:00 p.m. the following evening, thinking that a short nap might help. I slept for something like 13 hours with a couple of hours awake (and on my computer) in the middle! I think the excruciating pain in both arms and shoulders (from inflammation of the rotator cuffs) and my lower back was a factor in my utter tiredness, too.

Mountain view

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:32:50 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

One of the beautiful mountain scenes from a two-day trip through the Rocky Mountains with friends, Cathy and Terry, on 14 and 15 May 2014. Everywhere was quiet, as we made sure we were back home before the long Victoria Day weekend began, when the roads would be a nightmare.

The beauty of low cloud

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 14:32:19 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Today (12 October 2014) is Thanksgiving Day for Canadians, so I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, no matter what part of the world you are living in or serving in. We have so much to be thankful for every day, in this country! A special thank you to those service people and their families, who make so many sacrifices for the rest of us, too often the ultimate sacrifice. I am very thankful for what you all do for the rest of us. Have a happy, safe time, everyone! Some people choose to celebrate on the Sunday (today) and others on the Monday (tomorrow).

On 15 May 2014, my friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, drove to this lookout point, where we saw the most wonderful sight! I was beyond thrilled to see the mountain peaks appearing and disappearing from sight. When we got up that morning, we could see the low cloud over the mountains from the motel we stayed at overnight. I was hoping so much that it would hang around long enough so that we could get a few beautiful views on our early morning drive. The sight that greeted us, as we pulled off the road at this particular lookout, was absolutely breathtaking! I've never seen anything like it before - though I should add that I don't get to the mountains very often. Each peak in turn would disappear and then reappear, constantly changing the scene before our eyes. For a photographer, this half hour or so could not have been more amazing - just ask my friends if I was happy or not, lol! When I think how easily we could have missed this experience, if we had arrived half an hour later.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that they dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : ) This includes the wonderful low cloud in this image - possibly the highlight of the trip for me : ) On the other hand, everything was a highlight in my eyes!

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen. My friends are good at telling individual bears, often by a certain scar and, of course, the actual location. Many of the bears we see, they have seen before. Basically, it's all about timing, as with any wildlife. A few minutes earlier or later and we would have missed seeing something special. We just happened to be lucky. All wildlife/nature photographers know it's all about timing : )

Now that's a whole lot of bull

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:24:06 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

This handsome Elk bull was quite a distance away, but thanks to 48x zoom (focal Length (35mm format) - 1200 mm), it almost looks like we were standing next to each other : )

My friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that they dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I knew I would be happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

At one point, we drove past a site that had quite a few wooden cabins. A large, Elk-shaped object caught my eye in the far distance, among the cabins. At first, I wondered if the owners of the site had added a sculpture for interest. However, when we went to check, this is what we found : ) This huge Elk bull was wandering in between the cabins, happily feeding. Unfortunate, really, when wildlife becomes this accustomed to humans, but it did give us a chance to see one of these impressive wild animals at closer quarters. The whole time we watched, I was very aware of the huge size of this wild animal and never forgot for a moment that wildlife can be unpredictable!

The only thing that was not good on this trip was that I was in absolute agony - the rotator cuffs in both shoulders were inflamed and the excruciating pain spread down to my lower back, making it difficult to even walk. Three months later, my shoulders are not as bad as they were, but it's taking a long, long time. So many things require the use of ones shoulders, so it's impossible to rest them for a long period. It was certainly bad timing for this trip, ha!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk

A look of intelligence

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 15:25:33 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Yesterday, I slept right through an hour of very loud music and then woke up nearly five hours later (around 11:30 a.m.)! As a result, I missed a trip with friends to a great place SW of the city, Brown-Lowery Provincial Park - one that I don't like going to on my own. Knowing that there would be other people in the area, I decided to still go, but not go very far into the forest on my own. Hopefully, the others would scare any Bears and Cougars out of the forest and not in my direction! To say that I could kick myself is to put it mildly!

So much for hoping that other people would scare off any bears. When I arrived at the not particularly well-known natural forest, I signed the "guest book" as I often do. Before I turned the page to sign on a nice fresh page, I happened to read a comment that someone had written - a Black Bear had been seen that day, on the very trail I wanted to go on! I put the can of Bear Spray into my fanny-pack (can't use a backpack because of the rotator cuff inflammation in both my shoulders), but after a few steps, knew it felt just too heavy. Put it back in the car and instead, attached my bear bell to my camera strap and clutched a small air-horn in one hand. I only spent about an hour in the forest, but did not enjoy a single step of it, lol! I was determined to at least go a very tiny way in, having driven all the way there. Very thankfully, there was no sign of the bear - but also no sign of any mushrooms other than one tiny cluster of Pholiotas at the base of a tree stump. Absolutely nothing, despite recent rain. Maybe it's still too early, especially after such a late spring? Saw very little on the drive home - a couple of Hawks (one on a hay bale), a few Ravens and a few Crows, one Cedar Waxwing, and several very distant ducks. No sign of any Red-winged or Yellow-headed Blackbirds and no Wilson's Snipe.

The Raven in this photo was not a local one, but one that friends Cathy and Terry, and I, saw on a 2-day trip to the mountains on 14 and 15 May 2014. I took so many photos of this bird - but nearly every time I clicked the shutter, it would turn its head away. Managed to get a handful of OK shots, though. These birds are always so fascinating to watch, especially knowing that they are very smart. This one was, of course, hoping for food - which it didn't get, I should add! When I see Ravens within the city, they are usually flying overhead or perched near the top of a very tall tree. Out in the mountains, they have, unfortunately, learned to follow people and like to hang out at stopping points.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_raven

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/id?utm_source=Co...

A Black Bear sighting from May

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 15:32:06 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

The first thing I'll add here is to say that I use 48x zoom on so many of my photos (probably most), no matter what the subject, from butterfly to bird - and especially Bears! Like the typical Black Bear that we might be lucky enough to come across, this one was just busy eating and checking out what was growing around it that looked good to eat (i.e. grasses, roots, not people., ha). My photos are taken from the safety of the car and the bears look much closer than they really were. Friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, don't stay for more than a short while, watching very carefully, to make sure that the animal shows absolutely no sign of discomfort or stress. The Bears we do see show no interest in us and don't attempt to approach the vehicle. They just slowly walk on by, feeding as they go. One bear was so totally relaxed that it decided to have a quick roll in a large puddle not far from the edge of the road! It lay right down on its side and seemed to be enjoying the coolness of the water. The sun shone and we couldn't have had better weather.

Can't remember if it was the very first bear we spotted, we were of course thrilled at the distant sighting. And then, to our horror, we saw a photographer walking towards the bear, that was walking towards him!! The guy had parked in a small pull-off and was some distance from his vehicle. I'm still shaking my head that someone would do such a foolish thing. So unfair towards the bear, too, as it's always the animal that pays the price (i.e. having to be destroyed), if an attack takes place.

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that my friends dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear on this trip, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

One thing that was proven to me while we were away was that taking photos, even with a fairly light-weight point-and-shoot camera, is what is either causing, or making much worse, the awful pain in my arms and shoulders. Not a good thing, and it made it very unpleasant, every second of the day, unfortunately. Just holding the camera and trying to keep it as steady as I could, was really awkward as well as intensely painful. Too much mouse clicking when using the computer at home is perhaps the main cause of this pain (due to inflammation of the rotator cuffs in my shoulders)..

Thanks SO much, Cathy and Terry, for so kindly inviting me along on this trip. It's always so much fun to spend time with you guys, and you are both so knowledgable. Thanks for so many chances to take photos of such a variety of subjects!

Majestic Castle Mountain

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 15:37:51 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I so rarely get to see this incredible mountain, so I'm always thrilled when I do see it. Taken on 15 May 2014, the second day of a two-day trip in the Canadian Rockies with friends, Cathy and Terry. We had seen the mountain on the first day, but didn't stop. On our return journey to Calgary the following day, we stopped and walked down to the river, where we were able to get a different view of this mountain.

"Castle Mountain is a mountain located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, approximately half-way between Banff and Lake Louise. It is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley and sits astride the Castle Mountain Fault, which has thrust older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks forming the upper part of the mountain over the younger rocks forming its base. The mountain's castellated, or castle-like, appearance is a result of erosive processes acting at different rates on the peak's alternating layers of softer shale and harder limestone, dolomite and quartzite.

The mountain was named in 1858 by James Hector for its castle-like appearance. From 1946 to 1979 it was known as Mount Eisenhower in honour of the World War II general Dwight D. Eisenhower. Public pressure caused its original name to be restored, but a pinnacle on the southeastern side of the mountain was named Eisenhower Tower. Located nearby are the remains of Silver City, a 19th century mining settlement, and the Castle Mountain Internment Camp in which persons deemed enemy aliens and suspected enemy sympathizers were confined during World War I." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Mountain

Black Bear busy feeding

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 10:33:13 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Am adding the description from other photos that I have posted already of this beautiful Black Bear. It will save my painful arms and shoulders being used any more than necessary. Just ignore if you've seen it before : )

The first thing I'll add here is to say that I use 48x zoom on so many of my photos (probably most), no matter what the subject, from butterfly to bird - and especially Bears! Like the typical Black Bear that we might be lucky enough to come across, this one was just busy eating and checking out what was growing around it that looked good to eat (i.e. grasses, roots, not people., ha). My photos are taken from the safety of the car and the bears look much closer than they really were. Friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, don't stay for more than a short while, watching very carefully, to make sure that the animal shows absolutely no sign of discomfort or stress. The Bears we do see just slowly walk on by, feeding as they go, and don't attempt to approach the vehicle. One bear was so totally relaxed that it decided to have a quick roll in a large puddle not far from the edge of the road! It lay right down on its side and seemed to be enjoying the coolness of the water. Daytime temperatures of these two days were much warmer than we've had in about eight months. The sun shone and we couldn't have had better weather.

Can't remember if it was the very first bear we spotted, we were of course thrilled at the distant sighting. And then, to our horror, we saw a photographer walking towards the bear, that was walking towards him!! The guy had parked in a small pull-off and was some distance from his vehicle. I'm still shaking my head that someone would do such a foolish thing. So unfair towards the bear, too, as it's always the animal that pays the price (i.e. having to be destroyed), if an attack takes place.

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that my friends dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

Castle Mountain

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 18:37:34 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

This was just a quick shot through the window of a moving car, that came out better than I was expecting. I so rarely get to see this incredible mountain, so I'm always thrilled when I do see it. Taken on 14 May 2014, the first day of a wonderful two-day trip through the Canadian Rockies with friends, Cathy and Terry. On our return journey to Calgary the following day, we stopped and were able to get different views of this mountain.

"Castle Mountain is a mountain located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, approximately half-way between Banff and Lake Louise. It is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley and sits astride the Castle Mountain Fault, which has thrust older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks forming the upper part of the mountain over the younger rocks forming its base. The mountain's castellated, or castle-like, appearance is a result of erosive processes acting at different rates on the peak's alternating layers of softer shale and harder limestone, dolomite and quartzite.

The mountain was named in 1858 by James Hector for its castle-like appearance. From 1946 to 1979 it was known as Mount Eisenhower in honour of the World War II general Dwight D. Eisenhower. Public pressure caused its original name to be restored, but a pinnacle on the southeastern side of the mountain was named Eisenhower Tower. Located nearby are the remains of Silver City, a 19th century mining settlement, and the Castle Mountain Internment Camp in which persons deemed enemy aliens and suspected enemy sympathizers were confined during World War I." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Mountain

Accustomed to people

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 15:23:11 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

A close look

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 04:43:28 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Black Bears have such beautiful, shiny black fur, and we got to see this one pretty closely. A while ago, I posted a rather similar photo of this Bear, but I think I prefer this one, with its head turned very slightly towards us. I am using the same info that is posted with each of my Bear photos from this trip, as it saves me from having to do extra typing. Had a volunteer shift yesterday, and the computers were down all afternoon. This meant that I had to do non-stop, fast writing by hand, which has irritated the inflammation in my shoulders.

An important thing to add here is to say that I use 48x zoom on so many of my photos (probably most), no matter what the subject, from butterfly to bird - and especially Bears! Like the typical Black Bear that we might be lucky enough to come across, this one was just busy eating and checking out what was growing around it that looked good to eat (i.e. grasses, roots, not people, ha). My photos are taken from the safety of the car and the bears look much closer than they really were. Friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, don't stay for more than a short while, watching very carefully, to make sure that the animal shows absolutely no sign of discomfort or stress. The Bears we do see show no interest in us and don't attempt to approach the vehicle. They just slowly walk on by, feeding as they go. One bear was so totally relaxed that it decided to have a quick roll in a large puddle not far from the edge of the road! It lay right down on its side and seemed to be enjoying the coolness of the water. Daytime temperatures the last two days were much warmer than we've had in about eight months. The sun shone and we couldn't have had better weather.

Can't remember if it was the very first bear we spotted, we were of course thrilled at the distant sighting. And then, to our horror, we saw a photographer walking towards the bear, that was walking towards him!! The guy had parked in a small pull-off and was some distance from his vehicle. I'm still shaking my head that someone would do such a foolish thing. So unfair towards the bear, too, as it's always the animal that pays the price (i.e. having to be destroyed), if an attack takes place.

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that my friends dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I was happy as can be, as always, to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

Not interested in us

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 03:49:35 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

The first thing I'll add here is to say that I use 48x zoom on so many of my photos (probably most), no matter what the subject, from butterfly to bird - and especially Bears! Like the typical Black Bear that we might be lucky enough to come across, this one was just busy eating and checking out what was growing around it that looked good to eat (i.e. grasses, roots, not people., ha). My photos are taken from the safety of the car and the bears look much closer than they really were. Friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, don't stay for more than a short while, watching very carefully, to make sure that the animal shows absolutely no sign of discomfort or stress. The Bears we do see show no interest in us and don't attempt to approach the vehicle. They just slowly walk on by, feeding as they go. One bear was so totally relaxed that it decided to have a quick roll in a large puddle not far from the edge of the road! It lay right down on its side and seemed to be enjoying the coolness of the water. Daytime temperatures the last two days were much warmer than we've had in about eight months. The sun shone and we couldn't have had better weather.

Can't remember if it was the very first bear we spotted, we were of course thrilled at the distant sighting. And then, to our horror, we saw a photographer walking towards the bear, that was walking towards him!! The guy had parked in a small pull-off and was some distance from his vehicle. I'm still shaking my head that someone would do such a foolish thing. So unfair towards the bear, too, as it's always the animal that pays the price (i.e. having to be destroyed), if an attack takes place.

Over the two days, we had 7 bear sightings, with three definitely different Black Bears (no Grizzlies), and possibly four. The rest of the sightings were of Bears we had already seen.

We had left Calgary early morning on Wednesday (14 May 2014) and I think it was around 12:15 a.m. midnight (Thursday, 15 May 2014), that my friends dropped me off at home after two long, wonderful days in the Rocky Mountains, west of the city. Wednesday night was spent in a spotless motel, in a place that had so many Mountain Sheep roaming the streets, lol! Though we were hoping to see at least one Bear, I was happy as can be to see absolutely anything beautiful : )

A peaceful litte spot

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 03:30:30 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Details in black

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:50:44 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

I took so many photos of this Raven - but nearly every time I clicked the shutter, it would turn its head away. Managed to get a handful of shots to keep, though, and this is one of them. These birds are always so fascinating to watch, especially knowing that they are very smart. This one was, of course, looking for food - which it didn't get, I should add! When I see Ravens within the city, they are usually flying overhead or perched near the top of a very tall tree. Out in the mountains, they have, unfortunately, learned to follow people and like to hang out at stopping points., which does make it easier to take photos.

Taken on 15 May 2014, during a two day trip to the Canadian Rockies with friends, Cathy and Terry.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_raven

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/id?utm_source=Co...

Later: was out doing my volunteer shift today, so I haven't been on Flickr for much of the time. Checked My Contacts' photos just now, and there are hardly any posted. I wonder if there is Flickr problem somewhere, or if people just aren't posting much now that spring/summer is here.

Coyote on the prowl

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:50:43 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Taken on 15 May 2014, during a two day trip to the Rocky Mountains, W of Calgary, with friends, Cathy and Terry.

"The coyote appears often in the tales and traditions of Native Americans—usually as a very savvy and clever beast. Modern coyotes have displayed their cleverness by adapting to the changing American landscape. These members of the dog family once lived primarily in open prairies and deserts, but now roam the continent's forests and mountains. They have even colonized cities like Los Angeles, and are now found over most of North America. Coyote populations are likely at an all-time high.

These adaptable animals will eat almost anything. They hunt rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, and even deer. They also happily dine on insects, snakes, fruit, grass, and carrion. Because they sometimes kill lambs, calves, or other livestock, as well as pets, many ranchers and farmers regard them as destructive pests." From National Geographic.

animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/coyote/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote

After the fire

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 14:17:05 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Has everyone seen the NEW Flickr layout that is now being Beta-tested? If not, check the Sticky in the Help Forum - it shows a sample screen shot. Comments are below the image, black text on white, etc., etc..

www.flickr.com/help/forum/en-us/72157645000450855/

This was a quick drive-by shot, taken on 14 May 2014, during a two-day trip to the Canadian Rockies. Though forest fires cause a lot of damage, the ones that are caused naturally, by lightning, are also necessary and very beneficial. I don't know what caused this particular fire, but the landscape looks very different when the mountainsides are covered in the thin, burnt remains of trees.

"Although often harmful and destructive to humans, naturally occurring wildfires play an integral role in nature. They return nutrients to the soil by burning dead or decaying matter. They also act as a disinfectant, removing disease-ridden plants and harmful insects from a forest ecosystem. And by burning through thick canopies and brushy undergrowth, wildfires allow sunlight to reach the forest floor, enabling a new generation of seedlings to grow." From National Geographic.

"Historically, when fires from natural or other causes began, efforts were made to control them as quickly as possible. That has changed somewhat as more has been learned about the role of fire within forest ecosystems. Forests in which fires are regularly suppressed can burn much hotter and more dangerously when a fire finally does break out. With suppression, large amounts of underbrush accumulate on the forest floor, certain tree species cannot regenerate (oak and pine, for example, need fire to crack their seeds), and trees that do flourish become densely packed. Within this forest structure, the number of fires continues to increase, getting larger and gaining in intensity. This has become increasingly dangerous as urban and suburban areas encroach on forested spaces." From enviroliteracy.org/article.php/46.html

On guard

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 14:17:05 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

Near Morant's Curve

nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:42:37 +0000

Anne Elliott has posted:

The railway track, river and closest trees seem to be level in this photo, but the distant, sloping hillside looks "wrong". This was taken from Morant's Curve, which is a famous spot along the Canadian Pacific Railway. It's located on the western end of the Bow Valley Parkway near Lake Louise. We were lucky that a train happened to come by - many people sit and wait for a long time for that special photo. Taken on 15 May 2014, on the return journey to Calgary from a two-day trip to the mountains with friends, Cathy and Terry.

"The Canadian Pacific Railway had a staff photographer, Nicholas Morant, who took many photos of CP in the middle of the 20th century. One location he is well known for is this spot, and many CPR promotional materials feature his photos from this location." From blog.traingeek.ca/2010/08/morants-curve.html