https://www.ipernity.com/tag/293827/keyword/23816 https://cdn.ipernity.com/p/101/C3/7B/293827.buddy.jpg https://www.ipernity.com/tag/293827/keyword/23816 Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:15:52 +0000 Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:15:52 +0000 https://www.ipernity.com https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497802 tag:ipernity.com,2019-06-26,doc-49497802 Wed, 26 Jun 2019 17:10:32 +0000 2019-06-23T11:14:16-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497802"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/78/02/49497802.446b065f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The 13 photos posted this morning are the remaining photos taken on 23 June 2019, on the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance botany walk. No birds, but that will change when I next upload images, as I called in at my 'usual' area on the way home from this event. <br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to that day, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Treasures of the Ghost River forest - a little bit of everything <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497802"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/78/02/49497802.446b065f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The 13 photos posted this morning are the remaining photos taken on 23 June 2019, on the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance botany walk. No birds, but that will change when I next upload images, as I called in at my 'usual' area on the way home from this event. <br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to that day, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497796 tag:ipernity.com,2019-06-26,doc-49497796 Wed, 26 Jun 2019 17:07:24 +0000 2019-06-23T10:08:36-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497796"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/96/49497796.18a74486.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The 13 photos posted this morning are the remaining photos taken on 23 June 2019, on the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance botany walk. No birds, but that will change when I next upload images, as I called in at my 'usual' area on the way home from this event. <br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to that day, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Lichen, Ghost River forest <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497796"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/96/49497796.18a74486.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The 13 photos posted this morning are the remaining photos taken on 23 June 2019, on the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance botany walk. No birds, but that will change when I next upload images, as I called in at my 'usual' area on the way home from this event. <br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to that day, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497774 tag:ipernity.com,2019-06-25,doc-49497774 Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:39:41 +0000 2019-06-23T10:22:12-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497774"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/74/49497774.1068d34f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">For the next few days, I will be posting photos from an outing on Sunday, 23 June 2019, and also a few of my usual local birds taken on the way home from this event. The map feature is not working yet again, though images were showing up on it for a day or two. Now it is back to being faulty yet again, and I don't mean just the mystery name. Causes such a hassle when I post Texas photos that need to be put on the map, so Texas photos will have to wait.<br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to the day yesterday, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Fungi in the Ghost River forest <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/49497774"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/77/74/49497774.1068d34f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">For the next few days, I will be posting photos from an outing on Sunday, 23 June 2019, and also a few of my usual local birds taken on the way home from this event. The map feature is not working yet again, though images were showing up on it for a day or two. Now it is back to being faulty yet again, and I don't mean just the mystery name. Causes such a hassle when I post Texas photos that need to be put on the map, so Texas photos will have to wait.<br /> <br /> That day, 23 June, was a fun day, despite the fact that it was raining a good part of the time. It was the annual Ghost Watershed Alliance walk, which ends with a delicious fundraiser BBQ at noon. This botany walk, through the forest and on top of the cliff along the Ghost River, is led by our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, and hosted by Erik Butters. I can't remember how many of these events I have been to over the years, but certainly a few. <br /> <br /> I like to drive myself out there, as I then have the choice to drive somewhere else when all is finished, if I have any energy left. Exactly what I did, enjoying myself photographing Mountain Bluebirds, a Snipe, and a Bobolink which was unfortunately perched on a high wire. Better than nothing, though.<br /> <br /> It was a very early start to the day yesterday, as I wanted to allow about two hours' travel time. There has been some flooding in certain areas and I wasn't sure if there might be a road or two blocked off. As it turned out, I reached the meeting place in plenty of time, so drove a bit further to see what I could find. Just an attractive, old wagon that I have seen before, and some adorable, new calves in one of the fields.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820084 tag:ipernity.com,2018-12-11,doc-47820084 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:54:06 +0000 2018-05-13T08:53:29-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820084"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/84/47820084.6e195ddf.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These 10 photos were all taken during a morning birding walk in Tadoussac on 13 May 2018. I have now reached Day 7 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec, so I guess I am very roughly half way through. The next photos to sort through, edit and post will be photos taken on a whaling trip that we went on in the afternoon of this day. We did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. <br /> <br /> At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. <br /> <br /> "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world.<br /> <br /> Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000.<br /> <br /> But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! <br /> <br /> We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. <br /> <br /> Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )<br /> <br /> Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677</a></div> Day 7, American Robin, Tadoussac <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820084"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/84/47820084.6e195ddf.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These 10 photos were all taken during a morning birding walk in Tadoussac on 13 May 2018. I have now reached Day 7 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec, so I guess I am very roughly half way through. The next photos to sort through, edit and post will be photos taken on a whaling trip that we went on in the afternoon of this day. We did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. <br /> <br /> At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. <br /> <br /> "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world.<br /> <br /> Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000.<br /> <br /> But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! <br /> <br /> We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. <br /> <br /> Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )<br /> <br /> Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677</a></div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820046 tag:ipernity.com,2018-12-11,doc-47820046 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:45:34 +0000 2018-05-13T07:36:06-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820046"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/46/47820046.9442b808.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These 10 photos were all taken during a morning birding walk in Tadoussac or in our friend's garden on 13 May 2018. I have now reached Day 7 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec, so I guess I am very roughly half way through. The next photos to sort through, edit and post will be photos taken on a whaling trip that we went on in the afternoon of this day. We did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. <br /> <br /> At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. <br /> <br /> "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world.<br /> <br /> Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000.<br /> <br /> But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! <br /> <br /> We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. <br /> <br /> Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )<br /> <br /> Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677</a></div> Day 7, lichen, Tadoussac, Quebec <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47820046"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/00/46/47820046.9442b808.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">These 10 photos were all taken during a morning birding walk in Tadoussac or in our friend's garden on 13 May 2018. I have now reached Day 7 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec, so I guess I am very roughly half way through. The next photos to sort through, edit and post will be photos taken on a whaling trip that we went on in the afternoon of this day. We did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. <br /> <br /> At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things. <br /> <br /> "Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world.<br /> <br /> Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000.<br /> <br /> But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac</a><br /> <br /> Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking! <br /> <br /> We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time. <br /> <br /> Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )<br /> <br /> Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677</a></div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47257404 tag:ipernity.com,2018-09-02,doc-47257404 Sun, 02 Sep 2018 03:41:08 +0000 2018-08-31T11:04:46-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47257404"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/74/04/47257404.0d134d97.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Adding three photos tonight, as I have a very early start to the day tomorrow. All three of these photos were taken yesterday, 31 August 2018, during a fungi foray. Is this a Russula borealis?<br /> <br /> This morning, the first day of September, was cloudy, cool (9C with a windchill of 6C), with very light rain briefly. The sun did come out later in the day. It feels like summer is over - a summer that has passed in a flash. Some of the trees are already getting yellow leaves. I'm really hoping that fall this year will be long, sunny and beautiful. It is the Labour Day long weekend. "Labour Day is a statutory holiday in Alberta, which is a paid general holiday for employees who are eligible. Labour Day is on the 1st Monday in September every year."<br /> <br /> Yesterday, 31 August 2018, I went on a fungi foray with a group of friends, out west of the city at West Bragg Creek. The trail we followed was the same as the one I took friend, Pam, along on 15 August. On the way home, a handful of us called in at a second spot, but the mushrooms seen that day were all in bad shape yesterday. This last short walk started with four of us and then it was just our leader and myself towards the end. Near the beginning of this second walk, we discovered that there must have been heavy rain that had caused a small stream flowing down the hill. This had turned to wet, very slippery mud, which made walking somewhat treacherous - as I soon found out! What a sight I was, covered in mud from shoulder to shoes : ) A lot of mess to clear up when I eventually got home. A good job I had driven myself out there, not car-pooled. Once again, it shows how dangerous it can be to look for fungi, lol.<br /> <br /> We didn't see a lot of fungi, but enough to make the trip worthwhile. Our leader sent an email of photos and IDs of some of the ones we found, but there are others for which I don't have the ID. As always, any ID given for any fungus is tentative, as mushrooms are extremely difficult to identify. As far as eating wild mushrooms goes, unless you are a real expert, never take the risk of being poisoned or made very ill. Several species have deadly look-alikes. As our main Naturalist in the city always says: "All mushrooms can be eaten, sometimes only once!" An interesting little book is "Wild Edible Mushrooms of Alberta: a Field Guide" by Tom Cervenka, published by Northern Bushcraft.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://northernbushcraft.com/wild-edible-mushrooms-of-alberta.php" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">northernbushcraft.com/wild-edible-mushrooms-of-alberta.php</a><br /> <br /> People tend to have different opinions about mushrooms. Some go searching just for ones that are edible and can be collected to be eaten, while others go to look for what species they can find. My reason is to simply take photos, leaving each one in place so that others can see the beauty that I was lucky enough to see. <br /> <br /> It is important to note that it is illegal to pick mushrooms in national or provincial parks, protected areas such as ecological or special reserves, and recreation areas.</div> Let the light shine in <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47257404"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/74/04/47257404.0d134d97.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Adding three photos tonight, as I have a very early start to the day tomorrow. All three of these photos were taken yesterday, 31 August 2018, during a fungi foray. Is this a Russula borealis?<br /> <br /> This morning, the first day of September, was cloudy, cool (9C with a windchill of 6C), with very light rain briefly. The sun did come out later in the day. It feels like summer is over - a summer that has passed in a flash. Some of the trees are already getting yellow leaves. I'm really hoping that fall this year will be long, sunny and beautiful. It is the Labour Day long weekend. "Labour Day is a statutory holiday in Alberta, which is a paid general holiday for employees who are eligible. Labour Day is on the 1st Monday in September every year."<br /> <br /> Yesterday, 31 August 2018, I went on a fungi foray with a group of friends, out west of the city at West Bragg Creek. The trail we followed was the same as the one I took friend, Pam, along on 15 August. On the way home, a handful of us called in at a second spot, but the mushrooms seen that day were all in bad shape yesterday. This last short walk started with four of us and then it was just our leader and myself towards the end. Near the beginning of this second walk, we discovered that there must have been heavy rain that had caused a small stream flowing down the hill. This had turned to wet, very slippery mud, which made walking somewhat treacherous - as I soon found out! What a sight I was, covered in mud from shoulder to shoes : ) A lot of mess to clear up when I eventually got home. A good job I had driven myself out there, not car-pooled. Once again, it shows how dangerous it can be to look for fungi, lol.<br /> <br /> We didn't see a lot of fungi, but enough to make the trip worthwhile. Our leader sent an email of photos and IDs of some of the ones we found, but there are others for which I don't have the ID. As always, any ID given for any fungus is tentative, as mushrooms are extremely difficult to identify. As far as eating wild mushrooms goes, unless you are a real expert, never take the risk of being poisoned or made very ill. Several species have deadly look-alikes. As our main Naturalist in the city always says: "All mushrooms can be eaten, sometimes only once!" An interesting little book is "Wild Edible Mushrooms of Alberta: a Field Guide" by Tom Cervenka, published by Northern Bushcraft.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://northernbushcraft.com/wild-edible-mushrooms-of-alberta.php" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">northernbushcraft.com/wild-edible-mushrooms-of-alberta.php</a><br /> <br /> People tend to have different opinions about mushrooms. Some go searching just for ones that are edible and can be collected to be eaten, while others go to look for what species they can find. My reason is to simply take photos, leaving each one in place so that others can see the beauty that I was lucky enough to see. <br /> <br /> It is important to note that it is illegal to pick mushrooms in national or provincial parks, protected areas such as ecological or special reserves, and recreation areas.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47238406 tag:ipernity.com,2018-08-31,doc-47238406 Fri, 31 Aug 2018 02:52:22 +0000 2018-08-05T16:37:22-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47238406"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/06/47238406.6a737ead.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Tomorrow, 31 August 2018, I plan to join friends out west of the city. Thought I would post tomorrow's photos tonight, so that I am not in such a rush early in the morning. Today, I spent time watching the first memorial service, in Arizona, for Senator John McCain. Some very moving words given by various people.<br /> <br /> On 5 August 2018, it was a long weekend here, thanks to a Civic Holiday today (Monday), I was pretty sure that there would be plenty of people at a park SW of the city, so I felt somewhat more confident about going a bit further into the forest. Also, there was a cycle race (?) going on, along the road that runs alongside the park, and there were a few more people in the area - just in case I came across a bear or a cougar!<br /> <br /> Mushrooms were what I was looking for, and I found several quite nice ones. Always a treat to come across a polypore that is covered in guttation droplets.<br /> <br /> "Some fungi are prone to exhibiting a curious phenomenon—they exude beads of moisture, called guttation. In several polypores, such as Fomitopsis pinicola, the liquid produced can look so much like tears that you'd swear the fungus was weeping. Or maybe sweating. Other species produce pigmented drops that can look like milk, or tar, or even blood."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://weirdandwonderfulwildmushrooms.blogspot.ca/2014/08/read-it-and-weep-fungal-guttation.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">weirdandwonderfulwildmushrooms.blogspot.ca/2014/08/read-i...</a><br /> <br /> "Guttation, a term used in botany to describe the process by which plants excrete excess water through drops from their leaves. For some mushrooms this is so common that it is a reliable identification feature."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.fungimag.com/fall-2010-articles/mushroom-weepLR.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.fungimag.com/fall-2010-articles/mushroom-weepLR.pdf</a><br /> <br /> On the way home from the park, I stopped to see if any Mountain Bluebirds were still around. The male of one pair looked so dishevelled - I don't remember it being windy. So much work goes into feeding a young family.</div> Beautiful guttation droplets on a polypore <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/47238406"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/06/47238406.6a737ead.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Tomorrow, 31 August 2018, I plan to join friends out west of the city. Thought I would post tomorrow's photos tonight, so that I am not in such a rush early in the morning. Today, I spent time watching the first memorial service, in Arizona, for Senator John McCain. Some very moving words given by various people.<br /> <br /> On 5 August 2018, it was a long weekend here, thanks to a Civic Holiday today (Monday), I was pretty sure that there would be plenty of people at a park SW of the city, so I felt somewhat more confident about going a bit further into the forest. Also, there was a cycle race (?) going on, along the road that runs alongside the park, and there were a few more people in the area - just in case I came across a bear or a cougar!<br /> <br /> Mushrooms were what I was looking for, and I found several quite nice ones. Always a treat to come across a polypore that is covered in guttation droplets.<br /> <br /> "Some fungi are prone to exhibiting a curious phenomenon—they exude beads of moisture, called guttation. In several polypores, such as Fomitopsis pinicola, the liquid produced can look so much like tears that you'd swear the fungus was weeping. Or maybe sweating. Other species produce pigmented drops that can look like milk, or tar, or even blood."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://weirdandwonderfulwildmushrooms.blogspot.ca/2014/08/read-it-and-weep-fungal-guttation.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">weirdandwonderfulwildmushrooms.blogspot.ca/2014/08/read-i...</a><br /> <br /> "Guttation, a term used in botany to describe the process by which plants excrete excess water through drops from their leaves. For some mushrooms this is so common that it is a reliable identification feature."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.fungimag.com/fall-2010-articles/mushroom-weepLR.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.fungimag.com/fall-2010-articles/mushroom-weepLR.pdf</a><br /> <br /> On the way home from the park, I stopped to see if any Mountain Bluebirds were still around. The male of one pair looked so dishevelled - I don't remember it being windy. So much work goes into feeding a young family.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46958588 tag:ipernity.com,2018-07-06,doc-46958588 Fri, 06 Jul 2018 16:24:03 +0000 2018-06-23T11:36:05-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46958588"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/88/46958588.bc3feece.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">From a distance, I thought this might be a slime mold on some of the plants, but then I noticed all the tan coloured apothecia (the spore-bearing structure in many lichens and fungi). However, I have no idea what the species is. Any help with ID would be greatly appreciated. Found along the loop hike at Peyto Lake, Alberta.<br /> <br /> On 23 June 2018, I had the wonderful chance to return to two of my favourite places in the mountains - Bow Lake and Peyto Lake. This was thanks to the annual Bus Trip for Nature Calgary, with each year being to a different location in Alberta. These two Lakes are too far for me to drive (roughly two and a half hours), but mainly because they are way out of my driving comfort zone. I think I have only ever been to Peyto Lake twice before, the first time being something like 38 years ago, and the second time being in August 2013. Almost 40 years ago, I fell in love with Bow Lake, my absolute favourite place. I have been lucky enough to visit it a handful of times in recent years. <br /> <br /> Unfortunately, we couldn't capture the beautiful, really deep turquoise colour that Peyto lake is so well known for. Too many low clouds and an overcast, damp day, but you can still see the beauty of this lake and its gorgeous surroundings. The forecast that I had seen for this whole area had been for snow-rain showers, with a high temperature of 12C and a low of 1C. Though the day started off with rain, we were lucky that we only had a few raindrops while we were out walking. It was really dreary weather, though, which was not good as far as photography was concerned.<br /> <br /> Our first stop was at Peyto Lake, where we walked the short distance to the wooden Lookout deck. From there, we hiked a loop through the forest, finding a few wildflowers and some beautiful Orange Peel Fungus. On the way back to the Lookout, you really need to be very careful to take a path that leads back to the correct parking lot! The last few people took the wrong path and ended up waiting for a bus that never came for them. So easily done. They were eventually found, but after a long delay. <br /> <br /> "Peyto Lake (pea-toe) is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake itself is easily accessed from the Icefields Parkway. It was named for Ebenezer William Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area. The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color. Because of its bright color, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefield Parkway. The lake is fed by the Peyto Creek, which drains water from the Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield), and flows into the Mistaya River."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://wikimapia.org/655560/Peyto-lake" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wikimapia.org/655560/Peyto-lake</a><br /> <br /> From Peyto Lake, we drove to the nearby Bow Lake, which just takes my breath away. I had told a couple of friends how beautiful it is, but that the best kind of day to visit is a sunny day with absolutely calm lake water so that reflections are seen. Well, that was definitely not the kind of day we had, but one makes the best of what one gets. We spent time there, walking part way along the edge of the lake, looking for any bird and wildflower species, and simply soaking up the amazing beauty of our surroundings. <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.travelalberta.com/ca/listings/bow-lake-1997/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.travelalberta.com/ca/listings/bow-lake-1997/</a><br /> <br /> On the way back to Calgary, we were very lucky to notice a handful of cars that had pulled over on the side of the road. This always makes one wonder if a bear has been sighted. Sure enough, our bus driver slowed down and stopped for a short while to allow us to take a few photos. After a few minutes, I heard our organizer tell someone (or more than one person) to stop using flash, as it was stressing out the bear. Tell me, just WHY would anyone think it was OK to use flash on a wild animal that was just a few feet away from our bus!!! An animal that was busy feeding on dandelions and had been taking no notice of us. So maddening when photographers don't have respect for wildlife and just don't think! I happened to be sitting on the 'wrong' side of the bus and had two or three rows of people who were sitting or standing up, all trying to get their shots in between the people in front of them. So, my photos are not good, but serve as a record of having had the privilege of seeing such a beautiful creature.<br /> <br /> A final, short stop on the way home was near Castle Mountain, which is a very impressive sight. It also has an interesting history, which I will add when I eventually post a photo taken there.<br /> <br /> Many thanks, Penny, for organizing our trip to such perfect places! I know a huge amount of work goes into making all the plans - thanks, too, to John for helping out with this. A very successful and most enjoyable outing. Shirley and Pam - I greatly appreciated your driving to meeting places here in the city!</div> Lichen at Peyto Lake <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46958588"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/88/46958588.bc3feece.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">From a distance, I thought this might be a slime mold on some of the plants, but then I noticed all the tan coloured apothecia (the spore-bearing structure in many lichens and fungi). However, I have no idea what the species is. Any help with ID would be greatly appreciated. Found along the loop hike at Peyto Lake, Alberta.<br /> <br /> On 23 June 2018, I had the wonderful chance to return to two of my favourite places in the mountains - Bow Lake and Peyto Lake. This was thanks to the annual Bus Trip for Nature Calgary, with each year being to a different location in Alberta. These two Lakes are too far for me to drive (roughly two and a half hours), but mainly because they are way out of my driving comfort zone. I think I have only ever been to Peyto Lake twice before, the first time being something like 38 years ago, and the second time being in August 2013. Almost 40 years ago, I fell in love with Bow Lake, my absolute favourite place. I have been lucky enough to visit it a handful of times in recent years. <br /> <br /> Unfortunately, we couldn't capture the beautiful, really deep turquoise colour that Peyto lake is so well known for. Too many low clouds and an overcast, damp day, but you can still see the beauty of this lake and its gorgeous surroundings. The forecast that I had seen for this whole area had been for snow-rain showers, with a high temperature of 12C and a low of 1C. Though the day started off with rain, we were lucky that we only had a few raindrops while we were out walking. It was really dreary weather, though, which was not good as far as photography was concerned.<br /> <br /> Our first stop was at Peyto Lake, where we walked the short distance to the wooden Lookout deck. From there, we hiked a loop through the forest, finding a few wildflowers and some beautiful Orange Peel Fungus. On the way back to the Lookout, you really need to be very careful to take a path that leads back to the correct parking lot! The last few people took the wrong path and ended up waiting for a bus that never came for them. So easily done. They were eventually found, but after a long delay. <br /> <br /> "Peyto Lake (pea-toe) is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake itself is easily accessed from the Icefields Parkway. It was named for Ebenezer William Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area. The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color. Because of its bright color, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefield Parkway. The lake is fed by the Peyto Creek, which drains water from the Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield), and flows into the Mistaya River."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://wikimapia.org/655560/Peyto-lake" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wikimapia.org/655560/Peyto-lake</a><br /> <br /> From Peyto Lake, we drove to the nearby Bow Lake, which just takes my breath away. I had told a couple of friends how beautiful it is, but that the best kind of day to visit is a sunny day with absolutely calm lake water so that reflections are seen. Well, that was definitely not the kind of day we had, but one makes the best of what one gets. We spent time there, walking part way along the edge of the lake, looking for any bird and wildflower species, and simply soaking up the amazing beauty of our surroundings. <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.travelalberta.com/ca/listings/bow-lake-1997/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.travelalberta.com/ca/listings/bow-lake-1997/</a><br /> <br /> On the way back to Calgary, we were very lucky to notice a handful of cars that had pulled over on the side of the road. This always makes one wonder if a bear has been sighted. Sure enough, our bus driver slowed down and stopped for a short while to allow us to take a few photos. After a few minutes, I heard our organizer tell someone (or more than one person) to stop using flash, as it was stressing out the bear. Tell me, just WHY would anyone think it was OK to use flash on a wild animal that was just a few feet away from our bus!!! An animal that was busy feeding on dandelions and had been taking no notice of us. So maddening when photographers don't have respect for wildlife and just don't think! I happened to be sitting on the 'wrong' side of the bus and had two or three rows of people who were sitting or standing up, all trying to get their shots in between the people in front of them. So, my photos are not good, but serve as a record of having had the privilege of seeing such a beautiful creature.<br /> <br /> A final, short stop on the way home was near Castle Mountain, which is a very impressive sight. It also has an interesting history, which I will add when I eventually post a photo taken there.<br /> <br /> Many thanks, Penny, for organizing our trip to such perfect places! I know a huge amount of work goes into making all the plans - thanks, too, to John for helping out with this. A very successful and most enjoyable outing. Shirley and Pam - I greatly appreciated your driving to meeting places here in the city!</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606718 tag:ipernity.com,2018-04-30,doc-46606718 Mon, 30 Apr 2018 17:01:26 +0000 2017-06-02T16:50:58-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606718"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/67/18/46606718.5b717560.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Back to local birds, but also back to the archives. It was a case of either post no photos this morning or quickly grab three from my archives. Still taking no new photos and still missing all the new bird arrivals back to the city and surroundings, which is so frustrating and disappointing. Soon, that will change, and I will be so thankful.<br /> <br /> In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> I recently discovered that I had not posted any photos from the folder of photos taken on 2 June 2017. Nothing too special and mainly Mountain Bluebirds. This was just a short drive to see if I could see any of these beautiful little birds. A side view of a female is better for showing the touch of blue in some of the feathers.</div> Mountain Bluebird female <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606718"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/67/18/46606718.5b717560.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Back to local birds, but also back to the archives. It was a case of either post no photos this morning or quickly grab three from my archives. Still taking no new photos and still missing all the new bird arrivals back to the city and surroundings, which is so frustrating and disappointing. Soon, that will change, and I will be so thankful.<br /> <br /> In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> I recently discovered that I had not posted any photos from the folder of photos taken on 2 June 2017. Nothing too special and mainly Mountain Bluebirds. This was just a short drive to see if I could see any of these beautiful little birds. A side view of a female is better for showing the touch of blue in some of the feathers.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606716 tag:ipernity.com,2018-04-30,doc-46606716 Mon, 30 Apr 2018 17:00:24 +0000 2017-06-02T16:53:37-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606716"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/67/16/46606716.18aea67a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Back to local birds, but also back to the archives. It was a case of either post no photos this morning or quickly grab three from my archives. Still taking no new photos and still missing all the new bird arrivals back to the city and surroundings, which is so frustrating and disappointing. Soon, that will change, and I will be so thankful.<br /> <br /> I recently discovered that I had not posted any photos from the folder of photos taken on 2 June 2017. Nothing too special and mainly Mountain Bluebirds. This was just a short drive to see if I could see any Bluebirds and, usually, where there are Bluebirds, there are also Tree Swallows, competing for the nest boxes. I love to see the Tree Swallows, too, and they look so gorgeous when the sun brings out the iridescence of their feathers.</div> Tree Swallow male <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46606716"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/67/16/46606716.18aea67a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Back to local birds, but also back to the archives. It was a case of either post no photos this morning or quickly grab three from my archives. Still taking no new photos and still missing all the new bird arrivals back to the city and surroundings, which is so frustrating and disappointing. Soon, that will change, and I will be so thankful.<br /> <br /> I recently discovered that I had not posted any photos from the folder of photos taken on 2 June 2017. Nothing too special and mainly Mountain Bluebirds. This was just a short drive to see if I could see any Bluebirds and, usually, where there are Bluebirds, there are also Tree Swallows, competing for the nest boxes. I love to see the Tree Swallows, too, and they look so gorgeous when the sun brings out the iridescence of their feathers.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46352606 tag:ipernity.com,2018-03-08,doc-46352606 Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:02:43 +0000 2015-05-29T12:59:57-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46352606"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/26/06/46352606.4a0a5c09.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">International Women's Day today, 8 March 2018. Yay for Women!<br /> <br /> All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.<br /> <br /> The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.<br /> <br /> Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these writhing caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! <br /> <br /> Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.<br /> <br /> Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again. I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.<br /> <br /> The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years before, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.<br /> <br /> Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!</div> Rolling hills from the Whaleback <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46352606"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/26/06/46352606.4a0a5c09.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">International Women's Day today, 8 March 2018. Yay for Women!<br /> <br /> All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.<br /> <br /> The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.<br /> <br /> Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these writhing caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! <br /> <br /> Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.<br /> <br /> Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again. I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.<br /> <br /> The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years before, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.<br /> <br /> Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46348446 tag:ipernity.com,2018-03-07,doc-46348446 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 17:37:01 +0000 2015-05-29T10:12:05-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46348446"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/46/46348446.f325884b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.<br /> <br /> The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.<br /> <br /> Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! <br /> <br /> Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.<br /> <br /> Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.<br /> <br /> The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.<br /> <br /> Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!</div> Nibbling on a tasty leaf <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/46348446"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/46/46348446.f325884b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.<br /> <br /> The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.<br /> <br /> Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! <br /> <br /> Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.<br /> <br /> Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.<br /> <br /> The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.<br /> <br /> Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45915924 tag:ipernity.com,2017-11-30,doc-45915924 Thu, 30 Nov 2017 18:12:27 +0000 2017-06-12T17:44:22-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45915924"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/59/24/45915924.59600ae5.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> In the afternoon of 12 June 2017, on the spur of the moment, I went for a short drive SW of the city. The sun was shining, but unfortunately it was windy most of the time. My main purpose was to check on a few of the Mountain Bluebirds, who are now busy as can be, collecting insects to feed to their hungry babies. I know this will soon be over and the young ones will have fledged, so I really must make myself visit them again, or it will be too late. <br /> <br /> I had also hoped that maybe one of the Great Gray Owls in the area might just be out hunting. No luck this time. Makes me even more grateful to have seen one during our May Species Count on 28 May 2017.</div> A change from a world of white <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45915924"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/59/24/45915924.59600ae5.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> In the afternoon of 12 June 2017, on the spur of the moment, I went for a short drive SW of the city. The sun was shining, but unfortunately it was windy most of the time. My main purpose was to check on a few of the Mountain Bluebirds, who are now busy as can be, collecting insects to feed to their hungry babies. I know this will soon be over and the young ones will have fledged, so I really must make myself visit them again, or it will be too late. <br /> <br /> I had also hoped that maybe one of the Great Gray Owls in the area might just be out hunting. No luck this time. Makes me even more grateful to have seen one during our May Species Count on 28 May 2017.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45774150 tag:ipernity.com,2017-11-03,doc-45774150 Fri, 03 Nov 2017 17:21:39 +0000 2017-10-27T09:51:49-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45774150"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/41/50/45774150.0b503c6d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The original of this photo wasn't as sharp as it should have been, so I added a filter in post-processing to try and bring out better detail. Not sure that it's an improvement or not. Oh well, I'll leave it as it is. This photo was taken during a walk along a nature trail at the KOAC art centre a few of us visited recently. This short trail will be used by visitors to the art centre and the gentleman who took us, wanted to know a bit more about the nature in the area. These colourful lichens were growing on a tree branch right next to the trail. Though I don't know enough about lichens to give any IDs, you can at least see how attractive they can be.<br /> <br /> This photo was taken on 27 October 2017. It was a day filled with interest and enjoyment, and the morning was so different from the afternoon. It felt a day well spent. The morning was spent on a preliminary bio-blitz at the KOAC Art Centre in Springbank, west of Calgary. Straight from there, I drove east of the city to see and photograph an old barn that I had wanted to see for a number of years. A friend posted a photo of an old barn the other day and it turned out to be the very barn that I hadn't yet found. Without being asked, he told me exactly where it was. I had been looking for it just a few days before and must have missed it by just one road. <br /> <br /> Early morning, I set out to drive west of the city, to meet a small group of friends at a very special place. It was just starting to get light when I left home and the pink sunrise colours over the distant peaks was beautiful. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop anywhere to take a photo, until I actually arrived. <br /> <br /> We had been invited to visit and do a preliminary bio-blitz at an art centre in Springbank, belonging to two amazing, vibrant, creative people who were a joy to meet. There are so many things I could write, but will instead borrow the words from various articles about this lively, hardworking couple. <br /> <br /> A friend who usually comes out with us on our May Species Counts knows Katie and Harry and had told our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, that they were interested in learning more about what plant species were growing on their 20 acres of land. I feel very fortunate to have been invited. Of course, it was not the best time of year to do this, though our Naturalist (unlike me) knows all the plants and trees without their flowers.<br /> <br /> I will add some information about this generous pair, as I find again the various websites that I was looking at. I say "generous" because Katie and Harry have donated their home, Gallery, collections, and land, while continuing to live there at present. A tremendous gift!<br /> <br /> "Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe have dedicated their lives to art. Their work has helped shape the local, national and international art scenes. And now they are taking the step of not just being figurative institutions on the scene, but turning their home into a literal institution for art creation.<br /> <br /> Ohe, still a part-time instructor at ACAD (Alberta College of Art + Design), has been teaching art since 1959 and has been with ACAD since 1970. As a teacher, she has promoted the creativity of a diverse range of students. While teaching at the Calgary Allied Arts Centre, she also worked and lived out of the Hart family’s carriage house — that’s the Hart family of wrestling fame. Ohe taught art to the “Hitman” himself, Bret Hart, the eighth child of wrestling patriarch Stu Hart. <br /> <br /> Harry didn’t seek the limelight,” says Deborah Herringer Kiss, director of the Herringer Kiss Gallery of Contemporary Art, who has known the couple for more than 15 years. “He didn’t care about having big shows or trying to get into museums. He didn’t care about any of that. He made it work by quietly, constantly creating art.” <br /> <br /> A couple years shy of 90, Kiyooka is still a prolific painter. Inside his and Ohe’s home, his paintings hang alongside the “greats.” Other paintings line the walls of his studio, and he still works on several huge canvases. More paintings are stored behind couches and under beds, and there’s a dedicated storage room packed with filing cabinets, filled with his paintings." From an article in AvenueCalgary, from February 17, 2016 (see link below).<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.avenuecalgary.com/City-Life/Calgary-Contemporary-Art-Katie-Ohe-Harry-Kiyooka-KOAC-Kiyooka-Ohe-Arts-Centre/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.avenuecalgary.com/City-Life/Calgary-Contemporary-Art-...</a><br /> <br /> The link below is the KOAC Arts Centre Introduction Video (7:17 minutes long). It includes these sculptures in motion.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/QcBKwZ_KpPA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">youtu.be/QcBKwZ_KpPA</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.koartscentre.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.koartscentre.org/</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/work+progress/8484134/story.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/work+progress/8484134...</a><br /> <br /> One of Katie's kinetic sculptures (Chrome Plated Steel) in motion:<br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp05CHJGV6I" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp05CHJGV6I</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-art-centre-springbank-1.3525680" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-art-centre-springb...</a><br /> <br /> Thank you so much, Katie and Harry, for allowing us to come and spend a morning with you at your beautiful home. Both of you, and your home full of beautifully created artwork, are an absolute inspiration.</div> Lichens on nature trail at KOAC <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45774150"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/41/50/45774150.0b503c6d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The original of this photo wasn't as sharp as it should have been, so I added a filter in post-processing to try and bring out better detail. Not sure that it's an improvement or not. Oh well, I'll leave it as it is. This photo was taken during a walk along a nature trail at the KOAC art centre a few of us visited recently. This short trail will be used by visitors to the art centre and the gentleman who took us, wanted to know a bit more about the nature in the area. These colourful lichens were growing on a tree branch right next to the trail. Though I don't know enough about lichens to give any IDs, you can at least see how attractive they can be.<br /> <br /> This photo was taken on 27 October 2017. It was a day filled with interest and enjoyment, and the morning was so different from the afternoon. It felt a day well spent. The morning was spent on a preliminary bio-blitz at the KOAC Art Centre in Springbank, west of Calgary. Straight from there, I drove east of the city to see and photograph an old barn that I had wanted to see for a number of years. A friend posted a photo of an old barn the other day and it turned out to be the very barn that I hadn't yet found. Without being asked, he told me exactly where it was. I had been looking for it just a few days before and must have missed it by just one road. <br /> <br /> Early morning, I set out to drive west of the city, to meet a small group of friends at a very special place. It was just starting to get light when I left home and the pink sunrise colours over the distant peaks was beautiful. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop anywhere to take a photo, until I actually arrived. <br /> <br /> We had been invited to visit and do a preliminary bio-blitz at an art centre in Springbank, belonging to two amazing, vibrant, creative people who were a joy to meet. There are so many things I could write, but will instead borrow the words from various articles about this lively, hardworking couple. <br /> <br /> A friend who usually comes out with us on our May Species Counts knows Katie and Harry and had told our main Naturalist, Gus Yaki, that they were interested in learning more about what plant species were growing on their 20 acres of land. I feel very fortunate to have been invited. Of course, it was not the best time of year to do this, though our Naturalist (unlike me) knows all the plants and trees without their flowers.<br /> <br /> I will add some information about this generous pair, as I find again the various websites that I was looking at. I say "generous" because Katie and Harry have donated their home, Gallery, collections, and land, while continuing to live there at present. A tremendous gift!<br /> <br /> "Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe have dedicated their lives to art. Their work has helped shape the local, national and international art scenes. And now they are taking the step of not just being figurative institutions on the scene, but turning their home into a literal institution for art creation.<br /> <br /> Ohe, still a part-time instructor at ACAD (Alberta College of Art + Design), has been teaching art since 1959 and has been with ACAD since 1970. As a teacher, she has promoted the creativity of a diverse range of students. While teaching at the Calgary Allied Arts Centre, she also worked and lived out of the Hart family’s carriage house — that’s the Hart family of wrestling fame. Ohe taught art to the “Hitman” himself, Bret Hart, the eighth child of wrestling patriarch Stu Hart. <br /> <br /> Harry didn’t seek the limelight,” says Deborah Herringer Kiss, director of the Herringer Kiss Gallery of Contemporary Art, who has known the couple for more than 15 years. “He didn’t care about having big shows or trying to get into museums. He didn’t care about any of that. He made it work by quietly, constantly creating art.” <br /> <br /> A couple years shy of 90, Kiyooka is still a prolific painter. Inside his and Ohe’s home, his paintings hang alongside the “greats.” Other paintings line the walls of his studio, and he still works on several huge canvases. More paintings are stored behind couches and under beds, and there’s a dedicated storage room packed with filing cabinets, filled with his paintings." From an article in AvenueCalgary, from February 17, 2016 (see link below).<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.avenuecalgary.com/City-Life/Calgary-Contemporary-Art-Katie-Ohe-Harry-Kiyooka-KOAC-Kiyooka-Ohe-Arts-Centre/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.avenuecalgary.com/City-Life/Calgary-Contemporary-Art-...</a><br /> <br /> The link below is the KOAC Arts Centre Introduction Video (7:17 minutes long). It includes these sculptures in motion.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/QcBKwZ_KpPA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">youtu.be/QcBKwZ_KpPA</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.koartscentre.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.koartscentre.org/</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/work+progress/8484134/story.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/work+progress/8484134...</a><br /> <br /> One of Katie's kinetic sculptures (Chrome Plated Steel) in motion:<br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp05CHJGV6I" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp05CHJGV6I</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-art-centre-springbank-1.3525680" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-art-centre-springb...</a><br /> <br /> Thank you so much, Katie and Harry, for allowing us to come and spend a morning with you at your beautiful home. Both of you, and your home full of beautifully created artwork, are an absolute inspiration.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45552896 tag:ipernity.com,2017-09-23,doc-45552896 Sat, 23 Sep 2017 15:05:12 +0000 2017-08-18T10:51:53-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45552896"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/28/96/45552896.83c2fb35.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">On 18 August 2017, I made a very last-minute decision (just after midnight) to return to HIghway 40, Kananaskis. Last year (2016), I had finally made myself do this long drive (293 km), after longing for years to be able to get there on my own. I was determined to go again this summer, and 18 August was the day. <br /> <br /> I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. Unfortunately, we were still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots were not the best. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it. I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits. <br /> <br /> While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles. <br /> <br /> After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.</div> Lichen on the rocks at Rock Glacier <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45552896"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/28/96/45552896.83c2fb35.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">On 18 August 2017, I made a very last-minute decision (just after midnight) to return to HIghway 40, Kananaskis. Last year (2016), I had finally made myself do this long drive (293 km), after longing for years to be able to get there on my own. I was determined to go again this summer, and 18 August was the day. <br /> <br /> I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. Unfortunately, we were still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots were not the best. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it. I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits. <br /> <br /> While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles. <br /> <br /> After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45368580 tag:ipernity.com,2017-08-22,doc-45368580 Tue, 22 Aug 2017 15:42:23 +0000 2017-08-18T12:53:01-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45368580"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/80/45368580.b78d92c1.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This little Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel decided to briefly explore one of the Pika's caves, no doubt looking for something good to eat. I don't think it stayed long enough to find anything, though. The Pikas spend so much of their day collecting huge mouthfuls of fresh greenery, which they add to the growing pile in various cavities among the rocks. They don't hibernate, so they need a supply of food for winter.<br /> <br /> Four days ago, on 18 August 2017, I made a very last-minute decision (just after midnight) to return to this location. Last year (2016), I had finally made myself do this long drive (293 km), after longing for years to be able to get there on my own. I was determined to go again this summer, and 18 August was the day. <br /> <br /> I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. The mountains along Highway 40 vary so much in colour and formation - I especially love the ones that have barren, jagged peaks. <br /> Unfortunately, we are still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots are not the best this summer. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it. <br /> <br /> I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits. <br /> <br /> While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles. There would have been a lot more people if it had been a weekend.<br /> <br /> After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.</div> Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel in a Pika&#039;s cave <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45368580"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/85/80/45368580.b78d92c1.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This little Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel decided to briefly explore one of the Pika's caves, no doubt looking for something good to eat. I don't think it stayed long enough to find anything, though. The Pikas spend so much of their day collecting huge mouthfuls of fresh greenery, which they add to the growing pile in various cavities among the rocks. They don't hibernate, so they need a supply of food for winter.<br /> <br /> Four days ago, on 18 August 2017, I made a very last-minute decision (just after midnight) to return to this location. Last year (2016), I had finally made myself do this long drive (293 km), after longing for years to be able to get there on my own. I was determined to go again this summer, and 18 August was the day. <br /> <br /> I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. The mountains along Highway 40 vary so much in colour and formation - I especially love the ones that have barren, jagged peaks. <br /> Unfortunately, we are still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots are not the best this summer. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it. <br /> <br /> I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits. <br /> <br /> While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles. There would have been a lot more people if it had been a weekend.<br /> <br /> After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45212320 tag:ipernity.com,2017-07-25,doc-45212320 Tue, 25 Jul 2017 15:55:53 +0000 2017-07-20T18:56:43-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45212320"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/23/20/45212320.2daa9e0c.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Late afternoon on 20 July 2017, the smoke haze from the B.C. and Alberta wildfires seemed to have lifted somewhat. So, I took a drive along some of my favourite roads SW of the city, seeing a few of the 'usual' things. These included this busy Mountain Bluebird, collecting some interesting insects for his babies. Also, an American Robin flew in just when I was looking for the Mountain Bluebirds, landed on a fence post, gave me time for one quick shot, and then off he flew. He, too, was busily collecting food for his family. I always think Robins are such beautiful, but often overlooked, birds.<br /> <br /> In between photographing Bluebirds, I drove part way along a road that I had only ever been on once before, and that was quite recently. Usually, I am home earlier than I was on this particular day. This later time meant that I was lucky enough to see two families of deer - White-tailed and Mule Deer. The first was a Mule Deer doe with her fawn standing at the edge of the road. I pulled over way down the road and waited till they had safely crossed. Managed to get a couple of distant shot through the windscreen, with the usual poor quality results. I knew that there would be a barbed-wire fence the far side of the road and I didn't want to spook them and risk them getting tangled in the sharp barbs. Several years ago, I had seen a huge Moose get spooked and then get briefly tangled in barbed wire - it spooked when it suddenly realized that some cows had quietly come up behind it!</div> Here comes dessert! <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45212320"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/23/20/45212320.2daa9e0c.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Late afternoon on 20 July 2017, the smoke haze from the B.C. and Alberta wildfires seemed to have lifted somewhat. So, I took a drive along some of my favourite roads SW of the city, seeing a few of the 'usual' things. These included this busy Mountain Bluebird, collecting some interesting insects for his babies. Also, an American Robin flew in just when I was looking for the Mountain Bluebirds, landed on a fence post, gave me time for one quick shot, and then off he flew. He, too, was busily collecting food for his family. I always think Robins are such beautiful, but often overlooked, birds.<br /> <br /> In between photographing Bluebirds, I drove part way along a road that I had only ever been on once before, and that was quite recently. Usually, I am home earlier than I was on this particular day. This later time meant that I was lucky enough to see two families of deer - White-tailed and Mule Deer. The first was a Mule Deer doe with her fawn standing at the edge of the road. I pulled over way down the road and waited till they had safely crossed. Managed to get a couple of distant shot through the windscreen, with the usual poor quality results. I knew that there would be a barbed-wire fence the far side of the road and I didn't want to spook them and risk them getting tangled in the sharp barbs. Several years ago, I had seen a huge Moose get spooked and then get briefly tangled in barbed wire - it spooked when it suddenly realized that some cows had quietly come up behind it!</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45156320 tag:ipernity.com,2017-07-19,doc-45156320 Wed, 19 Jul 2017 16:30:15 +0000 2016-05-28T17:50:30-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45156320"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/63/20/45156320.ed060696.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This morning, I wasn't going to upload any photos, as the issue with views and photos not showing up on Contacts' pages doesn't seem to be fixed, according to the Help Forum. Then I realized that I had better post a photo, anyway, to check on whether the issue is still happening on my own photos. Is anyone seeing this photo in their feed??<br /> <br /> I had hoped to go for a drive today, 19 July 2017, but the sky is overcast and heavy with smoke from the British Columbia wildfires and fires in Alberta itself, blowing in from the west. Useless for any scenic shots and definitely most unpleasant to be outdoors. "Calgary air quality expected to reach ‘high risk’ rating on Wednesday" (i.e. today).<br /> <br /> What a great day our group of four people had on 28 May 2017, taking part in the annual May Species Count. We travelled in just one car, which worked out well. On the 2016 May Species Count, we had been unable to find a Great Gray Owl, but then I drove back to the area the next day, and found two of them. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first. So, it was a thrill to see one of these spectacular owls on our 2017 Count.<br /> <br /> This Count's owl was on a fence post when we first saw it. As is usually the case with these owls, it was focused on finding a Meadow Vole for a snack and in fact did catch one while I was watching. It moved to a few different fence posts in its search. Once it had caught its prey, it ate it there, down on the ground - with its back to us, of course. I was kind of hoping it would fly back up to the fence with it, but it didn't. <br /> <br /> While I was taking photos, various people came along the road, a couple in cars, but most were cyclists out for a long ride on such a beautiful, sunny day. The owl basically ignored everyone, giving just a quick glance at us every once in a while. Their concentration never fails to leave me in awe.<br /> <br /> My small group found 72 species of bird on this 2017 Count - amazing, really. Three pairs of great eyes - plus me : ) Part of our Count covers some of my favourite roads, so it is not surprising that I enjoy it so much. Once the Count had finished, I drove a few of the roads again on my way home, mainly focusing on two pairs of Mountain Bluebirds that I had enjoyed watching last year. As usual, there were a few Red-winged Blackbirds hanging out nearby. Needless to say, I went home feeling very happy after a long day of birding, and oh, so tired!</div> Red-winged Blackbird <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45156320"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/63/20/45156320.ed060696.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This morning, I wasn't going to upload any photos, as the issue with views and photos not showing up on Contacts' pages doesn't seem to be fixed, according to the Help Forum. Then I realized that I had better post a photo, anyway, to check on whether the issue is still happening on my own photos. Is anyone seeing this photo in their feed??<br /> <br /> I had hoped to go for a drive today, 19 July 2017, but the sky is overcast and heavy with smoke from the British Columbia wildfires and fires in Alberta itself, blowing in from the west. Useless for any scenic shots and definitely most unpleasant to be outdoors. "Calgary air quality expected to reach ‘high risk’ rating on Wednesday" (i.e. today).<br /> <br /> What a great day our group of four people had on 28 May 2017, taking part in the annual May Species Count. We travelled in just one car, which worked out well. On the 2016 May Species Count, we had been unable to find a Great Gray Owl, but then I drove back to the area the next day, and found two of them. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first. So, it was a thrill to see one of these spectacular owls on our 2017 Count.<br /> <br /> This Count's owl was on a fence post when we first saw it. As is usually the case with these owls, it was focused on finding a Meadow Vole for a snack and in fact did catch one while I was watching. It moved to a few different fence posts in its search. Once it had caught its prey, it ate it there, down on the ground - with its back to us, of course. I was kind of hoping it would fly back up to the fence with it, but it didn't. <br /> <br /> While I was taking photos, various people came along the road, a couple in cars, but most were cyclists out for a long ride on such a beautiful, sunny day. The owl basically ignored everyone, giving just a quick glance at us every once in a while. Their concentration never fails to leave me in awe.<br /> <br /> My small group found 72 species of bird on this 2017 Count - amazing, really. Three pairs of great eyes - plus me : ) Part of our Count covers some of my favourite roads, so it is not surprising that I enjoy it so much. Once the Count had finished, I drove a few of the roads again on my way home, mainly focusing on two pairs of Mountain Bluebirds that I had enjoyed watching last year. As usual, there were a few Red-winged Blackbirds hanging out nearby. Needless to say, I went home feeling very happy after a long day of birding, and oh, so tired!</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45011932 tag:ipernity.com,2017-06-22,doc-45011932 Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:43:02 +0000 2016-06-12T19:12:25-06:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45011932"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/19/32/45011932.1ce14127.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We have an overcast, windy day here today, 22 June 2017. The temperature is only 9C (windchill 5C). Yesterday, I had wondered whether to finally go for a drive and take a few garden flower photos today, but I've changed my mind.<br /> <br /> In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> In the afternoon of 12 June 2017, on the spur of the moment, I went for a short drive SW of the city. The sun was shining, but unfortunately it was windy most of the time. My main purpose was to check on a few of the Mountain Bluebirds, who are now busy as can be, collecting insects to feed to their hungry babies. I know this will soon be over and the young ones will have fledged, so I really must make myself visit them again, or it will be too late. <br /> <br /> I had also hoped that maybe one of the Great Gray Owls in the area might just be out hunting. No luck this time. Makes me even more grateful to have seen one during our May Species Count on 28 May 2017.</div> A touch of blue <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/45011932"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/19/32/45011932.1ce14127.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">We have an overcast, windy day here today, 22 June 2017. The temperature is only 9C (windchill 5C). Yesterday, I had wondered whether to finally go for a drive and take a few garden flower photos today, but I've changed my mind.<br /> <br /> In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&img=dtc.51.tif.gif&uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583&orig=/discover/10.2307/4077277?uid=3739392&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=56109306583" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...</a><br /> <br /> In the afternoon of 12 June 2017, on the spur of the moment, I went for a short drive SW of the city. The sun was shining, but unfortunately it was windy most of the time. My main purpose was to check on a few of the Mountain Bluebirds, who are now busy as can be, collecting insects to feed to their hungry babies. I know this will soon be over and the young ones will have fledged, so I really must make myself visit them again, or it will be too late. <br /> <br /> I had also hoped that maybe one of the Great Gray Owls in the area might just be out hunting. No luck this time. Makes me even more grateful to have seen one during our May Species Count on 28 May 2017.</div> Anne Elliott https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/44421180 tag:ipernity.com,2017-03-06,doc-44421180 Mon, 06 Mar 2017 19:30:50 +0000 2011-08-07T11:40:40-07:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Anne Elliott) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/44421180"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/11/80/44421180.da20861e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This is NOT my main photo today! Just wanted to add it to an album.<br /> <br /> This photo from my archives was taken on 7 August 2011, when I went with friends to Kananaskis. In the morning, we walked through the forest, following the shore line as far as the Sarrail Falls, and after lunch, we hiked the Mt. Everest trail. I will add the information given under one of his photos taken this hike, by late friend, Doug Waylett, who was very knowledgeable about lichens. My photo was taken when the lichen was very dry.<br /> <br /> "Solorina crocea 'Orange Chocolate Chip Lichen', An unmistakable foliose lichen, especially when wet, growing on the soil along a trail, I had just sprayed this specimen with water to bring out the green color. When dry it is quite a drab brownish gray. Upper Kananaskis Lake trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, 7334August 07, 2011."</div> Chocolate chip lichen / Solorina crocea <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/293827">Anne Elliott</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/293827/44421180"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/11/80/44421180.da20861e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">This is NOT my main photo today! Just wanted to add it to an album.<br /> <br /> This photo from my archives was taken on 7 August 2011, when I went with friends to Kananaskis. In the morning, we walked through the forest, following the shore line as far as the Sarrail Falls, and after lunch, we hiked the Mt. Everest trail. I will add the information given under one of his photos taken this hike, by late friend, Doug Waylett, who was very knowledgeable about lichens. My photo was taken when the lichen was very dry.<br /> <br /> "Solorina crocea 'Orange Chocolate Chip Lichen', An unmistakable foliose lichen, especially when wet, growing on the soil along a trail, I had just sprayed this specimen with water to bring out the green color. When dry it is quite a drab brownish gray. Upper Kananaskis Lake trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, 7334August 07, 2011."</div> Anne Elliott