Caragana - invasive beauty

Caragana grows everywhere! Also known as Siberian Peashrub. This hardy shrub is a native of Siberia, as the name implies. Wherever it grows, nothing else can grow beneath it. It is one of the worst (if not THE worst) invasive plants/shrubs found here. It spreads and overtakes all our natural areas. It is an introduced species, so insects and birds don't use it, and it is seemingly impossible to get rid of.

"Useful for shelterbelts, but should be kept out of natural areas, where it may spread. Dense groves of Caragana exclude almost all other vegetation."

www.anpc.ab.ca/wiki/index.php/Caragana_arborescens

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caragana_arborescens

One week ago, on 7 May 2015, I joined friends to go on a birding walk at the south end LaFarge Meadows, accessed off 194th Ave. The weather was beautiful, though the temperature was only 7C-11C, and the birds were so far away. I did manage to get a distant shot of two of the three Trumpeter Swans (both juveniles) that were near the river. A Bald Eagle flew overhead and a Great Blue Heron flew in the far distance. A little Savannah Sparrow posed in a small tree for us and a Muskrat was seen in the large pond by the river.

After the walk, I decided to call in at a wetland in SW Calgary, hoping that at least a few of the birds would be close enough for photos. I met a delightful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable photographer/birder while I was there, and she showed me the area accessed from an entrance point that I had never tried before. I had hoped to maybe see a Common Grackle at this wetland, as I had seen photos taken there by other people, and sure enough, there was one down near the water's edge. Just managed to get one lucky shot before the bird flew off. Many people don't like Grackles, but I see them so rarely and I think they are beautiful birds.

A few duck species and other birds were seen, including Ruddy Duck, Lesser Scaup, and Mallards (of course). Also Coots, a pair of Grebes, and a few Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds.

WHY PHOTOGRAPHERS (and others) GET SUCH A BAD NAME! Shown on The Weather Network. I'm still shaking my head over this short video!

www.theweathernetwork.com/videos/Gallery/all/video_galler...