A touch of blue
Hooded Merganser male
Ring-necked Pheasant male / Phasianus colchicus
Brewer's Blackbird / Euphagus cyanocephalus
Jackrabbit
Gathering lunch for his babies
A memory of Waterton from before the fire
One of yesterday's Great Horned Owls
The challenges of being a birder
Western Meadowlark
Standing up well
American White Pelicans, zoomed with Nikon B700
American White Pelicans with my old Panasonic FZ20…
Old barn in spring snow
A bright and cheery American Robin
American Kestrel
American White Pelicans, Nikon Coolpix B700
A rural "winter" scene
American Kestrel, Nikon B700
They call this spring?
American Kestrel, Panasonic FZ200
Almost missed, but gratefully seen
Togetherness
Common Merganser male
Another Pelican treat
Little angel
They're back : )
Milk Thistle, I believe
Goodbye, winter - so glad you are gone!
Gathering food for his babies
Tree Swallow male
Mountain Bluebird female
Remembering winter
Little country church, Carmangay
Yellow-headed Blackbird / Xanthocephalus xanthocep…
Western Grebes paired up
Once was home
Ferruginous Hawk / Buteo regalis
Eared Grebes in their mating dance
Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada
White-crowned Sparrow, Tadoussac, Quebec
Best Western Hotel, Leamington, Ontario
Wild Turkey, Pt Pelee, Ontario
Mourning Dove, Pt. Pelee, Ontario, Canada
Baltimore Oriole, The Tip, Pt Pelee, Ontario
Watching the waves at The Tip, Pt Pelee, Ontario,…
Trillium
Chipping Sparrow, Tadoussac, Quebec
Birders at The Tip, Pt Pelee, Ontario
The Tip, Pt Pelee, Ontario
Purple Finch male, Tadoussac, Quebec
The ubiquitous American Robin, Pt Pelee
Daffodils growing wild, Pt Pelee
Tree Swallow, Pt Pelee, Ontario
Small, sleepy Bat, Pt Pelee, Ontario
Dutchman's Breeches, Pt Pelee
That's quite the nest, at Pt Pelee, Ontario
Pretty in pink
A new addition
The beauty of iridescence
Killdeer nest
Beauty
Wilson's Snipe
The process of decay
Wild European Rabbit
A favourite old barn
Ghost Reservoir
Sedge
Wood Ducks
Bear Grass, Waterton Lakes National Park
Shoo-fly / Nicandra physalodes
When the world turns white
Evening Grosbeak male
Donkey guardians of the old schoolhouse
Great Gray Owl
Common Redpoll
European Starling / Sturnus vulgaris
Burrowing owl in the wild
Pileated Woodpecker
On the way to Canmore - seven Swans a-swimming :)
Great Gray Owl
Winter beauty
Red Fox (just for the record)
Twice the beauty
Bighorn Sheep mom and youngster
Pileated Woodpecker seen in Canmore
Far, far away
Great Gray Owl on the hunt
Dreaming of spring and summer
The beauty of Borage
On its way down
Great Gray Owl, highly zoomed
Old country church
Boreal Chickadee
Bald Eagle getting a hosepipe shower
Great Gray Owl hunting
Prairie life in winter
Great Gray Owl, watching and listening
Great Gray Owl #2
Great Gray Owl #1
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Burrowing Owl in the wild
Caught in a mesocyclone
Rolling hills from the Whaleback
Tent Caterpillar
Plant from the Whaleback
Nibbling on a tasty leaf
Brewer's Blackbird
A scene in the Whaleback area
Rose-breasted Grosbeak from the archives
Ruddy Duck from the archives
A beautiful day in Weaselhead
Common Redpoll female
With more big storms to come
Coyote crossing the frozen Elbow River
A favourite, well-kept barn
A friendly moment
A view from yesterday
Plain, but welcome
Winter's beauty
Cute little thing
Who am I?
Rusty and abandoned
What is this?
Old barns in the foothills
See also...
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166 visits
Sunflower detail
My daughter and I had a such a great day on 5 September 2017. She had a free day, so we decided to drive north-east of the city and visit the Pioneer Acres Museum. The day started off with seeing three perched Swainson's Hawks, which were a bonus. We had passed the colourful old truck and tractor displayed on tall posts, to indicate Pioneer Acres, on various occasions and this time, we actually went to the museum. What an amazing collection of old farming equipment, some standing outdoors and many others in large sheds. Have to say that I am always attracted to old, rusty things, and there was no shortage of these, either.
"Pioneer Acres is operated by a team of volunteer members who, in many cases, have extended their golden years of retirement, performing the duties necessary to meet the club's objectives. These include work to collect, restore, maintain and demonstrate the artifacts which were used by the pioneers of early Alberta.
The end result is that present and future generations have the opportunity to glimpse into our pioneering past through the artifacts on display and demonstrated. Younger members of the club also learn the care, maintenance and operation of these living artifacts." From link below.
www.pioneeracres.ab.ca/member.aspx
While we were walking round the grounds, visiting each massive shed in turn, my daughter spotted a Plains Garter Snake, and waved me over to see it. She also saw several birds running round behind one of the sheds, and when I went to check, I found there were four Gray Partridge running off in the distance. A distant Jackrabbit completed our wildlife sightings, first noticed when it was standing tall and upright on its back legs in 'freeze mode'. My mind wandered to Alice in Wonderland : )
Though we did not do a tour of the inside of the "Long" House, we found it an impressive building, complete with a few Sunflowers, Hollyhock and other flowers in the garden, and a tall, metal windmill.
"The "Long" House was built in 1914 by John Thomas on a farm just northwest of Irricana, Alberta. It has been lived in by three generations of the Long Family since 1914. The house was donated to Pioneer Acres, moved to our location, and restored to 1929 status." From the Pioneer Acres website.
There is also an old schoolhouse on the Museum site. "The Crown School, built in 1905, was located west of Three Hills on Highway 583. It closed in 1953 and was bought by the district of Allingham for use as a community league. In 1996, the building was relocated to Pioneer Aces of Alberta Museum." From the Alberta Teachers' Association website.
After spending a long time walking round the grounds, we decided to drive through Irricana itself in order to get back to the highway. I had seen photos on the Internet of three murals there - sunflowers, crayons, and a view of the old grain elevators that had once stood nearby - and I wanted to go and see them. All near each other, as this town only has a few streets. I had never been to Irricana before and I was impressed with what a delightful place it is, full of brightly coloured murals, and well kept. One of the outer roads had many flower beds along the edge, watered with well water, looking most attractive.
I had asked my daughter if she was interested in calling in at the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens in NW Calgary, if there was time after our drive east. I had planned the drive ahead of time, partly because I had also seen a photo somewhere on the Internet of a rather nice old barn that I really wanted to see. We were not disappointed, though it was a shame to see that the cupola had fallen from the roof since that photo was taken. I had never driven through the town of Airdrie before, but did the "drive" on Google Earth the night before and it looked straightforward enough.
Returning to the city via Cochrane, my daughter told me how to get to Silver Springs. I had never driven there before, but I had been there with a friend the previous year, I think on 1 October, and thoroughly enjoyed these meticulously kept gardens. We were just too hot and tired to see every inch of the garden, but finished off with photographing sunflowers and enjoying the American Goldfinches that were feeding on them, before we continued on our way. This sunflower photo was taken here.
A great day, despite the heat and smoke from the B.C. and Alberta wildfires (distant low visibility, too). Thanks so much, Rachel! We drove 256 km (used about half a tank of gas, or less). I was absolutely tired out by the time I arrived home, from the heat and driving unfamiliar roads.
"Pioneer Acres is operated by a team of volunteer members who, in many cases, have extended their golden years of retirement, performing the duties necessary to meet the club's objectives. These include work to collect, restore, maintain and demonstrate the artifacts which were used by the pioneers of early Alberta.
The end result is that present and future generations have the opportunity to glimpse into our pioneering past through the artifacts on display and demonstrated. Younger members of the club also learn the care, maintenance and operation of these living artifacts." From link below.
www.pioneeracres.ab.ca/member.aspx
While we were walking round the grounds, visiting each massive shed in turn, my daughter spotted a Plains Garter Snake, and waved me over to see it. She also saw several birds running round behind one of the sheds, and when I went to check, I found there were four Gray Partridge running off in the distance. A distant Jackrabbit completed our wildlife sightings, first noticed when it was standing tall and upright on its back legs in 'freeze mode'. My mind wandered to Alice in Wonderland : )
Though we did not do a tour of the inside of the "Long" House, we found it an impressive building, complete with a few Sunflowers, Hollyhock and other flowers in the garden, and a tall, metal windmill.
"The "Long" House was built in 1914 by John Thomas on a farm just northwest of Irricana, Alberta. It has been lived in by three generations of the Long Family since 1914. The house was donated to Pioneer Acres, moved to our location, and restored to 1929 status." From the Pioneer Acres website.
There is also an old schoolhouse on the Museum site. "The Crown School, built in 1905, was located west of Three Hills on Highway 583. It closed in 1953 and was bought by the district of Allingham for use as a community league. In 1996, the building was relocated to Pioneer Aces of Alberta Museum." From the Alberta Teachers' Association website.
After spending a long time walking round the grounds, we decided to drive through Irricana itself in order to get back to the highway. I had seen photos on the Internet of three murals there - sunflowers, crayons, and a view of the old grain elevators that had once stood nearby - and I wanted to go and see them. All near each other, as this town only has a few streets. I had never been to Irricana before and I was impressed with what a delightful place it is, full of brightly coloured murals, and well kept. One of the outer roads had many flower beds along the edge, watered with well water, looking most attractive.
I had asked my daughter if she was interested in calling in at the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens in NW Calgary, if there was time after our drive east. I had planned the drive ahead of time, partly because I had also seen a photo somewhere on the Internet of a rather nice old barn that I really wanted to see. We were not disappointed, though it was a shame to see that the cupola had fallen from the roof since that photo was taken. I had never driven through the town of Airdrie before, but did the "drive" on Google Earth the night before and it looked straightforward enough.
Returning to the city via Cochrane, my daughter told me how to get to Silver Springs. I had never driven there before, but I had been there with a friend the previous year, I think on 1 October, and thoroughly enjoyed these meticulously kept gardens. We were just too hot and tired to see every inch of the garden, but finished off with photographing sunflowers and enjoying the American Goldfinches that were feeding on them, before we continued on our way. This sunflower photo was taken here.
A great day, despite the heat and smoke from the B.C. and Alberta wildfires (distant low visibility, too). Thanks so much, Rachel! We drove 256 km (used about half a tank of gas, or less). I was absolutely tired out by the time I arrived home, from the heat and driving unfamiliar roads.
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