Scenery 3

These are terraces seen at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US. Photographed on 12th September 2012, the second day of a wonderful week's trip with great friends from England, to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. I visited Mammoth Hot Springs and the rest of Yellowstone National Park 32 years ago, when my kids were very young. Loved Mammoth Hot Springs, so was thrilled to get the chance to see this fascinating area again. "Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine in Yellowstone National Park ... It was created over thousands of years as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate (over two tons flow into Mammoth each day in a solution). Although these springs lie outside the caldera boundary, their energy has been attributed to the same magmatic system that fuels other Yellowstone geothermal areas... A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Hot_Springs For a diagram of the Hot Springs layout: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MammothHotSprings.JPG Map of Yellowstone National Park: hfc.nps.gov/carto/PDF/YELLmap2.pdf

Unearthed from my archives, this photo was taken on 30 July 2011, on a hike in the mountains. This photo shows just one of the many spectacular views on the Arethusa Cirque trail in Kananaskis, Alberta. The little bit of information that I had been able to find out about this trail said that it was easy with not all that much elevation (122'). Well, we were standing at 8,000' by the time we had scaled the very steep mountain side. Most of the climb was steeply upwards which meant that if I wanted to take flower photos, it would mean trying to balance on a steep slope with an almighty drop below (so I took far fewer photos today than I normally would, ha). I am not good at heights, so did my best to avoid looking "down" during the whole climb up. Also not good at any trail that goes upwards instead of along the flat. We were climbing uphill, off towards the left hand side of my photo. Lol, I never thought I'd reach the top, but amazingly I did - and, oh, what magnificent views!!! This hike is just north of the Ptarmigan Cirque hike and parts of it were quite similar, except that Arethusa Cirque trail is up, up, up the whole way. Still, the views were simply breath-taking, including this massive, twisted, folded rock face : ) Weather was perfect, no Grizzly Bears appeared, and the company was great. Only six of us went, so it was a nice, small group. Can't remember offhand, but I know we saw one new plant - a tiny blue Gentian species with the most exquisite, tiny blue flower. A brutal hike that I'm never likely to repeat, lol!

It stopped snowing and began to brighten up just as I was getting near to the parking lot after spending a couple of hours in a snowstorm with strong winds. This is a small part of the Glenmore Reservoir, taken from South Glenmore Park and looking towards Heritage Park - you can see the windmill and the old oil derrick. When I read the forecast for the day before yesterday, I decided to stay home and not go on a bird walk with friends. The photo in the comment box below is is what they saw and I missed : ) Apparently, they were all saying how much I would have loved these ice formations. Thanks to an immediate e-mail from Joanne, who was on the walk, I was able to dash out and see them for myself. So, it was back to winter boots, winter jacket plus two fleece jackets for a very cold walk in driving snow. Unfortunately, the snow was covering the ice crystals and the light was atrocious, but you can get the idea : ) Joanne, can't thank you enough! Very thoughtful of you to let me know. I also saw at least two Loons way, way out in the middle of the Reservoir, a number of American Wigeons and various others. I wasn't there to look for birds though - my focus was on the ice. Only one third of the Reservoir is open water, so far, but warmer weather is on its way. Can't believe I stayed there so long - long enough to need Tim Horton's Drive-through on the way home, for hot chili and soup : )

Yesterday late afternoon, on the spur of the moment, I went for a short drive SW of the city. On the way out there, I saw a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, but wasn't able to get any fairly close shots of them. On the way back, I decided to drive along a different backroad that I'd never driven along before. Came across this rather nice old, wooden grain silo, a Ruffed Grouse who was crossing the road, several very distant Deer, and a pair of Mountain Bluebirds that gave me the chance for closer shots (at least, the male did).

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to take a short drive SW of the city. The clouds in reality were more spectacular than in my image (taken within city limits) - long stripes of whiteness. I LOVE driving the backroads outside the city, and you never quite know what you might see. As well as the rolling fields, which I find so relaxing, I was lucky enough to see a Wilson's Snipe posing on a fence post and a pair of mating Killdeer, which I've never witnessed before. Also saw several Blue-winged Teal - such beautiful ducks - a couple of Coots and a few Northern Shovellers. On my way home, I decided to call in at Fish Creek Park, and was so glad I did - see the last photo I posted today : )))

Took a short drive SW of the city on 14 May 2013, to see what I could find. It started to rain a little, but then cleared up, though some dark clouds lingered. As you can see from this photo, I didn't find a whole lot of birds, but I did come across a few nice species, including a Merlin (also posted this morning), three Phalarope, Northern Shovellers, a pair of Cinnamon Teal, a pair of Canvasbacks, Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Blue-winged Teal, Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Scaup, Red-necked Grebes, two WIlson's Snipes, a Sora, and a few Ring-necked Ducks. Just thought this was a pretty scene.

This is where a few of us walked yesterday, on the land at the Leighton Art Centre (SW of Calgary) and recorded every species of plant that was seen - also a Two-spotted Ladybug (banded form), Mountain Bluebird, Moose and Elk droppings, etc., etc.. I hadn't been out there since my daughter was either in Kindergarten or Grade 1 and her class went there for an arts and crafts trip - something like 33 years ago! The leader of our group will then give the full, detailed list of everything, and any photos that some of us took, to the people at the Centre, to use in whatever way they want. Our trips are always a win-win situation - the owner of the particular land gets a detailed list and we get to see places that are often new to us and sometimes species that are new to most of us. I am always totally exhausted from the walking/hiking (I am so unfit, ha!!), the heat and the fresh air. We finished just after lunch - and I was already too hot and too worn out, lol. Don't like to think what state I'll be in when we go on the typical full-day trips! Afterwards, I decided to drive a few of the nearby backroads before heading home. Didn't see much, but was thrilled to see a Sora (small, secretive bird of freshwater marshes) down in one of the sloughs amongst the reeds. These are not usually seen. Also enjoyed a pair of Mountain Bluebirds. I already have two other photo projects that I need to work on, so I will be breathing, eating, sleeping images!

I took this distant view of Calgary from the parking lot at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area two days ago, on 17 May 2013. The sky was pretty dramatic and there was a beautiful opening in the clouds when I was driving back home along Highway 22X, so I quickly drove up this gravel road, hoping to catch the glorious rays of light. Took just too long and the rays had vanished, but I always love to see our city way off in the distance, surrounded by rolling hills and fields. The same dramatic clouds were there yesterday, too, when I drove down to Frank Lake, SW of the city. Why is it that the big, dark clouds seem to roll in each time I go to Frank Lake, lol? Had a good time at Frank Lake, mainly enjoying photographing the spectacular Eared Grebes with their brilliant red "button" eyes. When I first arrived there, I was just in time to see three White-faced Ibis flying over the lake and then, later, three of four flew overhead again. No chance to get anything but a very distant shot of black Ibis-shaped silhouettes, ha. Good to know they are back there, as usual, though.

This is one of the views from the Leighton Art Centre, SW of the city, looking west towards the Rocky Mountains. More later, as I have to dash out soon, to take part in the annual May Species Count. Good luck to anyone doing the same! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------