SE Alberta road trip, September 2013

Got home around 7:45 p.m. yesterday evening (Monday, 23 September 2013) from an amazing four day (three night) road trip down to SE Alberta with two friends. Our furthest destination was Elkwater in the Cypress Hills, but we did a lot of driving all over the SE part of the province. All new territory to me, so I was extremely lucky to get this chance. Both friends had been to this area before, but wanted to go back to see if they could add any new species of Lichen to those already on various lists for each area, and to simply explore this beautiful section on Alberta. Always exciting to see some new things, not to mention all new scenery for me : ) Was really concerned before we went, though, as I had been on antibiotics (which, normally, I never take) for the previous nine days and they were making me feel nauseous and generally sick, and I wasn't sure how I was going to manage the trip. Had to forget the last day of pills, as apart from the nausea, another side-effect was reddening of the skin, and my poor legs looked like they had suffered burns! Think they have also affected my eyes, too, which is really troubling. So thankful I still managed! What I would have missed! We left Calgary on Monday morning, 20 September 2013, and had to reach Elkwater in the Cypress Hills (not that far from the Saskatchewan border), several hours' drive away, where we were going to stay in a little rustic cabin for three nights. On the way there, we stopped at Red Rock Coulee, which is just 56 kms (35 mi) southwest of Medicine Hat, and you can see just a tiny bit in my photo above. Actually, this particular photo was taken yesterday, Monday 23 September 2013, when we called in again, this time walking down the hillside and into one of the coulees. While my friends searched for Lichens, I wandered around, taking photos of the scenery and anything else I came across. While we were down there, the sky had filled with some rather nice clouds, which I appreciated. However, the extremely high winds were not pleasant at all, to say the least! In fact, strong winds were everywhere in many parts of SE Alberta. I was expecting a lot of my photos to be blurry, as I could barely keep my balance or hold my camera. Amazingly, most seem to be OK, from the very quick look I've taken so far. This is Rattlesnake territory, too, but fortunately we didn't come across any! "The main feature of this natural landscape is the huge red boulders; some measuring 2.5 m across. They are scattered over a relatively small distance. Bedrock is close to the surface in this area, covered by only a thin layer of soil. Water erosion has carved the landscape over time and a badlands topography has formed in places. The bands of colour visible in the exposed bedrock are made of dark gray shales, greenish and gray sandstones, bentonitic clays and thin bands of ironstone. The most striking features of this landscape are the round reddish boulders. These are sandstone concretions and at up to 2.5 m in diameter, they are among the largest in the world. The boulders were formed in prehistoric seas as layers of sand, calcite and iron oxide collected around a nucleus formed by shells, leaves or bones. The concretions grew larger as the circulating waters deposited more layers. The reddish colour comes from iron oxide." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rock_Coulee www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/9916309166

Got home less than five hours ago from an amazing four day (three night) road trip down to SE Alberta with two friends. Our furthest destination was Elkwater in the Cypress Hills, but we did a lot of driving all over the SE part of the province. All new territory to me, so I was extremely lucky to get this chance. Too tired to add any info tonight, other than to say we were all thrilled to bits to be taken to see these Pinedrops, which none of us had ever seen before, by a delightful young woman. We had met her the previous day, on a trip with people from Medicine Hat College to see and monitor an area of Yucca plants growing in the wild. Normally, we don't get these plants growing in Alberta, so they were probably brought from the US and planted by Native Americans. The area we went to is called the Pinhorn Grazing Lease and it is very close to the Canada/US border. We were so lucky, as a couple of the plants were actually in second bloom, whereas all the others had seedpods in varying stages. Such a treat to get this rare opportunity. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterospora

Discovered that this bug is an Ambush Bug - a new species for me. I had heard the name a few times before, but had no idea what such a bug looked like. I was trying to photograph some sort of Thistle - maybe Wavy-leaved Thistle - when I thought I saw "something" very small on it : ) Taken on Saturday, 21 September 2013, when we joined a group of people from Medicine Hat College to drive a long way across the prairie to an area called the Pinhorn Grazing Lease. Yucca plants, which are not found in Alberta, had been discovered there and were being closely monitored. They spent a few hours counting every single plant and clone, how many new clones, how many old ones, how many seedpods and how many tiny exit holes from a certain insect were in each pod. Most of the plants were in enclosed "cages", the largest of which could be entered. The GPS location was recorded for every plant, and careful notes were made. Very tedious work, and I commend everyone for doing this. Have to admit that I wandered the area with my camera, photographing the plants in various stages and the surrounding scenery. We were so lucky because two of the plants were in a second bloom, whereas all the other plants had seedpods. It was a treat to be able to see Yucca flowers, and a surprise for the folks from the College. We aren't sure how these plants got where they are, but it's possible that they were brought north by Native Americans. We were very close to the border with the US and could see the beautiful Sweetgrass Hills rising from the flat prairie in the distance. A very interesting day for us and one that we were so lucky to experience. "Phymata americana americana is one of only two species of Ambush Bug in Alberta. Typically the bug will use it's yellow and brown coloration to camouflage itself on a yellow flower (such as goldenrod) and then wait to ambush an unsuspecting pollinating insect. The front legs of the Ambush Bug are very strong and it can capture insects as large as Bumblebees and Butterflies. After the victim is pinned, the Ambush Bug injects digestive juices into it and sucks the soup out. (J. Acorn, 2000). Taken from www.insectsofalberta.com/ambushbug.htm .

Two friends and I had such a great time travelling around SE Alberta for four days, from early in the morning on Friday, 20 September to Monday evening, 23 September 2013, when we arrived back in Calgary. Our destination was Elkwater, situated in a provincial park in the Cypress Hills, not that far from the boundary with the province of Saskatchewan. Elkwater is a lovely little hamlet and we stayed three nights in one of their small, rustic cabins. The Lodge served absolutely delicious food and we ate there on two of the evenings. On the last evening, after our main course, we decided that we would have dessert, too. Tiramisu, which I really like, was on the menu and so it was ordered. However, a while later, the waiter returned to our table, most apologetic - it was not available after all. At his suggestion, we could have the cheesecake instead. It arrived, beautifully presented, with a music "clef" in syrup at the side. When we went to pay afterwards, we discovered that we had not been charged for the dessert - the waiter, seeing our disappointment over the Tiramisu, very generously hadn't charged us for the cheesecake. "Elkwater is an unincorporated community at the western edge of the Cypress Hills in southeastern Alberta, Canada, 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Medicine Hat. The main access route is via Alberta Highway 41 (Buffalo Trail), which leads south from the Trans Canada Highway. During the last ice age the Cypress Hills were not covered with ice because they were high enough to rise above the surrounding flatlands. As a result it has rare soils found on the upper plateau area which is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. The Elkwater townsite is elevated at 1234m, the same altitude as Banff, resulting in much similar flora and fauna. Thick pine and spruce forests cover the hills. Animals found there include white-tailed deer, coyote, elk, wild turkey, cougar and moose. Moose and wild turkeys are not native to the Cypress Hills, but were introduced. Since the Elkwater townsite is in a provincial park, it is administered by the provincial government. Residents can never own the land on which their cottages or homes are built. Leases must be negotiated with the provincial government." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkwater,_Alberta

This is where two friends and I stayed for three nights this past week - Elkwater, Cypress Hills, SE Alberta. Elkwater Lake is a beautiful lake, and we went for an evening walk along the Soggy Bottom Trail that follows the edge of the lake. The three of us had such a great time travelling all over SE Alberta for four days, from early in the morning on Friday, 20 September to Monday evening, 23 September 2013, when we arrived back in Calgary. This was all new territory for me, but my friends had been there before, searching for Lichens and hoping to find something new or rare to add to their lists for Alberta, which is why they wanted to go back again. Elkwater is a lovely little hamlet and we stayed three nights in one of their small, rustic cabins. The Lodge served absolutely delicious food and we ate there on two of the evenings. "Elkwater is an unincorporated community at the western edge of the Cypress Hills in southeastern Alberta, Canada, 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Medicine Hat. The main access route is via Alberta Highway 41 (Buffalo Trail), which leads south from the Trans Canada Highway. During the last ice age the Cypress Hills were not covered with ice because they were high enough to rise above the surrounding flatlands. As a result it has rare soils found on the upper plateau area which is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. The Elkwater townsite is elevated at 1234m, the same altitude as Banff, resulting in much similar flora and fauna. Thick pine and spruce forests cover the hills. Animals found there include white-tailed deer, coyote, elk, wild turkey, cougar and moose. Moose and wild turkeys are not native to the Cypress Hills, but were introduced. Since the Elkwater townsite is in a provincial park, it is administered by the provincial government. Residents can never own the land on which their cottages or homes are built. Leases must be negotiated with the provincial government." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkwater,_Alberta

A photo I needed to add to my SE Alberta trip album. Wish I was able to ID Lichens, but eventually I will be able to get the names from the two friends I went with on the road trip. I know the red Lichen proved to be of interest to them. I wonder how many people take a closer look at the splashes of colour on rocks - lichens really are quite fascinating and beautiful : ) Taken on 23 September 2013, down one of the coulees at Red Rock Coulee. ID, thanks to Janet Marsh and Sandra Davis: Parasite Caloplaca epithallina on crust lichen & Rhizoplaca melanophthalma.

My friends and I saw only a handful of these beautiful Pronghorns when we were travelling in SE Alberta a few days ago. Most of them were very distant, but these two were close enough to photograph. They are timid creatures and so keep well away from people. Taken on 21 September 2013, on the way to Foremost. "Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope. It is the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae. During the Pleistocene period, 12 antilocaprid species existed in North America. About five existed when humans entered North America [citation needed] and all but A. americana are now extinct." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronghorn "Pronghorns are found in the prairie life zone of southeastern Alberta, where they are at the northern limit of their North American range. Pronghorn are classified as Sensitive in the General Status of Alberta Wild Species report. Sensitive populations are highly susceptible to extreme climatic conditions. Found mainly in the southeastern portion of the province. Cultivation of native prairie threatens habitat. Though it sometimes bears the name, the pronghorn is not a true antelope. True antelope have permanent, unbranched horns. The horns of the pronghorn are unique in that they are branched, or pronged, and they are not permanent. The outer sheath or "horn," composed mainly of hair, is shed every fall." From Alberta Fish & Wildlife. srd.alberta.ca/FishWildlife/WildSpecies/Mammals/WildCattleRelated/Pronghorn.aspx animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/antelope/

I know practically nothing about Lichens, but I did recognize this pale green and orange one. I always enjoy seeing this species and it's fun to photograph (though not in the extremely powerful winds that were blowing the whole time we were at Red Rock Coulee, and elsewhere, in SE Alberta). Taken on Monday, 23 September 2013, when we called in at this location for a second time, this time climbing down into one of the coulees, on the final day of our four-day road trip. Comparing to other photos, I wonder if this is Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca? I don't know what the black and the dark brown Lichens are. ID, thanks to specialist Janet Marsh: Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca.