Plants of Alberta 3

One of my favourite wildflowers - Orange Hawkweed! This particular plant was growing at the Reader Rock Garden.

Yesterday, three of us went westwards into the mountains to Kananaskis, with Mount Lorette as our destination. This area is where the Golden Eagles always fly over during their twice-yearly migration. In between straining my eyes to find the tiniest dark speck against the deep blue sky, I wandered around the area finding autumn leaves covered in snow, a couple of Ruffed Grouse, and these seedheads that shone so beautifully in the sunshine. Though the day started off chilly, it was a beautiful, crisp, fall day.

We saw these berries on a walk along the upper trail through the forest at Bowness Park yesterday afternoon. Not as sharp as it should have been, but I liked the colour of the berries. They are Cotoneaster fruit, but not the Peking Cotoneaster. Thanks, Val, for noticing the Great Horned Owl there!

I took this photo at the Reader Rock Garden and I think I'm right in saying that this tree is an Ohio Buckeye. Fall was lovely while it lasted : ). Could have done with some bright sunlight, though.

I found it interesting that the water droplets from melting snow didn't trickle down the leaf when I held it up to the sky. They all stayed exactly in place. Seen at Hay Meadow, Mount Lorette area, in Kananaskis (Rocky Mountains). This is the area where the Golden Eagle migration is tracked and recorded twice a year. (Interestingness#332 explore2008October15)

Apparently, there are other Silver Maple trees in Calgary, but their leaves do not turn red in the fall. This particular tree in Bowness Park has leaves that do turn bright red, so it is probably a hybrid Silver Maple. The leaves in this photo are on the way to achieving their brillliant and beautiful colour.

The berries on these European Mountain Ash trees are so cheerfully bright. I couldn't resist taking their photo at Reader Rock Garden a coupleof days ago. The birds are in for a fine feast : ). Unfortunately, this attractive tree species has invaded all our natural areas and has become a real problem.

Another frost-fringed leaf found at the Reader Rock Garden five days ago. The sun shone through the leaf and picked out a beautiful pattern. Interestingness#273 explore2008October22.

Tentadive ID: a Thaloid Liverwort found growing at the edge of a pond at Pearce Estate and showing the rhizoids that anchor it. Doug - I've used your info.