Horseshoe Canyon

This Hoary Aster/Tansy-aster (Machaeranthera canescens) was such a beautiful, delicate plant, growing on the canyon floor at Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, in the Badlands (Dinosaur country), on August 21st.

We were watching this little green Stink Bug (also called a Shield Bug), part way up the trail at Horseshoe Canyon a few days ago. This area is a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive north east of Calgary, to the Badlands near Drumheller. Famous Dinosaur country : ) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatomoidea

This was one of the many plants we found in bloom on the floor of Horseshoe Canyon on Saturday. Several of us went north east of the city to the Badlands near Drumheller and spent the day botanizing Horseshoe Canyon. I very rarely see Blue Lettuce, but I love the small flowers.

We had only just begun climbing down into Horseshoe Canyon when I spotted (with the naked eye!) this young Great Horned Owl sitting on a distant hillside within the Canyon - this is an 18x zoom photo. Within the next few minutes, four owls were seen! I would never have expected to find Great Horned Owls in this kind of landscape - but it made my day. I only ever need one special sighting on any walk or outing, so all the other things we were about to see were simply an added bonus : )

This young (?) Grasshopper was hiding out in a Gumweed flower when a few of us went to botanize Horseshoe Canyon, near Drumheller, in the Alberta Badlands (Dinosaur country!) on 21st August. This is a common native plant of western North America, though I don't see it very often. The underside of the flower is gummy. Also called Curlycup Gumweed. Belongs to the Sunflower family.

This was a fascinating thing to see down at the bottom of Horseshoe Canyon, in the Badlands of Alberta, north east of the city. Several of us spent the day on 21st August botanizing the amazing area. This spider web was so different and very intricate, constructed down in the grass. Too bad the little (?) owner didn't show itself - maybe camera shy?

I'd never seen Russian Thistle up close before. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, green-white or pink, and are usually solitary in the leaf axils. Photographed this plant on the canyon floor at Horseshoe Canyon, Badlands of Alberta near Drumheller. www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/russthis.htm

Not sure which species of Cladonia lichen this is. This little grouping was growing at Horseshoe Canyon, August 21st last year, when a few of us spent the day botanizing the canyon. This location is in the Badlands of Alberta, east of Calgary. This is a macro shot - these Cladonia are only tiny. Later: thanks to Doug (dougwaylett) for the ID, Cladonia pyxidata, Pebbled Pixie-cup. Much appreciated! According to the Alberta Wild Species General Status Listing, 2010, the status of Cladonia pyxidata is Secure.

All my life, when I thought of "grass", I pictured a long green blade. If you've never taken a really close look at grass when it's in flower, you might get quite a surprise. This macro shot shows you the VERY tiny flowers of Soft-leaf Muhly grass, seen growing in Horseshoe Canyon, in the Badlands of Alberta, near Drumheller. Taken on 21st August.