Elbow Falls Trail

I liked the way these autumn-coloured plants and bushes followed the curves of the cutting along the side of the road on Elbow Falls Trail, the day before yesterday.

Mid-September was a good time for finding mushrooms, and this tiny one was growing in the woods near Maclean Pond, off Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66), Kananaskis.

This heavenly place is Forgetmenot Pond, at the far end of Highway 66 (Elbow Falls Trail), Kananaskis. I decided to drive out there after lunch and was only away from home for about four hours. Found all sorts of wildflowers, everything from Elephant-head to Prairie Gentian. It's a great place to relax and refresh : )

This small boulder was lying amongst the trees close to the edge of Forgetmenot Pond, at the end of Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66), in Kananaskis. I liked the pale green colours and the rather interesting pattern and texture. Thanks, Doug, for the ID suggestions - much appreciated!

Several of these small, yellow birds were flitting from branch to banch and tree to tree yesterday at Maclean Pond, off Elbow Falls Trail. I just knew that they weren't Yellow Warblers, but had to wait till I got home to my bird book to see which Warblers have a black cap. Thanks to those below who confirmed the ID for me - much appreciated! This is my first Wilson's Warbler shot (ID only).

This was quite a pretty cluster of fungi growing on a fallen log, right out in the open, at Maclean Pond, off Elbow Falls Trail in Kananaskis. This is a macro shot taken on October 18th - they were very small - and I always love coming across these fungi.

Well, when I woke up (late) this morning, to my great surprise, the sun was shining! The forecast was for yet another rainy day (this is our second week of almost endless rain). I made a quick decision to drive to the mountains after lunch. I had wondered whether I'd be brave enough to drive to Brown-Lowery Park so that I could see if I'd be able to find the rare Calypso Orchids that a few of us had seen recently. A website commented that after a lot of rain, one of the gravel roads leading there was not good to travel on, so rather than risk getting stuck in soft ruts out in the middle of "nowhere", I went to plan B. I also have a phobia of driving and of getting lost, which I have managed to overcome to a certain degree, and this was the main reason I chickened out. So, instead, I drove out along the Elbow Falls Trail road and had a walk at Maclean Pond, which I always enjoy. To my joy, I discovered some of the rare Calypso Orchids growing there! Half way through my forest walk, the sky clouded over and it began to rain : ). This flower is also known as Venus'-slipper.

A really poor photo of this Gray Jay that came to check me out - or rather, to see if I had any food to share. However, I so rarely get to see Gray Jays, so wanted to keep this one. I was having my sandwich lunch, sitting by Forgetmenot Pond (end of Elbow Falls Trail, Highway 66, Kananaskis). Unfortunately, all I had left to share were a couple of very sticky crumbs from a granola bar.

I was happy to come across several of these beautiful little Calypso Orchids on 10 June 2011, when I drove out west of Calgary to Maclean Pond, Kananaskis, off Elbow Falls Trail. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but I have to balance that with getting a blurred background. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_ (orchid) www.mountainnature.com/plants/PlantsLatinNameResult.asp?I...