Carburn Park

Another view taken on my walk at Carburn Park a couple of mornings ago. The bushes, cattails and Crack Willow trees gave a look of fall, but the falling snow definitely reminded us that it is still winter.

A really poor photo and heavily cropped! However, it does show the red tail and the underwing markings of this Red-tailed Hawk. Seen at Carburn Park on Tuesday. "Red-tailed Hawks are the most commonly seen hawks in Alberta, especially in the aspen parkland." It's piercing call is a "powerful, descending scream." From Birds of Alberta by Fisher and Acorn. Very common from April to October.

Happened to notice this rather damaged Clearwing Moth on a walk at Carburn Park yesterday evening. I so rarely see one of these moths, so I was thrilled to see this one. Always makes me wonder how an insect manages to fly with part of one wing missing.

This mushroom, growing fairly high up on a tree, was pointed out to me on a walk at Carburn Park this morning. The stalk looked reasonably "fresh" to me (though I know nothing when it comes to fungi) but surely it must be an old mushroom? New or old or very old, I was thrilled to finally see a mushroom after suffering mushroom withdrawal symptoms for many months. I like the pattern on the stalk.

A very distant and and "cropped to almost nothing" shot of two male Barrow's Goldeneye : ) Normally, I don't bother to try and get a photo of this species because the ducks are always on the far side of the Bow River. However, last Saturday, on a walk at Carburn Park, these were just out from the far bank. I don't have a photo of this species in my Birds of Alberta Set, so wanted to add this one. Just something else for those of you who are not birders - watch out for these white crescents : )

I'm posting too many Hound's-tongue photos but they are one of my favourite wildflowers, despite being an introduced species from Europe.

Just one of the many beautiful sights I have been lucky enough to see this fall. This was taken down at Carburn Park.

Well, maybe not quite, LOL, but I'm not too likely to ever get a close shot of one of these pretty little White-crowned Sparrows. I just thought this little one made a cheery, spring photo, despite being such a distant shot (definitely not the kind of photo I like taking!). This one was perched along the bank of the Bow River at Carburn Park this morning. I had wanted to go searching for a Mountain Bluebird afterwards, but - it rained and hailed : )

I'm not seeing all that many birds recently, and those that I do see are very distant. So, the other morning, I photographed a Mallard : ) At least SHE came close enough, LOL. Thought she looked pretty in the sunlight and with her reflection. Seen down at Carburn Park.