In order of Interestingness, Flickr

Just made this mosaic to send to a few local friends to hopefully cheer them (and myself!) during this endless rain and overcast skies, and thought I'd upload it to Flickr as well, to join other fungi mosaics I created ages ago. Some of the images I have already uploaded to Flickr, but some are not yet posted. Have been wanting to make another mushroom mosaic for ages and totally forgot that I can also use photos from my computer. Will get out to the forest again one of these days, if ever the rain stops and the sun shines - and the snow, forecast for later this week, does not arrive, LOL. When I see the third photo, it reminds me of what a special moment that was. I was down on my knees, trying to photograph this tiny mushroom growing out of a stout branch. When I looked up, I found myself looking right into the eyes of a beautiful White-tailed doe, maybe 12 feet away, with her head lowered, seemingly wondering what the dickens I was doing down there : ) Thanks, fd, as always!

Couldn't think of a title for this photo of a gorgeous lily, which tells me just how short of sleep I am, LOL! So, "Lily" it is! Seen at the Reader Rock Garden yesterday late afternoon. While I was walking along the narrow paths there, I could look through the trees and see - and definitely hear! - the rides of the Midway at the Stampede Grounds being finalized, ready for the start of "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth" - the Calgary Stampede! The Stampede Parade is tomorrow morning. Life in the city is going to be pure and utter craziness for at least the next 10 days - a nightmare! Thank goodness the next three days for me will be out on hikes and botanizing, far away from the noisy crowds : ) Dread hiking in the heat, though. calgarystampede.com/

I was SO lucky to get this shot the other day! I was driving through Fish Creek Park and was about to turn into the parking lot, when this beautiful Eastern Kingbird flew and landed on a fencepost near the road. Managed a couple of shots before it flew off. These birds can display aggressive behaviour towards intruders who happen to venture near their nest. "It is widely distributed in southern Alberta in the southern grasslands, aspen parkland, and southern boreal forest. The Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is a neotropical migrant that winters in South America. It is found wherever it can hunt flying insects, preferring open sites such as woodland edges, and riparian habitat. Their diet is flying insects, supplemented by fruit in winter." talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=205

Another of the beautiful butterflies that I have been lucky enough to see at the Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo. What this species lacks in brilliant colour, it certainly makes up for in intricate design! Wing span is 2 3/4 - 3 3/8 inches (7 - 8.6 cm). "Adults rest on tree trunks head downward with their wings spread open. Males perch on trees and make a cracking sound when they dart out at passing insects (and people) .... Range: Argentina north through tropical America to Mexico. A rare stray to the lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas." www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1809 It's SNOWING again today, only lightly at the moment. Winds are really strong again and temperature is 0C.

Happy Spring, everyone! As so often happens, this Tulip was already starting to wilt by this morning. My camera lens touched a petal when I was trying to take a macro and off it came. Then a second one fell. Managed to get a few shots with the remaining petals intact. Just loved the flaming streaks on the textured, white petals.

These blue and white flowers have lasted quite a few days already and have given me a few happy photo opportunities.

Hey, Doug, this one's for you, LOL! This colour is absolutely genuine, no kidding! I have no idea what species it is, of course, but isn't the colour amazing? Seen this afternoon in the woods at Bowness Park. Added August 2009: thanks to Flickr member oloesel for the ID, Cortinarius iodes. Much appreciated! Information, received with thanks, from Dr. Suzanne Visser at the University of Calgary: "I haven't seen any mushrooms in the Calgary area with an intense purple cap such as this one has. I'm not sure about it's identification, but it may be something in the "Gomphidius" group. I've seen "Gomphidius glutinosus" many times in the same area that you saw this one, and, although this species can have a violet cap, I've never seen a specimen with a deep purple cap. Nevertheless, I think it may be either a variant of this species, or perhaps another species in the same or related genus. The slimy cap, dark spores (you can see them on the stem where they form a dark ring) and white tufts on the stem suggest it is either "Gomphidius glutinosus" or something closely related to it. Also, it looks like the base of the stem is yellow (do you remember if it was?), and, if this is the case, it probably is "Gomphidius glutinosus", since this species has a bright yellow stem base. The purple color is spectacular though; maybe, the color intensifies as the temperature falls."

One of the small Sunflowers that I bought from Safeway on Friday. Three were like this one and two were bright orange. Nothing unusual, but I can never get too much of Sunflowers.

This Great Horned Owlet was not one of the "usual" ones, but one of three found at a different park in the city. They may have all fledged by now, as this photo was taken on 15 May 2013, and at least two of the owlets had "branched" - only maybe a foot along one of the branches close to the nest. I think that is Mom you can partly see in the background. This was the first time I had seen any of these owlets.