The Nodding/Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) is my favourite kind of thistle, especially at this stage, when the pinky purple flower has died and the beautiful pattern of the spiny bracts can be seen more clearly. Flower head is 4-6 cm in diameter. Photographed at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area on July 27th, when I called in for a short walk after my afternoon volunteer shift. There were a lot more of these plants this year, so I guess this invasive weed really does spread, lol. In Alberta, this plant is listed as Prohibited Noxious.
www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2011/08/carduus-nutans.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans
Came across this beautiful video of Bald Eagles flying, on YouTube. Superb footage from BBC and KPBS of American and European Eagles. Music by Abba. I did post it a couple of days ago, but after everyone had commented, so thought I'd post it again today.
youtu.be/qdoSy4ROZpg
Have been watching and waiting for the youngest of the two Hornby Island Eagles to fledge, but it looks like young "David" (as he has been named) is going to be waiting just a little longer - today, tomorrow? What a character this young branchling is, lol. It has been eight days since his older sibling fledged.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area nature flora flower flowers thistle Nodding Thistle Musk Thistle Carduus nutans introduced noxious invasive weed Asteraceae flower head macro close-up bokeh beautiful beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1130579 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression bracts spiny bracts UBC Botany Photo of the Day website 4th August 2011 Prohibited #GreatNature
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Took this macro shot of an Alfalfa flower at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area in the city, on August 18th.
"Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle, and is most often harvested as hay, but can also be made into silage, grazed, or fed as greenchop. Alfalfa has the highest feeding value of all common hay crops, being used less frequently as pasture. When grown on soils where it is well-adapted, alfalfa is the highest yielding forage plant." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area nature flora flower flowers wild wildflower Alfalfa Medicago sativa Fabaceae Pea family forage crop purple single flower flower head macro supermacro close-up Raynox DCR-250 image photo digital color image square square crop beautiful beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ35 DMC-FZ35 FZ35 Lumix point-and-shoot P1140673 FZ35 annkelliott beautiful_expression excellence FloralExcellence SuperEco MasterPhoto
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This macro photo is a few years old, but shows no date - it was taken with my very first digital camera, an Olympus C750UZ. Happened to come across the image and noticed I hadn't uploaded it. It was most likely photographed at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, as we used to see it there. Love the way the petals almost look like crumpled tissue paper : )
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area nature flora flower flowers wildflower pink Purple-flowered Raspberry Rubus odoratus Rosaceae flower head macro close-up beauty in nature Olympus C750UZ annkelliott
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This plant was introduced from Europe. I've only seen it in one place (possibly two) in this city. This was photographed at the Erlton/Roxborough Natural Area. For some strange reason, the Additional Information mistakenly states that this image was taken today. Actually, I think this is because there was no date set on my camera when I took the photo.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada Erlton Roxborough Natural Area nature plant flora flower wildflower Yellow Bedstraw Galium verum Rubiaceae Panasonic DMC-FZ18 Panasonic FZ18 FZ18 P1010031 Olympus C750 UZ annkelliott
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I think this image is a little better than the ones I took at Nose Hill a few days ago. This one was taken at the Erlton/Roxborough Natural Area. Too bad that they will be pulled in a few days' time - if they aren't pulled, then they spread and take over the area, killing all the native plants. They are quite spectacular, these large Nodding/Musk Thistles, and are my favourite species of Thistle.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada Erlton/Roxborough Natural Area nature flora plant botany Thistle Nodding Thistle Musk Thistle Carduus nutans Aster family purple wildflower non-native Panasonic DMC-FZ18 FZ18 Lumix P1250614 FZ18 annkelliott NaturesFinest outdoor flower
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