Crystal Clear Mountain Water

Crystal Clear Mountain Water

Mar 10, 2022 | Abstract Photos

The gentle roar of water I heard from the road had me curious. Where was it coming from? I trekked up the slope of the mountain, following the sound of the stream. 

I came upon this large, likely man-made gully full of beautiful grey, black, and white rocks. I looked further and there it was! The loudly babbling stream that I was looking for. 

Flowing cold and crystal clear, it was running down from some spring in the mountains down to the man-made lake that was Lake Abraham. 

I had to be careful where I stepped because the rocks were slippery. But I couldn’t help but sit by and watch as the stream flowed on from down the mountain. 

That’s when I spotted that black stone with the white stripe down the middle. Such a lovely stone! I was tempted to pack it back with me to the truck, but thought better of it; I’ll leave it behind for someone else to find. 

And yes, the water did taste very good!

Taken on July 6, 2019, with my iPhone XR. Location is somewhere along Highway 11 between Banff National Park and Nordegg. 

Lethbridge Ospreys

Lethbridge Ospreys

Mar 5, 2022 | Birds, Wild Predators

Honestly, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Ospreys?? In Lethbridge, Alberta?? Whaaaa…???

But there they were, a breeding pair of ospreys keeping a nest on a nest platform right in the middle of one of the windy, prairie cities of Alberta: Lethbridge. Holy schmoligans!!

Why Lethbridge, and how did I find them? Well, this was in the middle of some agriculture crop plots that are owned, operated, and managed by Ag Canada’s Lethbridge Research Station. I was there with several other hired research assistants with the University of Alberta to take multiple soil samples for a research project that the graduate student accompanying us was working on. None of us expected to see a pair of ospreys when we arrived there! 

They were rather distracting, have to say! But a pleasure to see. They were most likely there because of the ample hunting opportunities the pair had with the multitude of gophers, mice and other prey only they could spot from their lofty platform. 

Taken on July 14, 2015, with my Canon Rebel XS plus Canon EF 70-300mm ƒ4-5.6 IS USM telephoto lens. 

Sunset Reflection Off the Wing

Sunset Reflection Off the Wing

Mar 3, 2022 | Sunrises & Sunsets

Years ago I had the awesome opportunity to take a trip up in a friend and neighbour’s experimental two-seater airplane for a lovely summer evening flight. He took me over the farm I grew up on, then on the way back to the homemade landing strip, we flew over a lesser-known lake and just caught the sunset playing its colours both in the sky and in the reflection on the still water. I tell you, we sure timed it just right!

Taken near Barrhead, AB, Canada sometime in July or August of 2012. 

Reeds on the Battle

Reeds on the Battle

Mar 2, 2022 | Rivers

It was a pretty day for a road trip, so I travelled north of Stettler on Highway 56 to check out the view on the Battle River. And what a view it was!

On the west side of the highway, is a turnoff towards Edberg. Just off the intersection is a parking lot where people can stop and check out the view next to the dam that was built on the river some time ago. (And maybe do some fishing too!)

That’s where I went, except I wanted to get on the other side of the highway to capture some views. Without getting run over by big trucks of course, haha!

Today, they have that part under the bridge blocked off with huge boulders that make it extremely difficult–though not impossible– for people on foot to get to the other side of that bridge. But back then, it wasn’t, which made it a fantastic opportunity to snap this photo!

Taken on August 14, 2016, with my old iPhone 6.

The Cutest Marsh Wren

The Cutest Marsh Wren

Mar 1, 2022 | Birds, Ponds & Wetlands

This little bird was singing his (or her?) heart out amongst the cattails, but for the life of me, I could not spot him from to the side of the pond! I was determined to find the owner of the pretty song of this little bird, so I walked back to the truck to grab my rubber boots. 

Carefully, I walked in amongst the reeds and cattails, careful not to make too much noise to startle any birds that called that riparian area home. Often I stopped to listen and watch for any movement, my camera at the ready to snap a quick picture.

And then I saw him, flitting about the cattails, singing away to his heart’s desire! I snapped as many pictures as I could, hoping at least one would turn out to be able to share. But I had to stay to watch him and saw him pecking at the cattails, either to eat the seeds or collect the fuzz for a nest nearby; I couldn’t tell. 

But goll darn it, that little marsh wren was sure cute.

Taken at the Mattheis Research Ranch (University of Alberta’s Rangeland Research Institute) near Brooks, AB, Canada on June 5, 2014, with my old Canon Rebel XS DSLR camera with a Canon EF 70-300 mm f/4-5.6 IS USM telephoto lens.