Calgary Parklands - Confluence Park

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The sun shone palely on us all morning. A breeze came steadily from the north east all morning. And sparkles of snow showered us all morning. Spring in Alberta!

We met to explore Confluence Park , also known as east Nose Hill Park. Divided naturally into a walkers group and a photographers group, we were pandemic safe. The wide Alberta sky showed off the strange humps and bumps of dried grasses in the Nose Creek valley. Indeed, icicles hung like diamond strands in the shelter of a foot bridge, exciting us with what would have been ordinary a month ago.

The west arm of Nose Creek rushed past us. A picturesque little waterfall drew us off the pathway. Further along, in calmer waters, the ubiquitous mallard ducks quacked at our presence but kept on diving for tasty treats below water. We almost stumbled on a porcupine, huddled into a cushion against a fence post, hiding its face and seemingly asleep.

Our turning point brought us up to the sandstone escarpment, where restful look-outs have been curated for warmer days. The view revealed oxbows in the creek and erratics left behind in the glacier retreat. The largest (a diminutive cousin of Big Rock) was named Split Rock, for its dramatic symmetrical cleavage. Finally, we descended once more to where long dried grasses made a warm scarf for the creek.

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Photos

Tussocks gradually forming a marsh
Nose Creek

Split Rock
Erratic split by time

Grasses
Humps and bumps

Waterfall in Nose Creek
Chilly splashing

Mallard
Paddling with intent

Red Osier Dogwood
Red bark shines in every season.

Porcupine
Do not disturb

Sandstone outcrop
Old escarpment

Nose Creek oxbows
Meandering direction

Reflections in the creek's still water
Nose Creek

Comments

[Isabel Gibson]

I don't believe I've ever seen a porcupine in the wild -- and I'm impressed that you saw this one. It blends-in nicely. Funny to see those icicles with rushing water underneath. I bet they didn't last long.

[beentouring]

Porcupine in the Park
Never have I been so close to a wild porcupine. They don't like to be discovered.