Bunchberry

If it's one plant that always stands out it's Bunchberry, the red berries stand out like a beacon. 

New plant today

Down the Mann Ridge Rd this morning to take some pics.  Happened to stop in the shade and was looking about and found some Small Sundrops (Oenothera perennis).  They are related to the much taller Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) which is very common along the roadsides right now.

ATV trip to Halliday Lake

Up  to Halliday Lake by way of the north power line today.  Paul, Ed, Faye, Gary, Ron and Rick on the ride.  Great trip both ways and lots of laughs along the way.  Here is a pic when we stopped for a break on the way home. Click on pic to see whole picture.

Fruit of the land

Yesterday I found a few pockets of blueberries, mostly around wet, humid areas.  Most of the dry areas the leaves have fallen right off the plants.  The most plentiful are raspberries all along the roadsides everywhere, the bushes are full of them.  This time of year the bear scat tends to be on the blue side this year definitely raspberry coloured. Just thought you would like to know that tidbit.

Back to the Osprey nest

Has been some time since I checked in on the Ospreys, whenever I approached close  the adults would fly off.  I still wasn't sure what was going on in the nest.  This time I parked some distance away on a small hill.  One of the adults stayed at the nest and for the next hour and a half I took pictures. Looking them over after revealed three well fledged chicks.  The picture shows one testing it's wings, one low in the nest(the bump) and one standing by the adult. It's not going to be long before these birds will be on the move.  I will be back in another week for and update.

More fishing from last week

Out onto Gowganda Lake for a fish last week and picked up a few walleyes.   My son picked up the boys on Sunday and are home now.  Two weeks of fishing, swimming, canoeing, exploring and most of all eating.  Silence has returned to the house.

The dump owner

Here is one of the dump owners who will gladly take the garbage right out of your truck for you.

Heat not letting up

This AM the sun on the thermometer read 115° F.  I will be in the basement today for sure.  Here are a couple of pics from the last few days.  To be honest it's been hard to go out and take pictures.  One a HDR shot and the other with a happy fisherman.

Hot, Hot, Hot

This last week or so has been so hot I have been hiding in the basement.  Last year we had a couple of hot ones but this doesn't seem to end.  We are not alone with this heat I feel sorry for the rest of them down south with the heat and the terrible weather, tornadoes and flooding, roads buckling and power outages .
I hadn't been out with a camera since the last post several days ago but yesterday I was out checking the blueberries, sorry to say but it doesn't look to promising.  The leaves are falling off the plants it's so dry and what berries I did happen to find were tiny and all dried up. Lots of the creeks and streams are also dry.  The bears are going to miss all the berry crop this year.

Here is a pic of some Cotton  grass (Eriophorum) along the side of a pond at Miller Lake.