Last day of June all ready

Wow where did June go but at least its going out on a great crisp cool day. Low humidity and clear skies what more can you ask for.
Couple of pics for the end of the month another HDR image (several images stacked on one another to see all the hilites and shadows). This one shows some great sky. The other pic is Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) in bloom right now.

Daisies starting to bloom

Just a pic of a few daisies.

Twinflower on Bouche Rd.

Yesterday I went up the Bouche Rd to see if the water had gone down across the road, with all the rain it is even higher. On my way back I spotted a mossy rock covered with Twinflowers (Linnaea borealis) at this point it was pouring rain I couldn't get out of the truck for a pic. I put a larger lens on and took them thru the window and to come back today for some better shots. Today the flowers looked drowned out but I did find some with a little colour left in.

Blueberry update

Berries are starting to grow, looks as though it may be a good year again. Hopefully the rain will let up one of these days so they get some sun. I would guess the third week in July there may be some getting ripe.
Another plant the Pale Corydalis (Corydalis sempervirens) mostly on rocky or dry ground. These pics were taken south of Hedlund Marsh which is now flooded again, the beavers must have got to work.

Pine pollen

The pine trees have been pollinating everything, the lake, the ground even yourself if you get close enough to brush the branches. Great yellow mats were floating on the lake last week. This flower I gave a shake to show you how much comes out of just one. I feel sorry for those with allergies.
Another flower in bloom right now Fringed Polygala or Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia)

Edith Lake

Edith Lake mosquito heaven this AM. Forgot bug jacket and spray. I won't go in to details. Here are some very, very quick shots of Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) and Starflower (Trientalis borealis).

Moccasin Flowers

Down the Spear Lake Rd. to see if the old bridge was still there. We have had so much rain that it could have been washed away but sure enough it was intact. Beaver have built a dam right underneath it and the water is pouring over it from the run off. It looks rickety but useable. The best area is below the bridge near Spear Lake. The trail goes up a very high esker and south of that is a large sand plain. The esker is covered with Jack Pine with understory of Labrador Tea, Laurel, sphagnum and Lichens. Small plants Canada Mayflower, Clintonia, Bunchberry and Moccasin Flower or Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule). I have never seen so many Moccasin flowers in bloom in one place, there were thousands of them. An interesting note about the Moccasin flower is it takes 10 years from germination to the flowering stage.

Pics from last weekend

A couple of pics from last weekend when Jeremy and the boys were up. We took a ride up the Bouche Rd and found a cluster of 8 Goldeneye chicks on a small pond in the cut over. I suspect we cut them off from going into Firth Lake. After awhile the hen called them away and we moved on to let them get on with their trip.
On the way back to Gowganda we spotted this fox on the side of the road heading back to the den with its kill. It looks like a vole he is bringing home.

Checking duck box at Mosher Lake

Mosher Lake is just south of the bottom end of Duncan Lake. On the island is a duck box with no apparent takers yet.
While there I visited an open mine addit on the east side of the lake. Ed Barnstaple pointed me in the right direction. More on that in another post. At the addit a Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) growing from a rock ledge above the water and a closeup of one of the flowers.

Checking duck box in Diabase Lake

Hiked in through the bush to get a look at this one. I thought this one would be a winner but not this time. I will check it again though.
On the way back some Marsh Marigolds along the shore, and a close up of the same.

Checking duck nesting boxes on Gowganda Lake

Ed and Faye Barnstaple installed duck nesting boxes on Gowganda Lake while the ice was still in. The other day Ed asked if I would like to go out in the boat and check the 7 boxes on Gowganda Lake to see if nesting was starting. The first few didn't look as if there were any takers, finally one looked promising with a pair of Wood Ducks took flight right out from under a nestbox. Looking closely at the entrance a downy feather was sitting in the entrance (red circle). It seems as though there might be some action on one of the seven new boxes on Gowganda Lake. A follow up will be needed to check later from a safe distance.
The falls at the south end of Gowganda Lake is still flowing quite well from the run off from Hangingstone Lake drainage area to the south.