The Woods at Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area - Part 2 of 2

Recently I went for a little walk up at Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area. Here are a few more photos from that perambulation.


Water rushes through a sluice gate, making some really nice sounds and views.


This is the view from a pedestrian bridge over the channel.


Cattails thrive in old marshy sections of the water.


Red-Winged Blackbirds are all over the place, singing loudly.


I looked both ways before taking this photograph. I even felt the track to make sure there was no rumbling or vibrations. Not sure if that works, but I was on and off the track in seconds.


The track stretched both ways.


Spring is in the air and Robins hunted worms.


Swallows build their mud and wattle nests beneath a bridge.


Spiky bits.


More spiky bits. Anyone know what these are?


American Goldfinch. (Not a Yellow Warbler which is in the last set of photos, second last photo... I misnamed it.)


Cedar woods.


White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum).


Trillium erectum, the Red Wake-robin, also known as red trillium, purple trillium, Beth root or Stinking Benjamin.


White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum).


White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum).


Fern.


A bracket fungus.


Big ol' bracket fungus.


Nice ol' bracket fungus.


Polypore bracket fungus (look underneath and you'll see the polypores - i.e. the many holes or pores).


Another Stinking Benjamin. I didn't make note of any smell however.


The Bur or Burl on this cedar was huge - it looked like a big menacing head. Or depending on your mood, it might look like a big delicious chocolate.

Cheers,

Mungo

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In The Garden There Is Life

In the garden there is life. To wit:


Seagulls wheeling about, jockeying for position to pick up bread from the neighbour's backyard.


Seagulls keeping watch on an overcast day. They fly up to the north of the city when the storms are out on the lake. That's how I know if a day is going to be clear or not - I watch the skies and see which way the gulls are headed.


A 'Purple Sensation' onion flower (Allium hollandicum) is in bloom in the other neighbour's backyard.


A squirrel takes a break from clambering about the trees.


The green is glowing just about now.


The Allium is looking radiant.


My eye spied some bird down laying delicately in the cup of a dandelion flower.


The Sage (Folia salviae) that I planted last year is coming up bigger than ever.


I am looking forward to huge amounts of the Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) that I planted last year.


The Allium bulbs are popping up all over the place.


A caterpillar appears to be taking a nap on a rose hip.


Last year's rose hips look so nice.


I'll need to trim them back soon.

Cheers,

Mungo

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The Woods at Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area - Part 1 of 2

At lunch the other day, I went for a quick drive to the Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area - just north of where I work.


Red squirrels nibbled on corn husks taken from the farmer's field beside the woods.


They were bold - this one chattered away at me, chasing me off. I let him chase me off.


I pulled out an MRE and a heating pack. It took too long to heat, so I ended up eating room temperature ravioli. Not great.


I took out my Trangia and boiled some water but didn't end up using it. Sitting on a small blanket kept me cosy.


These woods are so empty of people.


Except for me.


I need to take my flower identification book with me next time.


I love my little Trangia. It is rock solid.


Ontario's official flower, the Trillium blanketed the woods.


Amongst the leaf litter, I found old tin cans (from the 40s probably) and farm implements that were mostly rusted away.


I had a jolly old time.


Swallows nested under a pedestrian bridge.


The swooped up and down the river, catching flying insects.


They were almost too fast for my camera to catch.


Iridescent blues and purples shone from their feathers.


They were just a blur most of the time.


The river was still and quiet.


Last year's bullrushes faded to fluff.


This is used for nesting materials for birds. Tinder for humans.


Songbirds called out from shrubs and trees.


Railway tracks snake through the park.


The bird (Baltimore Oriole?) called out a most unusual song.


American Goldfinches flitted about.


And the bird (maybe this instead is a Baltimore Oriole?) called out a most unusual song.

I need to get my bird identification book out.

Cheers,

Mungo

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