Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) was growing at the edge of a few beaver meadows. The less showy Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata) is common along the ATV trails and Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is also present in wetlands occasionally.
Having lunch (you might guess from where), I spotted a small piece of snake skin poking out from the crack in this boulder. Gently pulling it out to have a look I got ore than I bargained for. I need to get confirmation on the species, I'm thinking Northern Watersnake although it wasn't exactly near open water or shoreline habitat.
Nathan spotted a couple of Bronze Copper. Plants of the Polygonaceae family are hosts for the caterpillars of this species.
I had never actully seen a Leonard's Skipper before this week. While taking this picture we heard rustling on the opposite side of an open water marsh which was possibly a Black Bear (lots of tracks but the only one we did see was just north of Gravenhurst on our way home).
Nearby, Purple False Foxglove (Agalinis purpurea) was growing along a sandy shoreline.
Seemingly endless networks of marshes, swamps and fens.
And how 'bout that? Nathan's first rock flip of the day yielded this small Five-lined Skink.
Doing some 90km/hr botany along Highway 60 on the drive back, it looks like Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida), a provincially rare species, is doing well along the roadsides in Algonquin PP. I have a bit of a beef with rare species being made widely available in seed mixes which are then broadcast in natural or semi-natural settings. The seed progeny is quite possibly from somewhere in the States (or beyond), and these mixes get planted in all sorts of stormwater ponds and highway right of way throughout the province. I don't know, I fear the day when planted/anthropogenic populations may dilute the credibility of natural ones.
Stiff Goldenrod is not on the Algonquin list. Whereabouts did you notice it? I spent quite some time looking at goldenrods this summer in Algonquin and never identified this species, but am not an expert by any means.
ReplyDeleteThe ones I noticed were maybe a few hundred metres to the west of the east gate on Hwy 60, north side of the road. Have a look next time you're in the area.
DeleteSolidago rigida in Algonquin.......how bizarre.....way out of its normal Ontario range, but as you said, some of the 'natural mixes' that are available are far too liberally spread at the potential expense of natural vegetation.
ReplyDeleteSometimes seeds will spread to unexpected places along roads and railways. They get picked up one place and fall off miles away. Not saying this happened here, but it is a possibility.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, I'm impressed at how fast Seaside Goldenrod is moving eastward along the 401 and the role that road salt has played into things!
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