Lance-leaved Violet (Viola lanceolata) was common among the cracks in the bedrock along shorelines and in some of the rock barrens. The leaves of this violet cannot be confused with any of our other violet species which range from heart-shaped to arrow-shaped to bird-foot-shaped.
Many of the folks I was camping with were 'herpers' - seeking to get a peek at any snake, turtle, frog or salamander they could find. When introducing myself to a few others I gave the warning that I may be the boy who cried wolf in that if you see me hunched over with my camera out, I'm probably admiring something with leaves and not scales!
The photo below shows a nice mix of colours from the pink of Pink Corydalis (Capnoides sempervirens) to the white of Early Saxifrage (Micranthes virginiensis).
A favourite late-spring ephemeral, Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora). The corkscrew-like flowers droop down looking like a plant that needs a drink.
Some of the sandy shorelines has stands of Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata) growing. When I was maybe 8 or 9 I purchased a mini birch bark canoe lined with Sweetgrass from the London Museum of Archaeology; it gave of the sweet smell of the grass for years and years. The chemicals phytol and coumarin, found in the grass, have been found to repel mosquitoes.
Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus) often grows in a linear form on sandy shores.
Just before a Blanding's Turtle was spotted in a grassy shoreline meadow marsh, I was snapping pictures of this Brown Sedge (Carex buxbaumii). The very dark spikes (early in the season) can help to identify this sedge.
I was given instruction to keep an eye out for snails for a fellow naturalist who among other skills, is into snail ID. These are a species of ram's horn snails from the family Planorbidae.
Anyone who spends time in Georgian Bay is familiar with Massasauga Rattlesnakes; our group spotted 11 over the 3 days including one which measured about 36" in length! Down the shore from our campsite there was a known hibernacula and two rattlesnakes which would spend each day basking among the boulders and juniper bushes.
Love birds?
Speaking of birds, I had never seen a Prairie Warbler, and as it turns out the southeast of Georgian Bay is a great spot to find them! Walking along a trail, the first call I heard I pointed to the sky and whipped around to look at my co-worker Charlotte, that's it!
An Eastern Kingbird sitting pretty.
With patience, you can often track down a Gray Tree Frog by following it's call. This one, like most, was fairly confident in camouflage and staying still to avoid detection.
The ridge running down the torso of this Green Frog is one way to differentiate a Green Frog from an American Bullfrog (I had thought it was the other way around, thanks for catching that Allen!)
A keen eye spotted an Eastern Ribbonsnake in the grass. The fine lines and white scale in front of the eye are diagnostic for this species which is often found near wetlands or watercourses.
Hiking along a trail we nearly stepped on this terrestrial Map Turtle. With all the rocks along the trail, coupled with the unlikely habitat for a Map Turtle, it could just as well have been a rock!
A highlight for me was seeing a pair of 'courting' Stinkpot Turtles. As adults they are not much bigger than a large fist, but they have attitude, and they sure do stink!
I just read an article about a Blanding's Turtle that was recaptured as part of a research project in Michigan. It was estimated to be 83 years old! That's nuts. The article right here if you are interested.
No comments:
Post a Comment