All photos taken on July 4, 2022.
It has been a very rainy couple of weeks. Rather than risk worse weather later in the week, we changed our original afternoon walk plan to a morning walk in Bunchberry. The weather was cloudy, but mild, so off we went.
We knew bug jackets would be required, if we were not to be eaten alive by the mosquitoes, so donned them immediately, before starting out.
This hiker took a prime parking spot, right on the Devonian Trail.
Canola (a variant of rapeseed) is a big cash crop in our area and it is tough to keep all the seeds in control, so we often see canola blooms in the forests (or on our lawns).
This photo tells a TAIL. Not sure if the squirrel lost it naturally or he was a victim.
Alberta wild roses were everywhere. I have grouped them together in this slide show for better viewing
Canada Anemone
The meadows were covered in a lush growth of grass
You can see the grasses changing colour as they grow taller. The purple Prairie Blazing Star spires interject themselves where they please.
This path is still very green
The number and colours of different grasses in this meadow are amazing
The Grove
Accidentally skewered or artfully placed, we may never know
Leafy green canopy
Vandalism or emphasizing the point?
A pair of ravens were playing hide and seek
on the boardwalk
This grass was about 6 feet high
10 petal anemone
Achillia Millefolium (Yarrow)
Great progress on last year’s branch plantings
Hilly meadows and wild roses
the thicket near the parking lot
buttercup
Yellow goat’s beard
meadow scene with purple vetch in froeground
this American robin seems to be trying to decide which way to go
Western Red Lilly
The trails had been recently mown. In places, the cut grass looked like a hay crop
A variety of mushrooms were now in evidence. All grouped here for viewing ease.
We paused for a rest here and the mosquitoes were on us. You can only see a couple here against the right leg, but they were thick.
The tamarack needles on the forest floor were a bit wet and springy thanks to recent rains and the mosquitoes were thick as thieves here
looking back on Tamarack Trail
Today, given the light winds and large numbers of mosquitoes, we headed for the car to eat our lunch.
PHOTO DROP 
beautiful pics
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Thanks very much
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A nice scenic peaceful walk… only the squirrel’s tail is a little creepy🐿️
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Yes, we could not figure the squirrel tail out. Did he escape by losing his tail. Hope that was it, but the tail is used for balance, so maybe not good either. Thanks for reading Luisa. Happy Saturday. Allan
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Thanks a lot for sharing your assumptions, which don’t seem very optimistic to me💐🙏💐
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Have you figured out what those branches by the parking lot are for? Do they actually grow from branches? I couldn’t see a purpose except perhaps to keep people and some animals from walking there.
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Yes. We actually saw them planting these. It is a good way to propagate trees without having so many new saplings. They cut green saplings or branches into lengths once the sap is up and then plant them in moist ground. The cut lengths continues to grow. Last year, they got knocked back by the high heat during the heat dome. This year, they seem to have fared better. In a few years, hopefully they will be part of the forest. Thanks for reading Glen. Hope all is well. Allan
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Almost perfect. But the mosquitoes!!!
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Without the bug jackets, we would just stay home. The mosquitoes are fading a bot now due to lack of rain. They can’t be over soon enough for me. Thanks for reading. Allan
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I don’t even like one or two that sneak into the house at bedtime waiting to strike once the light goes out. I think they would spoil a beautiful walk like this one in your post if you weren’t prepared for them. I suppose there are animals that love them (birds and frogs).
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I hear you. Nothing worse than that high whine as you try to drift off and all of a sudden, you are itching everywhere. Here, mosquitoes are a fact of life from June to September. We have to find ways to be outside and using a bug jacket is still better than using chemicals. The dragon flies and frogs make a fest on them, but there are always too many mossies. 🦟🦟🦟🐸
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I hear you about the mosquitoes. In NWT they will carry you away if given a chance. This year there haven’t been many because it’s been so dry, but they can almost be a wall. You’re right about the bug shirts. Without them I wouldn’t go outside, so no beautiful photos, either!
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No darn mosquito is going to keep us inside….scratch….swat…..slap….arghhh. It can be a chore and the bug shirts are way warmer than they should be, but we would not go for a forest walk without them. Thanks for reading Lynette. Happy Sunday. Allan
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Lovely pictures of the wildflowers and mushrooms along the trail. Even though squirrels can be such a nuisance, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad when I saw the pictures of the tail.
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The flowers are pleasant and so are the scolding squirrels. I do hope this little guy got away. Thanks for reading Linda. Have a great Sunday. Allan
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Nice trail and lovely flowers
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Thanks Lori. Always a joy to walk here, if you can keep the skeeters off. Hope you had a great weekend. Allan
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