Dewy or Don’t We?

All photos taken August 23, 2022, during our weekly forest walk.

Yesterday, our area was infiltrated by wildfire smoke for the first time this summer. The AQI was an 8 and not recommended for outdoor strenuous activity. So, we complied, while we looked for the best timing for this week’s Bunchberry walk. The 23rd was supposed to be relatively smoke free, so we set out right after our coffee-less breakfast. We were hiking by 7:35 AM.

While we had 2 deer cross our path, a bunny sighting, birdsong all around, numerous red squirrels gathering their winter food cache and sounds of both pileated and down woodpeckers, I managed to capture very little wildlife with my camera. That being said, it was a pretty walk through the dew soaked grass and we kept cool for the most part.

The understory continues to take on fall colours

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The morning light was amazing through the light smoke haze

We were shadows of our former selves

Dew beading up on this plant

Scanning for deer in our usual sighting spot. None to be seen since we saw two does scamper across the trail in front of us.

Sun through the birch trees

Many shades of grass

We think this is a grouse feather, likely remnant of a coyote’s lunch

Looking down from Pee Tree Hill

Canada Thistles

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The grass blades in this area were almost blue

Tall grasses compete

Dewy grass blade

sun dappled path

at the grove

this meadow was vacant too

The grass is not always greener

Puffball magic

On the boardwalk

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Under the canopy

Sow Thistle flowers

Goldenrod

Not sure what these stalks are…perhaps precursors to the puffballs

Finally back into the cool forest

some squirrel has been busy

the forest views are again opening up

one last Prairie Blazing Star

diffused light

at the elbow tree

common fleabane

forest version of Jenga

This shot of the meadow was taken on yellow palette setting. To the eye, all the grass looked green

At the Blueberry Connector path

brightly coloured leaves

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Saskatoon berries (service berries in some places)

Tamarack grove

We have never seen any wildlife in this bog area…except mosquitoes

Mushroom surprise

Downy Woodpecker

Bunchberry collage in Tucker’s Field

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