More Hiking on the West Side of the Vermilon River. A Post to MWT.

Subsidiary river

 Today we're hiking on the abandoned RR line on the west side of the river to the rapids. I put the scenes in a sort of order to give you the feel that you're with me. The river is at its widest in the area before the rapids, and feeds both wetlands, and a little area ( first photo) that appears like a stream in a rain forest.The RR line is raised, so we're above the water.

Photo 3 is the wetlands on my right side as we head to the rapids. Photo #4 shows the river as it winds around one of the lower islands. The main current would be on the side away from us. Photo 5 shows the sudden narrowing and then the rapids. The river looks bucolic because the water is low due to lack of rain. The last time we hiked the rapids the water was high, and I said that it would be better to stay away from the the far side of the island, as the current would likely sweep you into the chute between the bridge abutments. Now you could paddle to the far side, and portage over the bridge to avoid the chute.

White Water Lily

River Wetland. #3

Wide Area Above the Rapids. #4

Just Above The Rapids. #5

Rapids

The chute between the bridge abutments.

The Quiet Area at the end of the Island that separates the rapids..

Black Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Oven Bird.

Female Yellow throat Warbler. 

Immature Robin

 The Swallowtails are starting to show summer wear. All of the birds,except the Yellow-rumped, were shot just before the wetland in a group of pin cherry trees, where they were feeding. An Oven Bird is a warbler that gets its name from the style of nest it builds. I had to chase the Yellow-rumped around the tree to get him.

I saw bear dung on the trail, which was blue in colour and fresh. There are no blueberries on this trail. So she/he swims the river and crosses here. When I was coming back, there was fresh dung and pin cherries spilled on the trail. Bears love pin cherries too. Clearly she hid out on me, and headed out when she heard me returning. So no bear photos.

A Post to MWT @ http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Hiking Along The East Track of the Vermilon River. A post to MWT.

The Ridge To the North.

 All these photos except the day Lilly, which is from my garden, are from the East Track area. The weather is so hot it's hard to summon up the energy for a massive hike. Although I must add the temperature and the humidity is not so high today. I think Boom & I felt the heat yesterday, or perhaps just the heat built up. We still have had no rain, and in the NW there are more than a 100 fires burning.

The Ridge to the South East.

The Wetland.

 The Ridge of course surrounds us and you have seen it before in some river scenes. It just seems too hot to summon the energy to climb the ridge to Mystic Lake or any of the other lakes that are part of the uninhabited chain up there.

 The wildflowers are all from this area. The Elecampine is actually taller than I am. The Day Lilly is from my garden. As you can see the fireweed attracts all sorts of insects. The birds were active despite the heat.

A Post to MWT @ http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Thistle, Plumeless or Bull?

Elecampine

My Day Lilly

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow.

Tree Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing.

Grass Hopper.

Swallowtail on the Fireweed.

Red Squirrel.

Life Along the Vermilon River. A Post to MWT.

Long Lake Wetlands.

 The photos were taken mostly in the Long Lake Wetlands area, although some were taken on the northern part of the river. We are in desperate need of rain but the water never ceases to flow in the wetlands or the river.

Vermilon River at a wide bend.

 The Blue Flags were taken to the north of the Long Lake Wetlands earlier, and are now gone. Toad Flax are popularly called butter and eggs.

This is a post to My World Tuesday @ http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Blue Flag.

Toad Flax

Wild Asters

Wild Tiger Lilies.

Johnny Jump Up.

There are actually a fair number of Tiger Lilies in the forest, which I expect escaped from gardens, or were dumped with unwanted earth. There are also day Lilies and roses which have gone wild. Johnny Jump ups come in many colours and grow in the most inhospitable places.

Johnny Jump Up.

Maybe Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed.

Monarch Butterfly.

Grass Hopper.

Dragonfly

Green Butterfly.

Ripe Pin Cherries.

Ripe Dogwood berries.

Male Goldfinch.

The birds were all photographed near the wetland where there is both water, and berries. Although the creek is down, it's still supporting a fair number of  four legged critters as I found fox, and wolf or coyote tracks.

Song Sparrow.

Song Sparrow.

Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrow.

Juvenile Gull

Ring Bill Gull In Flight.

Crow or Raven In Flight.

Female Northern Flicker

Female Northern Flicker.