Sunny days at the Vermilon River. A Post to SWF

Fair Skies

Much like everyone else we've had on again and off again weather. It's inhibited my hiking, but the forest is still healthy with the rainfall, and full of life.

Stormy Skies

Still Looking for a Sun dog.

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

Wild Chicory.

The Red Squirrel was pretty active which as I said  earlier is a surprise since he is on every one's lunch menu. We don't have grays or blacks here. It was great finding the Chicory, as I don't remember it from last year.

Common Milkweed.

 And I'll bet you didn't think common milkweed was so attractive when it flowers. I read on another web site that it has many medicinal properties.


It's that time of year for the goldenrod's to flower. Fortunately Boom and I are not allergic to them.

One of the Goldenrod's.

Ripening Blueberries.

We saw lots of human berry pickers out,but no bears. The berries are sold through co-ops and sold at a premium in grocery stores as wild berries although smaller are much sweeter than farm grown ones.

Vipers Bugloss.

Dragonfly

No post would be complete without some insects or birds. So here they are. I included some current shots of Huegy, our pet crow, and much to Boomer's chagrin a picture of his mate. Huegy, if you look closely has a gray feather on one wing. A scar from all the fights with the blackbirds. That's how I recognize him. He also calls out to us on our morning walks looking for peanuts probably.


I'll post this to Sky Watch Friday. And maybe to camera Critters and scenic Sunday. I'm putting this information here as the great Blogger/ Google is telling me there is no java script at the bottom of the page.

 Just a quick note: The new lens I referred to in my last post was new last year, not this year. I just think you sort of grow into technical things. It's a Sigma 150-500mm lens and I'm really pleased with it.

Female Goldfinch.

Mourning Dove.

Northern Flicker.

Huegy

Huegy's Mate

Wildflowers of the Vermilon River. A Post to Sky Watch Friday.

Friendly Clouds

The weather has been both sunny and rainy this week so I thought these clouds depicted both. Despite the three days of rain and maybe more we got out into the forest, and that's the theme for today. The sun and rain has resulted in even more colour in the form of wildflowers. I think what amazes me is the incredible array of colour from the subtle blueberry white,or the strong daisy white to the vivid purples and pinks of the wild lupin. 


A Hint of Storms




Buttercups.



The vivid yellows are certainly supported by the buttercups, and dandelions. But do you notice how subtle the yellow of the Goat's Beard is. The Goat's Beard, by the way, is only available for photography in the morning.

Dandelion



In Seed




Goat's Beard.




Coltsfoot?



Loosestrife?



Mountain Ash.






I'm not certain about the Coltsfoot or the Loosestife. The Loosestrife is not growing in a wetland so it can not be the purple variety which is invasive.


Queen Anne's Lace.




Red Clover.












The Tufted or Cow Vetch was identified by my readers, as was the Bladder Campion shown below.


Tufted or Cow Vetch.




Bladder Campion.




Bladder Campion.




Unknown.




Wild Asters.




Long-leaved Stitchwort.




Wild Purple Lupin




Wild Pink Lupin.








Wild Lupin comes in two colours,electric purple and electric pink.


The blueberry bushes are now showing berries. The one below is still in flower and forming berries. The pin cherry trees are starting to show berries as well.


Ripening Blueberries.




Eastern Swallowtail.




Eastern Swallowtail.




I have seen sulphurs, blues, and one black swallowtail, and a cercopia moth. None of which I was able to photograph. But I haven't seen any painted ladies or monarchs or luna moths. But I have seen lots of eastern swallowtails.



A Post to Sky Watch Friday @ http://skyley.blogspot.com/

More Wildflowers of the Vermilon River. A Post to my World Tuesday.

My Iris.



My Daisy




My Daisy



Some commenter's asked about my garden so I included a few photos. The Iris is mine as are the daisies. But my garden, which is small, is a wildflower garden in keeping with the forest that surrounds it.





Canada Mayflower.





All the rest of the photos are from the forest. I was out hiking yesterday and got so many wildflower photos that I finally cut myself off for this post.


Dame's Rocket.





The Dame's Rocket are a their peak now, and their maximum height. They're really something.

Equally colourful are the Devil's Paintbrush, below.


Devil's Paintbrush




Goat's Beard






Goat's Beard are a relative of the Dandelion and just as hardy.


Goat's Beard.




More Johnny Jump Ups.




Red Clover.




Red Clover Patch.







I mis- identified the red clover last time confusing it with the wild chives below. Dumb eh? Especially when I pick chives from this patch when my garden runs out.

Wild Chives



Wild Rose.




Wild Violet




Absolutely, no wildlife this time and I still have tons of photos left from yesterdays hike. The real problem is that the forest comes on so quickly that it's an effort to get as many species as I can. As well flowers tend to be inaccessible at times and blow in the the wind etc., so they have their own photography problems. Even processing them can be difficult as nature's colours are so vivid or even muted at the same time making it difficult to preserve the real colour.


A Post to My World Tuesday.