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29 November, 6 December

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  Two dark mornings in the Forest and Wetlands.  We're definitely approaching the Solstice, and looking forward to  lengthening days. The small streams and ephemeral ponds have been recharged by recent rainfall. As we approached on the morning of the 6th, we came on two young men with VERY sophisticated camera equipment.  They explained that they were investigating the springtail population, and showed us their miniscule quarries.   They have some really interesting material on iNaturalist, with amazingly clear photos of very tiny critters.   https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&user_id=doviende&verifiable=any Fungi, possibly late in their emergence, are showing along the path. The variously named "spirit gummy bear" or "cat's tongue fungus" is abundant on logs along the path. A mystery organism (possibly a symbiosis?) emerges from a downed snag along the path. Snags and downed logs are nurturing little saprophytes. Yester...
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21, 23 November

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  Too long since we've visited the Forest and Wetlands, for an assortment of reasons.  We have renewed our visits last Friday and today, to admire seasonal change and to welcome the annual visits of the Marsh's waterfowl.   Friday the Forest was dark, and damp and a bit mysterious. Not actually an unfriendly mysterious, just still, rather dark, and showing the changes of season. Think, if you will, of the amiable silence that can occur between friends.  Sometimes you're just quietly there together and that's quite enough.    It felt like that;   truly fine and welcoming.   The little stream that crosses the path at one point, but which had vanished in the dry season, is re-emerging. This doesn't seem to be the incredible year for fungi as last season was, but there's a fair number of species appearing.   One miniscule pink fungus emerged from the moss on a tree. Identification of these would be gratefully received.  T...
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2 November

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  The light is changing in the Forest.  As the sunlight migrates to the south, the perspective of illumination shifts. Patches of light gleam ahead as we walk the path to the Marsh Leaves, fallen from the big-leaf maple, carpet the path. A mossy log is dotted with tiny golden mushrooms. Last year, a tree fell and crushed one of the few mountain ash in the forest.  Still small,  it is making a comeback. The forest chimed with the notes of Pacific wrens.  They put in fleeting appearances, but I couldn't get photos. The Marsh had a similar abundance of marsh wrens, all in full voice.  This little character sang happily on the water gauge.   His happiness was certainly warranted as snow now mantles the Beaufort Range and  water rises in the Marsh. Two photos for comparison: On the 27th of October, the dock sat at a foot and a bit below the stakes holding it in place. By November 2nd it had risen by almost a foot. The Marsh remains beautiful even ...
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27 October

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  Finally, autumnal rains have come to the Forest and Wetlands.   The path to the Marsh remains relatively dry underfoot, but there is decided evidence of the equinoctial gales.   The loop path now departs from the main trail with a Douglas fir extending its full length as a challenge to walkers. It's the sort of thing that I prefer to come upon after the fall.   The day was overcast, with occasional bursts of sunlight, made all the more brilliant by golden foliage. Although I've noted the oyster mushrooms emerging from this snag before,  this is the first time that despite its nearness,  I've spotted the licorice fern.  It sounds like a menu.   Near the edge of the Marsh, the Forest thins out.   Fern and salal share the understory, and tree frogs vocalise to one another. The Marsh is still low, but the water level is rising. Arrowsmith now has the beginnings of a snow mantle. The fringe surrounding the Marsh gleams g...
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