Hamilton Wetlands and Forest

  A return to the Hamilton Marsh after too long an absence--out of town travel, a sprained ankle, assorted other tedious obligations.   The Forest and Marsh now show themselves as  midway through the summer months.  Despite a dry spring and an alarmingly low snowfall, today it  feels almost chilly. The foamflowers and fallen timber glow in the forest light. A pathfinder plant is starting to seed, with its odd flowers. Throughout the Forest, ocean spray is in full bloom. Summer fungi are emerging.  This is one of a generation of turkey tails that have been occupying this downed log for some months. The bracken fern above shows the effect of the dry spring. The water level in the Marsh is down, predictably.   Mount Arrowsmith is very nearly bare of snow--much more than would be expected at this time of year. The skies over the Marsh are often spectacular.  Today was no exception. Spirea is in full bloom along the Marsh fringe. It seems as ...

  June--often described as the beginning of meteorological summer, but the first days of this month have been chilly, and there's been a bit (nowhere near enough) of much-needed rain.   The paths into the Forest and Wetlands were still dry underfoot, but the vegetation looked to have benefitted from the night's drizzle. The salmon berries are starting to show some colour, and huckleberries are taking shape. Near the Marsh, a small patch of twinflowers is coming into bloom... and the spirea, or hardhack, has a few blooms to show. In the Marsh, wrens were vocalising happily.  Two, normally secretive birds, even cooperated with photos. A big garter snake relaxed along the dock. The month is forecast to warm up in the coming weeks.  Hopefully some more rain will nurture the Forest.   

 Robert Burns has always been one of my favourite poets, and one of his poems that is among my favourites included the all-too-often quoted line about "the best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley."  This part month decidedly went agley--I did manage visits to the Forest and Estuary, but writing this blog was, alas, not an option.  Even so, it was beautiful and I managed some photos that give the sense of approaching summer.   The path to the Marsh was lined with new flowers. Foamflowers are now abundant, and will continue to bloom into the autumn. The delicate white of thimbleberries herald the emergence of their seedy but tasty fruit. Baldhip roses are in bloom, less fragrant than the other local Nootka rose, but lovely.  It seems as though there are more of them than in earlier years. Summer fungi are emerging.  Many logs host oyster mushrooms. Red alder, common in cleared and sunny areas, have a relatively short lifespan of about sixty years....

  The initial intent of this blog was to track seasonal change in the Forest and Wetlands, and the changes are now evident and happening quickly.  They make for wonderful observation. An increasing growth of summer fungi are emerging.  This log hosts an abundance of oyster mushrooms. With the emergence of fungi, the Forest's slug population is appearing.  In addition to their role as consumers of rotting debris and dog excreta, slugs have a taste for fungi. The trillia of the Forest are changing from white to a rich purple. This is a fine year for western starflowers. The red elderberries are starting to form. A mystery:  Something appears to be boring into several logs along the path. Small holes and piles of sawdust can be seen, but the perpetrator has yet to appear.  Suggestions from knowledgeable readers would, as always, be gratefully received. The Marsh is now gloriously green.  (A quiz--somewhere in this photo, close inspection will reveal a swa...