Hamilton Wetlands and Forest

  We returned to the forest and wetlands on a mild day.  Spring seems finally to have come to the area, later than on the coast, but showing new growth and the return and re-emergence of wildlife.  It feels as though if there were a theme for this blog, it would be "Emergence." Sun and cloud combined to light the forest and marsh. Elegant scrolls of new fern growth are appearing.   Vanilla leaf is still a bit sparse, but will increase in the coming warmth and sun.   White trillium is scattered throughout the forest, and the deep pink of salmon berry blossoms has appeared, just this past week. The sapsucker continues to feed her young.  The symmetrical nest hole is sapsuckers' achievement--how do they manage the perfect shape? Approaching the marsh, the frog chorus continues to celebrate the coming season.  The marsh is becoming more green than golden. At the south end of the marsh, beavers have built their lodge.  They are  crepuscular,...

  The planned Saturday visit to the Forest and Wetlands had to be postponed.  There were very high winds, hazardous conditions in forest.    Tuesday afternoon was a fine day. The path beckoned, at once verdant and peaceful.  Emerging plantlife was still in its early stages, still held in check by cold weather. Skunk cabbage was putting up early shoots by the path.  A more mature stand of it was visible in the dense woods, impassible on foot and impossible to photograph.   Given the speed with which skunk cabbage grows, these young plants will be well developed by our next visit. The sword fern is starting to bud,  here and there showing their "fiddleheads," not edible in this species. I've always looked forward to the deep pink of early salmonberry blossoms.   The buds have yet to open in the forest here, although they are increasing closer to the shore.  Like the skunk cabbage, they should be visible here by next week's visit....

  Today's return to the Forest and Wetlands may have not been as successful as last week's.   I stupidly forgot to bring my binoculars and my phone.  The phone is what I've been using for close-up photos and some views of scenery.  The photos in today's installment were  shot with a long lens, intended for wildlife photography.  The quality of the photos reflects this.   I'd anticipated more changes in the season than were apparent this week.  The change of altitude from the shore to the marsh must delay the advance of the season, although some differences from last week can be seen.  A friend who joined me certainly was a very helpful second observer.   The variety of mosses and fungi within the Hamilton forest is remarkable.  It's going to be a good project to begin to identify them. In the Bryophytes of British Columbia,  Wilf Schofield wrote:  British Columbia possesses the richest diversity of any polit...