30 July

Again, a quiet summer morning in the Hamilton Forest.  After a initial very loud raven greeting, there was almost no birdsong.  It was still, apart from a gentle psithurism of the wind in the trees.  (My walking partner dared me to use "psithurism."  If you look it up, you'll find it's listed as "obsolete," for the sound of wind in leaves.)  I think it's a fine word, and should be re-established in the vocabularies of nature writers.  

The light in the forest complimented the audio effect.  It, too, was welcoming and lovely.  

The mosses were illuminated.  This cat tail moss is showing the growth of its sporophytes--its reproductive phase.

This fallen log is graced by bracken fern, moss, and trailing blackberry.

Salal berries are ripening.  Although there's a abundance of salal in the forest, there don't appear to be many berries.  I'm not certain whether this is a factor of the light in the forest, or whether more will appear as the season advances.

A bear has been searching for grubs in this log, tearing off bark, and then breaking up the wood.

It was quiet in the marsh as well today.  The dragonfly population wasn't in evidence.  The bullfrogs were silent.  

The vegetation around the marsh is drying, as are the rushes.

A doe watched us from the distance.

We spent some time observing two small frogs, who in their turn, appeared to be observing us.  

It appears that these two had successfully evaded the bullfrogs, which prey on the native species.

As we left the dock,we could see that the marsh and the forest are drying.  

The "world's worst piñata" (see last week's blog) has grown.  The hornets are very industrious.

Somehow, we still don't feel inclined to investigate closely.

Even on a quiet morning, the forest and wetlands are a welcoming place.  The next few weeks should see an increase in bird life as the autumn migration begins.