Hamilton Wetlands and Forest

  A visit to the Forest and Wetlands on a dark day at the end of the year.   Even in the winter's darkness the forest remains beautiful and somehow, magical.  Mosses luxuriate. The small patch below shows at least six distinct species of vegetation. The shrinking woodpecker stump ( stump is shrinking-- woodpeckers remain pretty much of a size...) has shrunk further.  Perhaps we should start taking wagers about when it disintegrates entirely. The path that branches to the left of the main entrance looked more open today.  Perhaps someone has been clearing it.   It always looks to be wetter than the main path--today there was a stand of deer fern, which we've never seen on the main route. It's quite like sword fern, except that the leaflets join the main stem directly,  without any connecting stem.   Back on the main path, a natural arrangement of maple leaves and moss.  The water level in the marsh has risen further. Mt. Arrow...

  A mild but dark morning in the Forest and Wetlands.  The dark was unsurprising in mid-December;  the mild was an unexpected gift.   \ The moss and fungi continue to develop, possibly more slowly than they have in past weeks.   A couple of new species of fungus have appeared;  or at least earlier fungi have developed. It's not immediately clear what happened to this log, but we suspect that a bear has broken it down looking for grubs.  Perhaps a midnight snack? A new cascara has emerged, looking very lush. As we approached the Marsh, it was apparent that our bench was already occupied. The song sparrow yielded and let us sit to observe. The water level in the Marsh has risen further. Arrowsmith showed itself clearly,  as did its reflection. The open water at the south-east end of the marsh is beginning to fill with ducks. There are mallards, a gathering of buffleheads, and two ring-necked ducks--not all that common in these parts. We'll...

  26 November A foggy morning in the Forest and Wetlands.  Odd, it was clear near the coast, but as we moved inland, the fog thickened.  Visibility in the Forest was limited, visibility in the Wetlands was -- like an impressionist painting--beautiful but less than informative. A raven accompanied us on our walk, commenting on our presence.   https://soundcloud.com/ebredberg33/parksville-11 I tried for a photo, but just got fog.    A very tall alder had fallen across the path. It was a bit strange to see;  often when trees fall there are signes of decay within the trunk, but this tree looked very sound throughout.  There had been a strong wind the week before, which must have brought the tree down. The fungus and moss growth continues:  The moss on the "muppet" log becomes increasingly shaggy. A showy polypore on a log  was accompanied by evidence of woodpecker work on the same log.   On reflection, this combination adds up--con...