Stop, Look and Glisten

NOTE: This post contains slideshows and if you are reading it on your phone, it is best viewed direct from the SITE, rather than in the READER.

All photos taken during our August 25, 2021 walk in Bunchberry Meadows/Tucker’s Field.

After our recent rainfall, we were eager to see what had changed out in the forest. The day was cool and fall like, but the bright sun was beaming down as we pulled into our usual parking spot on Banksiana Drive in Parkland County.

The first thing we noticed was how well washed it all looked. All the greenery was covered in beads of moisture and the air smelled fresh and clean. Amazing what a little rain can do.

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While it was obvious we were marching forward into fall, the colours had not really changed that much from last week. The leaves on the low shrubbery were expressing their own individuality but those on the upper story remained a stubborn green. Yay.

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I tried a few more palette setting comparisons and was surprised that what I saw as red in the 2nd series did not show as red on the camera.

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The sun was painting the forest with points of light and shadow. Birds sang, grasshoppers hopped about, wasps buzzed past our ears and from far away came the rat-a-tat-tat of the pileated woodpecker.

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Spiders had been busy at work. The circular web from last week remained and the grass beside the trails was littered with tangled web designs of the sod webworm, now covered in droplets of moisture.

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Fungi were still flourishing and our translucent mushrooms seemed a shade of their former glory.

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Bright pops of colour were still about, but the flowers seem to be phasing out. Look at the spikes on the rose hips in the last shot. I guess the roses are counting on animals to come along so they can hitch a ride to the next spot and start a new plant.

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The fen/meadow grasses are rapidly changing colour, but still no wildlife visible.

Green fading to other shades as summer marches on

Aspen and birch trunks again appearing stark white in the sunshine

Sorry this shot is so fuzzy, but these guys were everywhere in the deep forest gathering and stashing their winter food supplies.

The horse population is again increasing at the stable as owners bring their mounts back from summer pasture

The blue jays were flying everywhere, but seldom stopping long enough for a good photo. This guy definitely turned his back on us.

Very few butterflies and moths left, but captured this one on a Canada Thistle

Still plenty of bees and wasps around tidying up their summer’s work

We saw more of these nests as we walked the clockwise route. Most seemed empty, but I was not about to knock on the door to see if anyone was home

For rent, cheap, a real fixer upper

at long last, we spotted a deer on our walk. This lovely lady had her eye on me

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