South March at Sunrise
May 9th, 2016
Early Tuesday morning I headed out to the west end of the South March Conservation Forest, my favorite bit of wilderness this side of the Gatineau. The wind had changed for the better (a south wind, giving spring migrants a boost), so I was hoping for some new arrivals--thrushes, tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks. But, even though the flood of May migration had begun in far-southern Ontario (judging by all the Ontbirds reports in my mailbox), it hadn't quite gotten here yet. My only two spring firsts were by ear: the chanted crescendo of a distant Ovenbird (a warbler I have yet to successfully photograph after eight years of trying), and the winnowing of a snipe over Huntmar Road.
It was nonetheless a beautiful morning.
Bloodroots, still half-asleep in the early morning light. These are ephemeral wildflowers, among the first to bloom in spring, and quick to disappear. Their lurid name refers to the poisonous orange-red sap that bleeds out of the roots when cut. Native Americans once used it as a dye.
An owl perched over the beaver pond! Or...then again, maybe not. I admit it had me fooled for a moment, though.
I was back in my car when I had my final photo op of the day, as a group of three raccoons attempted a death-defying sprint across Huntmar at rush hour. I managed to roll down the window and get the camera ready just in time to capture them climbing up onto the road.
They all made it across!
May 9th, 2016
Early Tuesday morning I headed out to the west end of the South March Conservation Forest, my favorite bit of wilderness this side of the Gatineau. The wind had changed for the better (a south wind, giving spring migrants a boost), so I was hoping for some new arrivals--thrushes, tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks. But, even though the flood of May migration had begun in far-southern Ontario (judging by all the Ontbirds reports in my mailbox), it hadn't quite gotten here yet. My only two spring firsts were by ear: the chanted crescendo of a distant Ovenbird (a warbler I have yet to successfully photograph after eight years of trying), and the winnowing of a snipe over Huntmar Road.
It was nonetheless a beautiful morning.
Bloodroots, still half-asleep in the early morning light. These are ephemeral wildflowers, among the first to bloom in spring, and quick to disappear. Their lurid name refers to the poisonous orange-red sap that bleeds out of the roots when cut. Native Americans once used it as a dye.
An owl perched over the beaver pond! Or...then again, maybe not. I admit it had me fooled for a moment, though.
I was back in my car when I had my final photo op of the day, as a group of three raccoons attempted a death-defying sprint across Huntmar at rush hour. I managed to roll down the window and get the camera ready just in time to capture them climbing up onto the road.
They all made it across!
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Mike
May 9th, 2016 at 8:11 am
What is that non-owl apparently on the log? There's no reflection of it in the water...
The spiderweb shot is a great catch, and the lighting on the bloodroots shows them really well.
ilanikhan
May 9th, 2016 at 8:18 am
I'd say it's a rock or antoher log sticking up from the water *behind* the first log. Perspective ftw!