Carbon Planet Blog

This is another blog that is not a grounded as I feel this one is, but some great information and thoughts.

Check it out.

carbonplanet blog

Another Blogger with great content

Welcome! I'm a freelance outdoor photographer from Ontario, Canada. This blog is where I share my recent photos and adventures. I'm currently on a 1.5 year photo road trip traveling around North America in a camper van - and you can follow the trip right here! --Ethan

http://ethanmeleg.blogspot.com/

Boreal Songbird Initiative

This seems to be a very good link. More relative to the west side of the country but great info. and pictures.

Dr. Jeff Wells is the Senior Scientist for the Boreal Songbird Initiative. During his time at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and as the Audubon Society's National Conservation Director, Dr. Wells earned a reputation as one of the nation's leading bird experts and conservation biologists. He is now dedicated to understanding and protecting the land where North America's birds are born and raised, the Boreal Forest of Canada and Alaska. Check back regularly to read Dr. Wells' perspectives on the conservation, migration and interesting habits of Boreal birds.

Timmins Bridge to Bridge Trail

Today I had the day off, it gave me a chance to take a little ride on the "bridge to bridge" trail. It is a great little trail. It winds along the river with many places to sit and look at the scenery.

Today a family of mergansers was sitting just in front the bench where Roll'n and I stopped for a drink. Roll'n had a drink, I just watched.

The trail is lined with many different tree species. All of the tree are very young, since, I am guessing with floods and lake shore logging all the big trees have been removed over time.

The first picture is on the east side of the river looking north north west. map

The second picture is across the river looking east south east. map

The third picture is a nest site set up many years ago to attract a Osprey. It has remained empty for many years but Osprey are in the area, so it is available. Maybe some year a raven will start a nest and make it more appealing to owls and other birds of prey. map

Spittalbug

This year I have noticed many plants with spittal on them. Looks like someone has been walking around with soap in their mouth and spitting on the plants.

On closer inspection the bubbly mass on the plant is the protective home of the spittlebug.

enature: "Spittlebug nymphs cover themselves with masses of bubbly, wet spittle, which accounts for their common name. Each frothy mass contains 1 or more tiny nymphs, effectively hiding them from predators as they suck plant juices."

These little bugs like all kinds of plants. At the greenhouse I have seen them on different species of trees.

Next time you see the little bit of, what looks like spit, push it aside to revel the little creature inside. This is where I saw these flowers, but you can find them just about everywhere - map

While taking pictures of the uncovered little creature a fly came to be part of the picture. Glad it droppped in, it is great for size comparision.

Wild Columbine in Full Bloom

I have never noticed this flower before.

I stopped at a water crossing to look into the water while waiting for a skidder to catch up. On both sides of the road growing above the culverts were these neat tall flowers. map

Turns out to be Wild Columbine. Not a rare plant, rather common the documentation tells me - I just never really noticed it before, I guess.

Bur Oak - Timmins Honour Roll of Trees

Yes Bur Oak in Timmins!

This tree was planted in Kettle Lakes Provincial Park in the 70's I am told. Many different kinds of trees came from a southern Provincial tree seedling nursery to the park. There is also many honey locust and one white ash. The ash is smaller then the oak, but it is just as old and just as strong.

The park is also home to 2 Provenance tests. One is scotch pine and one is red pine. The scotch, or scots, pine test has trees that came from many different countries. You can see trees that have come from Finland, Austria, Adirondock, Baltic, Sweden and a few other countries.

The red pine provenance test represents seed sources from all over southern Ontario. Maybe as we talk more about global warming these trees will do better up here then they would have in the south?

One other aspect I find great about Kettle Lakes is the fact that much of it was machine planted. It is very flat and sandy. You can still see the furrows that were created during the trees planting.

I think I was on a similar tree planing machine when I worked at a tree nursery on southern Ontario.

I added this tree to the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees. I also added a note on the FaceBook Group Oxygen Grows on Trees.

Tundra Swan Swimming in Timmins

Once again Lynn has provided us with a great photo of a bird visiting Timmins. The tundra swan is very cool to see, but her pictures of the Wimbrel are really special. See previous entry.

The tundra swan is a frequent visitor to Timmins over the years, since we are on the migration path. This one was seen swimming at Kraft Creek. map I always like to hear about sightings in Timmins and area and I add them to the Observations Naturally webpage

The mute swan is also on the Timmins Checklist of the Birds, listed as an accidental. It has been on the list for many years and I do not know the details around the sighting.

Thanks Lynn