Litter on the litter layer

Litter

Everywhere and anywhere!

This just freaks me out!!  Maybe this is just a balloon that got away form a 5 year old, ok these things happen.

Last year I remember a story on the news about a catholic school doing a balloon release for hope or something like that. What?? What is that teaching?  Hey lets all take a chunk of rubber and throw it to the winds so we can have litter spread far and wide. Ya, that is what we should teach, you can litter anywhere and everywhere as long as there is a message of hope tied to the litter.

Just did a quick search and there are schools that even promote a balloon release on youtube. Nice. They should also make a video of every kid in the school throwing a chip bag out the window of the school bus.

Some balloon releases do use environmentally friendly bio-degradable balloons, That, I'm guessing, is not the norm. These foil balloons, I would think, last a very long time.

This is where I found it. map

Luna Moth Flutters on the Forest Floor (Actias luna)

Luna Moth

Fluttering on the Forest Floor

While I am sitting on a log, making notes on my map, a fluttering on the forest floor catches my eye. It is a luna moth batting its' wings like a maniac.  I wonder if it has just burst from the cocoon.

It figures out the flying thing pretty quickly and it is gone.


Looking at the life cycle pictures I realize I had a luna moth caterpillar in my hands the day before.

Snapped a quick picture, but did not interfere with the moths fight for flight.


Eggs to Adults. A beginners guide
Worm Spit
Butterflies and Moths of North America

This is the location I observed the moth. map

Observations Naturally

Amanita muscaria - just looks cool to me.

Wish I was a little person

Looking up 

It would look as big as a tree.

.

Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria

This, as far as I can figure, is the Fly agaric ( Amanita muscaria) mushroom.

There was a number of them on the old road I came out of the bush on to. In the sun the colour was super!

There are some interesting links about he mushroom, sounds like it could be very powerful?

Andy's Northern Ontario Wildflowers

Morning Earth - The Biosphere Community

Ancientforest.org - The Blueberry Lake Ecology Trails

This moose the dog wanted to chase. It was far enough away that he had no hope of catching up to it.

It was different when the moose is so close you can hear it breathe. The whole shortened story.

Walking out of the bush the other day, I have my head down, watching my footwork in the tangle of vegetation on the forest floor. A low grunt startles me. I look up into the eyes of a moose I have stumbled a little too close to. Talking to the moose I back up until I am behind a very big cedar. "Dog where the hell are you?"

Roll'n arrives from the side and does not see the moose right away. Roll'n is now standing beside me and sees the moose. A little too close for him too, he will not chase it 'cause it is not running away yet.

The moose sees both of us and decides to back off rather then continue his grunting advance. Once behind the tree I remember I have a camera, but it was too late the moose had turned and was leaving.

That is the closed I have ever stood eye to eye with a moose, usually the dog clears my path.

Art of Fire - Forest Fire Leaves Art

ART

in the eye of the beholder

Walking in the smoke all day, may make my photographic eye a bit foggy.

No, blame the camera, it just could not catch the interesting forms left after the fire moved through the area.

I also did not have time to stand around thinking about the shape, the background, the lighting.

Branch of the birch tree burned well into the truck of the tree.

This stump in the cutover was hollowed out, leaving the burned roots exposed.

This white pine seems to be well protected by the thick bark. This may be the white pines first fire, and it may not be the last one it sees. 

Usually the white cedar swamps do not burn. This fire the wind was high, the temperature was high and the relative humidity was low.  This swamp burned in the trees and the ground remained untouched in some places.

Looks like the fire burned fast over the ground. Some areas were missed and  it did not burn very deep.   Ferns continue grow, some even had the tips burn off and then just re-shoot.

This location was burned maybe a week before  I took this picture.  The little yellow needles on the ground are the dried needles off the tamarack.  When you walk the needles continuous fall.

 Fire a natural part of the forest ecosystem.

2012 Arbour Day Success

Tree Seedlings 

Bird Posters

Canada Day Signs

This is the Mattagami Park location. We had a great time meeting people and talking about trees.

The best time to plant a trees is 100 years ago, the second best time is today!

Oxygen Grows On Tress.

Cecropia Moth Visit today

Cecropia Moth

Came to visit at work today. map

Images of the Cecropia Moth

U of Gueph

Butterflies and Months of North America

Butterflies in Timmins

See a butterfly

Be a butterfly

Report a butterfly

Monarch Butterfly   Status: Special Concern Provincially and Nationally


MonarchWatch.org

The migrating monarch butterflies arrived about 3 weeks early this year on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and I now have reports from many northern locations, including southern MB and SK. I have one report from northern Quebec, as far north as Timmins, and am wondering if you could spread the word that we would appreciate any northern sightings of migrating monarch butterflies, or their eggs or caterpillars. Is there milkweed in the Timmins area? What species of milkweed?

Also, reports of other butterfly species would be appreciated by: eButterfly.ca and the Google Group Ontario Butterflies.

The Internet based science program for students called Journey North would also appreciate your monarch sightings and those of other target species.

Thank you

Life Member
Ontario Nature
Friends of Presqu'ile Park

Timmins Arbour Day 2012

You can get 

a tree seedling

a checklist of the birds poster

a Canada day sign

It’s more than water that keeps life sustainable on our planet. And the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation with the help of Millson Forestry is celebrating the Annual Arbour Day event this Saturday at three locations across the City; the White Waterfront Conservation Area in South Porcupine map, Mattagami Park in Mountjoy map and Gillies Lake Conservation Area map. It starts from 10:00am and participants are again asked for a small, voluntary donation when picking up trees. Arbour Day is an awareness drive for the environmental impact trees have.

Monies raised will go towards the many Wintergreen community conservation projects including trails, conservation education and student bursaries. Muddy Mark will be on hand at the Mountjoy location to answer any questions you may have concerning trees, birds or what you can do to help the environment. 
Those wanting more information can contact the Wintergreen Fund or the Conservation Authority at 360-2660.

Thanks Timmins Times

TimminsToday.com

Timmins Times

Timmins Daily Press

93.1 Moose FM

Come talk to me about what observations naturally you have seen.