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.

Timmins Fire Situation

Where to find the facts

I made a map of
Fire #9 May 24, 2012 2200hr in google maps.

It is rough but you can generally see what the fire effected.

City of Timmins updates twice a day.

OMNR information can be found here.

Ferns and frogs eggs; bridge no more.

Ferns are starting to come up.

go now

Like a ribbon of seeds to be panted in the garden, these seeds produce amphibians.

Looked into this big puddle and my first thought was : that is a huge worm!

Give your head a shake. Reminds me of my first week in Timmins. On our way to the airport, we pass some big houses, big yards too. Around the corner and at first glance I think "someone  has lost a horse". I am glad I realize a moose before I said anything. The northerns in the truck would still be laughing at me.

This is not a huge dead worm in the puddle. No lifting them gently reveals a black ovals inside a gel like tube. I suspect toad eggs. Guess I will go see if I can identify them on some site.

Can you help?

 go now






ex-Bridge
Cultural Heritage or Garbage?

Artifact?

This is on crown land. No one or everyone in Ontario is the owner.

One day it will rust enough to fall into the water. One day it will ave rusted so much there will nothing left.

Until that day, all the metals and chemicals will continue to enter the surface water.

Artifact or garbage, have your say.

DARLA GALLEY - PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG: BLACK CHIPMUNK_OTTAWA_CANADA

DARLA GALLEY - PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG: BLACK CHIPMUNK_OTTAWA_CANADA: A Rare Black Chipmunk spotted in the Ottawa area is making heads turn. After reading about this little guy in the newspaper today...

Trees and Water near Timmins today.

Tree Top

Water Rocks

Beaver Snacks

Today at work, which may look like play, but I am beat at the of the day!

Today marking boundary line and checking reserves.

A poplar top is very compact.

Looks great against the blue ski.

Water on rocks, with a map of where.

Looking up stream, the cedar are thick.

The beaver are hungry, they're eating birch.

Spring has the birch water over-flowing

nice day

oh turkey vulture flew overhead

and so did a red tailed hawk

Erratic Moss

"They" say

Moss grows on the North side of trees.

Are rocks different?

This rock, called an erratic, has moss growing on it's east side but absolutely none growing on the north side.

This rock is very close to here.
Images of Erractic Rocks

I think I may have found a cedar tree bigger then the biggest on the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees very close to this rock.  I will measure it next time I see it, next couple of months.


watch for it.

Earth Day Timmins

2012 EARTHDAY TIMMINS

Karl Habla organized an Earth Day walk at Gillies lake this year.
It was a wonderful day and the great ball of fire in the sky provided heat!

While the walk was not well attended it is the thougsht that counts. My kids laying in their beds said they were thinking of me.

more info from the Daily Press

Half of my Earth Day was spent at the 65th annual Sportsman Show. Again more info.

I really love to chat with the people that come to the Wintergreen display to talk about sightings and trails and being outdoors.

Plenty of people bought the Bird poster, only a townie!

For the first 2 hours my wonderful daughter joined me. She really only came for the candy floss.

I enjoy talking to people about the trails, the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees, Observations Naturally and interesting sightings around the area.

Nice!

Seeds of Diversity

Timmins Horticultural Society

This year I was asked if I could again talk about trees.
Well I guess so - that is all I really talk about anyway.
Trees and turtles and birds and orchid and trees.

Read about the event here

Kees and I discuss the importance of leaves on trees. It is the leaves that produce oxygen.

The bonsai white birch that travels with me every where is a great example of the importance of trees.

Oxygen Grows On Trees

Great Honed Owl Release.

The Owl Foundation

asked for 

HELP!

3 owls were coming form Vineland to be release close to where they had been found or injured.
My role was to pick up 2 owls in New Liskeard and release one in Matheson and hand one off to Brian in Timmins to be taken back to Kapaskasing.

 A barred owl was released just north of North Bay.
The Great Grey Owl in the video was released just west of Matheson.
The third was picked up in Timmins to be released in Kapaskasing.

The story of the Matheson owl is that it was young and must have fallen from the nest. It was too young to get back to the nest and certainly would have become a small meal for something.

Where the owl was released was only meters from where it had been found.

Brian tells me he had injured the bird when he hit it, I presume with his car.

The Owl Foundation 

Timmins Naturalists provided support for the transportation

Day after Early Earth Day 2012

Green House turns green 

early in the new year. 

CTV Jill Colton (@CTVJillColton ) and Mark check out the greenhouse before they leave for Sudbury after spending yesterday at Timmins Honda for Early Earth Day.

It is early April and already the green house is full of green conifer seedlings.

I just love coming in here when it is -30C outside and it is +25C inside. To watch the benches turn to green in a matter of days is just incredible!

Yes Jill, there are millions of tree seedlings here - and every one has a home!
These trees are the forests of tomorrow.

Most of the millions of trees do have a home, but some are still looking. If you want to buy a tree seedling, forestry size (small) or home owner size ( 6" pots) contact Millson Forestry Service and they can let you know what is available.

Early Earth Day 2012. Success!!

New Friends

together standing on an 

Old Friend

Roll'n and I met some new people this year at Timmins Honda, as we celebrate Earth Day a little early. Too cold to plant a tree today, the the hardy seedlings will tough it out until the soil is a constant 4C.

When I arrived the CTV gang and Forester Moe. had everything looking great and the public were already coming for a free tree seedling. There were also pens, pencils, and a Honda window thermometer.

Again this year the White birch bonsai was a great hit, and no you still can not have it. I will make some more so that they are available in a couple of years. You can read more about the tree here.

A new friend enjoyed meeting my best friend. Jill Coltan ( @CTVJillColton ) with CTV out of Sudbury really enjoyed meeting Roll'n, but then everyone does. I think she may have noticed I was there, but maybe not.

Everyone who came by got a free tree seedling provided by Millson Forestry Service. Timmins was the first stop, next up Sudbury and  North Bay. This year the tree seedlings are white spruce and white pine.

We need to continue to help our old friend, the earth. Plant a tree today, ok well not today, but when it is warmer, and the tickling roots will make it smile!

Early Earth Day. Free Tree Seedling

Early Earth Day April 16th, 2012

Visit Timmins Honda to pick up a free tree seedling.  Millson Forestry Service will again supply locations around North Eastern Ontario for Early Earth Day Events.

This year it looks like the ground will be warm enough to plant your tree seedling when you pick it up on April 16th.  The ground needs to be at least +4C and at my house it has been that warm. Tree Seedlings and Earth Day are a great fit.

" The best time to plant a tree is 100 years ago, 

the second best time is today!"

CTV Weather Specialist Jill Colton will be in Timmins

to hand out Millson Forestry Service Tree Seedlings 

as part of Early Earth Day celebrations at Timmins Honda.

EARTH DAY CANADA

Earth Day 2011 with Millson Forestry Service. Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins.
Success in the Sault  Success in Sudbury  Success in Timmins

2011 Forester Moe. and Muddy Mark at Timmins Honda

Earth Day 2010 with Millson Forestry Service. Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins.
Seedlings in Sault  Seedlings in Sudbury  Seedlings in Timmins

2010 Susan Millson, Muddy Mark and Forester Moe. in Timmins

The making of Muddy Mark

We all know that Earth Day is actually April 22nd. This year for Earth Day I will be at the Timmins Sportsman Show. I am also hoping I will be able to join Karl Habla on his morning Earth Day walk at Gillies Lake.

Marching for Earth Day

You can get bigger native tree seedlings at Millson Forestry Service any time. My favourite is the Red pine, but the White pine (Ontario Arboreal Emblem) is a close second.