Cliff Hangers

Cliff Hangers
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

Two tiny mushroom on a limb destined for the winter fireplace. We are having rain after rain after rain and the mushrooms are popping up and out.

Still Watching

Still Watching
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

It was a good day for eye close ups yesterday. This Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) was sunning and let me get quite close before slithering off into the underbrush. I like the two dark lines darting down just under the eye.

Just Looking

Just Looking
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

This Gray Treefrog was not only not gray but also not in a tree. It was bright lime green and resting on a black railing making it very obvious. About 95% of the time these frogs are impossible to see but very noisy. This one was very quiet and very exposed. It was just outside the Royal Botanical Garden headquarters, in Burlington, Ontario.

Visitor

Visitor
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I found this visiting Polyphemus moth in our barn this afternoon. (I've two cocoons in a shed but neither of them have come out yet.)

A Grape Natural Sculpture

A Grape Natural Sculpture
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I saw these grape tendrils against the sky and was impressed. Art is where you find it.

Insect On Nettle

Insect On Nettle
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I don't know the species of insect but it was climbing on Tall Nettle (Urtica dioica ssp.gracilis).

Reach For the Light

Reach For the Light
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

I managed to get close to a Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) this morning. He was very obliging in staying still for a good 5 minutes while I got closer and closer.

Listen ! It's a Lime.

Listen ! It's a Lime.
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

In Euell Gibbons' book, Stalking the Healthful Herbs, I was introduced to the idea of listening and smelling for trees. He was searching for the Basswood tree (Tilia americana). The photo above is of a close European relative (Tilia cordata) or Small-leaved Lime also called the Small-leaved Lindin. It too can be found by sound and smell. The smell is of the tens of thousands of small flowers and the sound is of the many insects that it attracts. The tree area just buzzes with insect wing noises. It's a totally neat experience to be there when it blooms. This is one of several of the species that live in the RBG Arboretum.

Yellow Avens

Yellow Avens
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

Stipules, those leaf-like appendages found at the base of the leaf stems, are what separate Yellow Avens from Wood Avens. Both Yellow Avens and Wood Avens have flowers that look like this one. This is the Yellow Avens

Moth Against the Wall

Moth Against the Wall
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

The 365 theme this week is contrast. I did not know that when I took this photo but it seems to fill the bill as the contrast of coloured moth against cement wall is quite strong. Needless to say, it was not very well hidden. It was in the shadow of an axe handle that somewhat matched it's colour but moving the axe handle make it stand out like a beacon. (Maybe an un-beacon?)

Not Quite in the Gloaming

Not Quite in the Gloaming
Originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer

Looking for simple shapes in the environment for a Photoshop project, I saw these thimbleberries showing up against a dark tree trunk a few minutes before sunset. Putting the camera slightly out of focus helped the effect.