Catch of the Day

Yesterday, my good friend, Henry Tabel accompanied me to the upper Powers Creek area to check on my trail cameras. The cameras' memory cards showed that two deer and several mountain bike riders had recently passed along the trail. On our return, we checked the camera that I have monitoring the marshy pond on upper Glenrosa Road. That camera contained pictures of three moose, likely the same mother and yearling twins that have been frequent visitors to the area. Now we can see that the twins are a male and a female, for one of them has small antler buds.

The female yearling twin----.

The third animal, with only her head and neck showing, is their mother.

As always, at this time of year, a great variety of wildflowers were in bloom.

It was not until I looked at my picture of the Sulphur Buckwheat that I noticed the colourful beetle among the blossoms. As of yet, I have not learned its identity.

Two of my favorite flowers, Columbine and Larkspur are blooming. The intricate architecture of their blossoms is fascinating.

Last year, I got photos of a bumblebee feeding on Columbine blossoms--but rather than entering the flower by passing the stamens, it was drawing up nectar directly by piercing the spurs. I will be watching this year to see if the process is repeated.

Larkspur

I also enjoy looking at the delicately beautiful blossoms of Foamflower and I intend to work toward getting better close-up photos of them. Yesterday, the mosquitoes were very troublesome; not ideal conditions for taking detailed flower pictures!

A wisp of white hair was snagged on bushes beside the trail. I think that it was the long, fine wool of a Mountain Goat. Twice, in previous years, I have seen Mountain Goats in the upper Powers Creek valley.