Big Bay Beast

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Skinner’s Bluff. How is it that this section of Skinner’s is so weathered and worn while the other section that was posted before looks like it was freshly chiseled.

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Winter is gone and we’re back in business. Sadly I had misplaced the login information I used for this account, but thanks to some solid beer inspired thinking I was able to figure it out. The weather was reasonable this week so I went for a hike up to Skinner’s Bluff and this is what I saw. Still a hazardous level of snow in the bush, but it won’t be around long with the way things are going.

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The colours are on the lighter end of the spectrum this fall. Lots of Burnt Oranges, Golden and Pale Yellows, and some Coppers.

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Here’s a little guy I found, lets see if he morphs into something awesome.

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According to the Wiarton Echo, the Georgian Bluffs township council is planning on making repairs to the Big Bay Wharf. Looks like the total cost is almost a quarter million dollars, and they will be fundraising $100K. To be honest a little TLC wouldn’t hurt the thing, but I don’t know if it needs two hundred and fifty grande. Then again I am not an engineer and perhaps they’ve studied it and found that there is a giant gaping structural failure that is just waiting to send the whole thing to bottom of Georgian Bay with a couple of cottagers in tow. I do know there is a small boat launch that has been out of order for a while, but the main launch is fine. Speaking of that small launch, it’s so narrow I have no idea what it’s purpose was. Jetskis? Canoes? Kayaks? Boats for ants?! Ultimately I am glad to see that the township is maintaining our infrastructure and not letting it turn into a dilapidated mess.

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Must resist inner asian urge to go take selfie in sunflower field...

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Ok going on with the red bugs, this is a Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). Ironically smaller than the ones in the previous photo, because this guy is still a nymph.

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Some bugs like these Small Milkweed Bugs (Lygaeus kalmii) are still going at it.

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The weather is finally starting to cool down a bit at night, and with it, the bugs are dying off.

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The Pond

And here we have a little pond. I call it The Pond. It doesn’t actually have a name that I know of. I’ve done a little digging (not in The Pond), and it’s part of a much larger network of wet marshy waterways that drain off of the Slough of Despond. The Slough is small lake left over from the last ice age. This guy explains its origins to a degree that you will either find facinating or cause you to quickly close your browser window. I am in the first group (hopefully it’s a group). 

I enjoy meandering over to this literal hole in the ground because there’s always some flourish of beastly activity afoot. The first thing I usually see is a group of ducks go ballistic out and take flight the second they become aware of my obscene presence. Sometimes there’s a raccoon lurking around for what I can only presume is fish to eat. The fish? I know they’re there because I see them launching themselves out of the water in an attempt to eat whatever flying invertebrate they fancy eating. I take pleasure in knowing that some of those same doomed invertebrates were potentially the ones that thought they could make me into their meal. Hakuna Matata! It’s the whole circle of life in this little puddle of creation.

There’s obviously many more critters getting down to whatever it is they happen to get down to in this neck of the wetlands, but lets ignore them for a second and talk about the various flora that come into season with the passing summer. There’s all kinds of wild flowers, not to mention ferns, and of course let’s not forget the Cattails. According to Wikipedia Cattails are also known as Water Sausages. Just picture that for second. It just doesn’t seem right does it? It sounds like something a four year old would think up. If we’re going to get wild with the names, why not just call them Fur Weiners or Fuzzy Dicks? But I digress. The Pond is always a pleasant place to visit.

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Lithobates pipiens - Northern leopard frog. This little guy has excellent camo going on. No way I would have spotted him if he wouldn’t have inexplicably started hoping onto the tire of my truck. Good science: these guys produce enzymes that are being tested as brain and lung cancer fighting drugs.

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Chelydra serpentina - Common snapping turtle. I spotted this beast crossing Coles Side Road right by the pond. I came back a little later and it looked like it was getting ready to lay some eggs. I came back even later than that, and it looked like one of those masked bandit bastard raccoons had made off with the eggs.

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Hemerocallis fulva - Not even a true lily, but a day lily. I was told they’re called day lilies because if you cut them to bring home they will only last a day. It is not actually native to the Bruce Peninsula, but invasive from foreign lands.

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Rubus strigosus or maybe Rubus idaeus - Raspberry. The Clark Kent of fruits. There’s nothing I need to say other than get em before the birds do.

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Cichorium intybus - Chicory. What can I tell you about this guy? Well, inulin, an extract of Chicory root, happens to be a good source of dietary fiber and just this year the United States FDA approved it as a food additive to help people poop. Even more amazingly non-hydrolyzed inulin can also be directly converted to ethanol in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process! Also I like the colour.

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Arctium minus - Lesser Burdock. The flowers are just coming into season on these clingy buggers. Fun fact, the root of these plants was at one time used as a bittering agent for beer, and is still grown in Asia for food. What in the name of the good Lord is that ant doing there?

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Big Bay Milky Way