Black and Blue

This patch of Pickerelweed captured my eye on an early fall morning, its stems and leaves arranged in a haphazard pattern, silhouetted and reflected in the still water.

Damselfly in Distress

After portaging our kayaks to Wolf Howl Pond, we spent several hours exploring the flora and fauna on each side of the trail that bisects it. While photographing Round-leaved Sundew, we noticed several had random wings attached. At that moment a bluet damselfly appeared and as it hovered above, first one wing and then the other became trapped by the carnivorous plant. As it struggled to free itself its abdomen was snared by a third leaf, immobilizing it and demonstrating the effectiveness of the glue-like substance found at the tips of each leaf, that earns the plant its name.

Turtle 101

When hiking the Mizzy Lake Trail you may often find marked turtles basking in Wolf Howl Pond and West Rose Lake, subjects captured and numbered by turtle researchers from the Wildlife Research Station. We encountered "turtlers" Damien and Tyler, who allowed us to handle a couple of Painted Turtles while educating us about them.

Valentine's Day

The Winter in the Wild Festival was held on Valentine's Day and was a wonderful time spent with the loves of my life, Morwen and Algonquin.

Then and Now

I was elated to find and buy from a thrift store, a rare copy of the first reptile booklet produced by the park in the late 1950s. It made for interesting reading with its archaic nomenclature and handling procedures however even more fascinating is that since then the number of species reported in the park has increased, with turtles doubling from 3-6 and snakes from 6-9. Although some species are rare and others no longer seen, it raises speculation about the factors between then and now.

A Wild Celebration

A moose carcass, salvaged from an earlier road kill, was placed by park staff near Sunday Creek below the Visitor Centre, where visitors could observe it, close up via scopes, and hoped to witness nature's cycle in action. From death comes life, a wild celebration of renewal as it will be scavenged, distributed and reconstituted into other life throughout the ecosystem. When we attended the Winter in the Wild Festival, a couple of days later, there hadn't been any activity reported yet. Taken with my iPhone pressed against the eyepiece of the scope, the scene reminded me of a full moon, another of nature's cycles.

A Bird Named Leu

Leu is the name we christened a particular Black-capped Chickadee that we have spotted several times and on one occasion enticed it to feed from our hand. Our name for it is a contraction of its condition, known as leucism, a genetic mutation that prevents melanin and other pigments from being deposited normally on feathers, creating white patches on its black cap.

Centennial Ridges Trail

At 10 kilometres in length Centennial Ridges Trail is the longest of all the hiking trails, and a very demanding one with its multiple climbs and descents. Opened in 1993 to commemorate Algonquin's centennial year, it pays tribute to a number of people who played a significant role in the park's history and offers breathtaking views from its many cliffs.

Arowhon Rest

After snowshoeing 8 kilometres into Arowhon Pines Resort, we enjoyed our lunch from their restaurant deck overlooking Little Joe Lake, before returning to the corridor.

Snow Sculpture

The gnarled roots of this decrepit tree, draped with fresh snow, caught my attention as we drove by, a solitary sculpture surrounded by a blanket of pristine snow. I trudged over the frozen marsh to capture this image, the gap in the middle of the tree framing a small island with a copse of trees in the background.

Eye of the Beholder

Contrary to what many people believe, dogs not only see in shades of grey but also distinct colours. They lack the third colour receptor in their eyes that humans possess, which make them unable to distinguish certain colours, like those of the autumn leaves and the red of this hoodie, but like us, seem to be able to appreciate a beautiful scene.

Centre Stage

I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to the park when the leaves were at their peak, according to the Fall Colour Report available on The Friends of Algonquin Park website. The park was a calvacade of colour, each turn in the road revealing another spectacular display. At km 21, a small lay-by overlooks a beaver pond, the access point for Source Lake, and it was here a row of vibrant red maples and their reflection took centre stage.

First Crack

My first crack at kayaking in the spring of 2012, threading my way through a pressure crack formed by recent flooding. Heavy rainfall, combined with melting snow that couldn't be absorbed by the frozen or saturated ground, caused severe flooding and damage to several roads in the park. Rising water levels formed moats of water around the edges of the frozen lakes and caused this pressure crack, the only lake along the corridor to be affected like this.