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May 17, 2003
BRUCE TRAIL - off of Dunby Road
Meeting report & photos by Skeet Sutherland
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Today's hike meet started off with four people, although it
turned out that two of the people at the Bruce Trail entrance on Dunby
Road at 10:00 AM were training for a marathon and simply having a rest at
that very spot. They had been running for 15 hours (or something) and were
about to run the remaining 20km of their 100km adventure. Anyways,
after seeing them off, the two of us enjoyed a fantastic day in the
Hockley Valley Wildlife Reserve. With the loose theme of Spring Tree
Identification we explored like children in a candy store. It was
great for this particular day that previously in the week a mix of sunny
and rainy weather helped the green world flourish. There was
something new coming up everywhere. The forest floor in the
hardwoods was a beautiful multicolour carpet. The black flies were horrendous
as well. We tried a little experimentation with Wild Leeks,
using them as repellent. We smushed a whole leek, bulb and all and
rubbed it all over. It seemed to work pretty good for a while, but
wore off. Mud also worked well, but it dries out quick with the warm
breeze.
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The tree that kept us trying was this one, do YOU know what
it is? We finally got it, after calling it American
Beech among others. A hint is that it establishes early succession
forest types, in dry sites.
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Everything seemed to breaking there buds and reaching for the
sun. There are so many to pick from
and as usual we observed the whole land, not simply trees.
This little cottontail seems to have lost its tail.
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We ate lunch on top of a small hill hoping to escape the
Black flies, utilizing the breeze. It didn't work but it was cool
because there was a pretty old patch of Red Osier Dogwood that appeared as
though it was pruned evenly like an English Hedge. Its contour being
that the "maximum" distance of the deer to reach in winter
months.
At a multi use trail system convergence area, a Raccoon kill
site was scattered about in the cedars. Possibly from last year, it
showed evidence of age due to weathering. The pieces have been
pulled together for the picture.
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All in all we had an amazing time, even the bugs.
Witnessing the new growth, streak the landscape filled us with pure
inspiration.
Till next time, Skeet Sutherland
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[The mystery tree is an ash, probably a
white ash]
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