We went to Parry Sound on Friday.   I have never seen so many snapping turtles (7 or 8).  Some will appear below.  Saw a very wary black bear cub at Big Lake.  And had a surprise.

First some alien wildflowers indicating the start of summer:    The orange hawkweeds are just starting to emerge in open spaces, as are the goatsbeard, the oxeye daisy and the common yarrow.

This native Aquilera has a huge infestation of aphids.

Some native wildflowers:

Yellow Pond Lily, Solomon’s Plume (which I prefer to the False spikenard, False Solomon’s seal, since it is more descriptive.) and Bog Cotton :

Surprise!

Then I saw this beastie loping down the road towards me.  Long shot with the camera stuck out the window of the truck:

It  bounded into the bush and gave me this glimpse as it disappeared.

Porcupines are seen very rarely around here as the Ontario MNR has imported fishers to control them… and many other species, including domestic cats.

Complex facial “plates” on this Snapper!

This one was completing her third nest:

I cannot yet understand why turtles cross the road from one pond to another instead of using the culvert.

Ahhhh.  Safety!

I had to take this just to check out the camera.  Good lens.

And, finally, two artsy images in between rain showers:

You never know what you’re gonna see.

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