Above photo:  Tamarack swamp along Hwy 529

We took Hwy 529 to Moose Lake Trading Post for some Wild Cherry Frozen Yoghurt and stopped along the way to make a few pictures.

Field Bindweed, of the Morning Glory family is starting to bloom along the sides of the roads…

Tamarack cones are maturing and exuding sap.  I wonder if that is normal?

Some critter(s) have been harvesting these blueberries.   And Pink Edged Sulphurs have been laying eggs on the leaves of these Vaccinium.

Maybe a Boreal Blue Bluet.  Maybe not?

Coreopsis are maturing …

Some Yellow Goatbeards are still blooming, while others are finished with seeding.

Tall Meadow Rue against dappled water…

More dappled water….

Click on this grass panicle to see that it supports a  very fine web of spider filaments.

 

One of these days I find one of these out in the open with no wind.  I think that the breeze pushed this one away a few mm, affecting the focus.  Click on it to see the quality at mid bloom with the quality at the very top.

Female plants of Rhus typhina in flower complete with visitor which is nice to examine in close-up…

I was photographing this ripening Beaked Hazelnut ….

… when all of a sudden this birdie flew into view and then took off with my first shutter click.  I calculated that the encounter (find bird in viewfinder: 1 second +; Autofocus:  .3 second, release shutter: .3 second) took a total of <2 seconds to this  point.  within the next second the bird had braced for take-off, launched and disappeared.  I know that because I was shooting in (Medium) Burst mode.   This birdie doesn’t hang around singing like its spouse does!

Very interesting fruits of Ostrya virginiana   or Ironwood, which is rarely seen around here, as we are right on its northern limit.

Bush Honeysuckles are starting to bloom.   What is that spider doing there?

These Cinquefoils are starting to end their blooming period…