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Past Outing Reports

Page history last edited by John W Lehman 8 years, 6 months ago

Go to Outing Reports—2015 or Outing Reports—2014 for reports and photos from 2015 or 2014 field trips.

Click on Outing Reports—2015 to submit a new report.

 


August 10, 2013, Hike the Delirium Swamp Wilderness

Leader: Carl Linhart

Carl reports, "Our company of five came out intact, although two of us fell off beaver dam leading edges to beaver ponds onto the dry side without apparent injury."

Click on the link to download Carl and Robert Routledge's 21-page photographic record of this outing. (Scroll down to see all the photos.)

Delirium Wilderness August 10-2013.pdf

 

July 13, 2013, St. Joe's Orchid Odyssey

Leader: Dave Euler

Click on the link to download Robert Routledge's photographic record of this outing. (Scroll down to see all the photos.)

St. Joseph Island July 13-2013.pdf

 

June 29, 2013, Botanizing with Steve Furr

Leaders: Steve Furr

Click on the link to download Robert Routledge's and Dave Euler's photographic record of this outing. (Scroll down to see all the photos.)

Soo Nats June 29, 2013 Chippewa County.pdf

 

June 22, 2013, Gros Cap Nature Hike

Leader: Harvey Robbins

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

GrosCap2013.pdf 

 

June 16, 2013, Drummond Island & Spring Plants Foray

Leader: Ev Simon

Click on the link to download Robert Routledge's visual record of this outing.

Soo Nats Drummond Island and area June 16-2013.pdf 

 

June 9, 2013, Agates & Piping Plovers

Leader: Jeanne Mannesto

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

AgatesAndPlovers2013.pdf

 

May 25, 2013, Missisaugi River Fiddlehead Hunt, Birding, and Spring Flower Excursion

Leader: Harvey Robbins

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

findingfiddleheads2013.pdf 

 

May 19, 2013, Naomikong Birds & Botany

Leader: Ev Simon

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

NAOMIKONG2013.pdf

 

May 18, 2013, Spring Flower Foray

Leader: Rob Routledge

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

SPRINGFLORA2013.pdf

 

May 4, 2013, Wishart Park

Leader: Val Walker

Click on the link to download Bill Purnis' visual record of this outing.

WISHARTpark2013.pdf

 

June 9, 2012, Gros Cap Extension Hike

Leader - Dave Euler

 

     

Lunch over Lake Superior, June 9, 2012

 

Question Mark Butterfly 
(Has a small white question mark on the lower underwing)

 

I always wonder, at the start of each new Sault Naturalists hike, what will be the highlight of the hike.  Birds, flowers, friends, scenery and jocularity have all been highlights as we have tramped through the fields and forests of Sault Set Marie and its surroundings.  So at the beginning of the hike on June 9th, as I looked over the participants, I guessed that perhaps Ron might try out some new language he had been learning, or perhaps Evelyn might make some ribald remark that would carry us through the hike with laughter and fun.  Val often makes insightful comments that reveal her hidden talents and we learn a new idea or plant.  Bob brings useful skills at plant identification, while Carol usually asks good questions.  Two newcomers to the hike Gillen and Sheryl, represented unknown talents.

 

What then would be the highlight of this hike on the Gros Cap extension of the Voyageur Trail, just off Marshall Drive, east of the Sault?  Several candidate highlights could qualify.  The pink fleabane at the start, looking lovely in the small clearing at the start of the Trail.  The Seals, both Solomon’s and False were interesting as we walked through the rich forest at the start of the trail.  Rosy was there as well, Rosy Twisted Stalk always lights up my life with her little discrete flowers hidden under her low hanging branches    The singing thrushes Veery and Hermit made life beautiful for all of us as we listened to their attempt to claim their very own territory.   There was also a puzzle, what were those little red dots on the maple leaves???

 

Finding the highlight of a trip is difficult, however, after some reflection I think our lunch break looking out over Lake Superior, enjoying a light breeze off the lake, thinking about coreopsis, bastard toadflax, question mark butterflies, broadwing hawks and the company of fellow naturalists who appreciate the natural world was great.  It was the highlight of a very nice tramp through the forest, captured in the pictures attached.

 

Reported by Dave Euler

 

May 27 - 29 2011, Kirtland’s Warbler Outing

Leader - Dave Euler

 

                    

 

Back in the 70’s when we first heard of Michigan’s “Bird of Fire” it never occurred to us that we might someday actually see one; we just hoped that the species could be saved from extinction. At that time there were only about 400 Kirtland’s Warblers in existence. Numbers further declined to a low point of 167 singing males (and presumably an equal number of females) in 1987.

 

Kirtland’s Warblers are very picky about where they build their nests, and forest fire controls were causing a decline in suitable breeding habitat. Also, Brown-headed Cowbirds (which lay their eggs in the nests of other birds) had moved east from the prairies and were parasitizing Kirtland’s nests at rates near 70%. Cowbird nestlings survive at the expense of the smaller warbler nestlings, so the Kirtland’s Warblers were taking a beating both from habitat loss and nest parasitism. The outlook was grim.

 

A recovery task force formed in 1976 came up with a plan to manage pine stands to improve breeding habitat and also a reasonably humane means of controlling cowbird numbers. It’s taken decades, but populations have responded, so now adding Dendroica kirtlandii  to one’s life list is a real possibility. In 2010 there were nearly 1800 singing males on the breeding grounds, almost entirely in a few counties in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

 

So under the guidance of Dave Euler we plotted a course for the Lower Peninsula.  Fifteen birders in all, we stayed in everything from tents to cabins and motels, and met with our tour guide early Saturday morning (to minimize disturbance to the birds, it’s illegal to visit Kirtland’s breeding areas without a guide.) It was a short drive to a rather ordinary looking Jack Pine plantation, with scattered trees about 2 or 3 meters tall.

 

The birds were spectacular! We heard Kirtland’s Warblers singing almost immediately. At first it was a struggle to catch a glimpse, as light drizzle and chilly winds were keeping the warblers down low. The weather improved a bit, and the singing males moved up in to small, nearly leafless oak trees, affording excellent views.  At times we could see and/or hear several Kirtland’s Warblers at one time; for birders this is about as good as it gets!

 

The young Jack Pine stands are also home to many Clay-coloured Sparrows, and quite a few Brown Thrashers, Nashville Warblers, Vesper Sparrows, Lincoln’s Sparrows and Blue Jays. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are everywhere in the Grayling area, seemingly as common as American Robins.

 

In the afternoon we visited Hartwick Pines State Park, home to some wonderful old growth pine and hemlock stands. The visitor’s centre, logging museum and walking trails are a must-see for anyone travelling in the area.

 

Dinner at a 50’s restaurant got a few unruly characters in to the mood for singing old Rock & Roll tunes, and this regrettable behaviour spilled out in to the normally peaceful streets of Grayling.  Further attempts at singing around the evening campfire rounded out a wonderful day of birding. Sunday morning we went our separate ways, with some choosing to return to the warbler breeding grounds, others investigating  local cycling opportunities, and a few venturing out to explore the greatest wilderness of all - outlet malls!  

 

For more information on Kirtland’s Warblers, visit http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/birds/Kirtland/kiwafctsht.html

 

Many thanks to Dave Euler for organizing a wonderful outing, and putting up with such an unruly crew!

 

Don and Vivian Hall

 

Sat Oct. 23, Lake Superior Geology Outing.

We had a wonderful outing today with perfect weather before this evening’s rain. Carol Deursch the Interpreter from Lake Superior Provincial park and her husband Joel joined us in interpreting the Agawa Bay Pictographs. We also talked about the formation of dykes on the trail and at the cliff face and discussed how they were eroded by water. Carol also took us down the Coastal trail to a wonderful location where huge boulders the size of houses have fallen off the cliffs behind (probably during late glacial times) landing on other boulders. They remain perched there with the coastal trail actually routed beneath two or three of them.

 

                   

                   Chasm near Agawa Pictographs                                   Carl Under Boulder on Coastal Trail

    After leaving the park, we stopped at the Montreal River raised beaches, a beautiful beach near Mica Bay and a billion year old beach partially covered with volcanic lava.

 

Lake Superior Shoreline

 

   While we only had eight members in attendance, all had a great time.

Go to Lake Superior Geology to see Harvey's photos.

Reported by Harvey Robbins

 

Sat Oct 16, 2010. Monocle Lake Hike 

Leader—Jeanne Mannesto.

Ten intrepid Naturalists met at the Michigan Welcome Center on a cold October morning for a hike around Monocle Lake, led by Jeanne Mannesto. After passing through the Bay Mills Native Community we turned on Monocle Lake Road and stopped at Jeanne’s cabin, a Quonset hut with a row of lake-viewing windows that’s been restored and adapted to its scenic location on the lake. We started out on a narrow trail that passes in front of the cabins on the private part of the lake, then came to a wider trail leading through a U.S. Forest Service campground to a pleasant sandy beach. From there we followed the Binnobia Trail to a boardwalk with a viewing platform, where we discovered an alder branch coated with a white cottony mass of what Bob Currell declared to be woolly aphid larvae. Continuing on to a trail junction, we followed the left branch in the direction of the Mission Hill overlook. On the way we enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and inspected a few late-season fungi that included honey mushrooms (Armillariella mellea), late fall oyster mushrooms (Panellus serotinus), chaga fungi (Innonotus obliquus), and violet-toothed polypores (Trichaptum biformis). To get to the overlook we had to scale a steep bluff up a series of switchbacks, but with the help of a few rest stops we all made it to the top, a bit winded.

 

                         

                    Monocle Lake                                                                Last Switchback up the Bluff

From there we had a spectacular view of Spectacle Lake (which does in fact look like a pair of spectacles), Lake Superior, and the windfarm on Gros Cap.

 

          

                              Spectacle Lake

We decided to take a walk through the interesting Mission Hill Cemetery, which holds the remains of eight sailors from the illl-fated steamship Myron. She sank in 1919 in a Lake Superior November gale with the loss of all her crew except the captain, who was found drifting on wreckage near Ile Parisienne. Local residents had chopped the sailors from the shore ice and buried them in the cemetery. When we returned to the overlook we saw some horses being unloaded from a horse trailer, including one with a perfectly diamond-shaped white blaze on its forehead. From there it was all (or nearly all) downhill back to Monocle Lake, where we picked up our vehicles and drove to the Dancing Crane Coffee House in Bay Mills. On Val’s recommendation some of the Naturalists ordered “pumpkin pie chai,” but the more conservative among us had cappuccinos or fruit smoothies. It had turned out to be a nice, sunny, and comparatively warm day, and we all enjoyed hiking in this colorful and scenic location. Thanks to Jeanne for a great fall outing. (See more Monocle Lake photos on our Flickrsite.)

Reported by John Lehman

 

Outings Report for 2009

The Sault Naturalists‟ outings are a means by which we explore and experience the natural world around us. Always there is an element of learning, be it deciphering a key to identify a plant species, or examining tracks & signs of some elusive animal or testing our own physical limitations. Outings are also a way to envelop oneself in all things that should be a priority in life... camaraderie, health and an appreciation for our beautiful world.

In 2009, we had many ventures into our beautiful world: woodland hikes including ones to Naomikong, Round Island Point and Wilderness State Park; waterway paddles to Munuscong Bay, Robertson Lake and Les Cheneaux Islands; snowshoe tramps to King Mountain, Heyden and Sugar Island; bushwhack skies to Pancake Bay, McNearney and Red Rock; cave crawls to the Desbarats bat cave and the Hendrie water caves; fungal forays near Detour, and of course, many bird outings on both sides of the border including our 4 day camp out at Point Pelee National Park.

This fall, for the first time, we ventured into a 2600 acre property newly purchased by the Algoma Highlands Conservancy. The land was acquired to ensure the long term protection of this scenic wilderness area. What a gem!

All outings are led by club volunteers for the benefit of the Club. We thank you for the generous donation of your time.

So come on out and join us on an outing. Maybe you too will be inspired!

Submitted by Valerie Walker, Outings Coordinator

 

May 3, 2009. Naomikong Creek Outing 

Leaders: Chuck Bosley & Evelyn Simon

Eleven naturalists assembled at the trailhead for the Naomikong Creek trail, which is a scenic section of the North Country Trail that follows the Lake Superior Shore for part of its length.  One of our objectives was to hunt for skunk cabbage but, as it turned out, little hunting was necessary. Chuck & Ev reported that—including today’s finds—a total of 67 skunk cabbage plants had been observed. This fascinating plant (Symplocarpus foetidus) generates temperatures 15-35°C above air temperature in the early spring, which is enough to melt its way through frozen ground and emerge from the snow. This makes it one of the few plants that exhibit thermogenesis, the conversion of energy from cellular respiration to heat (thermogenic plants include other smelly species, such as carrion flower and dead-horse arum).

 

Only a few flowers were in bloom, such as spring beauty and trailing arbutus, but a number of other interesting plants were observed. Chuck showed us how to distinguish shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum) from the similar bristly clubmoss (Lycopodium annotinum); the former has sporangia in zones along the stem and the latter has spores in cones that emerge from the ends of the stems. He pointed out some interesting mosses, including the reddish colored Sphagnum Magellanicum (aka midway peat moss) and Sphagnum Wulfianum(Wulf's sphagnum); the latter has a hard stem that can be heard when snapped. He also identified a variety of other species, including the trail plant (Adenocaulon bicolor), so named because when one travels through woods where it is common the disturbed leaves with their white bottoms exposed reveal the hiker’s path. Other species of interest to botanizers included trout lily, sheep sorrel, princess-pine (Lycopodium obscurum), Dutchman’s breeches, partridgeberry, ostrich fern (fertile fronds), toothwort (Dentaria diphylla), bunchberry, wood sorrel, miterwort, birch polypore, goldthread, Canada mayflower, marsh marigold, swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum), avens, twinflower, rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera sp), running clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum), snowberry, several species of sphagnum, blueberry spp, wintergreen, Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), pipsissewa, bearberry, bastard toadflax, leatherleaf, sand cherry, and Michigan holly.

 

There were some sightings of interest to birders as well. During our walk along the Lake Superior beach we saw 2 Caspian terns and a lone wood duck, who flew off with a pair of mallards. Other bird sightings included a yellow-rumped warbler ("yump") and a kestrel at the Michigan Welcome Center, a pine warbler and another yump at our lunch site, a wood wren (vocalization only), and a broad-winged hawk.

 

We had lunch in a clearing just west of the suspension footbridge that crosses Naomikong Creek. During that time Carl Linhart informed us that the rather drab-colored mourning cloak butterfly—a specimen of which had flown by—is known as the Camberwell beauty in England. Carl also posed the following riddle, which he attributed to Homer: “What we caught we threw away; what we didn’t catch we kept.” (Answer below.)

 

In all, this outing was a great way to welcome the long-awaited coming of spring.

 

Reported by John Lehman

Answer to riddle: lice

 

April 25, 2009. Annual Whitefish Point Spring Migration

Leader: Tony Walker

This year, as it was in 2008, Mother Nature gave us showers and a wind from the North West, temperature 5 degrees C with sporadic drizzle. But a small group of birders following the Philosophy of "nothing ventured nothing gained" arrived at the point. The absence of Raptors, except for several Turkey Vultures, was highlighted by the fact that the sand dune platform counters hut was locked. For me this is a first, I have always seen Raptors. But we had a silver lining in the form of the second only sighting at Whitefish of an adult Avocet in breeding plumage; the bird was a little skittish but a large group of birders with scopes and cameras were given great views as the bird flew by and then walked along the beach. Its call was slightly slower than the one on Robert’s palm unit, but it was very clear and easily identified. I have listed birds at the river mouth and point in two groups.

Birds at Tahquemenon River mouth: Northern Flicker, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Common Merganser,  Red-breasted Merganser, Common Golden Eye, Bufflehead, Ring-neck Duck, American Wigeon, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant,  Greater Yellowlegs, Belted Kingfisher, Canada Goose, Greater Scaup,

Birds at Whitefish Point:  Sandhill Crane, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White Throated Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Black capped Chickadee, Swainson Thrush, Snowy Owl Female imm (1 at the point), Common Loon, Eastern Phoebe, Common Raven, Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Herring Gull, Turkey Vulture, American Avocet (at the Harbour).

Reported by Tony Walker

 

Sept. 19, 2008, DeTour Mushroom Foray

Leaders: Sandy and Jerry Sheine

Eleven participants gathered at a roadside park west of DeTour for a mushroom foray led by Sandy and Jerry Sheine, who came up from Rochester, Michigan for the occasion. At the park, Lorna found a nice cluster of Lentinellus vulpinus, a nearly stemless shell-shaped fungus that was growing in the crevice of a tree.  From there we drove a muddy road to Cranberry Lake that had been used by logging trucks, causing some concern among those with low-clearance vehicles. After a short walk up the road and back we reversed course and drove to a more productive trail farther west.  Exclamations such as “Wow, what’s this?” arose frequently, and Sandy usually came up with a quick answer. Among the more interesting finds were an unusual variant of the tawny grisette (Amanita fulva), with white patches of a universal veil on it’s chocolate covered cap; the beautiful painted bolete (Suillus spraguei), which grows only in association with white pines; the beautiful but deadly Amanita bisporigera, also known as the Angel of Death; the red-gilled cort (Cortinarius semisanguineus), with blood-red gills that can be used to dye wool; a bearded tooth fungus (Hericium erinaceus), with a beardlike mass of long spines hanging down from a tree trunk; the yellow-latex milk cap (Lactarius vinaceorufescens) with gills that, when cut, bleed white latex that soon turns yellow; the pinwheel marasmius (Marasmius rotula), which looks like a tiny white parachute supported on a thin black stalk; a number of delicious gypsy mushrooms (Rozites caperata), whose tawny caps display a silky white bloom; and the eyelash fungus (Scutellinia scutellata), which looks like a tiny red-orange disc fringed with eyelash-like hairs. We then drove to the cabin of Bonni and Graham Mackintosh, where we had a delicious buffet lunch assembled from Bonni’s kitchen with contributions from the participants. Afterwards Sandy and some helpers sorted the collections and studied the mushrooms that weren’t identified in the field, while Graham entertained the rest of us with tales of his adventures, which are described in his four books—the latest of which,  Marooned with Very Little Beer, features a photo of Chuck and Ev. A small brown Galerina stylifera resisted identification until Sandy studied its spores later under a microscope. This mushroom may be deadly poisonous, reminding us not to eat little brown mushrooms (or any mushrooms, for that matter) without identifying them first! In all, 57 species were collected and identified; select DeTour Foray to download a species list. See Mushrooms and Other Fungi for photos of Suillus spraguei, Amanita bisporigera, and Galerina stylifera

 

Reported by John Lehman

 

April 15-22. 2008, Birding Vancouver Island

Click on 2008AprVancouverIslandwithTonyandJackreport.pdf to download the report and photos from a birding outing with Tony Walker.

 

April 26, 2008, Annual Whitefish Point Spring Migration

 Leader: Tony Walker

The day for the Sault Naturalist outing was marred by really inclement weather conditions, cold South Westerly winds and occasional drizzle were the order of the day. The Tahquamenon River mouth was filled with a variety of water fowl, and 4 Bald Eagle 3 immature, Caspian Tern, Bonaparte's Gull, and 4 very cold Killdeer added spice to the group of birders there.

  At the point, from the viewing platform an immature Golden Eagle soared high and then came very close, Red Tailed Hawk, Sharp Shinned Hawk and a Pair of Merlin's flashing in and out of groups of small birds, looking for food on the wing.  At the back of the book shop Chipping Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Cowbirds, Purple Finch, Dark Eyed Junco, and Black Capped Chickadee were to be seen. We were informed of Spruce grouse close to the pond, a lady birder from the Audubon Society pointed out the area the hen Grouse had been seen in very carefully we eventually located the bird its camouflage blended with its surroundings. The Birders were all wrapped up against the

cold. Supper at the Wilcox Fish place warmed us up.

 

Birds seen:  American Crow.  Common Raven.  Herring and Ring Billed Gull.  Bonaparte's Gull.  Caspian Tern.  Common Loon.  Common Merganser.  Mallard.  Lesser Scaup.  Ring neck Duck.  Bufflehead.  Golden eye.  Blue winged Teal.  Wood duck.  Double Crested Cormorant. Bald Eagle.  Golden Eagle.  Red Tailed Hawk.  Sharp Shinned Hawk.  Merlin. Killdeer.  Starling.  Spruce Grouse.  Rock Pigeon.  Turkey Vulture. Sandhill Cranes.  Northern Flicker.  American Tree Sparrow.  Chipping Sparrow.  Dark Eyed Junco.  Cowbird.  Purple Finch.   

 

Reported by Tony Walker.

 

 

Jan. 12, 2008. Snowshoeing Fort Creek with Big Eric

By Wednesday the recent January rains had washed most of our December snow into Lake Superior, so Eric Haapala's snowshoe outing, promised for the following Saturday, looked unlikely to say the least. However, what now passes for winter winds returned and we awoke on Saturday morning to see our recently denuded lawns covered by many centimetres (but only half as many inches) of the beautiful, fluffy, white, celestial mineral.

 

I found a pair of our old spruce and rawhide bear-paws among the semi-organized debris of our storage shed and headed off to Fort Creek, a short drive away while feeling a little guilty for not “mushing” the distance instead.

 

Within a few minutes of my arrival the remaining participants showed up. The troop included our leader “Big Eric” Haapala, Dave Euler, Ron Prickett, Carol Gartshore, and “Little Eric” Haapala with his charming partner Corinne Wilkerson. I am guessing that Little Eric now has about inch or so on Big Eric – such is the fate of fathers these days. The Town of Bruce mines is fortunate to have (Little) Eric Haapala, MD as its newest GP.

 

The first step (literally) involves getting into (or onto) the snowshoes without falling over. Some time ago, on the advise of a friend, we replaced the weak, leather harness with a one-piece black rubber device that looks suspiciously like a piece of discarded inner tube from a 16 wheeler. I managed to get my right boot into the hole cut into the rubber contraption and eventually, accompanied by much grunting, groaning and a few low-level obscenities, managed to stretch the rubber strap up over the heel of my right boot. So far so good- now for the left boot. Luckily, Big Eric saw that I was loosing my struggle with the overgrown rubber-band and came to my rescue just as I was about to fall on my ear. Having been assisted to a more vertical position, I swallowed my little remaining pride and followed the other happy hoppers across the dam at the southern end of the Fort Creek Reservoir and up the trail beyond.

 

Big Eric had scouted out the Fort Creek trails a few days previously and recommended that we avoid the steepest sections where the hard, icy snow under the recent snowfall could prove treacherous so we headed northward on the hill along the west side of Fort Creek.

 

The Fort Creek woods was a magical place that Saturday. Christmas card spruce held the snow as delicately balanced, muffin-shaped piles that produced mini snow-flurries as we brushed by. At times sunbeams found paths through the light cloud cover to light up the evergreens around us reminding me of our recently discarded Christmas tree. This was why Betty and I love the northern outdoors regardless of the season!

 

 

The traverse took about two hours; just as Big Eric had predicted. Afterwards we retired to the family room of the Haapala home where we “shot the breeze” while feasting on Janine Haapala's delicious cinnamon buns washed down with warm apple cider. It was a great way to pass a Saturday morning. I would like a repeat of this outing (following my acquisition of new bindings).

 

Reported by Gerry Bennett

January 20, 2008

 

September 15, 2007. Myriads of Mushrooms

Leader: John Lehman

On a sunny but cool 50 degree F day with a North wind, eight Naturalists went on the mushroom outing led by John Lehman to Naomikong Trail.  We had a wonderful time searching the pathway, the forest floor,  fallen logs, and dead stumps for the different types of fungi.  There seemed to be myriads of mushrooms that day.  

 

Here are some tips for the amateur mycologist:  1. Observe where mushrooms grow as that gives clues to the type.  2.  Use a knife to dig deep enough down to remove the base of the stalk.  A bulbous base may mean the mushroom is poisonous.  3.   Peek underneath to check for colored gills that may help in identification.  4.  Identify Boletes which have a spongy substance rather than gills.  5.  Compare the shape, the color, the size with photographs in books, such as Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada  by George Barron and Mushrooms of North America by Roger Phillips.  6.  Learn the Latin name which often suggests what the mushroom is like, i.e. a salmon colored mushroom is (Entoloma salmoneum).

 

Here are the Non-gilled Fungi that were found.  In the Puffballs group: Gem Studded Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum), also called the Devil’s Snuff Box because its snuff-colored spores puff out the top when it’s ripe, and Pear Shaped Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme).  In the Jelly fungi group, we found Orange jelly (Dacromyces palmatus).  It looks orange and  spreadable like butter, feels gooey, but the taste is questionable.

 

In the Bracket fungi, we found three types on one large stump of a fallen hardwood.  The Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) is so cleanly white on the underside that artists can draw on it.  The red banded polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola) has a red belt.  Horse’s Hoof (Tinder Polypore, Fomes fomentarius) does resemble a horse’s hoof. 

 

Boletes are sponge mushrooms.  The Scaber Stalks (Leccinum species) and Suillus species are mostly edible.

 

These are some of the gilled mushrooms that were found.  Pink spored:  Salmon Unicorn Entoloma (Entoloma salmoneum) and Fawn-colored Pluteus (Pluteus cervinus).  Dark spored: Cortinarius alboviolaceus, which has a cobwebby ring or threadlike veil.  Light spored: Delicious Lactarius (Lactarius thyinos) which gives off a milky substance when the gills are slit.  A Russula has a stubby short stem and it is brittle.  Amanita flavoconiaAmanita citrina, and Amanita virosa were identified.  Also found were: various Waxy Caps, Laccaria Laccata, False Chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca), Naematoloma species, and Clitocybe species.

 

Being armed with these tips and information about the many mushrooms helps a novice mycologist out in the field.

Reported by Jeanne Mannesto

 

Aug 10, 2007. Canoe Trip Down Tahquamenon River 

Leader: Carl Linhart

Carl Linhart decided to check out the Tahquamenon River and 5 willing adventurers decided to go along with the plan: to canoe from the lower falls to the river mouth!! However, none of us knew that the actual distance was 17 miles, not 10 miles as we all thought.

The river bank was absolutely breathtaking with it’s festoon of flowers as purple vervain (Verbena hastata) , turtleheads (chelome), blue monkey-flower (Minulus ringens), Joe-pye weed, boneset (Eupatorium ssp.), asters, bulrushes (Scirpus ssp), duckpotato “wapato” (Sagittaria latifolia), burweed (Sparganiumsp), cattails (Typha latifolia), pickeral weed (Pontedera cordata).

The fish had great hiding places among the eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), tapegrass (Elodea Canadensis), and many pondweeds (Potamogeton ssp.), to name but a few of the wonderful water plants.

We were treated to many animal sightings as eagle, kingfishers, osprey, hummingbird, broadwing hawk, merlin, great blue herons, painted turtles and, a beaver.

The two mink hunting along the riverbank was a great viewing but, we couldn’t believe our good fortune with the young moose who let us view him for over 10 minutes. He was so enthralled with noisy teenagers swinging into the river from across the river that he ignored our three canoes! A great outing, (and workout!). Thanks Carl! Evelyn Simon

 

July 28, 2007. Coppercorp Mine

Leader: Gerry Bennett

Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice”. Said Will Durant, a historian of the early 20th century, and that was Gerry Bennett’s theme for our field trip to the Coppercorp Mine on Saturday 28 July. Gerry pointed out that people have only existed for a moment of geological time, and he led us on a trip to the past, as far back as 1.1 billion years. The medium of instruction was rocks: feldspar, quartz, calcite, pyrite and malachite, and the traces of geological events in those rocks. Some were hot and cooled rapidly on the surface, some were hot and cooled deep in the Earth’s crust and some cooled when sudden decreases in pressure caused an explosive boiling followed by a cooling period. Although the temperature that day was high, over 90 F, and more than 32 C, we had a great time and Gerry once again provided excellent insight intoThe Earth and how it formed. Thanks, Gerry. Dave Euler

 

July 21, 2007. Ferns in the Atrium, etc. 

Leader: Chuck Bosley

Although our regular scheduled outing was cancelled due to weather (dry), we enjoyed an alternate plan. Chuck decided to give an educational fern outing and, we all tried to incorporate his “fern information” as we forayed into various sites.

Since this was a fern outing we ignored the Pearly Everlasting, Wood Lilies, Herb-Robert, Blue Cohosh and Sweet Cicely etc. that were within our view. Instead we concentrated on identifying the ferns as: Rattlesnake, Spinulose Wood Fern, Lady, Ostrich, Bulblet, Maidenhair, Sensitive and, Oak .

The treat of the day was the Hart’s-tongue fern; which is a closely guarded secret. Many ooh’s & awh’s were evident!! A very informative outing! We can’t wait for your outing on the walking fern!! Thanks Chuck, Evelyn Simon

 

July 7, 2007. Bogs and Caves

Leader: Carl Linhart

Carl was right. On Saturday July 7, we had “A long but fun day”, just as he predicted. We started a bit earlier than we often do, at 8:00 am, and headed west into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Our first stop at Shingleton Bog, which is actually a “patterned fen, had a few scattered larch and cedar trees, and singing Lincoln Sparrows. These sparrows have very specific habitats and we don’t hear them often. We also saw lots of showy orchids, although only 1 or 2 were still in bloom. This was a short but very interesting stop on the trip.

Next stop was in Munising where we walked into a small Nature Reserve owned by the Michigan Nature Association. This Reserve contains a gentle waterfall, A canyon- like descent behind the waterfall led us to see one of the cliff brake ferns Cryptogramma stelleri. thriving on the dry, edges of a breathtaking cave wall.

Lunch in that quiet restful spot was a good place for some joking and teasing.

Next on this long but fun day was the Seney Wildlife Refuge.

Constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Core, this modern refuge for migrating waterfall is truly a wonderful natural wetland. Bald Eagles and Ospreys were nesting, Trumpeter Swans and Common Loons were producing young (cygnets and chicks) and we had one look at a black-billed cuckoo, a bird often heard but not usually seen. At the visitors centre, some of the adults touched the items on the children’s table, (how could one resist?) and we saw the beautiful slide show that pictured the Refuge throughout the year.

Thanks Carl for a great idea and a great trip.

- Dave Euler

 

 

 

 

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