As cleanup from the June 17 windstorm — possible tornado — winds down, the sound of chainsaws is being replaced with the more summer-like sounds of our diversified group of song birds and their noisy relatives, hungry crows. The sound of rustling tree leaves and wind chimes are often sporadic and faint as their sound is carried off by our welcome summer breezes. The one sound that is unmistakable is that of the area lawnmowers. Whether mowing a new lawn, or a field that has been infiltrated with burrowing critters, there is no sound that make a person flinch quicker than the grating sound of the blades of a lawnmower raking over unexpected rocks, gravel or freshly mounded hills of dirt – thanks to those pesky gophers. As one neighbour put it, they are not lawnmowers at all, they are land levelers!
It’s twins!
After reading about all the baby critters around the lake, a neighbour pointed out that in the wild, twins are predominant. She went on to list her sighting of two fawns; two bear cubs; two baby grebes; two Bonaparte Gull fledglings; and two baby loons. Wow, that’s just what she saw in a week!
Friends are active
Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake, the area lake stewardship society, has a very busy executive this summer. In addition to annual lake quality monitoring, loon surveys and Bird Atlassing work, the group of volunteers is working on a few extra projects this summer. Fishing results reports (known as Creel Reports) and fresh water mussel shells are being collected for several branches of the Ministry of Environment for future analysis of the health of the lake and the stocking program. Land-use feedback —as it relates to forestry practices – has been generated by the society, for submission to the Integrated Land Management Bureau. Details of the group’s activities are posted on their website, www.lacdesroches.org.
Ever-changing
Local roads were graded at the beginning of July, making a pretty dusty weekend for many of the visitors and residents. The truck spreading dust suppression chemical was a welcome sight the following week and, for a change from last year, it did not rain immediately afterwards and wash the chemical away!Lac des Roches is experiencing a relatively high water level for July. Shallow areas are filling with this year’s growth of bull rushes and yellow pond lily, favourite feeding spots for many water critters. An algae bloom in the lake has been collecting at the surface where the yellow and brown globs are blown into quiet bays. This unsightly growth is natural for the lake but serves as a visual reminder that local health authorities recommend filtering all surface water, even that from a healthy and large lake like Lac des Roches, prior to domestic use.The abundant
dandelions that filled the surrounding fields in early summer have been replaced with dozens of different multi-coloured flowering plants and sweet-smelling clover. The huge cow parsnip plants are in bloom and some of the thistles are at eye-level, although their showy purple blooms have yet to appear. The ground around the stands of cottonwood trees is covered with the white fluffy seed pods that give the tree its name. These pods are so big and heavy this year, they are barely taking to the air and are littered all around the base of the trees. One caused quite a scene in the forest last week when it surprised our little cat by landing on her back during our morning walk!