Invasion Of The Tussocks And A Walking Stick

I had a great night at Bende and Allan's house. I woke up at about 8:30 and went downstairs to a lovely breakfast. While we were eating, Allan pointed out a Grey Comma butterfly that was sitting on the porch outside. It's amazing how much these butterflies look like the bark from a tree. 

At about 11:30 I headed back to the park. I was anxious to walk the dunes and explore this very large park. I began my exploration by walking the boardwalks of the Cedar Trail. 

You have to stay on the paths and the boardwalks so as not to do any damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Sand Dunes. The Sand Dunes are one of the rarest ecosystems in Ontario. 

I found myself walking on the weathered wooden bridge that spanned the crest of the sand dunes near the beach. ​

I noticed a solitary wasp darting energetically among the grains of sand. ​

 I paused to take in the view. To my left, the undulating dunes cascaded down to the shoreline.

Each dune was sculpted by the relentless wind. They rose and fell like the gentle swell of an ocean, shifting in shape and size.  

This is where I discovered the first of the PhotoMon stations that are spread throughout the park. 

It is a place where everyone can place their camera or phone and take a picture of the landscape in front of them. Then you submit your pictures to the email address provided on the sign.  They collect the pictures sent in to them and they monitor the changes in the landscape throughout the year. 

This is the picture that I took at PhotoMon 16. 

Very close by was another PhotoMon station.  PhotoMon 15. 

This is the picture that I took at PhotoMon 15. 

​You can see all the PhotoMon  photos at this website:
​  www.pinerypark.on.ca/research-projects/photomontage

The grey of the morning unfolded at the shores of Lake Huron, where the horizon blurred into a misty looking sky.

The beach, usually bustling with life, was quiet, save for the rhythmic lapping of water against the pebbled shore.

The beach was so expansive that it felt as though I had the entire coastline to myself. Yet, in the distance, I spotted a trio of figures, reminding me that I wasn't entirely alone.  Scattered along the beach were remnants of previous wanderers—little teepees constructed from weathered logs and driftwood. They looked like someone was prepping for a giant bonfire. 

Turkey vultures, their broad wings outstretched, glided effortlessly against the overcast sky, creating a striking silhouette against the dull backdrop of a leaden morning. I stood still, captivated by their graceful movements as they circled lazily, riding the thermal winds. They flew so low that I could easily make out their red heads and yellow beaks. 

I was waiting for the sun’s warmth to break through the clouds. However, looking across the beach and the lake I could tell that the sun wasn't going to make an appearance any time soon. 

With this in mind I decided to head back the way I had come. I wanted to explore more of the park before I got rained out. 

Back at the road I found the sign for the Cedar Trail Extension Trailhead. It had a little map on it to show where I was and where it led. I noticed that the park Visitor Centre was at the end of this trail. So, I decided to make it my destination. 

Along the way, I spotted a little metal box in the shape of a house with a green roof on it.  Written on top was something about the "Savanna Scavenger Hunt". I think this is a lock box with a clue inside. But I didn't have a key for it. 

Across the road I came to a set of stairs which were part of the Cedar Trail Extension. 

At the bottom of the stairs was a post with what looked to be a brush for cleaning your shoes with. I was not sure why it was there. There were no signs to explain it. 

Twisty, winding tree branches lined the edges of the trail. If it were a sunny day it would probably look enchanting. But today with the sky hanging heavy with clouds, it reminds me more of a page from the Berenstain's book "The Spooky Old Tree". 

It was here that I saw the first of the Tussock caterpillars.  A yellow Banded Tussock caterpillar came meandering up the wooden railing of the stairs that I was going down. 

It was rather goofy looking from the front with its bristles all sticking out like a little helicopter.  I knew better than to touch these bristles as they were not just for decoration; they served a crucial purpose in the caterpillar's defense strategy. The Banded Tussock, with its vibrant yellow and black markings, might appear whimsical, but its bristles are laden with irritants that can cause a painful sting upon contact. I admired its slow, deliberate movement, each tiny foot gripping the rough wooden surface.

As I watched the one Banded Tussock caterpillar, along came a second one from the opposite direction. 

This newcomer had a weary appearance, its once-lustrous bristles now sparse, revealing patches of bare skin that hinted at a recent struggle. The caterpillar's hair, usually a protective armor against predators, appeared to be shedding, perhaps due to environmental stress or an encounter with a hungry bird. If that were the case, then it looked like it had barely escaped by the seat of it's pants. 

One of the things that surprised me about this park was that here we were in the middle of September when all the the leaves should be turning bright red, yellow and orange and all the leaves here were green. The only thing that came even remotely close to leaves changing colours was the deep purple red of the  Maple leaf Viburnum. 

At one point on the trail, I came to a spot that forked into two different directions. I was unclear whether I was supposed to go to the right which was up a hill, or to the left which remained on the flat terrain. 

I began to climb the rather steep hill. But it wasn't long before I realized that this was probably the wrong direction. 

The trail seemed to disappear at the top. Everywhere I looked there were vines and overgrowth. 

I turned around and went back down the hill.  As I passed the vines, I took notice of how huge the leaves were. they were as big, if not bigger, than my hand. As far as I could tell these were Riverbank Grape leaves. 

I got back down the hill and followed the rest of the trail on flat, solid ground. 

From time to time they supplied us with a bench to sit on so that we could enjoy the sights and sounds. 

There were a few interesting informational signs scattered throughout the trail.  This one told of how they have an ongoing project to pull out stands of pine trees that were mistakenly planted in the 1950's so that the original Oak Savannas can grow without being crowded out. 

And there were signs about the projects for controlled burns to keep the forest healthy and prevent wild fires. 

I could see the holes in the trees long before I spotted the bird that made them. 

High up in the branches I caught a flash of red moving among the branches. It was a pileated woodpecker. This magnificent bird, was busy searching for insects hidden beneath the bark of an ancient oak.

The winding board walk took me to the edges of the Old Ausable Channel. I would have liked to have stayed here longer, but there was a guy sitting on a bench reading a book. I felt like an intruder just hovering around. 

So, I only stayed for a moment or two to look out across the channel. 

I was able to catch a quick glance at a couple of Wood Ducks. 

They were pretty far off and they blended very well with the ripples in the water and the lily pads.  I almost didn't see them at all. 

I also almost didn't see the turtle sunning itself on a log in the middle of the channel. 

It was on this boardwalk that I saw yet another Tussock Caterpillar. This time it was a Hickory Tussock caterpillar. 

The Hickory Tussock is white compared to the yellow of the Banded Tussock. 

Soon I realized that I was seeing Tussock caterpillars everywhere.  I even saw 5 in a single bush. I had never seen so many of these caterpillars in such a short amount of time. They were all over the park. They were on people's tents, on cars, on trees, on everything.   They were not as populated as the tent caterpillars are during the years that they become over populated. But they were definitely very numerous. 

I came upon a cage on the top of a post. I do not know what it is for. I never did find out. 

I saw another one of the Scavenger Hunt lock boxes attched to a fence. 

As I got closer to it, I read the sign on the other side of the fence. It described another scientific research project that they are running in the park. They have 6 enclosures where deer are not allowed in to graze and they are comparing them to 6 other areas where deer are allowed to graze. This way they can see what kind of impact the deer have on the plant life in those areas. 

I finally came to the end of the Cedar Trail and then to the parking lot of the Visitor Centre. 

This is where I found another one of those shoe brushes, This time it had a sign on it saying "Poison Ivy".  So, now I finally understood what the shoe brushes were for.  Apparently the park has just as much poison ivy as it does Tussock caterpillars. You have to be very careful about where you step. 

I walked up to the Visitor Centre. It was a large building with a green roof and big glass windows. 

Inside were all sorts of displays and things to read about. 

I found the fossil display particularly interesting because it reminded me of my childhood when my siblings and I would go out fossil hunting with our Farmor (grandmother). 

Hiding away in a large aquarium was a turtle trying to disguise himself as a rock. 

In the display about forest fires hung a familiar face from my childhood. It was Smokey the Bear! 

There were also displays of taxidermy animals. 

I had no idea that there were so any different types of Oak trees.  I figured maybe 2 or 3. I would never have guessed eleven! 

Turtles was a big theme at the Visitor Centre. There was a sculpture with handmade turtles climbing all over it. I liked it a lot. 

There were other live turtles as well, including a Spotted Turtle. 

As well as a Painted Turtle. 

Outside was a bird feeder station. 

And a Monarch Butterfly Waystation. 

From the Visitor Centre I decided to take the Savanna Trail back to my campsite. 

This trail was wide and well maintained with small gravel. It is used by both bikers and hikers. 

And it is also used by squirrels.

The park's amphitheater is along this trail. 

I noticed that there were a couple different bat houses here. 

Interestingly, one was near a solar panel. I wasn't sure if the solar panel had anything to do with the bats or if it was just to power the amphitheater.  It was right beside the biggest bat house I had ever seen. 

A near by sign explained that this was more than just a regular bat house. It was a bat condominium.  A lot of work went into building this project. 

An Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly landed on the sign beside me as I read all about the bats. 
Bats and dragonflies; I love things that eat the mosquitoes! 

A cluster of Hairy White Oldfield Asters decorated the side of the trail. 

And once again, I saw bunches of Hickory Tussock caterpillars. 

I arrived back to camp with the plan of driving over to the  Park Store to see if they had anything interesting there for lunch. 

As I was about to get into my car I noticed a stick on my front light. Upon a closer look I realized that the stick was not attached to anything, but was still managing to stay on the light. What kind of wizardry is this I wondered? 

Then it dawned on me that this stick is alive!  This was a Walking Stick Insect. The only time I had ever seen one was at The Sudbury Science Center many years ago. I had never seen one out in the wild. I was fascinated.

I knew that I couldn't leave it on my car or it would run the risk of dying if it fell off while I drove around. So, I took a napkin in order to transport it and to try to get a better photo against a white back ground. 

I carefully placed it on the branches of a near by tree. 

And just like that, within seconds of taking the napkin away, I could no longer see him. It blended in with the branches extremely well. It was amazing! 

Another little hitch hiker on my car was a teeny tiny little red Whirligig Mite. ​Just the size of a pin head. 

I was worried that it might rain while I was gone so before I hopped into the car, I covered the fire pit with a tarp so that it would still be dry when I went to make a fire for supper later on in the evening.  I hadn't had a fire in the fire pit the whole time I had been here yet so I knew there was no fear of the tarp melting or catching on fire or anything like that. 

I drove over to the park store and bought some bread to go with supper later, and some candy for a snack. By this point it was about 4 pm.  There were still a few more hours of daylight left. So, I  decided to see if I could get a couple more hiking trails done before sunset. 

​I hopped in the car and drove over to the Riverside Trail. 

On the edge of  the parking lot a Mourning Dove was looking for insects in the grass. 

There were not many people on this trail. I could hear one young couple up ahead and that was it. i walked slow to let them get far ahead of me so that I could listen and watch for the birds uninterrupted. 

The first little bit of the riverside Trail was in the woods. But then the trail came out onto a deck that over looked the channel. 

That deck was attached to a long boardwalk that ran directly beside the water. It was so peaceful here and it is a great place to look for birds. 

Standing there in the quiet, I could hear one really distinctive sound. It sounded like a cat meowing. First it came from one tree. Then I saw a flash of wings and then I heard it from another tree. I never did see the bird that was making the sound very clearly, but I assume it was a catbird. 

There was a wee bit of sun trying to peek through the clouds now. Not enough for me, but enough to make the turtles in the channel want to come out and sunbathe. This log was a popular spot apparently, because it held 3 turtles at the same time. 

On the ground at th end of the trail was a wooden box with some fencing over top of it. 

The sign on it indicated that it was a turtle nest protector. 

I also came across a log on a post. At first I thought it may be a bird house of some sort. 

But then I noticed the sign on the post that let me know it was actually another bat house. There was also a wildlife camera on the post too. So, the bat monitoring project in this park is extensive, reflecting a deep commitment to understanding and preserving these vital nocturnal creatures. Ultimately, the project serves as a critical tool in safeguarding biodiversity and ensuring the ecological balance within the park.

It was about 5 pm now and there was still time to squeeze in one more trail. I got in the car and drove down the one-way gravel road to the next one on the map. As I slowly drove, looking for the trail head,  a number of cyclists passed by. This is a popular road for the cyclists and the park has taken steps to make it a great place for cyclists. Near the next trail I spotted a bicycle repair station. It had tools like wrenches and screwdrivers hanging from chains that people can use to fix their bike if they run into any issues. 

At the next trail head I spotted a bathroom and made a quick pit stop before starting off on my nest hike. 

Inside this bathroom were probably about a hundred Bathroom Moth Flies. These little guys are just tiny and like their name implies, they look like teeny weeny little moths. Kind of cute really. They don't bite or anything. They just hang out. 

The next trail I was ready to hike was the Hickory Trail. 

Through the tree branches I glimpsed another Pileated Woodpecker. It clung expertly to the trunk of an old tree, as it searched for hidden insects beneath the bark. 

On this trail I discovered the PhotoMon 1 station. 

This is the picture that I took at PhotoMon 1. 

The Hickory Trail also has a little deck that looks out over the water. 

From here you can see across the channel and occasionally you can see cyclists through the trees on the other side as they travel down the road. 

A big Green Frog was hiding in the grass near the water's edge. 

One of the things that I like about this particular trail is how many of the branches grow and entwine themselves above your head to make something of a canopy. It feels like you are going through tunnels of trees in many places. 

A little red squirrel got curious when he saw me and came a little closer to take a look. But not for long. In short order it yelled at me and took off through the trees. 

To my surprise I spotted yet another Pileated Woodpecker. That made for three sightings in one day!  It's usually rare just to see them even once in other parks. Typically, these magnificent birds are elusive, preferring the solitude of old-growth forests. So this was a pleasant happenstance. 

By the time I came off the Hickory trail it was about 6 pm. Only another hour or so before sunset. Since I was still on the one-way road, I had no choice but to keep going forward. So I kept going until I reached the Dog Beach. The dog beach is just an extension of the people beach, so it is a wonderful spot for the dogs. I spotted a lady with her 2 dogs playing in the sand where the waves crashed playfully against the shore. 

Further on down the one-way road are a number of people beaches. Each one had it's own parking lot and its own access to the lake. 

Once again, the Turkey Vultures circled above my head in close proximity to the tops of the trees. These birds migrate for the winter so they won't be here for too much longer and will leave before the snow and the cold winds arrive. 

It was only a matter of time now before the sun would set. Such a shame that when the sun did finally decide to show itself today that it was only just fleetingly before it set for the day. But I would take what I could get.  Can't complain really. It may have been overcast all day, but it didn't rain. So I will be grateful for small blessings where ever God chooses to provide them. 

While I waited, I explored and studied the beach. There were fresh footprints from a sea gull or a duck. 

There were interesting lines and patterns that the waves made as the water rushed up onto the sand and then back again. These lines were constantly changing with each new wave that arrived. It was like an ever changing canvas of abstract art. 

I was all alone on this great expanse of a beach and I absolutely loved it. Nothing but the sound of the wind and the waves. Who could ask for anything better? 

Once again I came across man made tee pee like structures. I imagine some kids had a great time constructing these and playing in them. It's something I used to do in my back yard when we were kids. 

Eventually the sunlight began to wane.  The vibrant hues of daylight faded, giving way to a soft, ethereal silver that blanketed the landscape. 

The once bright sky transformed into a delicate canvas of oranges and reds. With each passing moment, the sun dipped lower, casting elongated shadows across the ground

It appeared as though the molten orb was melting into the surface of the lake, its reflection shimmering like liquid gold. The water rippled gently, creating a delicate dance of light and shadow.

As if orchestrated by nature itself, clouds drifted in, their wispy forms playfully obscuring the sun, reshaping its once-perfect orb into a stunning tapestry of light and shadow. The once-familiar celestial body morphed into a breathtaking piece of artwork, each moment revealing a new shade, a new contour. It was a moment suspended in time, where nature held its breath, inviting the night to take center stage. I felt extremely blessed to be here in this moment. 

Once the sun had completely set, I headed back to camp and made a fire. I kept it simple and cooked hotdogs for supper. 

I sat looking at the stars and watching the fire burn down.  A few hours later, I heard some movement in the bush. I sat still and listened and let my eyes adjust to the darkness as I focused on the dimness just beyond the fire light.  It doesn't get completely dark in this particular site because the light from the comfort station spills in a little bit. But it's not an intrusive light so it doesn't make everything visible.

And then I saw it. A little raccoon climbing down out of the tree that was just on the edge of my campsite. He was just a young thing. Not a baby, but not that old either. Our eyes locked for a moment when he realized that I spotted him. He froze only for a second before deciding that he was already almost to the ground so he may as well make a run for it into the safety of the woods. 

It was a gorgeous night and I reflected on what an amazing day I'd had. It was not too cold and the crickets were singing. I could hear the waves, albeit very faintly,  splashing against the shore. This was because there were hardly any people in this part of the park (The Dunes) at this moment. It was so quiet and peaceful. I got ready for bed and fell asleep happy and ready to have more adventures tomorrow.