Spring Floral Search

Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) Alleyn-et-Cawood, Québec, Canada.

Spring in Quebec offered a few flowers for viewing I am sure that next week will prove more fruitful as I return to exploring the Ottawa Region. On the high rock top the Early Saxifrage was in bloom assisted with a trickle of water to moisten its growth. Photographing proved difficult on the steep rocks and yes I did fall and twisted my ankle. But I did manage to successfully photograph the delicate little flower.

The Trilliums could be seen making their presence in the underbrush displaying their bulbs just waiting for enough sunlight to explode into bloom.

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum) Alleyn-et-Cawood, Québec, Canada.

Flowers that were in full bloom turned out to be the Eastern Skunk Cabbage, with their shell like forms dotted a wetland plain with the odd shaped flowers. Skunk Cabbage has the most unique flowers on the block they come steaming out of the ground in March melting their way through the snow. By this time in the year the flowers are beginning to lose their fresh forms and moving to a dark rich purple colour.

Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) Alleyn-et-Cawood, Québec, Canada.

And There Were Chipmunks

As well to the numerous birds that were migrating through the area, Chipmunks were out and about searching for their food stashes and just curious to our presence in the woods. It was odd not to see any Red Squirrels but surprising to find a family of Eastern Gray Squirrel Black Phase scampering through the Western Quebec trees. Any Eastern Gray is not common to find in this region and usually keep their populations in the city locations far from the woods.