Sugarloaf Mtn Sooke Wilderness

Hiking up the south side of Sugarloaf 

Yesterday my son and I hiked up to Sugarloaf mtn, in the sooke wilderness reserve. We started from Sooke road, headed across Veitch Creek and followed an old logging road for about a mile and half before we headed straight up the south flank of Sugarloaf mtn.

 After the scramble up the loose rocks we pass through this narrow cut in the rock to the top of the knoll.

me and Justin on top with the sooke basin 

satin flower

Heading down the mountain on the north side. Very steep but not as rocky on the path. Another hour and 20 minutes back to the car.

From forest to pan, yum

 The Morels are a little hard to find around my place, but I do have a small area I find them in near my house. I harvest about a dozen each spring.

and France turns them into something lovely for dinner , like this Morel and Chantrelle (harvested last fall) Rissoto , yummy!

down the side of Jocelynn hill

On Earth day, April 22, I hiked up Through Gowlland Tod Provincial Park to the top of Jocelynn hill. I started from Emma Dixon Trail and continued up the little jocelynn ridge to the main ridge trail that over looks the Saanich Inlet. From there I dropped down the steep hillside to about 300 feet from the oceanside. Lots of wildflowers are out now.

Every step I had to watch I didnt step on any wildflowers, impossible.

Small Flowered Blue-eyed Mary

Chickweed Monkey Flower

There were lots of Orange-crowned warblers singing, as well as a hooting Sooty Grouse. I could hear geese calling across the sound but I couldnt find them, I think they were Greater-white Fronted Geese migrating north.

Gary Oak Hanging off the cliff

Goldstar

Up at the top of Jocelynn Hill there was the Goldstar blooming. This is the only place in the park, and probably victoria that they grow.

Goldstar

mt macdonald and Satin flower

gowlland tod park, , saanich inlet

first of the season

first of the season, originally uploaded by robinnestridge.

young Morel mushrooms poking up through the moss

pygmy and golden

Group campsite

from the lookout above goldstream group campground

Hiked up the steep slope above the group campsite yesterday. Brown Creepers were singing as i got out of the car along side the highway. First time I heard a full song from them this year. about 1/3 of the way up the hillside I could hear the Pygmy Owl calling, toot ---toot. Someone on the internet wants to know how many calls it gives during one minute, (18), so they can try and figure out if there is more than one species of Northern Pygmy Owl.
It seemed to accompany me up to the top of the ridge, where, from all the commotion, it was found by a bunch of robins and juncos. far over the otherside of the valley, under the big cloud, a Golden eagle was doing its courtship display. It would close its wings and drop about 50 feet before opening them again and swooping up abit before dropping again. Quite neat to watch.

Parhelic Circle halo

 

High above me there was a Halo that was off center from the sun and seem cut through the centre of it instead of surround it. Turns out they call that a Parhelic Circle. Who knew. Never seen it before today.

Once I was off the top of the ridge the Pygmy Owl showed up and landed on its usual snag out infront of the lookout. I guess it was waiting for me to leave.

At my feet was an Aligator Lizard. The first of the year for me. I wondered if the Owl would go for those, I suppose so.

north west side of Mt MacDonald

Top of Mt Macdonald in the woods on the north side

 

 

 

Today we hiked up Mt Macdonald from Humpback road and headed to the north west sector where I haven't explored before. Some nice open woods with some deep draws that have some pretty large douglas fir trees.
We stayed up on the top and didn't explore down in the valleys today, maybe some other time.

Satin Flower 

Lots of Satin flowers out on the rock outcrops but still lots more to open in the next few weeks.

We then hiked counter-clockwise around the top to the outcrops where the rare Prairie Lupin grows. This hill top is the only place the Prairie Lupin grows in BC . I found a few plants just emerging .

Prairie Lupin

looking over to the top of Mt Wells with downtown Victoria in the background

There were a few loose flocks of Turkey Vultures migrating over the mountain. They would "Bump" into the south side of the mountain and circle up in a kettle before each breaks off and heads over the top northbound.
On the way down we choose the popular trail down the cliff and discovered the ropes have been replaced in the steep section again..

red-breasted nuthatch at its nest

red-breasted nuthatch at its nest, originally uploaded by robinnestridge.

here he is shaking the sawdust out of his bill

red-breasted nuthatch at its nest

this guy is building his nest in my back yard, just above the bird feeder. it is in an arbutus snag, that is ready to fall down. i hope it doesnt dig the hole too wide and knock the top of the snag over

red-breasted nuthatch at its nest, originally uploaded by robinnestridge.

this guy is building his nest in my back yard, just above the bird feeder. it is in an arbutus snag, that is ready to fall down. i hope it doesnt dig the hole too wide and knock the top of the snag over