Sean and I walked 7 km on the Jones Creek Trails– my longest walk since the hip surgeries last year. Cool and sunny, easy to moderate terrain, with some incredible views from the north end of the Heron (red) trail. On our way back we encountered a huge group of redwing blackbirds in a valley, all repeatedly descending from the trees to forage in the duff. We couldn’t avoid disturbing them as the trail passed through the valley. Wished I had taken a photo or a video, but they were too fast and impossible to get in focus, like bits of black confetti going up and down.
Jones Creek from lookout on Heron Loop Oct 31 2026. Thousand Islands National Parka stand of Eastern Hemlocks on Heron Loop, Jones Creek Trails, 1000 Islands National Park Oct 31 2026Sean relaxing in a Muskoka chair, at lookout on Jones Creek Heron Trail, Oct 31 2026Sean walking on the Jones Creek Trails, Heron Loop. Thousand Islands National Park Oct. 31 2026Aronia melanocarpa on Heron Loop, Jones Creek trails, 1000 Islands National Park October 31 2026Eastern Hemlock / Tsuga canadensis. This species needs urgent protection (biocontrol?) against the hemlock wooly adelgid https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/invasive-pests-and-plants/insects/hemlock-woolly-adelgid
