A Walk in the Forest:

I enjoyed a walk through a south Lambton Forest with friends on December 9th. This is the only Tulip Tree that we encountered. There were many large pockets of Beech trees, some Oaks and the biggest Black Cherries I have ever seen!

A lack of trails required us to look down as we stepped. We found a beautiful assortment of mosses including a Brocade Moss species.

Haircap Moss species

Christmas Fern: If you look carefully and use your imagination, each leaflet resembles an upside down little Santa Sleigh.

Shedding of deer antlers happens annually. Timing is dependent on many factors and searching for "shed" can be very difficult. Squirrels and mice love deer antlers for their calcium. Chew marks are visible on this specimen which is the first time I have ever found "shed". Whitetail deer shed their antlers between mid-December and early April.

https://outdoorever.com/when-do-deer-shed-their-antlers-and-how/

Decomposing stump and leaf litter.

Late fall in the forest!