ESS Field Trip

September 2009

Friday evening – Ingebright Lake

Saturday morning – Great Sand Hills

Saturday afternoon – Cypress Hills Winery and Park

Sunday morning – Checkerboard Hill and South Saskatchewan River Walk

Itinerary

Base camp

The Fox Den Motel

Ingebright Lake

Hypersaline lake – salinity 160 pptArea <1 sq kmLargest Na2SO4 deposit in N. AmericaIn excess of 40m thickOver 100 million tonnesOwned by Sask MineralsPresently mothballed

Ignore the photographer- Note the foot holes!

Owen demonstrating thecorrect sweep net technique

Did I finish my beer already?

Quite likely brine flies (Ephydra [hians?])

The Great Sand Hills

The intrepid explorers

Where has everybody got to?

….. The sand boarders

….. and the collectors

Ghost (C. lepida)

Festive (C. scutellaris)

Oblique (C. tranquebarica kirbyi)

Sandy (C. limbata nympha)

Ant hill climbing

Hornworm parasitised by braconid

Blumenheim: St Peter & Paul Catholic Church and grotto

Cypress Hills Winery Visit – purpose to collect leafhoppers, of course!

Cypress Hills Park – Conglomerate Cliffs, looking northwest

….. and looking southeast

Now who would want to grow thistles?

Checkerboard Hill looking northeast

….. looking northwest

But what’s this?

….. let’s take a closer look

…. Prairie rattlesnake!

South Saskatchewan River Walk

….. So, finally

A fine ending to a fine trip!