Berry Bird Island: Bog Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus), Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), Labrador Tea (Rhododendron tomentosum), Sunburst Lichen (Xanthoria elegans)

Today was relatively warm-ish at 13 deg C with clear skies and no smoke, and the boat hits the water. Off we went to one of the Western Mirage Islands, just 25km ish south of Yellowknife Bay.

The high number of songbirds (mostly blackbirds) is due to the fact the island is not often visited, as landing a craft here is almost impossible, unless you have a Zodiac. Which is good, as this means not many dogs have been to the place and the birds and berries are left well enough alone.

Bog Cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccus)

Lots of them.

In the mossy beds on the rocky facets

Tinier than the cultivated ones, and oddly sweeter.
The bluish black ones are Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)

Cranberries and Crowberries.

Labrador Tea (Rhododendron tomentosum)

Mini bushes of berries and Labrador tea huddle together for a plant Selfie....

Very berry - no wonder there's a songbird colony here.

Try not to mistake Bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina) for Cranberries.
They look somewhat the same to the untrained eye. Bearberry is also known as Uva-ursi,
and the leaves are sometimes smoked in a mixture called Kinnikinnick

Shadow of me on a Rocky Berry Field.

The Captain snoozes

These elegant beauties are Sunburst Lichens (Xanthoria elegans)

They love nitrogen from the bird poop. Shit life for some, glorious ones for others.

They do look like sunburst on the rocks.

Personally, I like plants, fungi, lichens and animals more than humans. I'm just odd that way.