We’re fortunate to see black-capped chickadees all year round. I’m always amazed at how a bird so tiny can survive our winters!
FALL FASHION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
In the first photo, I wanted to fill the frame with colour, you can barely see the sky for the leaves. I concentrated on a single leaf in the second shot and didn’t notice the crab spider in the lower right of the image until I imported it.
CALM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The mallard pair found a quiet spot near shore. No other ducks, barely a breeze; a perfect moment.
UNEXPECTED
On a walk last week, hoping to take some landscapes, I noticed this pretty bunch of daisies. As I moved closer I saw this wasp-like insect as well as a number of bees on the flowers. I didn’t have an ideal lens for insects but I took a couple of photos anyway. I imagine one of my last insect photos this year.
MOVING ON
Summer has been working on its fall project for months. Scenes like this make me miss summer a bit less.
GONE TO SEED (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I enjoy photographing the seed heads of Queen Anne’s Lace. Their structure is a delicate marvel.
COMMUNITY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We have quite a few Community Gardens in the city. I saw these flowers growing next to a vegetable patch. Their bold colours caught the sun rather nicely.
SIMPLY RED
This red squirrel blends in very well to his environment, particularly in fall.
AMERICAN WIGEON
Another wigeon photo I took one November day. It looked like he was enjoying his greens 😏.
STREET REFLECTIONS
I liked the colour and the slight distortion of the street scene reflected in the glass.
ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
I saw this Labrador Retriever one day on a walk. He wasn’t bothered by me or my camera, never so much as barked as I took a few shots. Too busy watching his owner at the foot of the driveway.
THE BEE MEANS BUSINESS
It didn’t look like there was too much goodness left in the flower but the bee had other ideas!
SEASON DRAWING DOWN
This scene was taken on a late fall day a few years ago but today’s cold wind is a hint of what’s to come. The wood ducks hold on until the first frost, so they’ll be around for a bit longer.
EASTERN SCREECH OWL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We took a walk recently along the edges of a local reserve; we haven’t walked its trails since Covid struck, the place is packed with people. The crowds must have driven this eastern screech owl out of the park and close to where we were walking. We’ve only seen these owls in daylight and usually looking half asleep 😏 .
STARLING
European starlings have a bad reputation – they can push native birds from nesting cavities, damage crops and more. Yet, after a long winter, they’re one of the first birds to return and are attractive with their iridescent colouring. This individual looked pretty mellow.
CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY
I took this photo earlier in the summer. Cabbage whites are some of the first butterflies we see in the spring and they’re still flying well into September. Given how cool the nights are getting you have to marvel at their tenacity.
BIRD BUDDIES
There were a lot of ring-billed gulls fishing on the river. These two immature birds took a time out.
CAUGHT IN THE REFLECTION
As attractive as wigeons are, I think the reflections make the photograph. The colours were just right on this early November day.
BUSY SEASON (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
As the end of summer approaches it’s time to prepare for the colder weather. It looks like the chipmunk above is doing a little product sampling.
SUNDAY DUCK
Duck enjoying a quiet paddle.
FALL HERON
I was taking in the scenery when I saw a Great Blue Heron doing the same. It was early November and he’d be leaving soon for sunnier climes.
THE DAHLIA AND THE BEETLE
The Japanese Beetle had a tenuous grip on the dahlia but managed to right itself. They are attractive beetles but are destructive and feed on a large variety of plants. No friend to gardeners!
HONEY BEE
The early bee gets the pollen. One of the first bees I saw this year on a wild rose.
GREAT EGRET – 2
Another lazy day on the river; a Great Egret stretching its legs.
FEMALE HOUSE SPARROW
House sparrows are common in our cities and attractive little birds. Local nesting spots are in the eaves of an office building and in the crevice of a house in the neighbourhood. I check these spots out every spring.
PEKIN DUCKS – 2
Earlier in the summer we ran into this charming pair in a small yard downtown. We looked for them every time we passed by. We went back a few times and then one day they were gone. I hope they found a place in the country and didn’t meet with fowl play 😟.
MONARCH
I don’t know if monarch butterflies are appearing in significant numbers this year. As I haven’t been to our local nature reserve this summer my observations have been limited to what I see in the city. I saw this butterfly in a nearby garden and hope it was one of many.
SOME KIND OF DUCK
It’s been a while since I’ve photographed any ducks but I believe this is a non breeding male mallard. Looking Good 😊.
PURPLE REIGNS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Violets are delicate looking but are really quite hardy. These garden flowers form a natural bouquet. I thought I’d add the clematis to continue with the purple theme.
WATER LILY
There’s something very peaceful about watching water lilies float on the water’s surface, I was kind of hoping for a frog to come along too but not that day.
GREAT EGRET
We’ve had few opportunities to see or photograph great egrets in the last year and a half. Our favourite reserve has been jam-packed since Covid struck and we haven’t been back. We parked by the Ottawa River recently hoping to see one of these beautiful birds and luck was with us.
RIVER VIEW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a spot on the river where the cormorants gather. The silhouetted bird was sharing the tree with four other birds. I wish I had a longer lens that day.
FLOWER POWER
These sunflowers were growing in a shady spot facing the river but the sun found them anyway.
TRYING TO BLEND IN
A friend spotted the leopard frog in the grass. Pretty good observation as the frog hadn’t just jumped to that spot. It remained in place long after I had moved on.
RING-BILLED GULL
I saw this young gull by the river and I liked the pose it struck. We normally see gulls in the city, congregating in groups. When they fly overhead, it’s wise to keep an eye on the sky 😏.
THIS OLD HOUSE
This building was a neighourhood grocery a long time ago. It’s divided into apartments now. Its brick facade is a favourite stage of mine to showcase its wildflower garden. I stop by regularly, all year round.
CURIOUS
I liked this little dog. It watched me closely but never barked. Not guard dog material, I guess.
SECOND LOOK
As we turned the corner I saw these two and thought they looked pretty lifelike for lawn ornaments. When one duck moved its head I almost jumped. I’ve never seen a Pekin Duck before and never downtown. We stopped by to visit a few times over several days, more photos to come…
CITY OASIS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Sometimes you just have to get away 😊.
NATURAL EXUBERANCE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Seen on one of my neighbourhood walks.
