I took the male’s portrait and then his mate joined the frame. I think mallards are the comedians of the duck world.
Author Archives: belindagroverphotography
LEAF’S EDGE
Balancing on the edge of a leaf, that takes some talent. 😊
DUCK TO WATER
The river was pretty choppy but this black duck knew exactly how to maneuver through it.
QUEEN ANNE’S LACE
I was surprised to see several of these plants developing at different rates under the same growing conditions. Very much like people do, I guess 😏
A CUT ABOVE
Pigeons are common and not very popular given their messy ways. A liked this one though, a very handsome bird.
MILKWEED BEETLE
A milkweed beetle going about its business. 😏
CALM WATERS
A quiet scene along the river.
MONDAY SUNFLOWER
A sunny start to the week.
WINDOW ON THE PAST
The window display was quite elegant on its own but the reflection of the old building across the way enhanced it a little more.
LITTLE THEATRE
I featured this same lady bug a few posts back. It seemed to be putting on a show just for us that day. This time it was a little fan dance before it flew off.
CLOSER LOOK
I had my focus on the cabbage white, it was only when I imported my files that I saw the damselfly. Always nice when something like this happens!
CITY ART
This wonderful mural by Ottawa artist Christopher Griffin, appears on the wall of a downtown building. It’s on a busy street, so I wonder how many people have seen it as they drive by. When I’m on foot I always stop to look at it and today I had my camera.
UNCONVENTIONAL
I liked this flower, one I don’t remember seeing before; its beauty a little unconventional.
GRACKLE IN THE GRASS
I usually see grackles near water or in trees, so I was surprised to see this bird walking along in the grass. I know people with bird feeders tend to dislike grackles as they will bully the other birds. I like them though and admire their keen eye and good looks (they also keep the insect population down).
IN THE LONG GRASS
A typical summer scene. If only I could bottle its scent and colours for those dark days of winter.
To all those celebrating, Happy Canada Day!
TIPPY TOES
I’ve photographed a lot of lady bugs but I haven’t seen one move like this before 😊
FLAMINGO FANFARE
Frequent viewers have likely noticed that I haven’t been featuring many birds lately. Sticking closer to home, sightings have been fewer – but then I stumbled upon this small pink flamingo. Not as rare as you might think in our urban environment 😏
CALM WATERS
The water on this stretch of river has the most beautiful reflections. My good luck that the mallard decided to take that route.
FINE RECEPTION
As small as it is, this milkweed beetle stood out nicely on the plant it’s named after. Both milkweed and the beetle are toxic so it needn’t worry about being someone’s lunch. It has an impressive set of antennae; it’s a member of the longhorn beetle family.
SALSIFY
I featured a different variety of Salsify in one of my recent posts. Some are cultivated, others grow in the wild. I saw this one growing in a field with other wildflowers. Another elegant “weed”.
WHAT THE CAT SAW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I couldn’t see what the cat saw but it definitely had something in its sights.
FINE DUO
The daisies were growing among the wild grasses; a pretty combination.
BEE BREAK
I’ve seen bees this motionless early in the day when it’s cool. I took this photo mid morning so that wasn’t the cause. The bee looked to be in good condition, maybe it was just taking a break from collecting pollen.
PEACH MELBA
I’ve only seen this colour of rose in one small corner lot garden. It’s their time to bloom and still some buds to come, so I’ll be back.
HOVER FLY ON FLEABANE
Hover flies or flower flies are valuable insects. The larvae of some species prey on aphids and the adults are pollinators. Until I picked up a camera I wasn’t aware of these attractive little insects. Now I look out for them each summer.
SUN GLOW
The sun struck the back of the chair and made it glow. I just had to take the photo. I was shooting with a 105mm lens (hoping for some insect photos that day) so I was pretty happy to get the shot.
THIS OLD HOUSE
This house is in a neighbourhood that is undergoing change. Many old homes sit side by side with new construction; some are being remodelled or torn down. For now, this old house still stands. Its beautiful wooden door contrasting nicely with the red brick.
GUARD DUCK
The mallard had recently gotten out of the water and was drying off on the grass. I hesitated for a moment before I approached. It looked like a no nonsense duck!
POPPIES PAST
I remember making flowers out of tissue paper when I was a young. Carefully separating and fanning the layers and securing them with a bobby pin. These tissue-like poppies reminded me of those flowers, particularly the slightly windblown ones to the right of the frame 😏
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED
Sparks Street is a pedestrian mall in downtown Ottawa. It’s a mix of office towers, shops and restaurants. I liked the old fashioned sign and the chairs stacked up waiting for the Cocktail Hour.
GARDEN MIX
A saw this pretty weed growing in a small front garden. I think it’s a salsify, a member of the dandelion family. Except for some peony bushes, the rest of the garden was filled with wild flowers pretty much left to the sun and rain. All in all a very pleasing garden mix.
FEMALE DOWNY WOODPECKER
Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. As they don’t migrate we get to enjoy them year round. They have some fast moves as they forage, it pays to have a steady hand 😏.
TREE SWALLOW
I took a lot of photos of this tree swallow but most were in very harsh light. I finally got this photo under better lighting conditions but the bird’s eye is not visible. Its beautiful feathers make up for that though.
SUMMER’S PARADE
Irises are such elegant looking flowers, I like this pale white variety with its flecks of colour. They don’t last long but as they fade other flowers take their turn in the sun.
END OF THE ROAD
I always find scenes like this pretty melancholy, however, the boots were in fairly decent shape and placed with care. Maybe the owner left them there for someone else to wear.
SPAM (not the luncheon meat)
I’ve noticed lately that quite a few of my comments on other people’s blogs aren’t being received. https://wordsfromanneli.com/ mentioned that she found one of mine in her SPAM folder. I just checked my folder and there are comments sent to me that I hadn’t seen so hadn’t replied to.
It might be an idea to check your SPAM folder (and that tin of suspicious luncheon meat in the back of your cupboard 🙂 ). You never know what you might find.
WINDBLOWN
The wind was blowing these flowers about but I was determined to capture them as I didn’t know what kind of shape they’d be in next time I passed by. I took a lot of shots, constantly adjusting my speed and my position. I think it payed off.
PRIVACY PLEASE
I took this photo as the mallard was emerging from the river. The duck didn’t look too pleased by my presence 😏
LOOKOUT
I like to see robins strike this pose, stretching to their full height. It stopped feeding for a moment, looked around and then continued on.
URBAN LANDSCAPE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood is a mix of the old and new. A lot of old houses and apartments have avoided the wrecker’s ball and are a source of much of my photography. The garden in the first photo is one I return to throughout the warmer months, I like its untended look. The elements in the balcony garden look carefully chosen, a little oasis in the city.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 