It’s been a long, cold winter and I haven’t been on the trails much (not a big fan of winter). But on seeing this brilliant cardinal for inspiration, I’m dusting off my gear, examining every tree I pass for buds and counting the days/weeks when I’ll be out in earnest again.
The first chickadee has appeared on my blog before but in colour, I had not started working in black and white two years ago. I always liked the photo and thought it earned a second bow. The second photo was taken more recently. I chose to feature them together given the birds’ excellent acrobatic skills.
I saw this female Redstart during nesting period last Spring. We were climbing up a steep, tree lined path when someone up ahead motioned to the nest. This shot was taken on an uneven surface through the trees and although the bird’s body was nice and sharp, her head wasn’t as sharp as I would have liked it. Yet, it was my first nesting Redstart, so all and all not a bad beginning to the season.
I have never been this close to a Great Blue Heron. It had landed right on the water’s edge, a few feet from where we were standing. There was a lot of brush around, which I couldn’t avoid but I don’t mind it in the frame. I used Field Blur in Photoshop to soften it a bit. I wondered if the heron was a young bird, it was so close to us and yet so fearless.
I love to watch nuthatches as they search for food, their moves are very impressive. Their nasal calls are distinctive and will lead you to them if you don’t spot them first. Both of these photographs were taken last winter, the first when the sun was low casting a golden glow. Both birds were male, they have darker caps than the female’s greyer version.
Two summers ago we had several Great Blue Herons at the reserve which was not the case last summer. In 2016 the water level was lower than this past year which made for easier fishing. The first heron is flying away with a catfish, the second is displaying a rather graceful takeoff. These herons are a pleasure to watch and photograph in flight or as as they stalk, fish, or preen, usually ignoring the photographer.
There is a group of mallards that remain here all winter. They congregate along the river’s edge that stays clear of ice. People feed them and between that and the bit of vegetation they find they seem to do alright. A hardy lot these ducks!
The chickadees seem to have come through the long winter in fine form. The trails are scattered with seeds that walkers provide as they visit the park, so the few birds that we’ve come across are looking pretty well fed. We’ve seen more squirrels than birds so far but as the warm weather returns I’m sure that will balance out.
The first Cardinals of 2018! There’s still a good amount of snow on the trails but on that day it was sunny and warmer so we had a good surface on which to walk. Given the brilliant white of the snow this male cardinal looked even more striking against the white background. On a day like this we could feel spring inching along.
I’ve featured nuthatches several times before. They are common in our woods but like a lot of birds that are considered pretty ordinary they have extraordinary beauty and personality, two attributes that aren’t that common really! The bird is in pretty typical poses for nuthatches, acrobatic birds that they are.
What a splendid looking duck! I’ve only seen a northern shoveler this one time and if I don’t get the opportunity again, I feel pretty lucky to have seen one just this once. He was swimming on his own in a quiet inlet, enjoying some duckweed as we walked by. I like to think he had some company on his flight south, perhaps his mate was swimming out of view.
I never tire of wood ducks, especially in full colour with autumn reflections in the water. As I had mentioned in a recent post, wood ducks were found in great numbers last year and we had a mild fall so they remained well into November. There’s nothing like this punch of colour on a dull February day.
Of all the ducks at the reserve last year, wood ducks were there in the greatest numbers, mallards usually outnumber all other ducks but not this past season. By late summer you could get closer to the wood ducks than earlier in the year without frightening them off. The lake has many inlets and coves with plenty of perches the ducks like to climb onto, making for some wonderful backdrops.
It was a pleasure to see a few wigeons well into November one year. It had been quite a mild fall which must have encouraged them to stay a while longer. This male obligingly swam into the colourful reflection just as I was walking by.
I took these herons within a few days of each other. I’m not sure if they’re the same bird. The wispy head feathers on only one makes me suspect not. Some years we have spotted as many as three at the lake, other years only one. Of the three varieties of herons that migrate here over the summer months I think the green herons have the most striking colouring. When they’re busy fishing they’re not easily disturbed and ignore cameras pointed in their direction.
Both of these photos were taken at a narrow enough depth of field to get out of focus backgrounds. The first shot taken in late summer, has the bird showing off its acrobatic talent. The second chickadee was shot in the fall when most of the trees had shed their leaves but enough of them remained to create this amber effect. Always nice when the background complements the subject.
These downy woodpeckers were busy looking for insects in a stand of trees. You can see a trace of wood shavings on the male downy’s beak (below), he’d been working away for quite a while. The female soon joined in. These woodpeckers inhabit our woods year round, they are industrious birds, you often hear them before you see them.
We saw a few pairs of wigeons for two years running but none last year at all. It was a strange year in the weather and seemed to effect the migration patterns of many birds, as few showed up in their usual numbers.
When we first saw these beautiful ducks they remained quite far from shore but as the summer and fall wore on they swam closer allowing for some good photo opportunities.
I had planned on taking birds in flight or waterfowl when I spotted these downy woodpeckers. Downies usually move quickly up and down a tree, pecking away until they find a spot with insects. These two, although moving fast, did pause for a bit. I had my 300mm lens with me which got me quite close to them. I like a bit more space around my subjects but I think the birds’ poses added some interest.
It’s been a few months since we last saw these colourful migrants. I took this photo in October and by November this wood duck and his mates had flown south. From time to time I see them featured on other photographers’ blogs in their winter digs. I look forward to their return before too long.
I caught this mallard as she cautiously made her way along the frozen surface. Her footing was tricky as was the light on that November afternoon. The low sun brought colour and depth to the ice but darkened the bird. I made some contrast and exposure adjustments in Photoshop which balanced out the shot.
These goslings got an early start to the new year this past spring, still following closely behind one of their parents. The young birds are stepping out to a new day, full of possibilities. What better way for 2018 to begin. Happy New Year everyone!
The chickadee is another all-weather bird here in our forests. To survive the cold winters they remain in flocks to search for food. These flocks are known collectively as a banditry of chickadees, which makes sense as they appear to be wearing masks. They are fearless and adaptable little birds, always a pleasure to see and hear on the trails.
My last post featured a winter scene taken in early March 2017. The photo of the cardinal was taken later that month and you can see that the landscape has taken on a very early Spring feel – no snow, a lot of sunshine and the welcome burst of colour the bird brings to the scene. We’re in the midst of a deep freeze right now but if and when it warms up a bit we’ll take a walk through the woods to see what’s about.
I had featured a Green Heron on my blog last week and thought I’d put up some more photos of it today. In the first photo there is no mistaking the subject, hard at working fishing for food. In the second photo the heron certainly shares the scene with the wonderful bleached tree. He almost appears to be on the prow of a boat although facing the wrong way:).
I took this photo shooting down at the duck so she wasn’t quite as filled out as she looks. However, all the birds at the reserve, ducks included, were stocking up on that cold November day. I thought the colourful reeds added an attractive element to the photo.
I’m not sure who spotted who first but this duck was there for the taking. I believe it’s an American Black Duck although I’ve never noticed one with such a striking blue patch before. I was struck by his cool, calm and collected expression!
I took many shots of this Green Heron that August day and will feature more in the coming weeks. When herons are intent on fishing they pay little attention to the birdwatching and photographic audience. Lucky for us, as we watched he went about his business. In this shot his head feathers are still a bit messed up from a recent catch in the lake.
This was taken less than a month ago when the trees were in full autumn colour and the water was open. Nearing the end of November, it’s decidedly colder and wetter. It hasn’t decided whether to snow or pelt us with freezing rain today. We saw some Canada Geese heading south yesterday but there are still some around. Some of the mallards and American Black Ducks tough it out all winter long. We’ll be checking up on them as soon as we get a break in the weather.
When we got to the reserve, the lake was covered in a thin sheen of ice with only a bit of open water. A mallard pair came alongside the path as we were leaving. They hugged the shoreline so most shots were a bit obscured by bushes. When this female mallard turned to look out at the frozen lake one could imagine she too couldn’t believe that this had happened, practically overnight.
The weather plummeted overnight. We woke to -21C windchill this morning, so instead of heading out with my camera, I’m featuring a photo I took last month when the weather was more hospitable. Typical November weather pattern, it promises to warm up over the weekend so I should be hitting the trails in the next day or two.
Goldfinches were passing through last month on their migration south. We were lucky to see several of them at a park we seldom visit. They are very fast flying birds but this one perched long enough for me to take this shot.
These mallards were by the river’s edge, and the blue of the water had that quality you see on a crisp sunny morning in October. There were no trees nearby so the only reflection was the cloudless sky.
I do like mallards and if there were no other birds to photograph I’d never tire of these ducks.
This Junco’s cocky stance more than makes up for the less than ideal background. I have only seen this bird a few times in the forest, usually on snow drifts in late March and until now too far away to get a decent shot. This little fellow and a few mates were taking their time, searching for seeds along the path. Their attractive colouring and presence make them very appealing subjects.
This male wood duck is definitely looking his best. When they return in the spring and before they migrate in the late fall, wood ducks are spectacular looking. Mallards and wood ducks are patrolling the lake these days, so it was nice to find this individual on a fallen branch in the water above the fray.
I’m partial to mallards no matter the season. In the fall with the changing colours as a backdrop they hold their own against any and all! This photo was taken at our favourite reserve that was reopened after a bad storm a month ago. The damage was quite severe but the majority of trees survived and make their contribution evident in this photograph.
Both the Hairy (first photo) and Downy Woodpeckers were well represented the day I took these photographs. I hadn’t seen any in quite a while so I was pleased at the opportunity. I haven’t had too much luck at identifying birds lately, so I’m happy to say I got these two right!
I believe this bird is a sparrow but I can’t say for sure. For the past month or so we’ve been visiting a wildlife garden as our favourite reserve is still closed after a recent storm. The garden attracts many smaller birds and I was pleased to capture this bird balancing on a twig in the water.
There were a number of sparrows flying in and out of the pine trees just out of range of my lens. This one, on the other hand, perched close by just off the ground. It remained there for quite a while unlike the other sparrows who kept on the move. I believe it is a female White-throated Sparrow.
Mallards are favourite subjects of mine, they’re numerous and very photogenic so I get a lot of opportunities to photograph them. As other birds depart for warmer climates, many mallards brave our winters and I should get more shots of them as the weather changes.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 