The river is shallow at this point and muddy. It’s also a favourite fishing spot for Egrets. This one had caught something, and cleaned up after eating .😊
CAT’S EYE
I couldn’t see what had caught the cat’s attention but watched as it slowly moved towards whatever it was. It did remind me of a “big cat” stalking its prey.
STILL GOING STRONG
The Dodge 200 (circa 1960) was parked outside a house undergoing renovation. The truck was full of lumber for the work underway. You never know what you’ll see when out on a walk. 😊
QUIET MOMENT
I had not expected to see the wood duck on the path. I took this with a long lens and clipped a bit of its wing but enjoyed the bird’s relaxed pose.
Chill
The duck doesn’t seem to mind winter at all.
This is a slightly re-edited version of a photo I’ve featured before.
WAITING FOR SPRING
Like many of us right now.😏
TIPS’S HIS HAT
You can just see a bit of this downy woodpecker’s red cap. I like the way his back feathers caught the wind as well.
FRIDAY CHICKADEE
I’ve featured this photo before but in colour. This time I turned it into black and white and edited it a bit differently.
HOVERFLY ON FLEABANE
On a day like today, snowing and cold, I thought I’d revisit summer for a while.
STREET VIEW
Reflections can make for interesting subjects, this one nicely framed in red brick.
MELLOW MONDAY
Another old house in the downtown core that has escaped the wrecker’s ball.
CHICKADEE CHEER
I always enjoy seeing these little birds while walking in the woods.
GULLS ACTING BADLY
I wondered why the birds were in such a frenzy, when I imported the image I saw why. The gull in the lower right-hand corner had caught something to eat that the others wanted. The scene is a bit raw but nature is that way sometimes.
LATE DAY SWIM
These geese took their time navigating through the dense reeds. There were no other birds in sight, just this calm pair.
SEEN ON A WALK
A lot of old houses have collections of glass bottles in the window which always catch my eye. The signage wasn’t very welcoming though and then I noticed the house number.
SILENT WATCHER
The cat was keeping an eye on things as I passed by its yard. I looked back as I walked along and it never altered its gaze.
BIG PICTURE
Sometimes the little things are the big picture.
NEW YEAR’S GOOSE
One of many Canada Geese I’ll be featuring this year. I do like these birds; they have a few character flaws but then don’t we all. 😏
LUNCHTIME
The surface of lily pads can be messy. I was going to edit out a bit of the “muck” when I realized it consisted of flies, a frog’s meal of choice. I kept them in it made for a more realistic picture.
DOWNY WOODPECKER
One of the nice things about Downy Woodpeckers is that they remain here even in the winter. They continue to find insects by drilling into the bark of trees; their diet also includes berries and well stocked feeders.
SNOW DAY
I took this photo in mid-December, a few years back. We’ve seen very little snow this winter, more rain than anything else. Today is colder though so maybe we’ll see some soon. A December without any snow is unusual. I wonder if this is the new normal …
INTO THE FUTURE
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
TIMID TOM
Our local reserve was closed for a few weeks this summer when a trio of male turkeys were acting aggressively towards passersby. This Tom wasn’t one of the rowdies. 😏
LOST
I took many shots of this egret last summer. I have never seen one moving through the tall grass before. We were taking a path to the river and thought we might see one fishing there. I think this egret should have asked for directions 😏
DUCK TALES
I’ve only seen Northern Shovelers in late fall as they pass through on their way south and always in this quiet cove. Their impressive shovel-shaped bills have projections that allow them to filter out food from the water.
ALL DECKED OUT
And ready for the Holidays!
NEVER A DULL DUCK
I feature a lot of ducks on my blog. I never tire of them.
NORTHERN GATOR
Well not exactly but the larva of a ladybug does bear a slight resemblance to a tiny alligator and they are voracious eaters.
ANIMAL CRACKERS
The squirrel couldn’t have posed any better 😊
Being Green
I was hoping to find a few frogs among the water lilies that day but they remained quiet and well hidden. All in all I didn’t leave disappointed.
FAR SIDE
I wish I had been closer to the egret and company but the photo did capture the quiet mood of the afternoon at the lake.
ON A MISSION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Ring-billed gulls are very intense looking birds.
OPEN AIR GALLERY
We are lucky to have a lot of public art on our city streets. It’s nice to slow down for a few minutes and take it all in.
WHAT’S THE RUSH?
The goose had somewhere to be. 😏
YELLOW AND GREEN
Quite the change from our current snowy landscape.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
Although some mallards remain here all winter, I’ve never seen a black duck in their company. Like most waterfowl, they fly further south before the real cold sets in.
PLAY OF LIGHT
I walk by this spot frequently but on this particular day the light and shadow were just right. I thought the result looked like an etching.
RING-BILLED ROUNDUP
I enjoy seeing ring-billed gulls on the water, although we often see them in city parking lots and public parks scavenging for food. I liked this photogenic group; note the mottled bird on the left, it’s a juvenile. These gulls take three years to reach full maturity.
SEEN ON A WALK
These items looked like they had been placed with care although they were left there for garbage pick up. A well used sofa, a child’s toy even the plant growing out of the concrete made for a homey scene despite its location.
Planning Ahead
The groundhog was fattening up for his long winter sleep. In our climate they will hibernate in their burrows from October through March or April. We’re under a winter storm watch today, so I think they have the right idea. 😏
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 