This photo is the exterior of a popular butcher shop in my neighbourhood. The colour version is vibrant, however I think the detail of the structure is more distinct and engaging in black and white. It’s an interesting experience to work a photo in both colour and black and white. MacPhun Tonality CK was used to create the monochrome version you see here.
These female wood ducks were taking a break from the group, pausing on fallen tree trunks just off shore. Wood ducks are less boisterous than the more common mallards and though striking in appearance remain quite quiet as you pass by. As the season progresses they seem to be less shy and will often remain still long enough for me to take a lot of photos.
As we veered off the main path at the reserve we were treated to a slew of painted ladies. They were flying in great numbers and I kept my camera trained on a few as they lingered on the clover. These were taken with my 70-200mm lens and I took well over 100 photographs. More to come…
There are some interesting laneways in the downtown that make for interesting walks in the summertime. Gardens spring up on balconies and even wild flowers push through the pavement. These two gatekeepers kept a watchful eye on me as I made my way down the lane.
There’s a fallen tree at the entrance to the reserve that is a favourite hangout for the local ducks. This male wood duck seemed to have taken possession of it when I saw him. I’m not sure if he was moulting or immature as he wasn’t in full colour, but a handsome fellow by all accounts.
I liked this small piece of street art I came across on a recent drive in the countryside. We had stopped for a coffee in a small town and as we walked around this caught my eye. The artist’s humour struck a chord (I’m not known for my great sense of direction either.)
It’s rare to see anything other than sparrows, pigeons and the occasional robin in the downtown core so it was especially nice to see this solitary female Downy Woodpecker excavating the tree. As I walked away I hoped she’d find her way back to her mates but she did provide a welcome bit of nature on this city block.
