The vein in the leaf made the title of this post easy. I’m not a fan of yellow jacket wasps and usually head in the opposite direction when they’re flying close by. In this case it was a cool morning and the insect seemed lethargic, so I took these photos with little worry.
There’s a wetland not far from town that we drive to a few times over the summer. When we pulled over we saw a solitary Egret fishing. I wasn’t using my longest lens but the 300mm did a fair job. After a few minutes, I looked away and when I looked back the bird was in the air. Look at those legs, pulled together like a diver in flight!
The clouds looked like they held rain but it remained overcast. I like conditions like this, and the soft light worked in my favour.
I’m happy to see a lot of bees this year. A bit of good news for us all.
The window was rain streaked but it didn’t block the cat’s view of the street. It seemed content to stare, so I took my photo and left him to it.
Despite how quickly the days are moving along, scenes like this serve as a reminder that there’s still plenty of summer left!
The rain and wind had bowed the peony, it was still beautiful though.
I rarely see a snapping turtle swimming as they move silently through the water (and my camera is often pointed up, not down 😏). It served as a good reminder to look around more.
I took the male’s portrait and then his mate joined the frame. I think mallards are the comedians of the duck world.
Balancing on the edge of a leaf, that takes some talent. 😊
The river was pretty choppy but this black duck knew exactly how to maneuver through it.
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 😏
Pigeons are common and not very popular given their messy ways. A liked this one though, a very handsome bird.
A milkweed beetle going about its business. 😏
A quiet scene along the river.
A sunny start to the week.
The window display was quite elegant on its own but the reflection of the old building across the way enhanced it a little more.
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.
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!
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.
I liked this flower, one I don’t remember seeing before; its beauty a little unconventional.
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).
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!
I’ve photographed a lot of lady bugs but I haven’t seen one move like this before 😊
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 😏
The water on this stretch of river has the most beautiful reflections. My good luck that the mallard decided to take that route.
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.
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”.
I couldn’t see what the cat saw but it definitely had something in its sights.
The daisies were growing among the wild grasses; a pretty combination.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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!
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 😏
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.
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.
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 😏.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 