I took the photo between the rails of a small bridge. The heron was positioned so close by , I had to twist a bit to get the shot. It had a few wispy feathers on the top of its head but other than that it looked like a mature bird.
Bee Acrobatics
I’ve seen far fewer insects this year but I’ve been happy to see a lot of bees. I wonder if our cold spring might have had an effect on the others.
Young One – 2
It’s that time in the season when young birds are maturing and looking more like adult birds. This wood duck is almost there but not quite. It still has some time to enjoy its youth. 😊
In the Neighourhood
I don’t know how long this weathered bike has stood in this spot but it appears to have been left undisturbed for a very long time.
Young One
I’ve never seen a juvenile Red-winged Blackbird before. An exciting first; I liked its striking wing patches.
American Black Duck
American Black Ducks and Mallards are closely related ducks and they can often be found together, hybridization is also common. This particular duck was taking its turn on a popular log.
Green Heron
The light in this little cove isn’t ideal but that’s where the Green Heron chose to perch. Ducks like this spot too so I always pass by when I’m at this reserve.
Cabbage White
By far, cabbage whites have been the most numerous butterflies this year. Despite their numbers, I still enjoy seeing them.
On the Path
I’m partial to mallards, as longtime readers are probably aware. The duck walked towards me on the shaded path and I took the shot.
Come By Chance
The other day I posted about not noticing something in the frame at the time I took a photo. The same thing happened with the photo above. When I got home, I noticed this shadow, impression or someone’s drawing of a dragonfly. It was rather nice that the cricket landed where it did 😊.
Sunday Reflection
I’ve noticed the bright greens of the landscape are beginning to fade and some flowering bushes are full of berries now. Summer is rolling along and these changes hint of the season to come.
Painted Turtles
I like to scan the water for any turtles swimming by. The duckweed was so thick though that if there were any I couldn’t see them. I was happy enough to see these two sharing a spot.
Friday Fly-by
I was actually trying to photograph a beetle on the goldenrod. When I looked at the photo at home, I realized I hadn’t seen the wasp at the time I took the shot. It was far sharper than my intended subject too.
Wild Turkey
On a walk in a park we go to often we came across several wild turkey hens and their youngsters. I think this mother hen needed a bit of time on her own. but they always tend to look frazzled 😊
Eastern Grey Squirrel
We have several varieties of squirrels in Ontario. The Eastern Grey Squirrel is the most common. Nothing common about this one though 😏
Great Egret
The Egret was lurking in the shade along the shoreline looking for something to swim by. It was not as statue-like as usual and I managed to catch it in several positions. More of these to come…
Up, Down and All Around
Sometimes its worthwhile to scan your environment, there’s always something worth photographing.
Sunday Heat
We’re having an exceptionally hot summer. The insects must be feeling it too.
Swim with Pop
Goslings go through an awkward stage. I thought the young goose had progressed past that point in this shot with its parent.
Great Blue Heron
I’ve only seen two Great Blue Herons this summer, this was one of them. I kept hoping he’d do something rather than just standing there. Still a heron is a heron 😏
Stretch
The chickadee appeared to be craning to see something. Even stretched out in full you can see what a tiny bird it is.
Red Hot
We’ve had more heat warnings this summer than ever before. These brilliant orange flowers are a perfect match with the soaring temperatures.
Wood Duck
I think she was a young duck, her head feathers are still a bit fine and wispy, that and her curious stare.
Lacework
I saw this plant along a very dark section in the woods . It had been well gone over by insects but I thought the pattern that was left looked like lace. I increased the ISO and took a lot of photos. Not as sharp as I’d like but you work with what you’ve got.
Beeware
While I was taking some pictures of Queen Anne’s Lace, a bee popped out of the flower. It didn’t appear happy to be photographed 😏
Basking
I liked the way the flowers seemed to be drinking in the sun. It’s been very hot, so I’m not sure if some flowers are fading due to the heat or it’s just their time.
Cabbage White
I haven’t see many butterflies this year, so I was happy to get a close-up of this cabbage white.
Painted Turtle
I’ve taken a lot of wildlife photos here. Today a turtle was occupying the space.
Focus
I was so busy focusing on the Green Heron, I only noticed the Wood Duck on the log below when I imported the file. Both birds were concentrating on something as well 😊
Different View
This area was full of Queen Anne’s Lace. The underside of the flower was facing the sun, showing off its fine detail.
Black-capped Chickadee
It’s always nice when I chickadee puts on the brakes long enough to get a photograph.
Bee Break
There were quite a few bees flying around these flowers. This one paused for a refreshment break.
Sunflower
I started to see sunflowers about a week ago. As much as I enjoy them, when they do appear I know summer is marching along.
Friday Frog
This was the second time this month that I ran into a frog on the path. It just sat there and stared (I guess it knew I meant no harm). After the obligatory photograph I moved on,
Seen on a Walk
The end of an era ✌️
Wood Duck
This wood duck was looking his finest in early May when I took this photo. You couldn’t blame him for admiring his reflection 😊
On Main Street – 2
Old meets new in a small Ontario town.
No Thanks
The female Lesser Scaup had her pick of fellas but didn’t seem impressed . 😏
Roadside View – 2
We’re starting to see some seed heads alongside new buds. In this case a Salsify and an emerging flower directly in front of it. I like the intricate design of its seed head.
Forget-Me-Nots
I saw these flowers in a nature reserve and assumed they were native plants. Although considerd invasive and can displace native plants, I do like their delicate beauty. As I only saw a few of them growing and they seemed to be contained to a small area, I’ll have to check on them again next year.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 