I’ve never seen a juvenile European Starling before and at first I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Then I saw a mature bird close by which confirmed it.
Dragon on Main Street
You never know what your’re going to come across. In this case, the “dragon” was hanging by the entrance to someone’s house.
All Grown Up
These goslings must be full grown now, getting ready to fly south for the winter.
A Look Back
The flowers no longer have the vibrant colours of early summer. I thought it would be nice to return to earlier in the season.
Nice and Direct
I like getting a bird looking in my direction. Sizing me up perhaps 😊
Wood Duck
She was swimming up to shore and I was lucky to be standing right there.
Seen on a Walk
A very large tree must have stood on this spot at one time. I liked the shadow play on the grass and the new shoot sprouting to life on the remnants of the tree.
Lesser Scaup
This duck is also known as the little bluebill for obvious reasons.
Fickle Leopard Frog
I had hoped the frog would turn around but its pose showed off its spots rather nicely.
Sparrow Walk
This little house sparrow was taking a walk on the porch like he owned the place 😊
Canada Columbine
Red Columbine goes by many names. It’s a hardy native that I always enjoy seeing earlier in the summer. I like its untamed appearance.
Grackle
I took this earlier in the summer, I haven’t seen any grackles in a while, though it’s a bit early for their fall migration.
Last Daisy
While looking for a photo to post, I came across this daisy that I took earlier in the summer. I had forgotten that I haven’t seen any in a good month. Like summer, their season is too short.
Neighbourhood Walk
Walking through an older part of town I came across this house on a quiet street. It looked comfortable and lived in.
Standout
This poppy appeared to be holding court among all the green.
Good Morning, Goose
I love catching geese this this, straight on and looking a bit goofy 😊
Wood Duck
We’ve enjoyed seeing a fair number of Wood Ducks this year. I featured this young female late last month, her pose is different here.
Sunflower
Sunflowers are having a nice long run this summer.
Twist and Turn
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.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 