At the best of times, watching bees visiting flowers and gathering pollen is a good sign for nature and our part in it. In these troubled times, it’s reassuring to see that life continues, there is still order and more will return in time.
A TOUCH OF LACE
Queen Anne’s Lace is a flower I enjoy seeing and photographing. It grows alongside other wild flowers and grasses which makes for interesting compositions and it’s such a fine looking flower all on its own.
CABBAGE WHITES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Another sure sign of summer are cabbage white butterflies. Their caterpillars are rough on gardeners but as adults they feed on nectar and are a pleasure to see. Unlike many butterflies, they fly slowly between the flowers and seem to linger longer than most.
ANT ON PEONY
Ants and peonies seem to go together. Ants feed on the flower’s nectar and also keep harmful insects away from the plant. The ant was racing along the bud but I waited until it finally slowed down and took the shot.
A WALK IN THE PARK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Just a walk in the park, actually a photo from a walk I took at the Dominion Arboretum, located on 64 acres of land in the city of Ottawa. You can’t see an offshoot of the Rideau Canal because the vegetation was so thick it hid it. A spot I hope to return to soon.
TRILLIUMS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
Three trilliums for this cold day in May. Last weekend the weather was warm and sunny, today we’re having snow showers. Despite the weather, the flowers know it’s there time. I took these photos in May two years ago. I imagine they’re about ready to bloom this year too.
TULIP TIME (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took these photos last May at our city’s annual tulip festival. The festival was cancelled this year due to the pandemic but as I go most years, I have many photos in reserve. When we drove by the site the other day, some flowers had begun to open (the bulbs are planted every fall). It’s been a cool spring so the flowers are a bit late to bloom.
LOOKOUT
The heron was across the lake from me, having a look around. It remained in place for longer than I did. These birds can remain motionless for long periods of time particularly when stalking their prey. They are singleminded and ignore everything else around them.
CENTRE OF ATTENTION
The egret was the bright spot on the water and stood out among the canada geese. We see the occasional egret, heron or cormorant along with huge numbers of geese in this body of water but they’re always at a fair distance. Scenes like this stretch the limits of my lens but make for a pleasant perspective.
TIMELY TOYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With most of us homebound, it struck me how much kids used to enjoy playing with toys like these. They just needed a bit of space and imagination. Nothing fancy, no screens in sight. I took the photo at a fair last year. I didn’t adjust the colour, the toys are a bit garish but that was part of their attraction.
MORE PAINTED LADIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
As I said in my post last week, I took a lot of painted ladies last year. Here are two more. Who thought butterflies could pull a face. 😏
THE EYES HAVE IT
The light fell nicely on the bee, highlighting its face. I took the photo in September, the flowers were fading but there was still plenty of nectar and pollen to go around.
WOOD DUCKS
I took this photograph last May. The wood ducks had arrived a few weeks earlier and were sporting their fine breeding colours. I imagine they are back at the lake this year. I do hope we get to enjoy them again at one point this summer.
SO FAR AWAY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I used to walk past this yard quite frequently. Although not exactly in my neighbourhood, certainly close enough in normal times. I like the wall art on the old brick wall that borders the garden. A bit of the old and new. I hope to return sometime this summer.
BLUE JAY
Blue Jays are common birds here but we only see them occasionally in the woods. This one was eating something when I took the photo. Males and females are similar in size and plumage, not sure what I have here.
PAINTED LADIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We saw many Painted Ladies last summer and I was fortunate to take a lot of photographs. The butterflies weren’t flighty but if one flew off there were many more to replace it. More photos to come.
PAINTED TURTLE
Painted Turtles blend in so well, that what appears to be vegetation swaying in the wind is often a turtle swimming silently through the water. I was in a good spot to see this one surface.
FROG THURSDAY – 2
Another frog, this one near the shore of a nearby lake. This spot attracts a lot of small frogs each summer. They blend in so well that I usually stop a while, and listen for a splash or just get lucky and spot one.
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I haven’t seen too many Baltimore Orioles so it was a pleasure to photograph this bird, feeding on the nectar of these flowers. They are among the many migrants to our area each spring.
DUCK OUT OF WATER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took a break from aiming at warblers high in the pine trees when I saw the wood duck. I don’t often see these birds on land and thought the background made for an interesting photo. (I don’t think anyone with me noticed the wood duck, as they had their eyes trained on the quick darting warblers.)
NORTHERN CARDINALS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
A bit of cheer brought to you by this handsome pair. This bridge is a nice place to stop and look around to see where the locals are. Cardinals are usually pretty skittish but these two weren’t. Lucky for me.
FROG THURSDAY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a little pond in a wildlife garden we go to that has several resident leopard frogs. I always check the pond when we first get there and again when we leave. Most times the frogs hardly budge, so I can always take a few more photos.
GETTING ALONG
The log was a popular spot for both turtles and ducks that day, crowded but room for everyone. I love scenes like these. A good lesson for us all!
METALLIC BEES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took these photos early last fall. It was a good year for these brilliantly coloured bees. The first was taken in the woods and the second in a neighbourhood garden, both with my 300 mm lens, which I often use for close ups like these. It keeps me at a comfortable distance from stinging insects although these bees are usually too busy feeding to pay me any attention.
DAPPER DUCK
If you follow my blog you’ll know that I’m pretty partial to mallards. I never get tired of photographing them. Unlike their more flashy cousins, many are here year round, always ready for a close up or group photo. Good looking ducks full of personality.
SPRING BEE
I took this photo early last Spring. The bee was slowly warming up on the lily; the air is still quite cool in the early morning and all insects need a little heat to keep flying.
FARM SCENE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Another scene from the countryside last summer. I love taking these walks, no hustle or bustle, just the buzz of insects and the sweet meadow smell with every step.
GREAT BLUE HERONS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Great Blue Heron in the first photo was taken at our local reserve. I saw the second bird at a city park close to the river. The heron at the reserve was looking for lunch, while the second heron had already found his; the unlucky frog in his beak.
CHICKADEE ON SUMAC
A chickadee from last spring. Usually at this point, I’m at the reserve looking out for early spring migrants. This year, it’s different for everyone. So for the time being I’ll be posting photos I took earlier last year.
GOLDFINCH
It was nice to see this goldfinch in plain view, it was in no hurry at all. They are often just flashes of colour, flying away as I approach. Not that day though.
HOODED MERGANSER
We don’t see many hooded mergansers. When we do, they’re usually too far away to get a decent photo. This female was closer to shore than usual, she was on her own, no other ducks in sight. When she saw me, she swam away but I did manage to get this parting shot.
MALLARD MANOEUVRE
The lake has a lot of fallen trees that form ledges in the water. The mallard found a footing to dry off after a swim. It was late fall, and the water reflected the leaden sky. The ducks added the colour that day.
MONARCHS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Last year was a terrific one for butterflies; monarchs and painted ladies seemed to be everywhere. Monarchs were a particular pleasure as we hadn’t seen too many in recent years. I took these in September, shortly they would begin their migration to central Mexico.
A FINE RED
I’ve photographed many red squirrels but I’ve never seen one with such striking highlights before. Perhaps it was the light and shadow that day. A fine little guy, enjoying his snack.
BLACKBIRD CHEER
A female red-winged blackbird taken last spring. A bit of cheer and a reminder that as dire as things might be right now, things will turn around and when they do, the trails and reserves will welcome us back.
CHILL
On a cold day, I noticed the mourning dove high up in the tree puffed up against the cold. Although many migrate in winter, the nearby feeder in the wildlife garden was a drawing card for this bird and many others.
JUNE DRAGONFLIES (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took a lot of dragonfly photographs last June. They tend to emerge in bursts and you see them everywhere. I particularly like to watch them when they land on lily pads and turn slowly towards the sun. They look like mini helicopters.
OVER THE FENCE
A pretty front garden, seen on one of our walks. It was late October and the flowers were faded but still beautiful. The garden was carefully landscaped but still had a pleasing informal air.
LANEWAYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s fun to wander down some of the laneways in town. They often run several city blocks. I sometimes catch a glimpse of a garden, back stoop or garage and there’s always plenty of sun and greenery. The dogs in the backyards are friendly too, they rarely bark as I pass by.
WILD CHILD OR CITY BRED (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The first photo was taken at our favourite reserve. We see a few irises along the water’s edge every June. The second photo was taken in a neighbourhood garden. The cultivated irises are beautiful but I prefer the more subtle colour of the wild flower. And though it looks delicate, it really can’t be as it thrives in this natural setting.
