Just off a downtown thoroughfare we came upon this quiet courtyard adjacent to a coffee shop and an apartment building. As we sat and sipped our coffee, this corner was a pleasant break from the busy street just metres away. The city offers many spaces like this, on foot and with a camera at the ready, just waiting to be discovered.
This was taken less than a month ago when the trees were in full autumn colour and the water was open. Nearing the end of November, it’s decidedly colder and wetter. It hasn’t decided whether to snow or pelt us with freezing rain today. We saw some Canada Geese heading south yesterday but there are still some around. Some of the mallards and American Black Ducks tough it out all winter long. We’ll be checking up on them as soon as we get a break in the weather.
Red Squirrels are pretty bold with other squirrels. Although much smaller than the greys they often chase them around. In this case the squirrel stood his ground and kept eating as I took his picture. He never took his eyes off me but didn’t budge either.
When we got to the reserve, the lake was covered in a thin sheen of ice with only a bit of open water. A mallard pair came alongside the path as we were leaving. They hugged the shoreline so most shots were a bit obscured by bushes. When this female mallard turned to look out at the frozen lake one could imagine she too couldn’t believe that this had happened, practically overnight.
Canada Geese get a lot of mixed reviews. They’re often loud, messy and aggressive, not one of our more popular exports! But when you capture them, with a beautiful fall reflection as background, no complaints here. I hope the geese haven’t moved on yet given the cold snap we’ve had. We’re off to check on them this afternoon and hope to find a few holdouts.
The weather plummeted overnight. We woke to -21C windchill this morning, so instead of heading out with my camera, I’m featuring a photo I took last month when the weather was more hospitable. Typical November weather pattern, it promises to warm up over the weekend so I should be hitting the trails in the next day or two.
These photographs were taken late last month when the leaves were at their peak. The trees were late to change this year and as a result there is still nice colour to enjoy. The reflection in the second photograph was so spectacular that other than a minimal crop and a bit of contrast adjustment, the photo was as taken. I was hoping to photograph birds the day I took these so I had my 70-200mm lens with me. Although not ideal for landscape shots, at 70mm I was pretty pleased with the results.
There’s something about mushrooms and fungi I like! Their curious shapes and colours; their sudden appearance or development over time. In these two examples they were growing in poorly lit areas. In the first photo, exposing for the mushroom brought it to life and gave the background a dark, eerie look. A high ISO in the second allowed me to capture the scene you see here. I wish I had had more opportunities for shots like these, maybe next year.
Goldfinches were passing through last month on their migration south. We were lucky to see several of them at a park we seldom visit. They are very fast flying birds but this one perched long enough for me to take this shot.
These mallards were by the river’s edge, and the blue of the water had that quality you see on a crisp sunny morning in October. There were no trees nearby so the only reflection was the cloudless sky.
I do like mallards and if there were no other birds to photograph I’d never tire of these ducks.
This Junco’s cocky stance more than makes up for the less than ideal background. I have only seen this bird a few times in the forest, usually on snow drifts in late March and until now too far away to get a decent shot. This little fellow and a few mates were taking their time, searching for seeds along the path. Their attractive colouring and presence make them very appealing subjects.
With so many birds and insects gone for the season, but temperatures still warm enough to enjoy photography, I cast about for different subjects that interest me. As the landscape changes and the colours begin to fade, familiar flowers and trees take on a different appearance. Here are two examples, I will feature more in the coming days.
The early part of October was very mild so the trees have been slow to turn colour although they’re catching up now that the colder weather has arrived. These two photographs were taken mid month as the leaves began to change. As I walk along the trails I look for the sun to direct its light on a solitary leaf or a small grouping as it does in these photos.
This male wood duck is definitely looking his best. When they return in the spring and before they migrate in the late fall, wood ducks are spectacular looking. Mallards and wood ducks are patrolling the lake these days, so it was nice to find this individual on a fallen branch in the water above the fray.
I’m partial to mallards no matter the season. In the fall with the changing colours as a backdrop they hold their own against any and all! This photo was taken at our favourite reserve that was reopened after a bad storm a month ago. The damage was quite severe but the majority of trees survived and make their contribution evident in this photograph.
Both the Hairy (first photo) and Downy Woodpeckers were well represented the day I took these photographs. I hadn’t seen any in quite a while so I was pleased at the opportunity. I haven’t had too much luck at identifying birds lately, so I’m happy to say I got these two right!
With the cold weather fast approaching there won’t be many more photo opportunities like this.
When I looked at the photograph on my computer screen I was struck by the background and couldn’t decide whether to make it the focus of the shot or the bee. As I couldn’t choose I thought I’d show three versions of the photograph altered only by the crop.
I believe this bird is a sparrow but I can’t say for sure. For the past month or so we’ve been visiting a wildlife garden as our favourite reserve is still closed after a recent storm. The garden attracts many smaller birds and I was pleased to capture this bird balancing on a twig in the water.
There were a number of sparrows flying in and out of the pine trees just out of range of my lens. This one, on the other hand, perched close by just off the ground. It remained there for quite a while unlike the other sparrows who kept on the move. I believe it is a female White-throated Sparrow.
This giant inflatable jellyfish is suspended inside a glass lantern in the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, a spectacular looking building in the Gothic Revival style. The museum completed in 1912 has undergone several renovations, the latest between 2004-2010.
The contrasting architectural styles and this extraordinary creature made for an interesting afternoon and the black and white version adds a bit more drama to the photograph.
Wildflowers are fading and no longer quite perfect. I think I might just prefer them now, their colours more muted and their edges not as sharp. The first photo is soft focus and it was the field rather than a particular flower that I chose to capture. The Queen Anne’s Lace has a beautiful woven pattern which is what I focussed on in the second.
Our favourite reserve was damaged in a destructive windstorm storm last week and is closed to the public for the foreseeable future. We’ll miss the beauty of the place and the animals that call it home. In the meantime we’ve been exploring new trails and spotted this white-throated sparrow along one of them.
Mallards are favourite subjects of mine, they’re numerous and very photogenic so I get a lot of opportunities to photograph them. As other birds depart for warmer climates, many mallards brave our winters and I should get more shots of them as the weather changes.
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.
Not only attractive little insects, hoverflies also serve a useful purpose. They are pollinators, their larvae prey on aphids and other plant destroying insects. Their appearance wards off predators as they mimic wasps and bees and yet they are generally harmless. They pack a powerful punch in a tiny package!
In late summer wildflowers begin to show some wear but collectively their colours paint a wonderful palette, they don’t go quietly into fall! These flowers were growing in great bunches along the roadside and we stopped a while to enjoy them.
In November last year the fall leaves were gone but the lichen on the trees added a nice touch of colour. The chickadee was taking a short break from foraging and I snapped this photograph.
I liked the pattern the mallard formed in the water and the duck’s intensity at it steamed forward. There might be more exotic birds that visit the Ottawa area but nothing matches the mallard for its exuberance and personality.
For the last few springs we’ve seen solitary screech owls in the reserve we visit. We’ll spot one in a tree hollow or on a nearby branch. As much as we checked this year none were about on our walks so I’m featuring an owl from 2016. The owls seem to favour the deep woods, and the leaves create quite a colour cast which I corrected in Lightroom using White Balance.
This was one of those quiet days at the reserve, a pleasant walk but nothing much about. As we headed back to the car we saw some people nearby and someone pointed out a green heron at the water’s edge. The path was narrow, the light poor and trying to maneuver around branches and people was a challenge. The bird was backlit and there was a colour cast. I corrected the lighting in Lightroom and used Photoshop to correct the colour cast.
This black-crowned night heron is in mating plumage, sporting two long white plumes. Both sexes look alike (at least to me) but I believe this is a male given its larger size.
He was surveying the water when I spotted him but I moved on before I saw him catch anything.
I always associate painted turtles with lazy summer afternoons. They are either basking in the sun or going for a quiet swim. You feel yourself slowing down in their company. No better way than that to enjoy summer!
I took this photograph last August. We haven’t had as many opportunities to visit our favourite reserve this summer and the birds are keeping themselves scarce when we do go. Last year was a good year so old friends are putting in an appearance.
At the reserve we go to most often, mallards are well represented. They are very sociable, and always available for a photograph. I find them the most amusing of ducks, in this case the duck looks like its been up to something, or maybe it’s just me.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 