Another sign of spring is the arrival of the tulips, they appear just after the crocus no matter the temperature. It’s not unusual to see them sprouting up even with snow still on the ground. Happily, these shots were taken on a warm May day. I used my wide angle lens for long shots of the flower beds. However, given all the people out enjoying the tulips (and getting in my frame) I had more success with the shots taken at a closer range and would have preferred my 105mm lens that day.
None of these photos feature true bugs. The spider is an arachnid and the other two are insects. The damselfly was taken with my 70-200mm lens, the fly and jumping spider with my 105mm. I use my longer lens most of the time with an eye to taking bird and other wildlife shots. I find that I can get pretty decent close-up shots of insects with it as well although I have to crop the image more. With a bit of encouragement from “my partner in crime” I have been getting more familiar with my macro lens, extension tubes and flash. The spider and fly are recent shots taken with this set up. I’ll be using it more often.
At first I thought this was a sparrow but after a bit of research I believe it’s a female red-winged blackbird. Both the male and female blackbirds are striking, although quite dissimilar looking. It’s nice to find something in a photograph that sets it apart, in this case the bird’s head crest adds some interest. The bird was well into the woods when I spotted it so the photograph was quite dark. A few adjustments to the contrast and exposure brightened things up.
I was keen to get out with my 105mm lens and and do some close-up/macro photography after a very long, cold winter. We spotted the first dragonflies in our area a few weeks ago, their colouring is getting more spectacular as the days pass and there are increasing varieties of them to photograph. I came across this meadowhawk along the trail and did my best not to cast a shadow which I knew would chase him off. Happily he didn’t spook and I managed to get this shot.
It’s a great time in our favourite reserve. Young animals are starting to appear. We’ve seen some geese with offspring but so far these are the first of the ducklings. The adult female looks pretty content with her lot as do her chicks, if ducks could grin I’d say these were! The merganser is a diving duck that feeds mainly on fish. We watched as the adult dove to fish and the chicks followed her lead.
The bay-breasted warbler is the third warbler variety I have featured on my blog. Like the palm and yellow-rumped warblers, the bay-breasted is a challenge to shoot as it flies in and out of the pine trees, your neck is on a perpetual pivot to get one in your camera sight. This handsome bird is in full breeding colours but I think he moved further afield to find a mate as we only saw this species for a couple of days in the reserve.
This variety of nuthatch is less common in Eastern Ontario than the larger white-breasted nuthatch. They are little acrobats, moving up, down and sideways along the tree trunks. This bird was in deep shade but I took many shots as it was a cooperative subject. The photo was dark out of camera, only the plant material near its beak was nicely lit. I made some contrast and exposure adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop to get the photo you see here.
This attractive squirrel with its reddish coat and white underbelly is larger than a chipmunk but smaller than the grey squirrel. They are very territorial and I often see them chasing the much larger eastern greys through the woods. They will stand their ground with people too, this little guy a case in point.
This gosling and his brood are the first chicks we’ve seen this spring. We came across the chicks and three adult birds as they filed out of the lake. I believe we were looking at a blended family as a few of the chicks were larger than the others. Like myself, other photographers at the reserve are waiting for more young to appear. It shouldn’t be long now. I’ve noticed a lot of single male ducks on the lake, the females must be sitting on the nests.
On a sunny day last week we came upon these turtles basking in the sunshine. The Blanding’s turtle (the turtle with the yellow throat and domed shell) was sharing the log with the much more common painted turtles. Very often turtles will slip back into the water as you walk past. Happily this particular spot was far enough away that the turtles continued to soak up the rays as I took my shot. A note about the Blanding’s turtle – it’s a threatened species in Canada. Wildlife experts are working with landowners, conservation groups and local authorities to protect their habitat.
Palm Warblers are a new species for me. A friend in the reserve told us that there were warblers in a grove of pine trees and pointed us in their direction. The birds kept flying through and around the tree boughs catching insects as they flew past. I kept panning the trees hoping to catch sight of one. I think warblers are among the most challenging of birds to photograph given their quick movements. Their striking colours set them off against the green of the pines and with a bit of luck and patience I was rewarded with these photographs.
We came across this beaver towards the end of our walk. Instead of taking our regular route back we decided to walk along the river’s edge. Given that it was mid day we weren’t expecting to see a beaver as they are mainly active at night. Looking down the river bank we saw it feeding at the shoreline. We were very close and it must have been aware of us but tolerated our presence. The beaver stopped eating for a bit, took a swim and returned with something else to snack on. You never know where a different path might lead!
These photos were taken in late March when the trees were still bare of leaves. The crimson red of the cardinal on that bright cold morning was a sight to see. He was pretty easy to track and flew from the shade into the sun all within several metres of me. I couldn’t have asked for a more obliging subject!
The common grackle is another bird I look forward to seeing in the spring. If the lighting is right their colouring is pretty dramatic and their brilliant yellow eyes give them a determined look. It’s always nice to catch a bird doing something, in these shots it appears to be gathering nesting material. Although they cause a lot of crop damage, in the wild they are fun to watch and photograph.
This mallard was hard to miss as I walked along the path. It wasn’t too cold that day so I couldn’t quite figure out why he was all puffed up. Maybe the duck was showing off, realigning its feathers, looking defensive or just sleepy. Whatever was going on I had never seen a duck strike this pose before and took a shot.
Another seasonal migrant, hearing the blackbird’s song in early spring gives all of us “Northerners” a lift! I usually see blackbirds perched on rushes or in branches. I spotted this bird on a log and it stayed put while I took some shots. Although their diet consists mainly of seeds, other plant material and insects, they will also eat small frogs, snails and mollusks. I think this bird was about to go on the hunt and wasn’t going to budge because I was close by.
Two weeks ago Yellow-rumped warblers began appearing in large numbers. These photographs were taken over a period of a few days. These birds are another welcome sign of warmer weather and are one of the many birds that pass through on the spring migration. They are colourful and easy to spot but never stay still for long enough. I like the different poses of these three, they seem to be trying to say something.
One of my first blog posts featured a male mallard on the same lake just as the ice was beginning to form. This is another of the shots I took that day. The lighting was particularly nice as the duck gingerly made her way along the ice. I thought the shot would lend itself to black and white and I used Tonality Pro in Photoshop to create the monochrome version. This is one of my first photos in black and white and I will do more in the future as I find it can make for a more detailed and nuanced image.
I took this photograph last summer at the edge of the river. The bird kept flying in and out of the light but I kept my eye on it and this is the result. I love spotting a new bird and hope to see more of this variety over the course of the summer as flycatchers breed here in the warmer months before they migrate south.
I took this photograph on an overcast day in late November. It reflects the mood of the season, no longer summer and not yet winter. The lake where this was taken is home to a wide variety of water birds. While there might be a few disputes amongst themselves, geese and ducks seem to get along for the most part. Or maybe it’s just that they ignore each other!
Black-capped chickadees are all season birds in our area. You’d think that such tiny birds would head south over the winter but they remain, you’ve got to admire them for that! Although you might be tempted to pass them by and concentrate on photographing the spring migrants when they come through, chickadees just call out for some notice any time of year. They’re little acrobats and when one strikes this kind of pose I can’t resist.
The season for black-crowned night herons was quite short in our region last year. When we did spot a heron, it was usually in a clear sight line and often amazingly well posed and poised like this one was. Way to go Surfer Girl!
I took this shot last summer when the flowers were at their peak and the bees were everywhere. Thistles are considered an invasive species but are a favourite food source for certain butterflies, goldfinch and bees. Spot a thistle and there’s likely a good photo opportunity close by. I watched as this bee flew from flower to flower and took it mid flight. If you look closely you can see a fine dusting of pollen on its ‘fur’.
We were finishing our walk and decided to take one last look along the edge of the lake. This mallard seemed to be waiting for his close-up so I obliged. It’s always a challenge taking a dark subject against a snowy background because the subject can appear too dark. Getting the white balance right is another challenge as snow will often look grey or blue. I selectively adjusted the exposure and shadows to correct these issues.
This raccoon was quite easy to spot in its perch above the main hiking trail. There are a few resident raccoons in this reserve and we always keep an eye out for them. I like the way the leaves create a natural frame around the animal. Although I liked this effect, I made some adjustments in Lightroom using the Hue/Saturation/Luminance slider to adjust for the brightness of the leaves.
Last April we spotted this flicker at the entrance to its nest. Over a period of several weeks we saw the bird return to feed its young. Spring is a great time in a reserve, there’s always something to see and photograph! Returning to the same places often enough, you become very familiar with the terrain and with the activity of its inhabitants. Since the weather has improved and we’re out with our cameras again we’ve noticed some nest building underway. Later in the season I hope to feature some shots of this year’s new arrivals.
Last summer I started looking at insects (other than butterflies) as subjects for my photographs. By slowing my pace, scanning the vegetation and underbrush, looking for leaf degradation I began to see an abundance of potential subjects! I had some success taking Ladybug photos and have featured them before on my blog. This was taken with my 105mm and flash which didn’t seem to bother these two one bit!
Someone had turned the dead tree into a bird feeder. The chickadee had discovered the seed and I took these photos as it flew back and forth to retrieve it. I debated whether to remove the blurred plant material that appeared in the background of these shots but decided to keep it in as it looked more natural than the unbroken blue of the water.
The sight and sound of song sparrows is a sure sign that spring has finally arrived. A few overwinter in our region but the majority are “snow birds” returning when the weather improves. Like all small birds you often hear them but they can be challenging to spot. I took this shot last spring but I hope to take more this year as I walk along the trails. As the season starts up they are a terrific subject to photograph.
Female hooded mergansers have a distinctive crest. This one was about to dive so her crest showed to best advantage. Like many diving ducks mergansers tend to remain in the middle of lakes, usually just beyond my lens’ ability to capture them. They are excellent fishers and are often rewarded for their dives. This shot was taken late in the season when the ducks come closer to the shore than usual.
I believe this is an American Redstart. We came upon this nesting female last spring. She was barely off the path we were on. The nest was almost at eye level so we took our shots and then moved on quickly so as not to disturb the bird anymore than we had. It’s the first time I’ve been this close to a bird on her nest and felt lucky we chose to walk that path that day.
I’m always happy too see bumblebees in the fields and on the pathways I visit. I know their numbers are in decline but they seemed quite numerous last summer. In the past I tended to steer clear of bees but it’s been my experience that left undisturbed, they aren’t particularly aggressive. I think the colours of the flower set off the bee quite nicely.
The Downy Woodpecker is common in our area and you often hear them before you see them. The Downy is smaller than the Hairy Woodpecker but its basic colouring is the same. I took this photo at a small F-stop and narrow depth of field which contributed to the background effect you see. I find that it sets the bird off nicely and adds to the photograph.
Several weeks ago I posted a photograph taken last spring of a woodpecker preparing a nest. In this shot I show the same bird feeding his chick. If you look closely, to the right and left of the chick you can just see the beaks of two other nestlings. We passed this same nesting site a few days back. Once again, a male woodpecker was cleaning it up for this year’s young. The last time we checked we saw that a squirrel had taken up residence. I know that squirrels often occupy vacant nests but this one seemed to have had a tenant, maybe the woodpecker changed its mind.
There are many varieties of this butterfly in my region of the country (and thousands worldwide), so I think I’ll just call this one a skipper! The season is short for these beautiful insects and I never pass on the chance to photograph them. It was a nice warm day so the skipper didn’t remain in one spot for long but it kept touching down close by, obliging me with this closeup.
I have featured mallards several times before and they will continue to show up on my blog. I have a soft spot for these ducks. I like to watch their behaviour and they rarely disappoint! While the light looks even, the photo was taken with the sun directly overhead (shadow under the beak) and in this case illuminates the bird quite nicely.
These photos are of two different dragonflies and were taken towards the end of last summer. I enjoy the challenge of photographing these beautiful insects and have learned that when they fly away or get frightened off they will often return to the same blade of grass or stem they were perched on a minute before. If you’re patient and stay put you will be rewarded.
The snapping turtle is prehistoric looking with its long spiked tail and makes for a great subject as it can stay put for long periods of time sunning itself. This is the first time I have tried doing a photograph in black and white. I used Tonality Pro for Mac to affect the changes. While the colour version gives a sense of what I saw, I think the black and white is a better representation of this impressive creature.
American Wigeons are a common duck in North America, they pass through our region during the fall migration. Last year was the first time I had seen any. We spotted three pairs of wigeons along with the other ducks. As luck would have it these two climbed up on a log and allowed me to take some shots. The colourful water provides a nice background for these beautiful birds.
As we were finishing our walk one day last fall, we saw someone we knew and stopped to chat. There were quite a few ducks on the lake that day but other than that we hadn’t seen much. As we turned around to leave I spotted this meadow vole. Catching sight of this little creature was an unexpected treat. Given the dull quality of the light I made some shadow and contrast adjustments and used spot removal to clean up the water a bit using Lightroom.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 