I think I’ve said it before but I do love these ducks 😊
On Alert
A common sparrow, yet I think her stance and the spring setting set her apart.
Cute as a Bug…
At least I think milkweed beetles are 😊.
Waiting in the Wings
It’s snowing (again) but before too long spring’s turn will come. Here’s a preview of coming attractions…
Female Cardinal
Getting her colour back. I took this photo in late summer as her feathers were growing back in.
MONDAY MALLARD
Regular readers will have noticed that it’s been a few weeks since my last post. I was out of town for a while and then picked up a nasty bug (yes, Covid is still very much out there). I’m on the mend now and what better evidence than to feature one of my favourite ducks 😊
Sheltering Sparrow
Every spring, house sparrows construct nests in the crevices of this office building. In the winter as the wind whips around you can see them sheltering there, like this male house sparrow.
A Hint of Spring
I’ve been enjoying the photos of Snowdrops some bloggers have been posting recently. It will be some time before they appear here along with these wild violets that we see in spring. As we slog through February I needed a bit of colour.
Forest Floor
It looked like someone had called a meeting but few showed up 😏 . I think fungi and mushrooms make interesting subjects but they were pretty scarce last year. I’ll keep my eye peeled as things warm up around here.
Buddy Swim – 2
A sight I love at the end of the day😊
Groundhog Day
This is the only time I’ve seen a groundhog emege from its burrow. Although I’ve posted the photo before, I thought it was a timely encore.
Barred Owl
We see barred owls year round in our woods. I was hoping the owl would open its eyes wider but he was content to doze and I was happy just to have seen him.
Coming Attractions
It’s getting closer to sights like this again 😊
Feisty
We see red squirrels quite often in the woods usually giving chase to the larger eastern gray squirrels.
Summer Sparrow
Another little bird that is often overlooked. It was nice to see her perched on some long grass.
Junior
I do appreciate these birds as individuals, not as much in flocks when they can be aggressive and messy 😏. This immature ring-billed gull made a nice subject.
Female Wood Duck
She must be enjoying some warmer temperatures right now like the other Canadian “snowbirds. They’ll all be back once the snow has melted and the nice weather returns 😊
Hummingbird Moth
Hummingbird Moths are spectacular looking insects and good pollinators. I don’t see them every summer so when I do spot one hovering by a flower it’s pretty exciting.
Downy Woodpecker in Winter
There’s still a meal to be found for woodpeckers under tree bark though bird feeders must be an easier alternative for them this time of year.
A Look Back
I spend a good deal of the winter looking forward to spring; on a day like this particularly, when the temperature is in the -20s C, though the sun is shining. A look back here at more pleasant times 😊
Red Squirrel
Red Squirrels don’t hibernate in winter but do spend a lot of time in their nests to stay warm and conserve energy. I hope this little squirrel has a cache of food to see him through the bitterly cold weather that’s on the way.
City Bird
The common pigeon wouldn’t win any popularity contests but I do photograph them from time to time. They’re content to pose and have attractive colouring. And in winter with a shortage of bird subjects, I make allowances 😏
Buddy Swim
I took this photo before the water began to freeze though it was still pretty brisk.
Promise of Spring
It’s been snowing lightly all day. Just when it looked like it was winding down it picked up again. Looking for a photo to post I came across this scene from last spring. I’m counting the days 😏.
Bird on a Wire
European Starlings are not popular birds. They are an invasive species and aggressive to native birds. No friend to farmers either as they raid their crops. They sure are photogenic though.
Lesser Scaups
I had several opportunities to photograph these beautiful ducks last year. We kept returning to the same area over several days and there they were. I guess they’re being enjoyed right now by those living in more hospitable climates. 😏
DOWNY WOODPECKER
A downy woodpecker going about his business.
AT THE PARK
It will be fun to get back to this park when the weather warms up. I think the dogs there have a better time than most people 😏
Something to Crow About
Another sighting while looking up.
UP ON THE ROOF
I like weathervanes and rooftops. I struck it lucky here.
Cheers
Here’s hoping for calm waters in 2025. Happy New Year!
I Couldn’t Eat Another Bite
The chipmunk had a very successful raid of this garden. I took a lot of photos of him with his cheeks stuffed with nuts. Unfortunately my settings were off and this was the only reasonably sharp shot I got.
REWIND – 2
The days are sunny and cold right now, here’s a bit of warmth to add to the mix.
BAY STREET
In the older parts of the city you can still see a few old street signs fastened to the walls of buildings. I almost missed this one as the ivy had pretty much claimed the brick.
Downy Woodpecker
Best Wishes for the Holidays!
Winter Light
I like catching mallards in this light. They seem to glow 😊
REWIND
It turned very cold overnight with the temperature now hovering at -17C. I thought this was the perfect time to revisit some summer scenes. Besides I can’t use my camera while wearing mitts 😏
Night Owl
As owls are nocturnal, when I see them during the day they often look half asleep. The eastern screech owl is tiny and blends into its surroundings so well that you have to be pretty lucky to spot one.
LATE FALL – 3
This small lake attracts a lot of ducks; even in winter we see a few mallards. They are hardy. The wood ducks have left now but I did catch this one as it took a last solitary swim.
Downy Woodpecker
I haven’t seen many downy woodpeckers this year but I did see this one in the spring. I really like these little birds, our smallest woodpecker.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 