The surface of lily pads can be messy. I was going to edit out a bit of the “muck” when I realized it consisted of flies, a frog’s meal of choice. I kept them in it made for a more realistic picture.
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DOWNY WOODPECKER
One of the nice things about Downy Woodpeckers is that they remain here even in the winter. They continue to find insects by drilling into the bark of trees; their diet also includes berries and well stocked feeders.
SNOW DAY
I took this photo in mid-December, a few years back. We’ve seen very little snow this winter, more rain than anything else. Today is colder though so maybe we’ll see some soon. A December without any snow is unusual. I wonder if this is the new normal …
INTO THE FUTURE
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
TIMID TOM
Our local reserve was closed for a few weeks this summer when a trio of male turkeys were acting aggressively towards passersby. This Tom wasn’t one of the rowdies. 😏
LOST
I took many shots of this egret last summer. I have never seen one moving through the tall grass before. We were taking a path to the river and thought we might see one fishing there. I think this egret should have asked for directions 😏
DUCK TALES
I’ve only seen Northern Shovelers in late fall as they pass through on their way south and always in this quiet cove. Their impressive shovel-shaped bills have projections that allow them to filter out food from the water.
ALL DECKED OUT
And ready for the Holidays!
NEVER A DULL DUCK
I feature a lot of ducks on my blog. I never tire of them.
NORTHERN GATOR
Well not exactly but the larva of a ladybug does bear a slight resemblance to a tiny alligator and they are voracious eaters.
ANIMAL CRACKERS
The squirrel couldn’t have posed any better 😊
Being Green
I was hoping to find a few frogs among the water lilies that day but they remained quiet and well hidden. All in all I didn’t leave disappointed.
FAR SIDE
I wish I had been closer to the egret and company but the photo did capture the quiet mood of the afternoon at the lake.
ON A MISSION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Ring-billed gulls are very intense looking birds.
OPEN AIR GALLERY
We are lucky to have a lot of public art on our city streets. It’s nice to slow down for a few minutes and take it all in.
WHAT’S THE RUSH?
The goose had somewhere to be. 😏
YELLOW AND GREEN
Quite the change from our current snowy landscape.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
Although some mallards remain here all winter, I’ve never seen a black duck in their company. Like most waterfowl, they fly further south before the real cold sets in.
PLAY OF LIGHT
I walk by this spot frequently but on this particular day the light and shadow were just right. I thought the result looked like an etching.
RING-BILLED ROUNDUP
I enjoy seeing ring-billed gulls on the water, although we often see them in city parking lots and public parks scavenging for food. I liked this photogenic group; note the mottled bird on the left, it’s a juvenile. These gulls take three years to reach full maturity.
SEEN ON A WALK
These items looked like they had been placed with care although they were left there for garbage pick up. A well used sofa, a child’s toy even the plant growing out of the concrete made for a homey scene despite its location.
Planning Ahead
The groundhog was fattening up for his long winter sleep. In our climate they will hibernate in their burrows from October through March or April. We’re under a winter storm watch today, so I think they have the right idea. 😏
CHANGING TIMES
It seems that few parts of town have escaped gentrification. Many of these older neighbourhoods are giving way to infills and condominiums. There is still a lot of the original character but I wonder for how long.
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO
Luckily, the sparrow decided to stay put for a few minutes!
Lake View – 2
It was a good year for wood ducks. This young male was one of many I enjoyed seeing this summer.
WEBNESDAY
I was disappointed with the detail in the orb spider but I think its web and the background colours compensated for it.
Lake View
I often see waterbirds in the shade of this wonderful tree. I always pause here for a while and take it all in. It’s one of my favourite places.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
I was looking across the lake and happened to glance down from the platform and saw the wood ducks resting on a log. Not an angle I favour but it did show them off quite nicely.
COOL ROBIN
We associate robins with springtime. Yet, if they can find enough berries to eat a few remain all winter.
IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
The shoes were lined up neatly perhaps for anyone who needed them. It is getting cold outside.
CLEVER CAT
Walking through the local arboretum we heard rustling in the underbrush. After a few minutes a large cat appeared. It sat and looked around and wasn’t in a hurry to leave. It didn’t have a collar so we presumed it was wild and made its home here. Judging by its healthy appearance it knew how to fend for itself.
MARSH SCENE
We stop by this marsh every autumn and take in the beauty of the place; and if no birds appear it doesn’t really matter.
SOULFUL
The dog’s owner was working in his yard, his dog resting on a towel facing the sidewalk. I couldn’t resist taking a quick shot.
INTREPID DUCK
The duck seemed to know how to navigate the choppy water and I watched it as it moved with the waves.
VERY PARTICULAR
There were plenty of seeds in the feeder but they weren’t on this blue jay’s menu. 😏
FEMALE HOODED MERGANSER
I don’t see hooded mergansers very often and when I do they’re usually in the middle of the lake. Not this one though.
MINIMALISM
Seen on a walk .
SUNDAY SQUIRREL
Black squirrels are very common here. They are actually a melanistic subgroup of the eastern grey squirrel. Their black fur gives them a thermal advantage during our cold winters.
HANG ON
It’s cold and grey outside, so I thought a bit of summer was in order. I took the milkweed beetle in July; it’s going to be a long winter. 😏
GEESE AND FRIEND
We discovered this pond late in the season as did a number of waterbirds. This is one of many photos I took that day of geese and cormorants.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 