I noticed a nice grouping of Queen Anne’s Lace that I wanted to photograph. When I got a little closer I noticed a Common Red Soldier Beetle walking along its surface. They are partial to open-structured flowers.
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ONE IN EVERY GROUP
I watched as the mother duck led her young ones towards the pond. They all fell into line except for the one at the rear 😊
CROSSING THE FINISH LINE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The vein in the leaf made the title of this post easy. I’m not a fan of yellow jacket wasps and usually head in the opposite direction when they’re flying close by. In this case it was a cool morning and the insect seemed lethargic, so I took these photos with little worry.
GREAT EGRET (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a wetland not far from town that we drive to a few times over the summer. When we pulled over we saw a solitary Egret fishing. I wasn’t using my longest lens but the 300mm did a fair job. After a few minutes, I looked away and when I looked back the bird was in the air. Look at those legs, pulled together like a diver in flight!
SUNSHINE ON A CLOUDY DAY
The clouds looked like they held rain but it remained overcast. I like conditions like this, and the soft light worked in my favour.
SUNDAY’S BEE
I’m happy to see a lot of bees this year. A bit of good news for us all.
CAT WATCH
The window was rain streaked but it didn’t block the cat’s view of the street. It seemed content to stare, so I took my photo and left him to it.
GARDEN TIME
Despite how quickly the days are moving along, scenes like this serve as a reminder that there’s still plenty of summer left!
AGING WELL
The rain and wind had bowed the peony, it was still beautiful though.
SNAPPING TURTLE
I rarely see a snapping turtle swimming as they move silently through the water (and my camera is often pointed up, not down 😏). It served as a good reminder to look around more.
FUNNY DUCKS
I took the male’s portrait and then his mate joined the frame. I think mallards are the comedians of the duck world.
LEAF’S EDGE
Balancing on the edge of a leaf, that takes some talent. 😊
DUCK TO WATER
The river was pretty choppy but this black duck knew exactly how to maneuver through it.
QUEEN ANNE’S LACE
I was surprised to see several of these plants developing at different rates under the same growing conditions. Very much like people do, I guess 😏
A CUT ABOVE
Pigeons are common and not very popular given their messy ways. A liked this one though, a very handsome bird.
MILKWEED BEETLE
A milkweed beetle going about its business. 😏
CALM WATERS
A quiet scene along the river.
MONDAY SUNFLOWER
A sunny start to the week.
WINDOW ON THE PAST
The window display was quite elegant on its own but the reflection of the old building across the way enhanced it a little more.
LITTLE THEATRE
I featured this same lady bug a few posts back. It seemed to be putting on a show just for us that day. This time it was a little fan dance before it flew off.
CLOSER LOOK
I had my focus on the cabbage white, it was only when I imported my files that I saw the damselfly. Always nice when something like this happens!
CITY ART
This wonderful mural by Ottawa artist Christopher Griffin, appears on the wall of a downtown building. It’s on a busy street, so I wonder how many people have seen it as they drive by. When I’m on foot I always stop to look at it and today I had my camera.
UNCONVENTIONAL
I liked this flower, one I don’t remember seeing before; its beauty a little unconventional.
GRACKLE IN THE GRASS
I usually see grackles near water or in trees, so I was surprised to see this bird walking along in the grass. I know people with bird feeders tend to dislike grackles as they will bully the other birds. I like them though and admire their keen eye and good looks (they also keep the insect population down).
IN THE LONG GRASS
A typical summer scene. If only I could bottle its scent and colours for those dark days of winter.
To all those celebrating, Happy Canada Day!
TIPPY TOES
I’ve photographed a lot of lady bugs but I haven’t seen one move like this before 😊
FLAMINGO FANFARE
Frequent viewers have likely noticed that I haven’t been featuring many birds lately. Sticking closer to home, sightings have been fewer – but then I stumbled upon this small pink flamingo. Not as rare as you might think in our urban environment 😏
CALM WATERS
The water on this stretch of river has the most beautiful reflections. My good luck that the mallard decided to take that route.
FINE RECEPTION
As small as it is, this milkweed beetle stood out nicely on the plant it’s named after. Both milkweed and the beetle are toxic so it needn’t worry about being someone’s lunch. It has an impressive set of antennae; it’s a member of the longhorn beetle family.
SALSIFY
I featured a different variety of Salsify in one of my recent posts. Some are cultivated, others grow in the wild. I saw this one growing in a field with other wildflowers. Another elegant “weed”.
WHAT THE CAT SAW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I couldn’t see what the cat saw but it definitely had something in its sights.
FINE DUO
The daisies were growing among the wild grasses; a pretty combination.
BEE BREAK
I’ve seen bees this motionless early in the day when it’s cool. I took this photo mid morning so that wasn’t the cause. The bee looked to be in good condition, maybe it was just taking a break from collecting pollen.
PEACH MELBA
I’ve only seen this colour of rose in one small corner lot garden. It’s their time to bloom and still some buds to come, so I’ll be back.
HOVER FLY ON FLEABANE
Hover flies or flower flies are valuable insects. The larvae of some species prey on aphids and the adults are pollinators. Until I picked up a camera I wasn’t aware of these attractive little insects. Now I look out for them each summer.
SUN GLOW
The sun struck the back of the chair and made it glow. I just had to take the photo. I was shooting with a 105mm lens (hoping for some insect photos that day) so I was pretty happy to get the shot.
THIS OLD HOUSE
This house is in a neighbourhood that is undergoing change. Many old homes sit side by side with new construction; some are being remodelled or torn down. For now, this old house still stands. Its beautiful wooden door contrasting nicely with the red brick.
GUARD DUCK
The mallard had recently gotten out of the water and was drying off on the grass. I hesitated for a moment before I approached. It looked like a no nonsense duck!
POPPIES PAST
I remember making flowers out of tissue paper when I was a young. Carefully separating and fanning the layers and securing them with a bobby pin. These tissue-like poppies reminded me of those flowers, particularly the slightly windblown ones to the right of the frame 😏
SHAKEN NOT STIRRED
Sparks Street is a pedestrian mall in downtown Ottawa. It’s a mix of office towers, shops and restaurants. I liked the old fashioned sign and the chairs stacked up waiting for the Cocktail Hour.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 