This juvenile Black-crowned night heron was a fair distance from me and very high up a tree. I had to crop the picture quite a bit and when I did I noticed its stern expression. It’s a common look for this stocky heron and one that never fails to make me laugh.
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GREAT BLUE IN THE FALL
These herons usually remain until the lakes begins to freeze, so with a bit of luck we’ll have a few more sightings before then. I didn’t see the heron right away. I was focussed on a goose in the water and panned around to see if there were any other birds about when I spotted the heron standing absolutely motionless. At that distance I would have missed him if hadn’t been for the goose!
SOLITARY DAMSELFLY
I thought the season for damselflies was over for the year when I saw one a week ago, perched on a stem. We’re still seeing the occasional Monarch but this is the only damselfly I’ve seen in over a month. A wonderful sight indeed.
TYPICALLY CANADIAN
This photo was taken on the weekend at a nearby reserve. The lake has several beaver lodges, the one in the background is one of the largest and provides a nice backdrop for the Canada Geese.
NOT AT MY BEST
I featured the same cardinal a few weeks ago, in this photo he’s giving me a a sidelong glance. I guess he realizes he’s looking a bit rough. While out today I saw another cardinal that was in perfect form but it flew off before I could take a shot.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
I heard the chickadee, aimed my camera and got him mid song. They are a common little bird but animated and attractive. The tree was very leafy wth little sunlight filtering through which contributed to the painterly background.
LAST OF THE SUMMER FLOWERS – 2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With a frost advisory on the way tonight I thought it was time for another look at some late summer flowers. These were taken mid-September; the first in a field, the second in a neighbourhood garden.
WOOD DUCK
I often see a duck resting on this log by the water’s edge. It’s down a tree lined path so the birds are usually in the shade. The reflections in the water at this time of year make for an attractive background.
LAST OF THE SUMMER FLOWERS – 1
I came upon these faded beauties on a recent walk, a few more still to bloom. The flowers take on a special beauty as the season draws to an end and summer lingers just a little longer.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
I didn’t see many night herons this summer but the few I saw were nice and close. So intent on fishing they ignored us, the only challenge being the leaves blocking our view and the narrow pathways.
FALL FROGS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The leaves are beginning to change colour but the days are warm and the frogs are still about. With some luck it’ll be a while before they tuck in for the winter and I’ll have more opportunities for photos like these.
YOU’LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME, I’M NOT AT MY BEST
I have seen cardinals in this state for the last several weeks. For such a handsome bird, they can look pretty rough when moulting and this one wasn’t taking any nonsense! I’ll be featuring more from this rogues’ gallery in posts to come.
STATELY GIANT (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Another photo from the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa that we visited earlier in the summer. This one tree stood out. Its outstretched branches were welcoming and I couldn’t help but be impressed by its size and age. The black and white emphasized the tree’s texture and detail and the shadow cast on the grass.
WHAT’S UP CHICKADEE – 2
On September 8 I featured a chickadee that looked a little ruffled. Today’s bird was taken on the same day, in the same location and looked well groomed. Perhaps this bird was a bit older, not moulting or hadn’t had a recent bath. All might explain the difference in their appearance.
QUEEN ANNE IN THE FALL
It’s not quite fall but a good number of flowers are wearing their turn of season appearance. Queen Anne’s Lace is no exception. It was framed by some goldenrod that created an attractive background glow.
BEEZZ (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The bees are making the most of the late summer flowers. They were everywhere that morning. Some worked together, some worked alone and some like the bee in the first photo didn’t want any company.
RED SQUIRREL
It’s nearly fall and time to get busy collecting food for the approaching winter. This squirrel was taking time out for a quick snack. Under the feeder the ground is littered with spent sunflower seeds. Occasionally though an intact seed falls to the ground for the lucky few.
SULPHUR BUTTERFLY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s been a terrific year for butterflies in my part of the country. When visiting a local botanical garden, in among the clouds of painted ladies was this solitary sulphur butterfly. I went back a day later and I saw it again. Unlike the painted ladies who were constantly on the move, the sulphur, Pink-edged or Clouded (I’m not sure which) savoured the nectar for a while.
HEADING HOME
Another country scene taken on a recent road trip. It was mid afternoon and something was calling the horses back to the barn. We watched as they returned at a slow and relaxed gait.
HUMMINGBIRD MOTH
A friend had some success photographing a hummingbird moth at a wildlife garden we frequent. Luck was on our side too on a recent visit. This moth beats its wings at great speeds so I was pleased to get this photo and several others in decent focus (of the hundreds I took). Not an easy subject but oh, when it works😊.
WHAT’S UP CHICKADEE
I wasn’t sure if the bird was moulting or just wet. Another chickadee close by didn’t appear out of the ordinary. If the bird was moulting, it still looked pretty sharp unlike other birds that can look downright ugly!
A NOD TO SUMMER
I’ve never seen a sunflower this colour before. It seemed rather fitting for this time of year. The sun isn’t as bright or warm as even a week ago and this flower seems to fit in perfectly with the changing season.
METALLIC BEE
This is a metallic or sweat bee. Their attractive colouring make them one of my favourite bees. We don’t see many of them but when we do they often have a dusting of pollen that makes them stand out even more. You might notice another insect making its way up the underside of the flower. Had I seen it when I was taking the photo I would have remained to witness the encounter.
LEOPARD FROG
This is one of only a few frogs I’ve seen this summer, a handsome leopard frog. He stayed in the same position for the longest time, I hoped he would move forward a bit so I could get all of him in the shot. I waited for a while and finally gave up and continued my walk. As we were leaving the garden, I checked to see whether he had moved on. He hadn’t budged at all. I guess he was enjoying the day his way!
HOME ON THE RANGE
We stopped the car when we saw the horses in the field. They were at a considerable distance yet one curious horse stopped grazing to look our way. Not much detail in the horses given how far away they were, but they added a tranquil feeling to the scene.
AT THE PARK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I’ve photographed this park before. I went back again, this time with a wider lens. I think the slightly off-balanced aspect, makes the photo a little unsettling and more interesting.
LADYBUG (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
As the end of summer approaches it was nice to see this ladybug. Ladybugs hibernate over winter. Here in Canada, if they hibernate in your garage, it’s said to be a sign of good luck. Many would disagree 😏. The ladybug was racing along the stem and I kept my lens trained on it as it dodged in and out of sight. I hope to see a few more of these insects before the cold weather sets in.
AROUND TOWN – 2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There is a lot of wall art in Ottawa on both commercial and residential buildings. I came across this piece on a recent walk and liked the whimsy of it. As I’ve written before, you never know what you’re going to come across when you’re out and about. Some days can be pretty rewarding.
OVER THE FENCE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I wish I could remember where I took the photo above, as I would return to see how the garden looks now. I liked the untamed look to the place and exotic flowers growing there. The second photo was taken in my neighbourhood. I return every year to photograph these yellow flowers against the brick wall of the house.
AROUND TOWN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Recent photos from a walk in town. It’s been very hot lately and the mosquitoes are biting, so we’ve been taking some city walks. You’re never far from some shade and a cold drink and no shortage of things to photograph if you keep your eyes open.
PAINTED TURTLE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I was scanning the river for birds when I noticed this very large painted turtle on the edge of a boulder. I kept expecting it to slip into the water but it continued to balance like this for all the time I was there. Although not endangered or threatened, its status is of “Special Concern” as it may become so. That said we haven’t had as many sightings as usual this summer; I do look forward to seeing them every year.
SUMMERTIME
On a recent weekend afternoon, a drive through the countryside with friends provided many scenes like this one. The colours of late summer and the light are different now, not as brilliant but still beautiful.
IN THE REEDS
The Canada Goose was swimming close to shore winding its way through the reeds. I usually try to get a clean shot of a bird but in this case I thought the reeds made for a more interesting and realistic photograph.
BALANCING ACT
We often see Black-crowned night herons intent on the water, performing this balancing act. They can hold the pose much longer than I can keep my camera raised. I took the photo from further than I would have liked but it does allow a glimpse of the surroundings.
POPPY
Poppies grow here for a very short period in summer. Their brilliant colour makes a mark on the landscape. Even against a brilliant backdrop they are standouts.
SISTERHOOD OF THE DUCKS
These four ducks are a tight knit group. I’ve seen them swimming in close formation on my last couple of visits to the reserve. On this particular day they were drying off after a swim. I was happy to get them all looking up, it took a while as they did some preening beforehand.
THE GALL OF IT ALL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This damselfly perched on a plant that contained an insect gall (the growth you see on the stem).
We are getting to the end of the damselfly season although dragonflies will continue to emerge into September. It feels as though summer has barely begin but I sense the change of season. The days are warm but the evenings are cool and the wildflowers are beginning to fade.
SPARROW
A morning when there were a lot of sparrows about and not much else. On days like these you appreciate the beauty in the ordinary. The sparrow was a nice poser and the surrounding vegetation framed it nicely.
A NICE MIX (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Different flowers, the first ones from a garden, the second growing in the wild. They both have an untamed quality to them. The violet flowers reminded me of underwater plants you’d see moving in a sea current. The others were found along a path and I took the shot just as the wind was lessening.
LOVE BUGS
The ladybug is a a pretty common beetle, although I’ve only seen a couple this summer, including this pair. They come in many varieties and are useful insects as they eat a lot of garden pests.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 