This was one of only a few Great Blue Heron sightings all this summer. A cold rainy start, followed by drought conditions might explain this. When I did come upon this regal bird I was delighted. He was just within my len’s reach and just far enough away to not care about my presence. I do hope to see one again before their fall migration south.
I enjoy photographing a lone duck, taking a break from the noisy group. This lake has many fallen trees that the ducks and geese take advantage of for just such a purpose. It was a good year for water lilies and their leaves provide a pleasing backdrop for the shot.
I took these handsome fellows back in May when they were in full breeding plumage. They are the most colourful of ducks and migrate to our region each spring. If we’re lucky wood ducks remain until the first frost. As the season progresses they become less wary of people and will swim close to shore or walk along the pathways for some nice close-ups.
I love to see ducks swimming in formation, they swim with such purpose. American Black Ducks are not as common in our area as mallards but when you see mallards you usually see a few American Black Ducks as well. They might be common but I still find them extremely appealing.
I took these photos in May as the Grackles were migrating through. I’ve yet to see them in the fall although I’m sure they fly through as they head south. I usually spot them along the shoreline, half hidden by branches looking for food. I was lucky in this case as the bird was out in the open. Grackles are gregarious birds, if you see one they’re usually in the company of more. A striking bird with its iridescent plumage and yellow eyes.
This warbler passed through our area last spring. I hope to catch another glimpse of these birds as they migrate south this fall. I usually see warblers high up in the trees. This bird was busy hopping along the ground close to a decaying tree and feeding on insects as he went. Fast subject, tricky light.
Rock Dove is another name for this bird, that most of us call the common pigeon. You see them all over the city, but we were in the country, in the woods, which made their sighting more unusual. They were the only two pigeons around, so perhaps they were a breeding pair. I had the time to really look at them as they perched in this natural setting and found them attractive, not a quality I usually attribute to this breed. More dove than pigeon these two.
These photographs are the first I’ve ever taken of this woodpecker. I have not seen one in our local woods although they are said to be quite common in our area. We spotted him while on a road trip earlier in the summer. The bird was a handsome one but tricky to take because of the light conditions. I had to open up the shadows, remove the colour cast and adjust the luminance and saturation. He was quite close to us and our presence didn’t bother him so we managed to make the most of our brief encounter.
This female mallard was drying off after a swim but those wayward feathers would not be tamed. She is moulting like many other birds at this point in the summer. It’s a vulnerable time as she can’t fly until her feathers are replaced. They’re excellent swimmers though and the lake provides a lot of reedy waterways to escape to.
I have had few opportunities this summer to see or photograph Great Blue Herons. In fact we’ve seen fewer birds of any kind this year. This handsome bird, although a distance from shore, was not hiding in the reeds so we were able to get clear photographs. I hope for more sightings as I have to get my fill before the cold weather sets in and the herons head south.
This female merganser stood out among the other ducks on the lake. She seemed to be the lone merganser swimming alongside the mallards and wood ducks. She didn’t display her crest and with no mate nearby I thought she looked like a young one. Hooded Mergansers are small ducks and are divers not dabblers. Although we didn’t see her catch anything while we watched her, she certainly was trying.
These two don’t have much in common except for their challenging looks. They see me and hold their ground. The cardinal was at quite a distance so I had to crop the photo more than I like but with that expression and amazing crest I just had to feature him.
We missed all the hatchlings this year but still see some young birds once in a while. We came across this scene recently. The adults were off to the side and the goslings were snuggled together, some asleep, a few looking dozy. We took a few photos and let them settle down.
This little bird was a pleasure to see after a hot long walk without too much to show for it. The best part was that it wasn’t ducking behind leaves and branches allowing me these clear shots. I believe it’s a warbler but I’d appreciate a positive ID.
Red-winged blackbirds are among the earliest migrants to return in the spring. We see the males first and often hear their song before we spot them. The females are often found further into the woods gathering nesting material. Their colouring is more subtle than the males but just as beautiful I believe.
We missed the arrival of newly hatched chicks this year; there seemed to be fewer young and we weren’t around to see them when they hatched. So it was nice to come across this young family enjoying the cool water on a very hot day. The young still swim in tight formation at this stage but they’re old enough to no longer need a minder bringing up the rear.
Winter or summer, set off against snow or foliage, cardinals are such handsome birds. Often shy, I seldom have a chance to focus on them for very long but not this bird. He stayed put, only moving a bit to change his pose.
The orioles arrived right on schedule in mid-May. May is their peak nesting period and we saw more than we normally do this year. Haven’t seen them since though. They are such brilliant little birds and add welcome colour to the spring landscape. This oriole kept popping in and out of the flowering tree, I guess there were many insects about.
Hairy woodpeckers are a little less common in our woods than the downy woodpeckers which they closely resemble, so it’s always a good day when I spot one. This female was intent on finding some insects and my presence didn’t deter her in the least.
One of the first spring migrants to our region, yellow-rumps are a sure sign of the change of seasons. Our local reserve had so many that when we asked a fellow photographer in passing what he had seen, he answered “nothing, just yellow-rumps”. As they remain for only 2-3 weeks I can’t imagine tiring of them that quickly.
This young woodpecker was aware of us as she made her way from the tree to the water’s edge. She remained on the ground for a good five minutes having a drink and looking around. I have never been as close to a pileated before or seen one on the ground, it was pretty thrilling.
It was nice to see this sparrow on the ground at a relatively close distance. I usually spot them high up in the trees flying from branch to branch. The bird was nicely framed by new vegetation and seemed to be listening for something.
There are many wood duck pairs at the lake this spring, it should be a good year for them. I was told that a wood duck had been seen entering a nest in a tree trunk whose previous tenant had been a woodpecker. It shouldn’t be too long before we see the first ducklings.
The first time I photographed a female red winged blackbird I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. The female is so unlike the male in appearance. They are quieter too, often in the underbrush gathering nesting material as this bird was. They do blend in quite well so I was pleased to have taken this shot.
Two very different photos of the same subject taken months apart. In the first, the bird was very close by and I was struck by his dramatic eye. The other was taken last summer and I couldn’t have posed him better myself.
In the first photo the bird is checking his progress so far. In the other two the woodpecker has just landed. The condition of the tree is the result of a short lived but powerful storm that hit this area last fall and left hundreds of trees severely damaged or destroyed. Fortunately for the birds and we nature lovers enough remain for the birds to breed and build their nests. Always a treat to see these flashy birds in the woods.
These little birds blend in so well that often it’s only their song that alerts you to their presence. We were joined on the trail by some avid birdwatchers who happened to point this one out. Song sparrows migrate to our region in the warmer months to breed, along with other summer visitors. Always a pleasure to see yet another species return for a while.
This mallard was swimming his patch of the lake, there’s still a bit of ice around but not enough to keep him by the shoreline. It was a beautiful sunny day and the sun caught the brilliance of his feathers. Spring is definitely here, he was looking his best and if he hasn’t gotten hitched up it won’t be long now!
This is the woodpecker I mentioned in a recent post, we saw it last time we were at the reserve. I was a bit of a distance from him, shooting through twigs and branches but with no leaves out yet I did manage to get some clear shots. We heard the woodpecker working away before we saw him. A fellow photographer standing nearby like a beacon led us right to him. We didn’t see the bird’s mate but hope to when we return next time.
We stopped by a reserve today hoping for a few signs of Spring. This is what it looks like in my corner of the world! This Canada Goose must have been wondering what was going on… The ice is beginning to recede on the lake but we need some +C temperatures to help things along. No snow drops or wild violets yet but we did see a few wood ducks in the open water and a pileated woodpecker starting a nest, sure signs of spring!
I haven’t been posting many recent photos as the extremely cold temperatures discourage new photography excursions. As I’ve taken many chickadee shots in the past I thought I’d put up a few more. I never tire of these little birds, I hope you agree.
American Black Ducks are becoming more common on our waterways although still not as numerous as Mallards. A little more reclusive than the gregarious mallard I often see them alone or in pairs. They can interbreed and compete for the same food. This lake has a lot of fallen trees so there are many opportunities for photos such as this.
It’s been a long, cold winter and I haven’t been on the trails much (not a big fan of winter). But on seeing this brilliant cardinal for inspiration, I’m dusting off my gear, examining every tree I pass for buds and counting the days/weeks when I’ll be out in earnest again.
The first chickadee has appeared on my blog before but in colour, I had not started working in black and white two years ago. I always liked the photo and thought it earned a second bow. The second photo was taken more recently. I chose to feature them together given the birds’ excellent acrobatic skills.
I saw this female Redstart during nesting period last Spring. We were climbing up a steep, tree lined path when someone up ahead motioned to the nest. This shot was taken on an uneven surface through the trees and although the bird’s body was nice and sharp, her head wasn’t as sharp as I would have liked it. Yet, it was my first nesting Redstart, so all and all not a bad beginning to the season.
I have never been this close to a Great Blue Heron. It had landed right on the water’s edge, a few feet from where we were standing. There was a lot of brush around, which I couldn’t avoid but I don’t mind it in the frame. I used Field Blur in Photoshop to soften it a bit. I wondered if the heron was a young bird, it was so close to us and yet so fearless.
I love to watch nuthatches as they search for food, their moves are very impressive. Their nasal calls are distinctive and will lead you to them if you don’t spot them first. Both of these photographs were taken last winter, the first when the sun was low casting a golden glow. Both birds were male, they have darker caps than the female’s greyer version.
Two summers ago we had several Great Blue Herons at the reserve which was not the case last summer. In 2016 the water level was lower than this past year which made for easier fishing. The first heron is flying away with a catfish, the second is displaying a rather graceful takeoff. These herons are a pleasure to watch and photograph in flight or as as they stalk, fish, or preen, usually ignoring the photographer.
There is a group of mallards that remain here all winter. They congregate along the river’s edge that stays clear of ice. People feed them and between that and the bit of vegetation they find they seem to do alright. A hardy lot these ducks!
The chickadees seem to have come through the long winter in fine form. The trails are scattered with seeds that walkers provide as they visit the park, so the few birds that we’ve come across are looking pretty well fed. We’ve seen more squirrels than birds so far but as the warm weather returns I’m sure that will balance out.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 