I took this photo at the beginning of April a few years ago. The water had begun to thaw so I imagine he found something to eat. I had never seen a heron return this early before or since; usually they wait until the ice has melted and the locals come out.
Males mallards seem to chum around more than the females. This can lead to a portrait like this.
Usually black-capped chickadees don’t stay in one place for long. I’ll raise my camera just to miss them as they fly to another tree, I was more fortunate with this bird, it stayed put long enough for me to get the shot, Another year round bird here.
I think I’ve said it before but I do love these ducks 😊
A common sparrow, yet I think her stance and the spring setting set her apart.
Getting her colour back. I took this photo in late summer as her feathers were growing back in.
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 😊
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 sight I love at the end of the day😊
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.
It’s getting closer to sights like this again 😊
Another little bird that is often overlooked. It was nice to see her perched on some long grass.
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.
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 😊
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.
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 😏
I took this photo before the water began to freeze though it was still pretty brisk.
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.
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. 😏
A downy woodpecker going about his business.
Another sighting while looking up.
Here’s hoping for calm waters in 2025. Happy New Year!
Best Wishes for the Holidays!
I like catching mallards in this light. They seem to glow 😊
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.
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.
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.
A few more migrants passing through, I’ve only seen ring-billed ducks a few times and always as it gets colder.
One last swim at the lake. The waterfowl usually remain until the lakes and rivers begin to freeze.
This juvenile ring-billed gull was coming in for a landing. They take three years to reach maturity and acquire an adult’s white and grey feathers, yellow legs and bill with the distinctive black band. I like taking them in flight, good practice for the bigger birds 😊
These flycatchers are one of my favourite songbirds. I look forward to their return next spring.
Canada Geese were gathering like this as we moved into fall. Just before the recent snow, I saw two large formations of geese overhead. They made it out just in time.
I saw this mallard in October. I was taken with his red head feathers. It was an unusual sighting, a first for me.
The red-winged blackbird had found a good perch and and finally moved its head long enough to give me a clear shot.
Happily, some of these ducks remain during the colder months.
I usually see these stocky birds in the reeds waiting patiently for a passing fish or frog. I rarely see one in flight. This heron blended in quite well to its surroundings except for those striking yellow feet.
We’ve had a lot of mild weather this November and there are still some Canada Geese around. I caught this one as it was landing.
A Blue Jay sighting on a recent neighbourhood walk.
It’s nice to catch a mallard in a quiet moment, the fall reflections makes it even nicer.
This past summer we were treated to the appearance of lesser scaups. We only saw them twice but they provided a lot of photo opportunities. A new bird for me 😊
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 