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.
