Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest of the woodpeckers and quite numerous. We enjoy them year round. They don’t cache food but survive the winter by excavating the trees for overwintering insects. They are also a frequent visitor to bird feeders.

I usually see chickadees out in the open flitting from branch to branch. I caught this bird in a quiet moment well off the path in challenging light. I liked the photo but hesitated before posting it because of the flare at the bottom of the image. Still worth featuring though.

On another note, a few of you let me know that you were unable to see the image that accompanied my last post. Mike Bizeau of naturehasnoboss.com had the same problem and suggested I set my image as a featured image. Like Mike, this has altered the appearance of my website (a change I don’t like) but until this glitch has been fixed I will continue to post in this way and hope you will all see my images.

The nuthatch was creeping along the tree trunk, struck a typical pose and then was off. These birds are constantly on the move so I was pleased to get this photo before it flew away.

I saw this white-throated sparrow last October. Although many remain in North America during the winter, given our cold climate, I believe this one was just passing through on its way south. There was plenty for it to eat on this warm fall day.

Although quite common, I’ve only seen a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker once, a few years ago. They are fairly small and beautifully patterned woodpeckers. We heard the bird hammering away at a tree and followed the sound. It was busy feeding and wasn’t at all bothered by our presence.

This is another photo taken late last fall. The water has a flat murky look and the only real colour is the mallard which also looks a bit muted in tone and expression.

It was nice to catch the mourning dove tilting its head.  I thought it made for a more interesting photo. I learned that they exist in large numbers and are prolific breeders which is a good thing, as they’re heavily hunted in North America.  Their name is derived from their rather plaintive call.

The woods were quiet, no squirrels about. This usually means there’s an owl or hawk nearby. Sure enough we saw this Screech Owl comfortably perched in the cavity of a tree. What did surprise me was the agitated chickadee flying close to the dozing owl. Brave or reckless, I couldn’t decide.

I took these photos from a floating bridge.  I was using a long lens, the duck was close by and I couldn’t put much distance between me and the duck.  I would have liked more but you can’t really go wrong with a subject like this.

I feature chickadees quite often. They’re seen frequently and are always up for a photograph. You have to be quick though because they don’t sit still very long.

It was a cloudy day and the woodpecker was well off the path. I chose to do little to edit the photo as I liked the mood created by the overcast day and the tree branches in the background.

I took the top photo last fall when the leaves were beginning to fade, I couldn’t miss the cardinal though he was at quite a distance. The photo below of the female cardinal was taken earlier in the summer.

Female Wood Ducks are less colourful than the male, but equally good looking. I took this photo last fall when the autumn colours were at their height. The birds swam into the reflection and I took the shot.

I’m glad the old tree wasn’t any higher! Sometimes birds find their way right to the top of a tree making for tricky photography. Wonderful bird, wonderful tree, what’s a bit of a sore neck after all. 😏

House Finches are native to western North America but were introduced in the east.  Their colour, particularly the red plumage of the male varies according to diet. They’re attractive little birds, although quite common I rarely seem them.

This wood duck was taken last fall, before they all flew south for the winter.  I’ve noticed that unlike most ducks that tend to stick together, the female wood duck is often on her own above the fray.

The hairy woodpecker is larger than the downy with a longer bill but their colouring is very similar. This fellow was working his way up and down the tree trunk, in and out of sight. I caught him as he came back into view.

Mallard Mom and her young ducks, still juveniles. Not sure if they’re male or female at this stage. The adult keeps a bit of a distance but the juveniles seem more comfortable with little space between themselves.

The heron was across the lake from me, having a look around. It remained in place for longer than I did. These birds can remain motionless for long periods of time particularly when stalking their prey. They are singleminded and ignore everything else around them.