A scene from a warm summer day. No better way to spend a sunny afternoon than camera in hand surrounded by sights like this.
Tag Archives: Landscape
OVERHEARD AT THE LAKE
When I took this photo I was focussed on the wood ducks. Looking at the image when I got home I thought the goose was part of the story too and a funny one at that.
NORTHERN CARDINAL
I took several several photos of the cardinal on the ground and when it flew into the trees. In late summer they seem more relaxed around people; their young have left the nest and they’re less wary. Nice for me.
DOWNY WOODPECKER
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.
METALLIC BEE
Although very small there is no overlooking these brilliant green bees. This one was gathering pollen, and its legs are well dusted with it. Nothing says summer more to me than a scene like this.
BROWN CREEPER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was a first for me and the only time I’ve ever seen a brown creeper, so it was pretty exciting. Their numbers are declining in the eastern part of North America, due to habitat loss, so I was particularly happy to see one. It’s called a brown creeper but I thought it looked more like it was hugging the tree as it foraged for insects.
CANADA GEESE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Canada Geese may have their detractors but on a lake in the fall they are among my favourite subjects. They’ve had their young and territory is no longer an issue so scenes like this are common. Ottawa is a city that includes a lot of rural land, so you don’t have to go too far to see them flying in their wonderful V formations (or echelons) as they head south.
EASTERN PHOEBE
This was the only Phoebe I saw this year and I was at a fair distance from it, so I wasn’t sure I would get it. A handsome little bird, it’s a member of the flycatcher family.
FEMALE WOOD DUCK
I took this in late October 2019. Except for a quick drive to the lake this summer, I haven’t returned. I did see wood ducks on that visit though. Despite the year we’ve had the birds arrived as usual and will migrate back in the spring. This constant is encouraging. With some luck the coming year will have us all headed in the right direction.
HOLD ON
The goldfinch held on tight as the wind buffeted him about. I thought he’d fly off to a more sheltered spot but he held his ground. Lucky me.
LATE FALL – 3 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A few more flowers taken recently and looking pretty seasonal. With the temperature continuing to drop, scenes such as these are fast disappearing. Although a few hardy flowers are still hanging on.
CHICKADEE
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.
BEECAUSE
As the first light snow of the season falls outside, what better time to revisit a scene like this. I can almost feel the sun on my face and hear the bees buzzing 😏.
TWO GRASSHOPPERS
I haven’t taken too many grasshoppers. If you manage to scare one up when walking along and see where it lands, you have a chance at a photo. That’s why this shot was particularly lucky. I came across these two when focusing on something else in the grass and saw them frozen on the stalk.
LATE FALL – 2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The first flower is wearing its Halloween colours, The second still has a petal or two but my eye was attracted by its intricate centre. You might have to look a little longer for flower subjects at this point in the fall but they’re out there.
GOLDFINCH IN FALL
I took this photo in October of last year. I’m not sure if this is a female goldfinch or a male in non breeding colours. Either way, an attractive bird in a thoughtful pose.
CHIPMUNK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
More chipmunk photographs from earlier this summer. With the colder weather setting in I hope this chipmunk has a good cache of nuts set aside. Judging by those cheeks I think he must have 😊.
GENTLE FALL
This part of the trail is closely packed with undergrowth. The maple leaf’s fall was broken by a nearby stem. I enjoy finding these minor players in the bigger fall show.
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH
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.
SOUTHWARD BOUND
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.
GREEN HERON
I watched as the green heron carefully scanned the water looking for a passing fish. It watched, it patrolled, and waited some more. All the herons I’ve photographed are the most patient of fishermen, more patient than this photographer. I took some photos and left the bird as I continued my walk.
PILEATED WOODPECKER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I usually see pileated woodpeckers high up in the trees, rarely on the ground. As we were walking along we came across this bird excavating the bark of a fallen tree. It must have been full of insects because he continued on long after we had taken our fill of photographs and moved on.
MALE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
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.
LATE FALL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We are very lucky to live in a climate where we’re treated to the changing seasons. The trees are beginning to make dazzling displays. As colourful as they are right now, I find them interesting subjects and still beautiful as they begin to fade and show the effects of time.
FALL CROCUS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I was surprised to see these crocus growing in a friend’s garden. It’s a flower I thought only grew in the spring, often pushing through the melting snow. For a second there I thought we had skipped winter and gone directly into spring 😏.
METALLIC BEE
The metallic bee goes by several names, the least attractive being sweat bee which doesn’t do it justice. This one is a female, as its able to carry pollen on its back legs, the male is not. Their season is drawing to a close so it was nice to catch sight of just one more this year.
FALL DUCK
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.
AROUND THE CORNER
This photo was taken late last October. I remember being surprised at how green the leaf was while the rest of the landscape looked like the frost had done its work. Although it’s still summer here I know that scenes like this aren’t far off.
LATE SUMMER FLOWERS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Most flowers are not as vibrant as they were earlier in the summer but they still hold a special beauty.
GIANT SWALLOWTAIL
The swallowtail was flitting from flower to flower when I caught it in flight looking my way. It lingered for quite a while and so did I.
LATE SUMMER IN THE GARDEN
A took this photograph in a friend’s garden in mid-August. She told me its name which I’ve forgotten but I believe it’s a member of the orchid family. A summer beauty.
MOURNING DOVE
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.
CARDINALS CHILLING (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Different male cardinals, photographed on the same day. Both birds are moulting although the first bird looks somewhat rougher than the second. I took these photos last year about this time. The breeding season is now past, food is plentiful and even the birds get to chill for a bit. 😊
MUSKRAT
You can see how the muskrat got its name. It has quite the tail. Like the beaver the muskrat uses its tail as a rudder and slaps it when it senses danger. They are terrific swimmers and when they dive it’s difficult to determine where they will resurface.
OWL AND THE CHICKADEE
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.
FLOATING (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I was looking at some Queen Anne’s Lace in the garden and saw this single flower off to the side. It seemed to be floating, suspended in mid air. A little garden gem.
GEESE, LOST AND FOUND (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I found this image on a memory card that was in a camera I hadn’t picked up in months. It was like finding something you had forgotten about in a coat pocket. The cooler days aren’t here yet but scenes like these are fast approaching.
UNDERCOVER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s been a very hot dry summer. After just a bit of rain, a few mushrooms are starting to appear. I spotted these two in deep shade. Even at ISO 1000 my depth of field was a bit narrow. This rather ordinary subject is always challenging fun.
FEMALE MALLARD (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
ORANGE HAWKWEED
Orange hawkweed is considered a weed but it produces a lovely flower and it grows just about anywhere. It’s also favoured by honeybees so it can’t be all bad!
