I took this photo earlier in the week at a wildlife garden I hadn’t been back to since the start of the Pandemic. I saw a few robins (photos coming up), a bit of new spring growth and this meadow scene that caught my eye.
You may have noticed that the Comments section was closed on my site for the last few days. It seems to be working again!
With the continuing cool temperatures you can’t blame the raccoon for not giving up its snug quarters. Spring is taking its time around here.
Warm spring days aren’t with us yet so it’s a bit cold for much photography. I continue to dip into my archives for now. A duck for your Monday viewing.
Wood Ducks are the most colourful ducks we see in this area. A few have been spotted here this spring. They return to breed and remain until the temperatures dip. I took these photos several years back.
I took this photo in the fall and the cardinal hadn’t quite finished moulting. A few weeks earlier he probably looked pretty rough, not here though.
If I had been asked what I thought of insects before I began in photography I would have probably shrugged my shoulders and wondered if they stung. Now quite a few years on, I have to admire these hardworking and determined little critters. Seeing the bee move along the leaf’s surface makes for an interesting glimpse into their world.
The hammering sound broke the silence in the woods and we followed it to its source; a male hairy woodpecker excavating a tree.
We have a good number of mallards in my area and they’re a favourite on my blog. They’re handsome, lively ducks and you usually see them in large groups or rafts. This male mallard found the perfect spot for a quiet stretch.
This beetle led me on quite a chase through the milkweed. Impressive antennae 😊
We’re lucky to have a variety of squirrels in the area including the black squirrel. They’re a real standout, particularly in the Fall.
I’ve never seen a cabbage white this shade before. Perhaps its colour changes as the summer moves along.
We stopped on the side of the road to enjoy the surroundings. It was perfectly silent and calm yet the sky held some menace as the clouds rolled in.
The dragonfly reminded me of a little bauble hanging on to the green shoot. It rested there for a while before it flew off.
Raccoons are becoming more common in cities as their habitat shrinks and with it their sources of food. I saw this raccoon at a reserve one day. I watched as it moved silently through the water looking for something to eat. It kept an eye on me but carried on with its search.
I chose not to crop the photo. You can just see the sparrow but I thought this was really a landscape photograph.
Great Blue Herons migrate alone or in numbers and return here in early April. I saw this solitary heron on the water’s edge. With the water open it would find plenty to eat while it waited for its mates to arrive.
The painted turtle is the most common turtle at our local reserve although they share the waterways with snapping turtles and the rarer blanding’s turtle. I’ll be looking for all three when the weather warms up.
Red squirrels are active all year round. When it gets very cold they retreat to dens in tree trunks but even so you often see them about if only briefly. They also depend on food that they have cached during the fall; frozen berries and buds.
As the calendar slowly moves towards spring, scenes like this are getting closer.
Chickadees are another bird I feature quite frequently. We are fortunate to have their lively presence year round in our woods and backyards.
An iconic Canadian scene (taken in early April as the lake began to thaw) a far cry from the siege-like images right now in Ottawa.
Regular readers will know that mallards are favourites of mine. Looking at this bunch leaves little doubt why 😊.
With winter slowly moving along, I thought a warm weather scene was in order. I liked the untamed look of the sunflowers so I let them fill the frame and didn’t crop the shot.
The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America. They are non migratory; their main food source are the larvae and insects that live in the bark of trees. I love to see these striking birds in winter’s muted landscape.
A summer scene is the perfect antidote to the weather outside.
It was difficult to say which was more eye catching, the wood duck or the fall reflections. I was just happy to be there that day.
I took this photo one year at the very end of March. Although the river was thawing the goose must have regretted its early return.
The rabbit doesn’t have the best table manners but at least its eating healthy 😏
The water was cold when this mallard took a swim. That, or just a bit of natural exuberance. 😊
Very similar in appearance to the Downy Woodpecker, the Hairy is distinguished by its larger size and bill length. Have to admire that fancy footwork too. 😊
Black-capped chickadees, all season favourites.
I took this photo in late fall as the water was just beginning to freeze. Mallards tolerate the cold and quite a few remain in this location all year. We’re under an extreme cold warning tonight and while we add on the layers, I can’t helping wondering how the ducks will manage.
Eastern Phoebes are elegant little birds. This one looked a bit ruffled. Maybe it was due to the early hour or it was just moulting.
Winter doesn’t seem as long and bleak when there are Cardinals in the woods.
Late in the season some wildlife seem less skittish around people. Either they’ve gotten used to our presence or just hoping to be fed.
Happy New Year!
I took this photo in June a few years ago. The black-crowned night heron was in fine breeding plumage but it looked like he hadn’t quite finished grooming.
I took this photo in late September when the Cardinal hadn’t finished moulting. He’ll need those head feathers now given the cold temperatures!
Happy Holidays!
There’s plenty to eat but I’m not sure if this squirrel is willing to share. 😏
