I’ve noticed the bright greens of the landscape are beginning to fade and some flowering bushes are full of berries now. Summer is rolling along and these changes hint of the season to come.
Tag Archives: Landscape
Painted Turtles
I like to scan the water for any turtles swimming by. The duckweed was so thick though that if there were any I couldn’t see them. I was happy enough to see these two sharing a spot.
Great Egret
The Egret was lurking in the shade along the shoreline looking for something to swim by. It was not as statue-like as usual and I managed to catch it in several positions. More of these to come…
Up, Down and All Around
Sometimes its worthwhile to scan your environment, there’s always something worth photographing.
Sunday Heat
We’re having an exceptionally hot summer. The insects must be feeling it too.
Swim with Pop
Goslings go through an awkward stage. I thought the young goose had progressed past that point in this shot with its parent.
Wood Duck
I think she was a young duck, her head feathers are still a bit fine and wispy, that and her curious stare.
Lacework
I saw this plant along a very dark section in the woods . It had been well gone over by insects but I thought the pattern that was left looked like lace. I increased the ISO and took a lot of photos. Not as sharp as I’d like but you work with what you’ve got.
Focus
I was so busy focusing on the Green Heron, I only noticed the Wood Duck on the log below when I imported the file. Both birds were concentrating on something as well 😊
Different View
This area was full of Queen Anne’s Lace. The underside of the flower was facing the sun, showing off its fine detail.
Wood Duck
This wood duck was looking his finest in early May when I took this photo. You couldn’t blame him for admiring his reflection 😊
Roadside View – 2
We’re starting to see some seed heads alongside new buds. In this case a Salsify and an emerging flower directly in front of it. I like the intricate design of its seed head.
Forget-Me-Nots
I saw these flowers in a nature reserve and assumed they were native plants. Although considerd invasive and can displace native plants, I do like their delicate beauty. As I only saw a few of them growing and they seemed to be contained to a small area, I’ll have to check on them again next year.
Roadside View
The roadsides in summer turn into landscapes. Chicory and daisies are adaptable and seems to grow wherever there’s a bit of earth. Chicory has become naturalized in North America, brought over by early European settlers.
Milkweed Bouquet
Milkweed is coming into flower now, I hope it will soon be attracting monarch butterflies. I was struck by the way this plant was growing. It looked like a florist’s bouquet, vase ready.
Lone Gull
I liked the starkness of the scene. Just a bird on a branch with the river all around.
Kept Waiting
Walking around the pond I heard more frogs than I saw but this one looked like he was just waiting for me to show up.
Hooded Mergansers
The adult female merganser was giving her young brood a little space to explore the world around them.
Queen Anne’s Lace
I set out to find some Queen Anne’s Lace as it’s begining to flower right now. There’s a hint of pink in the bloom when it first starts to bud.
Along the Trail
I liked the way the light shone through the underside of the daisy. So much to appreciate in one little flower.
By the River
The central part of the country is under a heat and humidity advisory.There’s no nicer place to spend some time than under the tree canopy by the water.
Daisy
Some of my favourite flowers are there for the taking; growing wherever there’s a bit of soil and sun or just by the side of the road.
Walk by the River
There’s no nicer place to be on a warm day in spring.
Faded Beauty
Among all the new growth, I found last year’s Queen Anne’s Lace still making its mark in the field.
Tiny Bubbles
While photographing some wild flowers, I noticed this frothy substance on a nearby plant. It is produced by spittlebug nymphs and protects them from predators and temperature extremes. A mature spittlebug is also called a froghopper. It’s been a number of years since I’ve seen one. Actually, I’ve seen few insects so far this year. It’s been colder than usual, that might be the cause.
Morning Buttercup
Another summer favourite.
Blackbird
Red-winged blackbirds can be difficult to photograph given their black feathers. I liked the exposure on this bird, I just wish I could have got a bit more of its wing colour 😏
Both Sides Now – Two Photographs
Though more subtle than male Red-winged blackbirds, the females have fine markings.
Grackle Antics
Grackles are animated, active and very intense. I don’t know what caught the bird’s attention but it was completed absorbed by whatever it was.
Spring Exuberance
We’ve been waiting a long while for a show like this.
Spring Mallard
Always a welcome sight.
Lesser Scaups
We saw a large group of scaups at the very beginning of May. They were swimming in a small man made lake in a park close to the river. As the river was still high I guess they preferred the more shallow water. We only saw them that once and at quite a distance but I was happy with the sighting.
What’s for Dinner?
I watched as the starling ran across the lawn, stopping several times to dig in the earth. Finally, it posed with its catch 😏.
Maple Glow
Sometimes if you’re lucky you can catch the light just right.
Mourning Dove
I almost walked right past the mourning dove until someone pointed it out; it blended in so well with its surroundings. I usually see them on rooftops or in trees so this one was a surprise.
Share the Path
On a recent walk, the woods were alive again with the sounds and sights of spring. A familiar rusting in the leaves alerted me to nearby squirrels. This one approached and stood there staring, hoping for a snack I guess.
Female Red-winged Blackbird
We saw several male Red-winged Blackbirds but she was the only female I spotted. She’ll have her pick of the fellas 😊
Bee First (Two Photographs)
I stopped to photograph these flowers and saw a bit of movement. Sure enough, it was my first sighting this year of a bee. Things are looking up 😊 .
Spring Downy
I took this photo two weeks ago before the trees had really begun to bud. This male downy woodpecker stood out nicely against the bare tree.
Spring Goose
I saw this goose on a small patch of grass close to the river. The current was strong and the water was high given the recent ice melt. We only saw a few geese on the water; this one was looking for something to eat but I can’t imagine the grass holds much nutrition yet.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 