I took this photograph last May.  The wood ducks had arrived a few weeks earlier and were sporting their fine breeding colours.  I imagine they are back at the lake this year. I do hope we get to enjoy them again at one point this summer.

Blue Jays are common birds here but we only see them occasionally in the woods. This one was eating something when I took the photo. Males and females are similar in size and plumage, not sure what I have here.

If you follow my blog you’ll know that I’m pretty partial to mallards. I never get tired of photographing them. Unlike their more flashy cousins, many are here year round, always ready for a close up or group photo. Good looking ducks full of personality.

A chickadee from last spring. Usually at this point, I’m at the reserve looking out for early spring migrants. This year, it’s different for everyone. So for the time being I’ll be posting photos I took earlier last year.

It was nice to see this goldfinch in plain view, it was in no hurry at all. They are often just flashes of colour, flying away as I approach. Not that day though.

We don’t see many hooded mergansers. When we do, they’re usually too far away to get a decent photo. This female was closer to shore than usual, she was on her own, no other ducks in sight. When she saw me, she swam away but I did manage to get this parting shot.

A female red-winged blackbird taken last spring. A bit of cheer and a reminder that as dire as things might be right now, things will turn around and when they do, the trails and reserves will welcome us back.

This mallard was standing on a log, staring in my direction as I walked along a bridge that crossed a pond. I couldn’t back up and I was using a 300mm lens so I just took the shot. I was glad I did, it was one of my last duck photos of the year.

This little wood duck has appeared on my blog before, this photo caught it slightly differently. It’s still a while before the adults return and form pairs and several more months before we see sights like this again.

When the Black-crowned night herons first return in the spring, we usually spot them high up in the trees. If we see one at the water’s edge it usually takes flight. The one pictured here was photographed later in the season and the fishing was good. It looked up to stare at us and then continued about its business.

The pileated woodpecker, native to North America is also its largest woodpecker. We heard the bird excavating the tree before we saw it. These loud, colourful birds populate our woods year round although we see them most often in April, as they begin nest building, and into the fall. Other animals benefit from their home construction. As these woodpeckers nest only once in the same tree, other birds and animals will often move in and feed on the insects the woodpecker has disturbed.

These medium sized gulls are sociable birds and opportunistic feeders. Ring-billed gulls often congregate in large numbers so I was surprised to see these two on their own. The first photo is of a breeding adult, the second is a non-breeding gull. I’m not overly fond of gulls but seeing them close up, they can be admired for their bearing and striking eyes.

On another note, this is the 4th Anniversary of my blog. 🎂

These common sparrows are often found in groups. You might appreciate their song but don’t often really consider them. This little sparrow enjoying the water on a hot day didn’t mind my presence, so I took the opportunity to admire him and take some shots.

The wind carves out the snow in waves. A pretty sight made more so by the cardinal that wandered into the frame. Although bright and solid the bird looked a little lost in all that white.