Usually black-capped chickadees don’t stay in one place for long. I’ll raise my camera just to miss them as they fly to another tree, I was more fortunate with this bird, it stayed put long enough for me to get the shot, Another year round bird here.
At least I think milkweed beetles are 😊.
It’s snowing (again) but before too long spring’s turn will come. Here’s a preview of coming attractions…
Regular readers will have noticed that it’s been a few weeks since my last post. I was out of town for a while and then picked up a nasty bug (yes, Covid is still very much out there). I’m on the mend now and what better evidence than to feature one of my favourite ducks 😊
I’ve been enjoying the photos of Snowdrops some bloggers have been posting recently. It will be some time before they appear here along with these wild violets that we see in spring. As we slog through February I needed a bit of colour.
It looked like someone had called a meeting but few showed up 😏 . I think fungi and mushrooms make interesting subjects but they were pretty scarce last year. I’ll keep my eye peeled as things warm up around here.
A sight I love at the end of the day😊
This is the only time I’ve seen a groundhog emege from its burrow. Although I’ve posted the photo before, I thought it was a timely encore.
We see barred owls year round in our woods. I was hoping the owl would open its eyes wider but he was content to doze and I was happy just to have seen him.
We see red squirrels quite often in the woods usually giving chase to the larger eastern gray squirrels.
Another little bird that is often overlooked. It was nice to see her perched on some long grass.
I do appreciate these birds as individuals, not as much in flocks when they can be aggressive and messy 😏. This immature ring-billed gull made a nice subject.
Hummingbird Moths are spectacular looking insects and good pollinators. I don’t see them every summer so when I do spot one hovering by a flower it’s pretty exciting.
There’s still a meal to be found for woodpeckers under tree bark though bird feeders must be an easier alternative for them this time of year.
I spend a good deal of the winter looking forward to spring; on a day like this particularly, when the temperature is in the -20s C, though the sun is shining. A look back here at more pleasant times 😊
I took this photo before the water began to freeze though it was still pretty brisk.
I had several opportunities to photograph these beautiful ducks last year. We kept returning to the same area over several days and there they were. I guess they’re being enjoyed right now by those living in more hospitable climates. 😏
A downy woodpecker going about his business.
Here’s hoping for calm waters in 2025. Happy New Year!
The days are sunny and cold right now, here’s a bit of warmth to add to the mix.
As owls are nocturnal, when I see them during the day they often look half asleep. The eastern screech owl is tiny and blends into its surroundings so well that you have to be pretty lucky to spot one.
This small lake attracts a lot of ducks; even in winter we see a few mallards. They are hardy. The wood ducks have left now but I did catch this one as it took a last solitary swim.
I haven’t seen many downy woodpeckers this year but I did see this one in the spring. I really like these little birds, our smallest woodpecker.
While looking for a photo to post, I came across this flower I took last spring. A sweet memory 😔.
A few more migrants passing through, I’ve only seen ring-billed ducks a few times and always as it gets colder.
One last swim at the lake. The waterfowl usually remain until the lakes and rivers begin to freeze.
These flycatchers are one of my favourite songbirds. I look forward to their return next spring.
We’re under a winter weather advisory (10 cms/4 inches is forecast). Luckily, I don’t have to be anywhere today and can watch the snow fall and swirl around from my window. When I was a kid the schools stayed open even with considerable snow. The snowfall would have to approach 25 cms/10 inches before we had a snow day. We could count on several each winter growing up.
I thought the daylily I took this summer would provide something else to look at 😏
The red-winged blackbird had found a good perch and and finally moved its head long enough to give me a clear shot.
From early spring to late fall I watch Canada Geese a lot 😊. I think they’re beautiful birds and when not acting up or messing up they make great subjects to photograph.
Happily, some of these ducks remain during the colder months.
Along the river parkway there’s a landing for canoes, kayaks (and dogs) to enter the water easily. On our walks I always hope to come across a scene like this.
We’ve had a lot of mild weather this November and there are still some Canada Geese around. I caught this one as it was landing.
We were treated to a long and colourful fall. This particular display had the perfect balance of colour and light, reminding me of a stained glass window.
It’s nice to catch a mallard in a quiet moment, the fall reflections makes it even nicer.
This past summer we were treated to the appearance of lesser scaups. We only saw them twice but they provided a lot of photo opportunities. A new bird for me 😊
Spiders are often associated with Halloween. In myth, spiders were believed to be the companions of witches, and linked to death, poison and things that go bump in the night. I happened to see this non-venomous orb spider on a fine sunny day. It didn’t pose a threat to me unlike the unfortunate insects in its web.
I look for these wildflowers in the same spot every year. They grow on either side of a small footbridge in a nature reserve. Taken last month when it still felt like summer 😏
It’s nice when you can position yourself at the level of your subject. The wood duck’s direct gaze was nice too.
This red squirrel was enjoying his snack and wasn’t about to assign the nut to his winter stockpile.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 