The temperature has cooled off somewhat so it’s more pleasant to get out with our cameras. Although I’m not seeing the number of birds I usually do, I have seen quite a few young wood ducks. This female was going for a quiet swim when I caught up with her.
This field borders an entrance to a reserve we visit from time to time. On a hot day this area has the most wonderful scent as the sun works its magic. It’s a favourite spot for rabbits and bees as well.
These American Black Ducks turn it into that kind of day!
I liked this family scene with the gosling following closely behind its parents.
Echinacea or coneflowers are native to eastern and central North America. I started seeing them a few weeks ago, another sign of the hotter summer months.
It’s shaping up to be a very hot summer. What remains of this seed head sums it up nicely.
I’ve seen fewer butterflies this summer, as other bloggers have mentioned. So I was happy to see this one even though it was turned away from the camera 😏 . I believe it’s a silver spotted skipper.
It could have been Groundhog Day at the park. We spotted at least four. They tend to be solitary but it’s a big park with enough grass for all 😊
Our favourite reserve has become very popular so we took a quiet path to avoid the crush. Looking around I saw this scene. My spouse calls these intimate landscapes, I like that!
A wildflower I saw growing alongside a small pond.
I enjoy seeing a dragonfly on a lily pad. I associate both with summer by the lake.
Happy Canada Day to all those celebrating!
We hadn’t seen much on our walk but as often happens, we had better luck as we were heading back. I’ve only seen wood ducks once before this year so I was very happy to come across this female duck and one of her young.
Walking through a public garden I spotted this flowering bush. Among all the plants, it attracted my attention. Its flowers reminded me of candle flames.
The only sightings I’ve had this year of night herons have been in the same suburban park. He’s a handsome bird showing of his breeding plumage and those yellow feet 😊
We had planned to go to a park by the river but there was an event going on so we went to a nearby trail instead. There weren’t many birds but there was a nice variety of wildflowers. The bladder campion, though not native to North America, has been naturalized and insects are attracted to its nectar.
There must have been several bullfrogs in the pond, given the racket as we approached the water. I watched and waited as the frog inflated his throat. He was likely trying to call a mate or guard his territory.
Where did I hide that nut?
Maybe it’s over here.
From the brilliant to the more subtle, each flower has its own beauty and uniqueness.
It’s fun to watch a gosling explore a bit on its own. The parent birds were close enough if it ran into trouble.
Buttercups and fleabane daisies are considered weeds but I prefer to call them wildflowers, Both of these photos were taken in the woods where they grow freely. The frothy substance on the stem of the buttercup is produced by immature spittlebugs, a definite concern for gardeners yet it appears on a variety of garden plants as well.
The trees along this path are close to the river bank and almost touch the water. I was rewarded with these reflections on a recent walk.
It’s always nice to see the first damselflies of spring.
I liked the leaves in this photo, the damselfly on the left was secondary.
Every year at this time, these wild rose bushes are covered in bees. We had taken a walk about two weeks ago to see how the flowers were developing but they were just beginning to bud. This past weekend we returned and were happy to see some bees gathering pollen.
I didn’t see the heron catch anything but he was certainly trying.
It seems that every week, new flowers are appearing in gardens and woodlands. Not enough time to catch them all 😊
I took this earlier in the Spring as the migrants were beginning to return. This little island was a perfect spot for the birds to have a look around,
I don’t know what the grackles were looking at but it sure grabbed their attention.
There are new flowers in bloom everytime I look around. Today I noticed this iris beaming back at me.
Do you ever have the feeling you’re being watched 😏
There are many collective nouns for robins. How nice that bobbin is one of them. It’s been a very good year for this bird as I’ve had many sightings.
The temperature still dips at night and the daytime highs are struggling to reach 20Cs/68F but the sun is warm and the turtles have started to reappear. This painted turtle continues to wear a familiar grumpy expression too.
Often considered a weed as it self seeds in lawns and gardens, the common blue violet is native to eastern North America. I look forward to them every spring.
This was my first sighting of a Black-crowned Night Heron this year, looking somewhat ruffled.The suburban park where I took this photo borders the river and attracts a lot of wildlife. I wonder what’s next 😊
I saw this plant at a recent visit to a local wildlife garden. I thought it looked a bit like an aquatic plant. I haven’t been able to identify it.
Not sure what happened here, all was calm and then this 😏
The Red-winged blackbird stood out against the dry grass. I had my choice of these birds to photograph on a recent walk.
I’ve seen more Red-winged blackbirds this spring than I have in many years. More males than females though, so I was pleased to see and hear this female.
Mallards are among my favourite ducks and I feature them frequently. More to come 😊
I was surprised at the fall-like colours of these leaves, colours I associate with September not April (when I took this). A plant I’ve never seen before.
I like the way these flowers grow. They know exactly how to show off their colours.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 