The surface of lily pads can be messy. I was going to edit out a bit of the “muck” when I realized it consisted of flies, a frog’s meal of choice. I kept them in it made for a more realistic picture.
Tag Archives: Landscape
DOWNY WOODPECKER
One of the nice things about Downy Woodpeckers is that they remain here even in the winter. They continue to find insects by drilling into the bark of trees; their diet also includes berries and well stocked feeders.
SNOW DAY
I took this photo in mid-December, a few years back. We’ve seen very little snow this winter, more rain than anything else. Today is colder though so maybe we’ll see some soon. A December without any snow is unusual. I wonder if this is the new normal …
INTO THE FUTURE
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
TIMID TOM
Our local reserve was closed for a few weeks this summer when a trio of male turkeys were acting aggressively towards passersby. This Tom wasn’t one of the rowdies. 😏
LOST
I took many shots of this egret last summer. I have never seen one moving through the tall grass before. We were taking a path to the river and thought we might see one fishing there. I think this egret should have asked for directions 😏
DUCK TALES
I’ve only seen Northern Shovelers in late fall as they pass through on their way south and always in this quiet cove. Their impressive shovel-shaped bills have projections that allow them to filter out food from the water.
NORTHERN GATOR
Well not exactly but the larva of a ladybug does bear a slight resemblance to a tiny alligator and they are voracious eaters.
Being Green
I was hoping to find a few frogs among the water lilies that day but they remained quiet and well hidden. All in all I didn’t leave disappointed.
FAR SIDE
I wish I had been closer to the egret and company but the photo did capture the quiet mood of the afternoon at the lake.
ON A MISSION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Ring-billed gulls are very intense looking birds.
WHAT’S THE RUSH?
The goose had somewhere to be. 😏
YELLOW AND GREEN
Quite the change from our current snowy landscape.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
Although some mallards remain here all winter, I’ve never seen a black duck in their company. Like most waterfowl, they fly further south before the real cold sets in.
RING-BILLED ROUNDUP
I enjoy seeing ring-billed gulls on the water, although we often see them in city parking lots and public parks scavenging for food. I liked this photogenic group; note the mottled bird on the left, it’s a juvenile. These gulls take three years to reach full maturity.
Planning Ahead
The groundhog was fattening up for his long winter sleep. In our climate they will hibernate in their burrows from October through March or April. We’re under a winter storm watch today, so I think they have the right idea. 😏
Lake View – 2
It was a good year for wood ducks. This young male was one of many I enjoyed seeing this summer.
WEBNESDAY
I was disappointed with the detail in the orb spider but I think its web and the background colours compensated for it.
Lake View
I often see waterbirds in the shade of this wonderful tree. I always pause here for a while and take it all in. It’s one of my favourite places.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
I was looking across the lake and happened to glance down from the platform and saw the wood ducks resting on a log. Not an angle I favour but it did show them off quite nicely.
MARSH SCENE
We stop by this marsh every autumn and take in the beauty of the place; and if no birds appear it doesn’t really matter.
INTREPID DUCK
The duck seemed to know how to navigate the choppy water and I watched it as it moved with the waves.
SUNDAY SQUIRREL
Black squirrels are very common here. They are actually a melanistic subgroup of the eastern grey squirrel. Their black fur gives them a thermal advantage during our cold winters.
HANG ON
It’s cold and grey outside, so I thought a bit of summer was in order. I took the milkweed beetle in July; it’s going to be a long winter. 😏
GEESE AND FRIEND
We discovered this pond late in the season as did a number of waterbirds. This is one of many photos I took that day of geese and cormorants.
DUCK OUT OF WATER
There are plenty of logs at the lake for birds and turtles to climb onto when they want a break from swimming or just have a look around. I caught this young wood duck doing just that.
BRISK
When I was a kid you either inched your way into the freezing lake or dove in and got it over with. I think the goose fell into the latter camp. 😊
FADING FAST
It’s cold and grey outside (we had our first dusting of snow) but it definitely was sunny when I took this at the beginning of October. Quite a difference a month makes.
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkeys are not the prettiest of birds and can be quite aggressive during mating season. A local reserve closed its walking trails this past spring for several weeks when a trio of toms were harassing people. Conservation Officers had hoped to capture the birds and relocate them but they evaded capture. I took this photo at the same reserve in August, I kept a wary eye on this bird and waited for him to move along before I continued my walk.
HALLOWEEN COLOURS
The only thing nicer than one butterfly is seeing two on the same plant. I believe these are fritillaries… This was taken in early September.
YOUNG WOOD DUCK
I took this in early August at a local reserve. The young wood duck had recently emerged from the water with its siblings. The young are quite fearless but its mother was close by.
EASTERN CHIPMUNK
Chipmunks are getting ready for winter; gathering as much food as they can and preparing their dens for the cold months to come.
GOLDFINCH
On a cold wet day, a return to summer is in order. A goldfinch provides a needed bright spot.
MALLARD FRIDAY
I’ve read that male ducks will often puff themselves up to fend off predators or to attract potential mates. I think this one just had an itch. 😏
GREEN HERON FISHING
I saw the heron in a city park that borders the river. The bird was perched on the embankment of a man made lake. Not sure what if was hoping to catch.
SPIKE
I liked the strong contrast of colours and the flowers’ spiky appearance. 😏
Tuesday Mallard
I have a soft spot for mallards and feature them quite frequently on my blog. They are pretty hard to resist. 😊
FAR SHORE
One of the ducks found some shade beneath the asters on this hot September day. I saw the bright flowers first and then these two.
STAGHORN SUMAC
Staghorn Sumac is a flowering plant native to Eastern North America. Its leaves turn beautiful colours in fall and remind me of party streamers.
FLY BY
I’m not a fan of most flies but this one has attractive colouring and great eyes!
