We see quite a few American Black Ducks during the warmer months. They resemble female mallards though they’re darker and their bills are yellow, they are also heavier than mallards. They seem less rowdy too but perhaps that’s because there are fewer of them. 😏
Sometimes that’s all you can do 😏
We usually see Lesser Scaups for a few days in the spring as they migrate through eastern Ontario. Their primary breeding range is further north and west. It’s always a pleasure to see them though, if only briefly.
We’ve had frequent snow squalls today, so I thought a bit of late summer would be welcome.
I’m not sure if the ant saw the wasp but it was clearly in its sights. These small dramas play out in nature all the time.
I took this photo in early fall. The duck had regrown his fine feathers to be ready for the breeding season in spring. We should begin seeing them again in April.
There seemed to be a lot of cats in our old neighbourhood. They were mainly indoor cats and I’d see them looking out the window. This cat claimed the entrance to the house but sat there quietly just taking it all in.
When I was a kid, on a snowy morning we’d listen to the radio for school closures as we got ready for school in case our school didn’t make the list.
We’re supposed to get 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) by tonight but it wasn’t enough to cancel school.
These two colours are well represented in our winters by snow covered evergreens. I thought these hostas would be a nice change of pace.
If an insect can be cute this one ticks all the boxes 😊
Coneflowers have a long growing season and are always a welcome sight. They were particularly attractive in this garden patch.
We saw few ladybugs this year, few insects in general. But I was lucky to catch this one as it made its way along.
We’re lucky to see Blue Jays in winter. They’re clever birds and store large quantities of food in hidden caches as well as show up at bird feeders during the colder months.
Though we live in the city, there’s a nature reserve close by that we go to frequently. Good years attract a lot of ducks and geese and several herons. The pond supports turtles and birds. This young wood duck was swimming quite close to where we had just seen a snapping turtle go by. Fortunately she didn’t linger long.
To a bright year ahead. Happy New Year!
Canada Geese seem to enjoy this park as much as people do. There’s a lot of grassy lawn, shade trees and the river is close by. Just add a bit of sun, perfect!
Groundhogs hibernate here during the winter months, in specialized burrows below the frost line. This individual was fattening up for a long “sleep”.
This pathway along the Ottawa River is well known for its balanced rock sculptures and birds. It always makes for a pleasant walk in the warmer months.
Wishing you all the best for the Holidays!
December 21 is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, after which we begin to gain more daylight, slowly moving towards scenes like this.
I stopped by the lake where I took this photo last summer. I had hoped to see some wildlife to photograph but there was nothing about. Looking through my files when I got home, I came across this cormorant swimming through some pretty reflections and felt a bit better about this whole winter thing 😏
It’s nice to revisit spring when things are anything but outside. I caught this very young gosling spreading its wings one day last May.
The days are short right now but you can usually count on a spectacular finish.
It’s been snowing all day, nature has a way of decorating a tree just right! The red topped sticks you see mark the path to be cleared when (if) it stops snowing 😒
As sunset approaches the sun makes a dramatic appearance in the sky.
We’ve been seeing some interesting and unusual skies lately. When the sun does make an appearance it’s usually towards sunset as was the case here.
The view from my window as we sped through the Quebec countryside.
Recently, I went out to the little pond I see wood ducks in season but it was frozen over and snow covered. As I took many photos of them last summer here’s one of a young duck to chase away the winter blues.
What a difference some sun makes. Yesterday when I took this photo near sunset, it was sunny and cold. I caught these clouds as they raced towards the setting sun. Not today though, the sky is a slate grey and it’s cold at -17C.
The car in the distance has its car lights on, (I took this at 1:30 pm 😏).
Winter begins in three weeks, yet shovels and snow blowers are getting an early start. Typical Canadian weather.
Just stopping by with a quick photo of the view outside my window. Settling into our new place and will be back later in the season. Hope you’ve all been well.
One of my favourite wildflowers.
On a personal note, things have become very busy lately. Nothing serious but I won’t have as much time to spend on WordPress. I’ll be back later in the fall but until then I’ll be popping in from time to time.
I took this photo in August. The mallard hadn’t quite finished molting but as he was out in the open I assume his flight feathers had grown in.
These flowers aren’t fading quietly as summer draws to a close. They continue on well into September adding cheer to the cooler mornings.
Birds seem to like perching on overhead wires. This starling pair got a nice view up there.
This flower was an introduced species and is considered invasive. I still like it.
I’ve never seen a juvenile European Starling before and at first I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Then I saw a mature bird close by which confirmed it.
These goslings must be full grown now, getting ready to fly south for the winter.
The flowers no longer have the vibrant colours of early summer. I thought it would be nice to return to earlier in the season.
I like getting a bird looking in my direction. Sizing me up perhaps 😊
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 