I watched the grackle with its catch hop along the shore for quite some time. I don’t know if it had a nest nearby because it didn’t fly off or stop to eat. I know the warm weather is here to stay when I start seeing these intelligent and attractive birds.
Goslings can swim within 24 hours of hatching. Their parents coat them in waterproof oils to keep them buoyant. Amazing 😊. It takes them longer to learn to fly,, about 10 weeks.
Looking out the window the other day, I spotted this goldfinch looking in my direction. I didn’t have a chance to change my camera lens, I just took the shot. In this case the bird was an attractive element to the overall landscape.
I took this photo about a week ago, just before the Lillies of the valley came into bloom. This one dandylion caught my eye as it stood out among the sttetch of emerging flowers.
After a long winter when we’re craving colour, nature really shines.
We took a walk along the river on the weekend and came across two pairs of Canada Geese and their young. Given what a slow start to spring we’ve had, I was particularly happy to see that some things continue right on schedule 😊
It looks like I might have taken this photo last Fall but this Red Maple is wearing its new Spring colours.
The lawn daisy has become naturalized here and is considerd a weed. Pretty though and pollinators like them. I think they resemble pincushions.
Black-capped chickadees know all the best places!
These wild violets are among my favourite early spring flowers. They appear unexpectedly among the dry leaves like little gems.
We’ve had a colder than normal start to spring but things are headed in the right direction.
The temperature has taken a dip but the robins know it’s spring and they serve as a reminder to those of us who are back to wearing warm jackets. 😏
A pretty sprig of red maple buds shouts Spring!
We’ve had a couple of beautiful spring days in a row. The trees are budding, the lawns have turned emerald green and are hosting these lovely scillia everywhere you look.
Ducktail that is. Male woods duck could have been the inspiration for the ’50s ducktail haircut. We saw our first wood duck pair at the lake last week, very exciting 😊
We were at a favourite reserve a few days ago on a windless and warm day. A few weeks earlier there was still some ice on the surface of the water. The trees are slow to bud but their branches make for nice reflections.
We’ve had two wonderful days of warm spring weather and this was one of several robins I spotted. It was nice to walk around without a coat and and enjoy the earth waking up again 😊
It was a grey wet day yet this tree continues to bud as it should do in April. Despite the temperature it’s right on schedule.
The temperature zoomed to double digits today so we grabbed light jackets and headed out the door. A walk in the neighbourhood revealed a bit of spring growth, melting snow and people out enjoying the milder temperatures 😊
I’ve been enjoying signs of spring on other people’s blogs, so I thought I’d join in and share a photo I took in late April last year. No real signs of spring yet, we just reached +2C today; sooner or later… 😏
I enjoy taking these intimate landscapes, a term my spouse introduced me to when I first picked up a camera. I wish I could say I took this photo early in the winter but I took it today. Winter has not yet decided to make room for spring 😏
I liked this duck tableau, taken in late fall just before most of our mallards headed south.
A nice day to be inside looking out.
I love walking along the water. The air is clean, there’s always a breeze and if you’re really lucky a couple of geese swim by to complete the picture.
Another warm weather scene on a cold and snowy day. Not a great fan of winter anymore 😏 .
Cormorants tend to swim and perch far offshore. I would have liked to have been closer to the bird but it did pose rather nicely all the same.
Well, it’s snowing again so here’s a summery alternative to the scene outside my window. I think this is a Long-leaved speedwell but would appreciate a positive I.D.
These little tree frogs are still hibernating but I thought it would be fun to feature one in February. I’ve only seen them a few times, this one on a suburban deck.
Great Egrets are usually so pristine lookong but when it comes to hunting for food a bird can get a bit dirty. The egrets and herons who fish close to shore are usually successful but end up looking a bit messy.
I often see female mallards taking a solitary swim, they must enjoy the quiet 😏 . I was fortunate that this one was swimming into nice reflections.
I like grackles although they have a poor reputation as bullies and agricultural pests. Despite that they’re attractive, intelligent birds that can be fun to watch as they strut around the grass. I look forward to their return in early spring.
This will be a running theme on my blog for the next little while…
Just six weeks to go!
The sun made an appearance this morning. We were supposed to get flurries throughout the day but the sun won out.
I liked the scale in both of these scenes along with the imagination that went into them.
If the groundhog sees his shadow this is supposed to indicate six more weeks of winter. Around here that still means an early spring 😊 . I’ve featured this image before and it’s still one of my favourites.
We’re fortunate to have a nice variety of ducks. Last year was a very good year for wood ducks. I saw this young female towards the end of the summer.
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.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 