The intricate design in this tree stump was carved by beetles and their larvae. Although their designs or galleries are beautiful, these insects end up killing their host by destroying the tree’s ability to transport nutrients. The design is revealed when the bark falls away. There is not much left of the original tree but it still has a role in the forest. Fungi grow on its side, vines encircle it and seeds are left on its surface for a passing squirrel or bird.
These painted turtles were soaking up the June sunshine. Most summer days the logs are very crowded but so far this year turtle activity is sparse. I hope as the warmer days roll on we’ll see more of these turtles and some snapping turtles too.
There’s something innocent about a daisy but the photo’s background suggested something a bit sinister. Although my eye was attracted by the flower I think what was behind it made the photo more interesting.
It’s a season of firsts. The other day I featured my first dragonfly photograph, today it’s a skipper. As I walked next to a field, I saw one, then several more of these butterflies. You rarely see a solitary skipper so you usually have several opportunities to take a photograph, always nice.
Although we’ve seen some dragonflies this summer, this is the first I’ve photographed. There seem to be fewer this year, perhaps the fault of our cold wet spring. When you do nature photography you tend to celebrate the first returning bird, sight of a flower, even the first insect! This dragonfly was particularly welcome as he posed so nicely for the photograph.
It’s a challenge to photograph flowers when the wind picks up a bit. Daisies can be seen in the fields and along roadsides everywhere right now. The goat’s beard is a less common wildflower and I’m always pleased to be able to photograph one.
The first time I photographed a female red-winged blackbird I wasn’t sure what it was. Its looks and temperament differ greatly from the male. It has a subtler beauty and it tends to stay in the shadows while the male is out in the open singing its heart out.
We’ve seen several paddlings of ducklings in the last few weeks. This duckling was swimming on its own for a while though never far from its mother. The waters are treacherous for these small birds; the lake has a fair number of snapping turtles and the reserve has its share of hawks (although I’ve seen neither this year). I always feel better when I see a duckling rejoin the group.
Thanks to BirdNation for correctly identifying the bird as a red-eyed vireo. I guess the text below isn’t too relevant now😏
The Eastern Phoebe is a member of the flycatcher family and returns to our woods in spring. Most of the birds on this particular day remained too far away to photograph. The Phoebe decided to fly in closer but remained in a shady spot. In this case, I think the shadow on his feathers added some interest.
The area under the feeder was carpeted with empty shells but there must have been a few seeds remaining for the red squirrel to eat. He was sharing the space with a few sparrows also looking for seeds dropped by the bigger birds.
With the arrival of the warm weather in the last couple of days, I don’t know where to look or point my camera first. What a great feeling!
It was nice when this goldfinch positioned himself away from the leaves so I could get a clear shot. He was just within range of my lens and although happy to get the photo, I wish I had had my longer lens with me. Best news of all though, is that last week at this very spot we still wore wool against the cold, today it was 100% cotton!
This groundhog was taken from a distance which might explain his confidant stare. Normally they run away or stand motionless hoping to blend in to their surroundings. This is a city groundhog, I found his burrow close to a water treatment plant. A lucky find indeed.
The Red or Canadian Columbine and Wood Poppy are wild flowers that grow in Eastern North America this time of year. I took these photos at the Wildlife Garden I mentioned in yesterday’s post. Between the birds and the flowers we’ll be visiting there as often as we can. We also stopped by our local nature reserve to see if it had reopened, it’s still closed due to high water levels. 😏
This female hairy woodpecker was taken in a wildlife garden in the city. We saw more birds that one morning than I saw all of last spring. There was a feeder close by and the birds were taking turns at it. I waited for the bird to settle in a nearby tree and took this shot.
Spring flowers, one cultivated, the other wild. Similar colour and attitude as well. Despite our cold spring they appear on schedule to celebrate the season.
Mallards are gregarious ducks and it’s fun to watch their antics. It’s when you find a solitary one that you can really appreciate the breed. More subtle in appearance than the male but still a handsome duck with a contented expression; out of the fray for a while.
We returned to the site of our city’s annual Tulip Festival and caught these beauties on a sunny day. A late spring has its advantages; normally the tulips would have been well passed their prime. Not so this year.
I thought this little fly warranted a return visit in black and white. I don’t care much for flies but in nature they can make for amazing subjects. A case in point, a fly blowing bubbles!
I took these photographs at this year’s Tulip Festival in Ottawa. Given our cold rainy spring the tulips are slow to bloom. The majority of them look like those pictured below. They’re in a holding pattern (like the rest of us) waiting for sunnier days. The upside is that when they do open up we’ll be able to enjoy them later into the month.
Not sure what caught the eye of these wood ducks but they certainly had my attention. They remained in this quiet cove for quite a while. This small lake in midsummer is a busy place full of noisy mallards. Perhaps the wood ducks were enjoying a momentary calm.
There are few things more pleasing than the colours of early summer. The ladybug was slowly making its way up the blade of grass. I watched it for a while before walking on. It’s a bit early yet for scenes like this but things are slowly coming into bloom; sunny days ahead.
Even though the tree looked like it had been picked pretty clean, this pileated woodpecker still found it worth investigating. Our largest woodpecker, the pileated is always a pleasure to see and hear, with it’s rattling, slightly maniacal call that announces its presence.
These mallards and wood ducks are my first duck photos of the spring. A good number of mallards over-winter here, the wood ducks migrate in fall and return when most traces of snow are gone. Due to severe flooding we have been unable to return to this reserve. We’ll have a lot of catching up to do when it reopens.
The first photo was taken a few weeks ago. Coneflowers are beautiful flowers and their seedheads are also quite beautiful. In this example they create a natural sculpture.
I’ve also included a little teaser of what’s to come…
Field mice or voles, there is something pretty endearing about these little rodents. I’ve only seen the one and have featured it before though in different poses. They have a tough time of it as they’re prey to raptors and other mammals.
I featured a grackle on my blog recently and thought I would again. This time the bird is gathering nesting material. I Iike these handsome curious birds that never remain idle for long.
Not as flamboyant as the male, the female wood duck has a more subtle beauty. As the summer moves on these rather shy birds become less apprehensive of people and will come quite close to shore, as this one did.
I saw a small flock of Canada Geese fly overhead the other day. No matter the temperature, they return here every spring. The grass has not begun to grow yet but with the rivers and lakes thawing I imagine geese are finding vegetation in the water to eat. I thought the bird in this photo struck a very swan-like pose.
Spring seems to be on hold in my part of the country. The nights are still below 0C although the daytime temperature is slowly rising. Until I see some spring flowers, I thought I’d feature some late season sunflowers. I appreciate their endurance and less than perfect beauty as the weather turns colder.
I’m not sure whether this is a bee or a wasp. If anyone can identify it, please let me know. It was not at all threatening in appearance so I took a photo. Another close-up shot with my 70-200mm lens.
This pre-school in our downtown neighbourhood has a welcoming mural and is bordered by a small garden maintained by the local business community. The garden contains native plants and attracts a variety of insects all summer long. City and nature photography, all within a few metres of each other.
Although my eye was drawn to the tall grass it was the field behind it, with its light and colour that completed the scene. All elements equally important. This photo was taken on a perfect fall day last year.
Frogs are part of the summer landscape. They arrive with the warm weather, sport summer colours and strike some classic poses on lily pads. Just add fly…
Spring is a busy time for downy woodpeckers. Food is becoming more plentiful as it warms up and more insects appear. I took the photos of this male downy with a 300 mm lens, the bird was very close by. Of the many photos I took, these were the only two where I managed to capture the entire length of the bird.
I have featured this photo before in colour but thought it would lend itself nicely to black and white. That and the fact that it’s too early for photo opportunities like this. We had a snowfall yesterday, a little early for April Fools’ Day and for the return of the herons.
At the reserve we go to most often, we’ve seen barred, great horned and eastern screech owls. We see eastern screech owls most often. We usually hear of their presence from other photographers and then we go in search of them. Given their terrific camouflage, I’m always amazed when we do spot one.
I’ve never seen a hybrid goose before. Its distinctive colouring and lone presence stood out on that March morning. It was still too early for the return of the Canada Geese but not for this bird and I was glad to spot him that day.
This grackle was enjoying the fine weather and a solitary bath in the lake. Although a common bird, I think their good looks and intelligence raise them above the ordinary.
This wonderful wildflower was taken last spring. It’ll be a while before they pop through the soil this year. The ground is still pretty frozen but there are a few signs of spring – the sparrows chirping and rumours of the first crocus…
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 