I never tire of wood ducks, especially in full colour with autumn reflections in the water. As I had mentioned in a recent post, wood ducks were found in great numbers last year and we had a mild fall so they remained well into November. There’s nothing like this punch of colour on a dull February day.
A steep path through the woods led to an open field. We often stop by hoping to spot something interesting. It was late October and we hadn’t expected to see butterflies and especially not in the numbers we did that afternoon. I spotted one, then another, painted ladies were everywhere. It seems we were on their migration path last fall as they headed south. Luckily we were out that day and saw them too.
Of all the ducks at the reserve last year, wood ducks were there in the greatest numbers, mallards usually outnumber all other ducks but not this past season. By late summer you could get closer to the wood ducks than earlier in the year without frightening them off. The lake has many inlets and coves with plenty of perches the ducks like to climb onto, making for some wonderful backdrops.
Here are two more examples of insects I have taken with a telephoto lens, I had to do a fair amount of cropping but retained the detail in the images.
I was never a great fan of insects in the past. But since encountering them out in the field, I can appreciate their beauty, fearlessness and the important role they play in nature.
It was a pleasure to see a few wigeons well into November one year. It had been quite a mild fall which must have encouraged them to stay a while longer. This male obligingly swam into the colourful reflection just as I was walking by.
I’m not sure if this is a bee or a bee mimic, perhaps someone might be able to confirm which it is. It was a three-fer day: summer, flowers and insects. The photo was taken hand held with my 300mm lens. I had planned on taking bird photos but I saw this opportunity and gave it a try. I usually only take one lens with me when I leave the house (I hate carrying a lot of equipment). You can get some nice close-up shots with long lenses too.
I took these herons within a few days of each other. I’m not sure if they’re the same bird. The wispy head feathers on only one makes me suspect not. Some years we have spotted as many as three at the lake, other years only one. Of the three varieties of herons that migrate here over the summer months I think the green herons have the most striking colouring. When they’re busy fishing they’re not easily disturbed and ignore cameras pointed in their direction.
There are many varieties of water lilies but I’ve only seen two types in our local waterways: white Fragrant Water Lilies and Yellow Pond lilies. Their large floating leaves make great runways for dragonflies. I tried to expose for the white of the flower when I took these photographs but I still had to make some highlight and shadow adjustments in Lightroom, to get the correct exposure and bring out more definition in the petals. I also removed some of the bugs that were carpeting the petals, they were a bit too “Hitchcock-like” in their natural state.
Like many cities with short summers, Ottawa is packed with festivals and events throughout the warmer months. Often several occur at the same time on the same day so there’s plenty to choose from. We were at one such event on Parliament Hill, when I took a break from the crowds. I was happy to come across this ladybug taking in the sights, opting for a snack not listed on the food truck menu boards😊 .
Both of these photos were taken at a narrow enough depth of field to get out of focus backgrounds. The first shot taken in late summer, has the bird showing off its acrobatic talent. The second chickadee was shot in the fall when most of the trees had shed their leaves but enough of them remained to create this amber effect. Always nice when the background complements the subject.
Early November, before winter has truly set in is a nice time to be at the lake. As the ice begins to form, a fall tableau is revealed under the frozen surface of the water. The park is quiet and expectant, waiting like us all for the long season of cold and snow that’s quickly approaching.
These downy woodpeckers were busy looking for insects in a stand of trees. You can see a trace of wood shavings on the male downy’s beak (below), he’d been working away for quite a while. The female soon joined in. These woodpeckers inhabit our woods year round, they are industrious birds, you often hear them before you see them.
I remember the day I took this photograph. It was hot. Mid-July. We had been walking along a dusty path beside a field overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers that seemed to thrive despite the heat. We were nearing the end of our walk when this swallowtail landed on a nearby flower. It was in no hurry and I was able to take several photographs. I have not seen a black swallowtail again and was pretty pleased to have had this opportunity.
Time for a little flower power. We’re supposed to see a warming trend at the end of the week and I hope to get out with my camera. The weather has just been too cold for my camera and I can’t take photos wearing heavy mittens😏. Until then…
Red squirrels are shyer than grey squirrels except in winter when food is scarce. They watch you closely as you walk along hoping for a snack. I had nothing with me that day and felt kind of badly as I did my rounds. Someone ahead of me had left a trail of seeds and nuts though and it wasn’t long before the squirrel was eating his fill.
We saw a few pairs of wigeons for two years running but none last year at all. It was a strange year in the weather and seemed to effect the migration patterns of many birds, as few showed up in their usual numbers.
When we first saw these beautiful ducks they remained quite far from shore but as the summer and fall wore on they swam closer allowing for some good photo opportunities.
I had planned on taking birds in flight or waterfowl when I spotted these downy woodpeckers. Downies usually move quickly up and down a tree, pecking away until they find a spot with insects. These two, although moving fast, did pause for a bit. I had my 300mm lens with me which got me quite close to them. I like a bit more space around my subjects but I think the birds’ poses added some interest.
As the long days of winter drag on continue, I dream of warm weather and plan summer projects. One of these is to do more insect photography. I never really appreciated their variety and beauty until I took up photography more seriously. Dragonflies are favourites of mine for their colour and delicacy and how they seem to pose so thoughtfully for the camera.
It’s been a few months since we last saw these colourful migrants. I took this photo in October and by November this wood duck and his mates had flown south. From time to time I see them featured on other photographers’ blogs in their winter digs. I look forward to their return before too long.
As the snow keeps falling and entering week two of near arctic temperatures, I thought some spring flowers might be in order. I remember taking these shots back in May, happy to be out with my camera again and enjoying the signs of spring all around.
I caught this mallard as she cautiously made her way along the frozen surface. Her footing was tricky as was the light on that November afternoon. The low sun brought colour and depth to the ice but darkened the bird. I made some contrast and exposure adjustments in Photoshop which balanced out the shot.
These goslings got an early start to the new year this past spring, still following closely behind one of their parents. The young birds are stepping out to a new day, full of possibilities. What better way for 2018 to begin. Happy New Year everyone!
The chickadee is another all-weather bird here in our forests. To survive the cold winters they remain in flocks to search for food. These flocks are known collectively as a banditry of chickadees, which makes sense as they appear to be wearing masks. They are fearless and adaptable little birds, always a pleasure to see and hear on the trails.
We came upon this cottontail in a less travelled area of the park. They usually freeze in place when they see us (which this one did) or run away. The rabbit must have been pretty pleased with this patch of grass because he held his ground. We took a few photographs and then left him to his lunch.
My last post featured a winter scene taken in early March 2017. The photo of the cardinal was taken later that month and you can see that the landscape has taken on a very early Spring feel – no snow, a lot of sunshine and the welcome burst of colour the bird brings to the scene. We’re in the midst of a deep freeze right now but if and when it warms up a bit we’ll take a walk through the woods to see what’s about.
I took this photo in March 2017, the tail end of winter. The snow on the pond had frozen and thawed many times and no longer had the pristine look of new snow. The two Canada Geese had made an early reappearance and as they look towards the shoreline with its bare trees and snow cover you can imagine their regret. This being Canada though, shortly after I took this photo the snow started to melt and other spring migrants began to return.
A perfect summer day; sunny and green and the dragonflies were there for the taking. I took these handheld with my Nikon 70-200mm lens (I’m not one for carrying multiple lenses when I’m out for the day). I love this lens for nature photography like this. It’s a great all around lens.
The calendar indicates it’s still fall but it sure looks like winter in the first photo. The second shot was taken in the same location in mid-Spring. It’s tough going for these little guys right now. I hope their stockpiles of food hold out, augmented by kindly passersby.
I had featured a Green Heron on my blog last week and thought I’d put up some more photos of it today. In the first photo there is no mistaking the subject, hard at working fishing for food. In the second photo the heron certainly shares the scene with the wonderful bleached tree. He almost appears to be on the prow of a boat although facing the wrong way:).
I took this photo shooting down at the duck so she wasn’t quite as filled out as she looks. However, all the birds at the reserve, ducks included, were stocking up on that cold November day. I thought the colourful reeds added an attractive element to the photo.
I’m not sure who spotted who first but this duck was there for the taking. I believe it’s an American Black Duck although I’ve never noticed one with such a striking blue patch before. I was struck by his cool, calm and collected expression!
I took many shots of this Green Heron that August day and will feature more in the coming weeks. When herons are intent on fishing they pay little attention to the birdwatching and photographic audience. Lucky for us, as we watched he went about his business. In this shot his head feathers are still a bit messed up from a recent catch in the lake.
There is a lot of beautiful countryside not far from Ottawa but it’s rare to get a good vantage point to do landscape photography. There are more highways than gravel roads so it’s difficult to stop the car, get out and set up the shot. I took this photograph last year so I can’t remember exactly where it was was taken. If I could, I’d go back again. The scene was lovely, and it had all the elements of fall in the countryside (minus the cows 🙂 ).
A bit more summer on display. I aways enjoy these butterflies with their delicate tones. I thought a black and treatment might be interesting to try. Unlike many butterflies, cabbage whites tend to linger a little longer on their perches making them easier subjects to photograph.
More summertime visitors. The milkweed bug’s bright colour acts as a warning to predators to stay away but attracts photographers as they stand out on most flowers. Both of these photographs were taken handheld with a 105mm lens. The first photo was taken using a flash at F14, 1/250 sec, the second at F11 at 1/1000 sec (no flash).
Another set of photographs when fall was bursting with colour. The first photo was taken through the trees. I like the contrast of the dark wood and the leaves against the brilliant blue of the sky. I also spotted this one leaf that had been perfectly placed by the wind. It dressed up an already colourful tree trunk.
With the cold weather closing in, it’s nice to go back in my files and look at summer scenes, when it was warm, colours were vibrant and you could take your time with a photograph without stamping your feet to keep warm! Ladybugs seem to sum up that well.
This was taken less than a month ago when the trees were in full autumn colour and the water was open. Nearing the end of November, it’s decidedly colder and wetter. It hasn’t decided whether to snow or pelt us with freezing rain today. We saw some Canada Geese heading south yesterday but there are still some around. Some of the mallards and American Black Ducks tough it out all winter long. We’ll be checking up on them as soon as we get a break in the weather.
Red Squirrels are pretty bold with other squirrels. Although much smaller than the greys they often chase them around. In this case the squirrel stood his ground and kept eating as I took his picture. He never took his eyes off me but didn’t budge either.
When we got to the reserve, the lake was covered in a thin sheen of ice with only a bit of open water. A mallard pair came alongside the path as we were leaving. They hugged the shoreline so most shots were a bit obscured by bushes. When this female mallard turned to look out at the frozen lake one could imagine she too couldn’t believe that this had happened, practically overnight.
