A typical summer scene. If only I could bottle its scent and colours for those dark days of winter.
To all those celebrating, Happy Canada Day!
Tag Archives: Nature
TIPPY TOES
I’ve photographed a lot of lady bugs but I haven’t seen one move like this before 😊
FLAMINGO FANFARE
Frequent viewers have likely noticed that I haven’t been featuring many birds lately. Sticking closer to home, sightings have been fewer – but then I stumbled upon this small pink flamingo. Not as rare as you might think in our urban environment 😏
CALM WATERS
The water on this stretch of river has the most beautiful reflections. My good luck that the mallard decided to take that route.
FINE RECEPTION
As small as it is, this milkweed beetle stood out nicely on the plant it’s named after. Both milkweed and the beetle are toxic so it needn’t worry about being someone’s lunch. It has an impressive set of antennae; it’s a member of the longhorn beetle family.
SALSIFY
I featured a different variety of Salsify in one of my recent posts. Some are cultivated, others grow in the wild. I saw this one growing in a field with other wildflowers. Another elegant “weed”.
WHAT THE CAT SAW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I couldn’t see what the cat saw but it definitely had something in its sights.
FINE DUO
The daisies were growing among the wild grasses; a pretty combination.
BEE BREAK
I’ve seen bees this motionless early in the day when it’s cool. I took this photo mid morning so that wasn’t the cause. The bee looked to be in good condition, maybe it was just taking a break from collecting pollen.
PEACH MELBA
I’ve only seen this colour of rose in one small corner lot garden. It’s their time to bloom and still some buds to come, so I’ll be back.
HOVER FLY ON FLEABANE
Hover flies or flower flies are valuable insects. The larvae of some species prey on aphids and the adults are pollinators. Until I picked up a camera I wasn’t aware of these attractive little insects. Now I look out for them each summer.
GUARD DUCK
The mallard had recently gotten out of the water and was drying off on the grass. I hesitated for a moment before I approached. It looked like a no nonsense duck!
POPPIES PAST
I remember making flowers out of tissue paper when I was a young. Carefully separating and fanning the layers and securing them with a bobby pin. These tissue-like poppies reminded me of those flowers, particularly the slightly windblown ones to the right of the frame 😏
GARDEN MIX
A saw this pretty weed growing in a small front garden. I think it’s a salsify, a member of the dandelion family. Except for some peony bushes, the rest of the garden was filled with wild flowers pretty much left to the sun and rain. All in all a very pleasing garden mix.
FEMALE DOWNY WOODPECKER
Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. As they don’t migrate we get to enjoy them year round. They have some fast moves as they forage, it pays to have a steady hand 😏.
TREE SWALLOW
I took a lot of photos of this tree swallow but most were in very harsh light. I finally got this photo under better lighting conditions but the bird’s eye is not visible. Its beautiful feathers make up for that though.
SUMMER’S PARADE
Irises are such elegant looking flowers, I like this pale white variety with its flecks of colour. They don’t last long but as they fade other flowers take their turn in the sun.
END OF THE ROAD
I always find scenes like this pretty melancholy, however, the boots were in fairly decent shape and placed with care. Maybe the owner left them there for someone else to wear.
WINDBLOWN
The wind was blowing these flowers about but I was determined to capture them as I didn’t know what kind of shape they’d be in next time I passed by. I took a lot of shots, constantly adjusting my speed and my position. I think it payed off.
PRIVACY PLEASE
I took this photo as the mallard was emerging from the river. The duck didn’t look too pleased by my presence 😏
LOOKOUT
I like to see robins strike this pose, stretching to their full height. It stopped feeding for a moment, looked around and then continued on.
CURIOUS SQUIRREL
The black squirrels we see in Ontario are a subgroup of the Eastern Grey Squirrel but when I saw this squirrel with its unusual blond tail I thought the light was playing tricks on my eyes 😏. Another interesting discovery on a neighbourhood walk.
MELLOW YELLOW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s just something about yellow flowers in springtime!
YOUNG BEAVER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We found a new spot along the river this spring. It has a nice trail, few crowds and a fair amount of wildlife. One day last week I noticed some movement in the reeds and to my delight I saw this young beaver. The vegetation along the shore was thick so I had to wait a long while before I could get a clear shot. He looked like one contented beaver!
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Despite the heat, I just felt cooler looking at the plant growing in the shade. Its common name is Bleeding Heart, not a name I would have chosen for such an attractive plant.
NATURAL ART
The shapes and colours of the budding maple reminded me of a fine drop earring; except its enjoyment comes at no cost.
DOWNY WOODPECKER
This downy woodpecker is one of the first I’ve seen this spring. She appeared to be considering how to approach the job of searching for insects.
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
If you see a Red-winged Blackbird, it’s supposed to be a lucky sign. Given that they usher in Spring, I would have to agree!
TULIP TIME
I liked the effect the breeze had on the tulips, it almost looked like they were dancing.
LIGHT AND SHADOW
In an older part of town many of the houses were built of brick. I liked the play of light and shadow on the red brick and the fringe of green the unopened tulips formed.
SPRING YELLOW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
When I saw this beautiful tree I pointed my lens up to fill the frame. I believe it’s a Forsythia, if not please let me know. No doubt about the daffodil, an annual spring favourite.
CITY BIRD
The red brick made an attractive backdrop for this common pigeon. Often maligned, I thought this bird had presence.
LOOKING UP (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
After a long winter, the temperature is warming up! The ground is coming to life again and there’s something to savour everywhere you look.
Duck Out Of Water
Walking along the path, I happened to look up and saw a wood duck sitting on the branch of a tree. There’s a first time for everything 😊
SECOND LOOK
I liked the frog’s pose but the background was too messy. I tried cleaning it up, without much success. In changing the crop I managed to remove most of the pond debris and was pleased with the outcome. It goes to show that in most things it pays to take a second look.
Line Up
You can’t get much cuter than these goslings.
FOR THE BIRDS
I took this Black-crowned Night Heron one day in May a few years ago. We’re having snow showers today. The early spring migrants must be wondering what’s up with this weather 😏
JUST A LITTLE LONGER
Not much spring colour yet so I thought I’d revisit fall when the leaves were putting on a fireworks show.
MOODY MONDAY
I took this photo earlier in the week at a wildlife garden I hadn’t been back to since the start of the Pandemic. I saw a few robins (photos coming up), a bit of new spring growth and this meadow scene that caught my eye.
You may have noticed that the Comments section was closed on my site for the last few days. It seems to be working again!
WAITING IT OUT
With the continuing cool temperatures you can’t blame the raccoon for not giving up its snug quarters. Spring is taking its time around here.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 