Ring-billed gulls are often seen in parking lots and city parks, so it was nice to see this bird on the water. A much more fitting location for a seagull.
Tag Archives: Nature
QUIET COMPANY
The woods in winter are quiet; the only sounds are my boots on the snow and the wind in the trees. I wasn’t alone though, as I looked up I saw this squirrel looking down at me.
PINK AND PURPLE
The Iris was vying for attention with the Prairie Smoke, a curious almost whimsical native plant. Later in the season the seed head of this flower produces whispy strands that look like smoke. Pollinators love them.
PEREGRINE FALCON (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I was surprised to see a peregrine falcon as I passed along the shore. Peregrines swoop down on their prey from the air so it wasn’t hunting, probably just cooling off in the lake. Except for the falcon no other bird or squirrel was in sight.
FRAMED
The out of focus branches framed the chickadee nicely and also made him look like a little “jailbird”. He doesn’t look too happy about it 😏 .
DUCKS ON PARADE
There’s a natural channel in the lake that ducks often swim through. On this occasion I watched as a long line of ducks swam towards me before they went their separate ways.
DAMSELFLIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
After photographing certain subjects for a while you begin to anticipate their behaviour. In the case of damselflies (and dragonflies) they tend to return to the same perch you might have startled from as you approached. So if you don’t get the shot the first time your chances are good the second time around.
FEMALE WOOD DUCKS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I often see female wood ducks on their own or in very small groups. They are not as gregarious as mallards but have a charm all their own.
GOLD ON GREEN
This pretty little beetle was inching its way along the leaf when I spotted it. I might not have noticed it if it weren’t for its colour. The leaf gives you a good idea of the insect’s size.
PAINTED TURTLE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This lake has a fair number of resident turtles. As I scanned the water for birds, I noticed a painted turtle enjoying a swim. Now it and its mates are buried deep in the mud, hibernating until spring.
EARLY MORNING MUSKRAT
Muskrats swim quickly and like to dive, particularly when they have an audience. I saw this one on an early April morning enjoying a solitary swim.
PERFECT PAD (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This lake has a lot of lily pads which these frogs call home. They blend in so well that often only a splash or movement alerts you to their whereabouts. The photo below gives you a good idea of their environment and how well they blend in.
CHICKADEE
I didn’t follow the rules for my composition. I don’t think the photo would have worked as well if I had.
BARRED OWL
The barred owl or hoot owl is very common in Ontario though I’ve only seen one twice. Like most owls they are nocturnal but both my sightings were during the day. This owl was just slightly off the main path, I happened to look up and there he was.
HOLD ON TIGHT
Pretty good advice for the times we live in 😏.
A WALK IN THE PARK
Someone had stamped down the path somewhat but we still got plenty of exercise making our way along. No need for a gym membership with conditions like these 😏.
MONDAY MORNING MALLARD
I caught this duck as she stood on some rocks close to shore. She gave me a curious look which made for a nice photograph.
FALL FIND
Fall is a good time to photograph mushrooms especially if there’s been a lot of rain. As I was walking, I noticed some bracket fungus running along this fallen tree. It almost looked like a border of lace.
NORTHERN SHOVELER
Happy New Year!
DECEMBER CARDINAL
A little cheer on a cold December day.
GOOSE ON THE LOOSE
Canada Geese have long since left for warmer parts. While we’re strongly encouraged not to travel this winter, these snowbirds are exempt.
MALLARD ON ICE
Best wishes for the Holidays!
CHICKADEE, BALANCING ACT
The chickadee looks like it’s trying to keep its balance on the branch. I thought the leaves framed him nicely too.
BLUE(T)S AND GREENS OF SUMMER
The bluet damselfly is a common visitor in early summer, often seen near bodies of water. Like many birds and insects, when they become accustomed to your presence they’ll often linger for a portrait.
CHIPMUNK
Now that the weather has turned cold, I hope this chipmunk remembers where he has hidden the food he was busy collecting. It’s going to be a long winter.
MALLARD SWIM
A female mallard enjoying a swim on the lake. On a sunny day in October the water takes on the wonderful colours of the sky and trees. These remaining days of fall are there to be enjoyed as they’ll be gone before too long.
QUIET PATH
The day and path stretched before me as I set off that morning. The woods were quiet. No wind or squirrels rustling the leaves, no people either. A quiet moment in late October 2019.
RACCOON
On passing a lean-to in the reserve, I saw this raccoon ambling about. I think he had found something to eat on the floor and just gave me a passing glance as I walked by.
NORTHERN CARDINAL
I took this photo in late July, so I think the cardinal had just begun to molt. Molting begins after mating season and before the cold weather sets in. They can look pretty rough over several weeks but this bird still looked pretty spiffy.
PEREGRINE FALCON
On a drive one day, we stopped at a reserve that advertised a wild bird display. This peregrine falcon was waiting his turn and seemed to look in my direction so I took the shot. I’m not a great fan of these events but the birds were beautiful and if people take away an appreciation of them it can only help conservation efforts.
ALL TUCKED IN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
From this angle I thought the buildings looked like they were nestled by the greenery surrounding them. I liked the effect of the Antique Preset in Tonality CK in the second photograph.
BALTIMORE ORIOLE
There are nine species of Orioles in North America; both the Baltimore Oriole and Orchard Oriole can be found here in the east but I’ve yet to see an Orchard Oriole. This colourful bird usually shows up in May and stays the summer.
BEE WATCHING
I like to watch bees as they work their way among the flowers. This one had just gotten started as it hadn’t pick up much pollen yet. I took this photo with a long lens, you can get quite near to the insects without disturbing them or getting too close for your own comfort.
ON A WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A scene from a warm summer day. No better way to spend a sunny afternoon than camera in hand surrounded by sights like this.
OVERHEARD AT THE LAKE
When I took this photo I was focussed on the wood ducks. Looking at the image when I got home I thought the goose was part of the story too and a funny one at that.
NORTHERN CARDINAL
I took several several photos of the cardinal on the ground and when it flew into the trees. In late summer they seem more relaxed around people; their young have left the nest and they’re less wary. Nice for me.
DOWNY WOODPECKER
Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest of the woodpeckers and quite numerous. We enjoy them year round. They don’t cache food but survive the winter by excavating the trees for overwintering insects. They are also a frequent visitor to bird feeders.
METALLIC BEE
Although very small there is no overlooking these brilliant green bees. This one was gathering pollen, and its legs are well dusted with it. Nothing says summer more to me than a scene like this.
BROWN CREEPER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was a first for me and the only time I’ve ever seen a brown creeper, so it was pretty exciting. Their numbers are declining in the eastern part of North America, due to habitat loss, so I was particularly happy to see one. It’s called a brown creeper but I thought it looked more like it was hugging the tree as it foraged for insects.
CANADA GEESE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Canada Geese may have their detractors but on a lake in the fall they are among my favourite subjects. They’ve had their young and territory is no longer an issue so scenes like this are common. Ottawa is a city that includes a lot of rural land, so you don’t have to go too far to see them flying in their wonderful V formations (or echelons) as they head south.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 