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!
Tag Archives: Nature
GREEN HERON
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.
FALL DAY IN THE COUNTRY
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 🙂 ).
CABBAGE WHITE IN BLACK AND WHITE
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.
SMALL MILKWEED BUGS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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).
FOREST SCENES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
LADYBUGS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
CONTENTED DUCKS
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 SQUIRREL
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.
NOVEMBER MALLARD
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.
GOLDEN GEESE
Canada Geese get a lot of mixed reviews. They’re often loud, messy and aggressive, not one of our more popular exports! But when you capture them, with a beautiful fall reflection as background, no complaints here. I hope the geese haven’t moved on yet given the cold snap we’ve had. We’re off to check on them this afternoon and hope to find a few holdouts.
FAIR WEATHER SPARROW
The weather plummeted overnight. We woke to -21C windchill this morning, so instead of heading out with my camera, I’m featuring a photo I took last month when the weather was more hospitable. Typical November weather pattern, it promises to warm up over the weekend so I should be hitting the trails in the next day or two.
REFLECTING BACK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These photographs were taken late last month when the leaves were at their peak. The trees were late to change this year and as a result there is still nice colour to enjoy. The reflection in the second photograph was so spectacular that other than a minimal crop and a bit of contrast adjustment, the photo was as taken. I was hoping to photograph birds the day I took these so I had my 70-200mm lens with me. Although not ideal for landscape shots, at 70mm I was pretty pleased with the results.
FOREST FINDS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s something about mushrooms and fungi I like! Their curious shapes and colours; their sudden appearance or development over time. In these two examples they were growing in poorly lit areas. In the first photo, exposing for the mushroom brought it to life and gave the background a dark, eerie look. A high ISO in the second allowed me to capture the scene you see here. I wish I had had more opportunities for shots like these, maybe next year.
GOLDFINCH
Goldfinches were passing through last month on their migration south. We were lucky to see several of them at a park we seldom visit. They are very fast flying birds but this one perched long enough for me to take this shot.
OCTOBER MALLARDS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These mallards were by the river’s edge, and the blue of the water had that quality you see on a crisp sunny morning in October. There were no trees nearby so the only reflection was the cloudless sky.
I do like mallards and if there were no other birds to photograph I’d never tire of these ducks.
DARK-EYED JUNCO (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This Junco’s cocky stance more than makes up for the less than ideal background. I have only seen this bird a few times in the forest, usually on snow drifts in late March and until now too far away to get a decent shot. This little fellow and a few mates were taking their time, searching for seeds along the path. Their attractive colouring and presence make them very appealing subjects.
A DIFFERENT VIEW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With so many birds and insects gone for the season, but temperatures still warm enough to enjoy photography, I cast about for different subjects that interest me. As the landscape changes and the colours begin to fade, familiar flowers and trees take on a different appearance. Here are two examples, I will feature more in the coming days.
A SELECT FEW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The early part of October was very mild so the trees have been slow to turn colour although they’re catching up now that the colder weather has arrived. These two photographs were taken mid month as the leaves began to change. As I walk along the trails I look for the sun to direct its light on a solitary leaf or a small grouping as it does in these photos.
FALL COAT – 2
This male wood duck is definitely looking his best. When they return in the spring and before they migrate in the late fall, wood ducks are spectacular looking. Mallards and wood ducks are patrolling the lake these days, so it was nice to find this individual on a fallen branch in the water above the fray.
FALL COAT
I’m partial to mallards no matter the season. In the fall with the changing colours as a backdrop they hold their own against any and all! This photo was taken at our favourite reserve that was reopened after a bad storm a month ago. The damage was quite severe but the majority of trees survived and make their contribution evident in this photograph.
WOODPECKERS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Both the Hairy (first photo) and Downy Woodpeckers were well represented the day I took these photographs. I hadn’t seen any in quite a while so I was pleased at the opportunity. I haven’t had too much luck at identifying birds lately, so I’m happy to say I got these two right!
CLOSING IN (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
With the cold weather fast approaching there won’t be many more photo opportunities like this.
When I looked at the photograph on my computer screen I was struck by the background and couldn’t decide whether to make it the focus of the shot or the bee. As I couldn’t choose I thought I’d show three versions of the photograph altered only by the crop.
OUT ON A LIMB (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I believe this bird is a sparrow but I can’t say for sure. For the past month or so we’ve been visiting a wildlife garden as our favourite reserve is still closed after a recent storm. The garden attracts many smaller birds and I was pleased to capture this bird balancing on a twig in the water.
PERFECT PERCH (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There were a number of sparrows flying in and out of the pine trees just out of range of my lens. This one, on the other hand, perched close by just off the ground. It remained there for quite a while unlike the other sparrows who kept on the move. I believe it is a female White-throated Sparrow.
LOOK UP, WAY UP (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This giant inflatable jellyfish is suspended inside a glass lantern in the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, a spectacular looking building in the Gothic Revival style. The museum completed in 1912 has undergone several renovations, the latest between 2004-2010.
The contrasting architectural styles and this extraordinary creature made for an interesting afternoon and the black and white version adds a bit more drama to the photograph.
END OF SEASON (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Wildflowers are fading and no longer quite perfect. I think I might just prefer them now, their colours more muted and their edges not as sharp. The first photo is soft focus and it was the field rather than a particular flower that I chose to capture. The Queen Anne’s Lace has a beautiful woven pattern which is what I focussed on in the second.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Our favourite reserve was damaged in a destructive windstorm storm last week and is closed to the public for the foreseeable future. We’ll miss the beauty of the place and the animals that call it home. In the meantime we’ve been exploring new trails and spotted this white-throated sparrow along one of them.
FALL MALLARDS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Mallards are favourite subjects of mine, they’re numerous and very photogenic so I get a lot of opportunities to photograph them. As other birds depart for warmer climates, many mallards brave our winters and I should get more shots of them as the weather changes.
WOOD DUCKS TAKING A BREAK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These female wood ducks were taking a break from the group, pausing on fallen tree trunks just off shore. Wood ducks are less boisterous than the more common mallards and though striking in appearance remain quite quiet as you pass by. As the season progresses they seem to be less shy and will often remain still long enough for me to take a lot of photos.
PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
As we veered off the main path at the reserve we were treated to a slew of painted ladies. They were flying in great numbers and I kept my camera trained on a few as they lingered on the clover. These were taken with my 70-200mm lens and I took well over 100 photographs. More to come…
TOP DUCK
There’s a fallen tree at the entrance to the reserve that is a favourite hangout for the local ducks. This male wood duck seemed to have taken possession of it when I saw him. I’m not sure if he was moulting or immature as he wasn’t in full colour, but a handsome fellow by all accounts.
DOWNTOWN GAL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s rare to see anything other than sparrows, pigeons and the occasional robin in the downtown core so it was especially nice to see this solitary female Downy Woodpecker excavating the tree. As I walked away I hoped she’d find her way back to her mates but she did provide a welcome bit of nature on this city block.
HOVERFLY
Not only attractive little insects, hoverflies also serve a useful purpose. They are pollinators, their larvae prey on aphids and other plant destroying insects. Their appearance wards off predators as they mimic wasps and bees and yet they are generally harmless. They pack a powerful punch in a tiny package!
LATE BLOOMERS
In late summer wildflowers begin to show some wear but collectively their colours paint a wonderful palette, they don’t go quietly into fall! These flowers were growing in great bunches along the roadside and we stopped a while to enjoy them.
CHICKADEE
In November last year the fall leaves were gone but the lichen on the trees added a nice touch of colour. The chickadee was taking a short break from foraging and I snapped this photograph.
FULL STEAM AHEAD
I liked the pattern the mallard formed in the water and the duck’s intensity at it steamed forward. There might be more exotic birds that visit the Ottawa area but nothing matches the mallard for its exuberance and personality.
EASTERN SCREECH OWL
For the last few springs we’ve seen solitary screech owls in the reserve we visit. We’ll spot one in a tree hollow or on a nearby branch. As much as we checked this year none were about on our walks so I’m featuring an owl from 2016. The owls seem to favour the deep woods, and the leaves create quite a colour cast which I corrected in Lightroom using White Balance.
UNEXPECTED
This was one of those quiet days at the reserve, a pleasant walk but nothing much about. As we headed back to the car we saw some people nearby and someone pointed out a green heron at the water’s edge. The path was narrow, the light poor and trying to maneuver around branches and people was a challenge. The bird was backlit and there was a colour cast. I corrected the lighting in Lightroom and used Photoshop to correct the colour cast.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
This black-crowned night heron is in mating plumage, sporting two long white plumes. Both sexes look alike (at least to me) but I believe this is a male given its larger size.
He was surveying the water when I spotted him but I moved on before I saw him catch anything.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 