I’ve sat on this image for quite a while, not sure whether to post it or not. I usually like to crop closer in to my subject(s) but in this case, I decided to focus on the rugged terrain and the challenging conditions these painted turtles face at our local reserve. I assume they made it safely across but I had to be somewhere that afternoon so I couldn’t wait around to find out😊.
I watched as this mallard trod carefully on a fine sheen of ice that had formed on the lake. It was late afternoon and I was taken by the light. At this time of the year no matter how grey and wet the day the golden hour truly is golden.
An attractive little bird, it landed close by and remained long enough for me to photograph it. This was taken in early spring, and it’s a migrant species. I believe it’s a phoebe, but please correct me if I’ve got it wrong.
Trilliums appear in our woods in spring and have a relatively long growing season, blooming through April and May. It’s another species that is supposed to be quite common yet I haven’t seen them that often. On this occasion they were dotted along the pathway, ours to enjoy.
I hadn’t been to our local reserve in a while so I was particularly happy to see this Red-breasted nuthatch close to the entrance. A bit smaller than the white-breasted variety and not as numerous in our woods, this little guy was very active, flying and landing briefly in the surrounding trees. A nice start to our walk.
The warm weather is long gone in these parts but a quick look through my photo catalogues brought to light these summer delights. The colours, scents and quality of light for a few short months each year make any walk, at any time, a pleasure.
This back view of the wood duck made me think of the ducktail, a haircut that was popular in the 50s. You don’t necessarily have to get your subject face on to get a decent shot. I liked the duck’s puffed up chest in the second photo too, as if his “do” wasn’t enough to impress the ladies😊.
