You can see how the muskrat got its name. It has quite the tail. Like the beaver the muskrat uses its tail as a rudder and slaps it when it senses danger. They are terrific swimmers and when they dive it’s difficult to determine where they will resurface.
The woods were quiet, no squirrels about. This usually means there’s an owl or hawk nearby. Sure enough we saw this Screech Owl comfortably perched in the cavity of a tree. What did surprise me was the agitated chickadee flying close to the dozing owl. Brave or reckless, I couldn’t decide.
I was looking at some Queen Anne’s Lace in the garden and saw this single flower off to the side. It seemed to be floating, suspended in mid air. A little garden gem.
It’s been a very hot dry summer. After just a bit of rain, a few mushrooms are starting to appear. I spotted these two in deep shade. Even at ISO 1000 my depth of field was a bit narrow. This rather ordinary subject is always challenging fun.
I took these photos from a floating bridge. I was using a long lens, the duck was close by and I couldn’t put much distance between me and the duck. I would have liked more but you can’t really go wrong with a subject like this.
Yesterday was the first time I’ve picked up a camera in a long while. We spent the morning with friends in their wonderful garden. As we walked and talked I took a couple of photos. I was pretty pleased with the results, and was happy to see that I could still shoot a moving object. 😊
Orange hawkweed is considered a weed but it produces a lovely flower and it grows just about anywhere. It’s also favoured by honeybees so it can’t be all bad!
I liked the crisp green and white of the leaves. Though each leaf is distinctive, together they form an interesting whole. A bit of controlled chaos.
I haven’t returned to the reserve where this was taken at all this year. There are just too many people. In looking through my folders, I came upon this photo I took a few years ago. We usually see a few muskrats each summer and that year was no exception. They can be tricky subjects as their wet fur often reflects odd colours.
Canada Geese can be elegant in the water and a different bird on land where you have to approach them with care. They can be territorial during breeding season, with their young and after they’ve been feeding, you have to watch your step. On the water they can be quite different, languid and graceful.
I feature chickadees quite often. They’re seen frequently and are always up for a photograph. You have to be quick though because they don’t sit still very long.
Painted turtles always look grumpy. In doing a bit of reading, I’ve discovered that they are a species of Special Concern here in Ontario. Cars and habitat loss are their main threats. Painted turtles are also slow to mature and only lay a small clutch of eggs. If just a few die the whole turtle population can be impacted. I now see why they look so grumpy.
I enjoy taking shots of mimic flies. They are cute subjects and well worth the challenge of photographing something so small. This fly was playing king of the castle on top of the wild grass.
It was a cloudy day and the woodpecker was well off the path. I chose to do little to edit the photo as I liked the mood created by the overcast day and the tree branches in the background.
A gardener friend introduced me to these insects a few years ago. She had seen a hummingbird moth at a nursery and I joined her the next time she went. I saw one that day and most summers since. Hovering as they go from flower to flower they do live up to their name.
This little beetle is always on the move which makes taking their photo a bit of a sport. If you see one on a plant, wait a minute and you’ll probably see a few more. A good thing too, as it means you get more than one chance to take a photo.
This must be a young one, as I’ve never seen a leopard frog this tiny before. It was nestled comfortably and remained on the vegetation as I took the photo.
This duckling was curious about its surroundings, while the rest of the brood were more interested in eating. Not the best of backgrounds but the duckling made up for it.
I hadn’t remembered taking this mauve poppy last year and found it when I was searching for a photo to post. I still prefer red poppies but the mauve has a delicate beauty all its own.
Our woods, roadsides and gardens abound in these daisies throughout the summer. The mimic fly was on a common daisy while the fleabane stood on its own. Both attract pollinators but only one did that day.
I took the top photo last fall when the leaves were beginning to fade, I couldn’t miss the cardinal though he was at quite a distance. The photo below of the female cardinal was taken earlier in the summer.
I’ve never seen a monarch feeding so intently before. It would have been nice if it had turned slightly but I caught its beautiful colours and its position added interest.
Summer is short here, a whole lot of living has to be done in a brief period of time. True for many creatures, particularly damselflies. Normally skittish but not on this day.
Female Wood Ducks are less colourful than the male, but equally good looking. I took this photo last fall when the autumn colours were at their height. The birds swam into the reflection and I took the shot.
I look forward to seeing wildflowers each summer. They are hardy and don’t need special conditions to grow: just some soil, water and sunshine, and a few pollinators. Left undisturbed, that’s about it.
I’m more accustomed to seeing orange skippers (the Least or European) in my area so I was pleased to see this new variety. As the summer progresses, many butterflies linger as they feed and don’t seem to be bothered by the passing photographer.
I do enjoy walking alongside meadows. In June, lupines are a common sight and shine like gems in the grass.
My eye was on the tortoiseshell butterfly, I didn’t see the bee at first. This was the first and only time I’ve seen this kind of butterfly. It’s interesting to see more than one insect on a plant at once, a bit of drama at play. In the end the butterfly blinked first and moved on.
I saw quite a few sulphurs last year, all within the span of a few days. We were walking along some flower beds in a botanical garden hoping to see some painted lady butterflies. The day was a bonanza of butterflies, we saw three different kinds, including the sulphur.
The size of the tree frog perched in a dense clump of flowers and the light proved quite the challenge. I have only ever seen a couple of tree frogs before and I couldn’t walk away without a photo. I waited, changed my position and waited some more but he never turned my way. In the end though, I was pretty happy with the shot I got.
Red squirrels will scatter when you approach but when they’re eating they often choose to stay put as this one did. He had the whole place to himself and was taking full advantage.
I’m glad the old tree wasn’t any higher! Sometimes birds find their way right to the top of a tree making for tricky photography. Wonderful bird, wonderful tree, what’s a bit of a sore neck after all. 😏
Frogs are no easier to spot when on land or in the water. A jump or a splash usually alerts me to their presence. The first frog looks pretty bold. The leopard frog in the second photo probably hopes he has disappeared into the background. Almost but not quite.
This dragonfly posed so nicely I just had to take its picture. It appeared to be having as good a time as I was. 😊
There is something special to me about walking through fields like these in summer. The colours and smells and sounds never, ever disappoint. So much to see and photograph.
House Finches are native to western North America but were introduced in the east. Their colour, particularly the red plumage of the male varies according to diet. They’re attractive little birds, although quite common I rarely seem them.
Another surefire sign of summer is the arrival of dragonflies. I saw this skimmer in early August. Each variety puts in an appearance throughout the summer. I’ve even seen a few still flying around late in the season if the weather remains warm.
This wood duck was taken last fall, before they all flew south for the winter. I’ve noticed that unlike most ducks that tend to stick together, the female wood duck is often on her own above the fray.
Ladybugs have tremendous balance and seem to do most things on the run 😏. Occasionally though they slow down enough to take a few photos.
The hairy woodpecker is larger than the downy with a longer bill but their colouring is very similar. This fellow was working his way up and down the tree trunk, in and out of sight. I caught him as he came back into view.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 