Sun loving painted turtles dig into the mud at the bottom of lakes and ponds over the winter. Their metabolism slows down and they can survive without food and very little oxygen. They’re not stirring yet but as spring returns and the days get warmer we’ll be seeing them again in great numbers.
California Dreaming. 😏
Another occasion where I heard the woodpecker tapping away before I spotted him.
While taking some photographs on the grounds of the Canadian Museum of Nature I passed by a window of this imposing 1910 building and saw the geometric design of the staircase. It was quite a contrast to the exterior of the museum.
There is a patch of wild roses that attract bees of all kinds every summer. This one was doing a little happy dance .😊
I watched the cabbage white move between the flowers taking samples as it went.
I haven’t seen a Robin yet but I keep looking. We associate them with spring but I have seen the occasional one in the winter.
Our neighbourhood is close to the downtown core and still has a good number of older homes mixed in with the new. I liked the way this house was illuminated in the sunlight and thought it had a welcoming look to it, gargoyles and all!
A little bit of colour on this cold grey day.
I featured this green heron a few days ago as it came in for a landing. Here’s a parting shot. 😏
Japanese Beetles are a form of scarab beetle. Despite their attractive appearance, they are an invasive species in North America and parts of Europe and very destructive to many crops and flowers. They do make interesting photography subjects though.
I watched as the green heron searched the shoreline for something to eat. Without success it flew off only to come in for a landing a short time later.
These American Black Ducks had the right idea.
On this sunny February day, with the temperature above zero, it’s easier to imagine a scene like this before too long. 😊
We are fortunate to see quite a few wood ducks during the warmer months. They return each year to a nearby lake, breed and raise their young and then migrate at the first frost. I took this photo in late summer.
I didn’t see the Daddy Long Legs, in the bottom of the frame, when I took the photo . The beetle obviously did. I hope it managed to make its getaway.😏
Yesterday was Groundhog Day in Canada and the United States. Two famous Canadian Groundhogs, one from Quebec and another from Nova Scotia predicted that we will have an early spring as neither saw their shadow. It seems their American pal is in agreement .😊
It’ll be a while before we see any damselflies but in the meantime I thought I’d revisit a bit of summer.
The river is shallow at this point and muddy. It’s also a favourite fishing spot for Egrets. This one had caught something, and cleaned up after eating .😊
I couldn’t see what had caught the cat’s attention but watched as it slowly moved towards whatever it was. It did remind me of a “big cat” stalking its prey.
The Dodge 200 (circa 1960) was parked outside a house undergoing renovation. The truck was full of lumber for the work underway. You never know what you’ll see when out on a walk. 😊
I had not expected to see the wood duck on the path. I took this with a long lens and clipped a bit of its wing but enjoyed the bird’s relaxed pose.
The duck doesn’t seem to mind winter at all.
This is a slightly re-edited version of a photo I’ve featured before.
Like many of us right now.😏
You can just see a bit of this downy woodpecker’s red cap. I like the way his back feathers caught the wind as well.
Reflections can make for interesting subjects, this one nicely framed in red brick.
Another old house in the downtown core that has escaped the wrecker’s ball.
I always enjoy seeing these little birds while walking in the woods.
I wondered why the birds were in such a frenzy, when I imported the image I saw why. The gull in the lower right-hand corner had caught something to eat that the others wanted. The scene is a bit raw but nature is that way sometimes.
These geese took their time navigating through the dense reeds. There were no other birds in sight, just this calm pair.
A lot of old houses have collections of glass bottles in the window which always catch my eye. The signage wasn’t very welcoming though and then I noticed the house number.
The cat was keeping an eye on things as I passed by its yard. I looked back as I walked along and it never altered its gaze.
Sometimes the little things are the big picture.
One of many Canada Geese I’ll be featuring this year. I do like these birds; they have a few character flaws but then don’t we all. 😏
The surface of lily pads can be messy. I was going to edit out a bit of the “muck” when I realized it consisted of flies, a frog’s meal of choice. I kept them in it made for a more realistic picture.
One of the nice things about Downy Woodpeckers is that they remain here even in the winter. They continue to find insects by drilling into the bark of trees; their diet also includes berries and well stocked feeders.
I took this photo in mid-December, a few years back. We’ve seen very little snow this winter, more rain than anything else. Today is colder though so maybe we’ll see some soon. A December without any snow is unusual. I wonder if this is the new normal …
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
Our local reserve was closed for a few weeks this summer when a trio of male turkeys were acting aggressively towards passersby. This Tom wasn’t one of the rowdies. 😏
I took many shots of this egret last summer. I have never seen one moving through the tall grass before. We were taking a path to the river and thought we might see one fishing there. I think this egret should have asked for directions 😏
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 