Taking Flight

Dispite the cold, Whitby Harbour was cheerfully bright and filled with active birds this past weekend. I loved watching this Pintail duck. They are such characters as they dive and splash about. They are fast though so a bit of a challenge to catch bottoms up!

The Trumpeter Swans although popular now at the marshes in Whitby, a few years ago they were becoming a bit rare. Through conservation efforts there numbers are back up. 

The ever popular but oh so common mallard is always lining the water edge along Lake Ontario. In the sun, the hens and drakes were quite showy with the sun spotlighting them.





Longtailed Duck.



The Golden-Eye Duck





I know - it doesn't get much more common than Canadian Geese and Seagulls, but I like their reflections in the water.

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Participating in Wildbird Wednesday

Still Embracing Winter?

Lynde Shores Conservation Park is a favourite hiking spot, but this trip marked my first winter adventure on the trails. 

I get birds are designed to swim in even the coldest of weather, but still I got shivers watching the American Black Ducks and Canada Geese dive in the water.

 

 All this winter wonderland almost makes up for the shoveling - almost.

 

The trails this year are probably the prettiest winter scenery I have seen in our region.

My daughter who smugly insists on packing a coffee even for a hike!

The birds and small animals are very tame and easily feed out of your hand.

With the sun beginning to set we thought it might be a good time to get out of the thick of the woods!

What a stunning grand finale for our hike to see the sunset over the marsh.

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Participating in: Wild Bird Wednesday, Nature Notes

Birds of Different Feathers Flock Together

Adorning our small, front lawn is a huge Manitoba Maple - yes I know a very large tree to be on a small city lot! I'll explain how that came to be in a moment.

A few weeks ago, when we pulled into our driveway we noticed our tree was swarming with an unusual variety of birds.

There were a few Cedar Waxwings which are a small grey-brown little hooded bird with red wing and yellow tail tips. They are one of a small variety of birds that can survive on fruit alone. You can tell these are adult birds because they have a black mask.



Our tree also had two bright red male Cardinals and a lone Downy Woodpecker.



Now the Robin is a common bird, but it did seem odd to find a dozen or so hanging out with these other birds on cold March day my front lawn - all in my Manitoba Maple.

So about this tree. How does a tree this size wind up on a small city lot?  Lets go back 22 years and blame my Dad!

While visiting my parents at their farm, my daughter found a small seedling. Dad decided it would be a good idea to show her how to dig it up, and plant it in a small margarine container so she would bring it home. Don't worry he told me, it will never live.

It thrived and still is 22 years later! For the first few years she refused to let me cut her beloved tree down. Now that she is grown and has long since moved out, I do not have the heart to get rid of this monster tree! Well that and the fact it would cost a fortune to have it removed ;)
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I'm joining in the fun with: Wild Bird Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday

Backyard Friends

All week butterflies have been gracing my backyard. I'd no sooner grab my camera and they'd be gone. Today, this lazy fellow was most co-operative! I love how sharp his/her antennas are and how it appears to almost have tail feathers. I think this Monarch Butterfly qualifies as my entry into this weeks 
"Your Sunday Best Photo Challenge"
Follow this link to view other photographers best photo submissions for this week.

Usually things are pretty quiet in our backyard - well unless Kodee is sounding off at a squirrel or raccoon. This poor Mom made a huge mistake this spring and chose to have her babies in a neighbours garage. They tried to capture Mom and babies together but the Mom escaped. The babies were old enough to be set loose in the country. I can't say I miss the line of baby raccoons following Mom along my fence line as in previous years, but I do feel sorry for her. She was frantically searching for them for a long time.



Wildlife seems to be having a rough time around our house this year. On our front lawn we have a huge Manitoba Maple tree. When my daughter was young she found the beginnings of a tree - all 2 inches of it at my parent's farm. She planted it in a margarine container to bring home. My Dad warned me you couldn't kill   them and one day it would be huge - not to plant it. Did I listen - no and now 20 year later it takes up 3/4 of my front lawn! The quote to have it removed was well over $800 - yes Father did know best. This robin took up residence in it this spring. Good spot I thought - it sure beat the nest it tried to build over my patio door last spring or so we thought. The nest had a few babies in it but the next morning we found the nest on the ground and one baby bird dead.



I having a lot of fun with my two new lenses; the 15-85mm and 85mm. The more I shoot close ups the more I want a true macro 100mm lens! If you enjoy macro photography, I know the flowers and vegetables by Barbara Leven will inspire you. Also watch this video produced by B&H Photo Video.  During the filmed seminar, Barbara not only shows her artwork but she also discusses what lenses she uses and what steps she takes in post production  using photoshop.




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Participating in Macro Monday, I Love Macro, Your Sunday's Best

Turkey Vulture

6 O'Clock

[Photo A Day June Prompt For "30 Things About Me" Series]

A little cheat here! These photographs were taken mid day but post processed around 6. The Second Marsh has great high, platforms built to help you photograph the abundant wildlife.

The SECOND MARSH WILDLIFE AREA is a 123 ha coastal wetland located in the southeast portion of Oshawa, (Regional Municipality of Durham), Ontario, Canada. 



Fact 8 About Me
The skies where jumping with colour and clouds. Quite peaceful, till I had that ugly faced Turkey Vulture  lurking over my head. My husband loves to photograph landscapes, planes and birds. I detest standing in a field for hours waiting for "that shot". But he endures my dog events so I endure a look out station a few times a year. All I can say is on THIS day - thank goodness for good Iphone reception and facebook.

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Sharing With:
 June's Photo A Day
Search twitter and/or FlickR for #photoadayjune to find more participants.

This Week's Critter Visitors

A baby, red squirrel that chatted up a big story with us

Not at all bothered by us or the dogs

This guy on the other hand was! Kodee was not impressed with this intruder.

Please click the Camera Critter badge and have some more fun
visiting more critter photographs posted in this weeks meme

Critters in the City

Like most backyards ours has come alive with animals and the warmer spring weather. What a treat after the long, gloomy Ontario cold winter!

This female cardinal was busy building her nest and fluttering about very quickly. She made my task to capture her on camera very difficult.

The Cardinals weren't the only one building a nest! This guy did try to build a nest above my patio door. Not a great spot considering the dogs use that door 100x a day. You can read about what Kodee thought of that in her story "Why Does Spring Mean Home Invaders"

This guy almost got caught tonight. We had just come back from our walk and I let Kodee and Becky loose in the yard. There he was not 5 feet from them. Can we say sheer chaos. Becky is fast, way too fast. If I were that bunny I'd think about not entering this yard again - it was close!

Visit more Critter participants for this week at:

Autumn Bird Watching

Lynde Shores Conservation, Whitby Ontario 

Downy Woodpecker: The smallest woodpecker in North America. Has a white back, black nape and black wings with white spotting. Underparts are white. Face is white with black stripes. Hindcrown patch is red. Tail is black with black-spotted or barred white outer tail feathers. Bill is black and short.

[ Read More:  www.whatbird.com ]

Participated at: Mellow Yellow Monday

Reflection

A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as observation, to appreciate it.
~ Frederick Douglass

Participated at Weekend Reflection Camera Critters