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Posts Tagged ‘Birds’

The ‘Not So Common’ Loon

Posted in Nature Photography, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 24, 2013 | 6 Comments »

Hello All,

Although generic only by moniker, the Common Loon is one of the most visually stunning and hauntingly sounding water bird to inhabit North American lakes and rivers. Easily recognizable with their ‘tuxedo’ plumage, these large birds are a definite delight to watch and photograph.

I was fortunate this past week to locate my first nest, with a female sitting atop a single egg. It was hidden amongst the reeds and cattails, less than a foot from the waters edge. It was a rare and wonderful find and I will be checking back this week to see if her little one has hatched.

Loon

Loon2

LoonStretch1

Loon04

Loon11

Loon10

Loon12

Loon13

 

Yours In The Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

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Owls In Images – 2013 Highlights

Posted in Nature Photography, tagged Algonquin Park, , , , Great Horned Owl, , , , , , , , Snowy Owl, , on March 10, 2013 | 14 Comments »

Hello All,

The owl is a magical bird. Seldom seen by most, but when discovered, they instil a profound excitement that most creatures in nature can’t compete with. The 2013 season has been filled with glimpses of numerous northern birds, allowing many a once-in-a-lifetime chance to view these rare visitors out in the wild.

For myself, this winter has been a milestone. In terms of numbers, I was fortunate and blessed to spend time with seven Great Gray Owls, one Northern Hawk Owl, three Snowy Owls, two Great Horned Owls, and two Barred Owls. For the majority of these interactions I was alone with the bird – to watch with amazement as it silently (and successfully) hunted, preened, protected its territory, and interacted with the environment. These experiences saw me travel throughout Ottawa, Kingston, and Algonquin Provincial Park.

These moments in time I captured with my camera are special. Each tell a story. In total I took over 5,700 images. The following are those I am most proud of.

Owl38

Owl39

Owl11

Owl31

Owl32

Owl33

Owl34

Owl41

Owl24

Owl19

Owl01

Owl40

Owl43

Owl42

Owl22

Owl18

Owl07

Owl05

Owl35

Owl21

Owl15

Owl09

Owl36

Owl25

Owl06

Owl04

Owl29

Owl37

Owl17

Owl20

Owl30

Owl23

Owl12

Owl10

Owl13

Owl02

Owl03

Owl28

Owl08

Owl27

Enjoy The Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

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Shed Hunting….and a Side of Snowshoe Hare

Posted in Fishing, tagged , , , , , , on March 14, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Hello All,

With the warm weather of today, and with an itching to find a spent antler, I headed out with camera in hand for a day of shed hunting.

Conditions varied at my favourite hiking spot. Deep snow in some spots, bare ground in others, and miniature ponds scattered amongst them for good measure. Regardless of the terrain, wearing only a t-shirt and having the sun shine on my face sure felt great.

I have certainly had a fascination over the years for finding a deer antler. But, for the many miles  I’ve walked in the woods, a shed I have yet to spot. The signs were excellent on this outing – dozens of deer trails, plenty of scrapes, and scat everywhere.  Sadly, after 5 hours and 8.6 kilometres of working the brush, I came up empty handed.

Deer Trail

Deer Scat

I was fortunate to spot this fella, although with the diminishing snow and him still clad in his winter coat, it wasn’t all that hard. For his sake, I hope it changes quickly.

Snowshoe Hare

I also spent some time photographing birds today. Many were camera-shy, but I was able to capture a few decent shots.

Cedar Waxwing

Black-capped Chickadee

Hairy Woodpecker

With the warm weather forecast, open water fishing is just around the corner!

Enjoy the Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

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