Wood Duck

I don't know about you but I think these Wood Duck are absolutely beautiful. 

They have such spectacular plumage, and look really regal.

How Cute...

Just how cute is this little chipmunk. I spotted him hiding away in a bush near the shore on Squaw Bay. I heard him rustling about feeding and every time I stepped round trying top catch a shot he dived back out of sight.

With a little patience however he got used to my presence and was confident enough to stay on display just long enough for me to capture these two pictures.

View From The Top

These views were taken from the top of Mount Mackay overlooking Thunder Bay in Ontario. You can see that the weather on the day was quite changeable. As Summer ended and autumn began it was quite wild as we looked out across to Pie Island and the Sleeping Giant and Lake Superior. As the heavy cloud came across and the hail fell it was time to head back down the mountain but away from the top we quickly warmed up and could enjoy the beautiful greenery of the forest trail.

Some Woodland and Garden Birds

So I won't make any claims about the quality of these shots, and apart from saying they were taken handheld using my large telephoto lens on a cold morning I won't make any excuses about them either.

I love the challenge of photographing wildlife and would love to spend much more time out searching for the perfect shot. The first 6 shots were taken as I was heading back to my car after standing on the edge of a lagoon photographing a family of beavers and the woodpecker shots were captured after taking  a wrong turn at the start of a hike at Mount Mackay.

At the time I took these pictures I tried top identify the different birds but a few months have passed since then and I have largely forgotten.

The first two shots are of a Black-throated Green Warbler, the last two are of a beautiful Downy Woodpecker and the one before the woodpecker is a Black-capped Chickadee.

The other two species however I couldn't identify, I figure they might be varieties of sparrow or warbler but after a long time scanning through different images online I still couldn't definitively say what they are. Whatever they are along with the other shots they are a nice selection of some of Canada's  wonderful wildlife.

A Finger of Fungi

I couldn't resist posting another selection of fungi pictures, these were taken along the trail  at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park.

On my last post I commented about how the fungi have an alien quality and if it was true about the specimens then it is even more true about the first three shots today.

My Obsession

This selection of fungi is testament to how much of an obsession it was on my trip to Canada to capture as many different species of fungi as I could. It was a freezing cold day in Centennial Park and I was out on my own in the forest while nearly everyone else was back at the house in the warm resting up after our mammoth hike the previous day. 

So maybe I am just a little but crazy but I certainly don't regret it. I think these are all amazing varieties, some of them have an alien quality about them especially the second one.

In The Shade

I haven't posted any fungi for a while so I decided to pick a few for today.

It was dark and damp on the forest floor so the light was poor but it suits these little plants just right and if it makes them happy I'm happy.

On The Waters Edge

Today here are two more shots from the waters edge at Martin Mere.

In the first shot we have a Black Tailed Godwit with its long black legs and winter plumage it looks quite striking 

The second shot is of a Ruff in winter plumage although he looks as though he is starting to develop his breeding plumage with the fluffy collar which will be used for displays in the spring to attract a mate. The warden described it as a satellite male which I believe is an immature or less well developed male that will try to encroach on a territorial male and impregnate the female, a sneaky little blighter.

Beautiful Plumage

Lapwings are one of my favourite wading birds. I think they have such beautiful plumage and the feathery plume on their heads is really elegant. I used to see huge flocks of them when I lived in the Lincolnshire Fens and it was wonderful to watch them swoop and dive in formation.

I think you will agree, this is a really handsome specimen and it was fun to watch it feeding along the shore, picking its way between the ducks and other waders. I like the first image with the bird looking out across the lake, you get a really clear view of its plume which reminds me a bit of the hoods that you would use for a falcon or hawk.

Creepy Little Fella

Maybe it is unkind to call this cute little bird "creepy" but he is a Tree Creeper so it is an accurate description. I have only photographed one once before and it was a lousy shot, low light, quick moving subject so grainy and blurry. On this particular occasion although the light wasn't great I did manage to get three quick shots. Using a high ISO the pictures are still quite grainy  but with a little bit of work I have been able to reduce some of the "noise" and produce soft but usable images.

He didn't stay still for long and quickly made its way around and up the tree trunk out of sight but it was a genuine thrill to see it and capture these pictures. You have to agree he is pretty cute. You may be able to make out his long claws/toes perfectly adapted to clinging to the bark enabling him to move nimbly and quickly up and down in his search for insects in every crevice. Hie curved beak is also perfectly adapted for the task of winkling out food from the tightest spots.

A Pleasant Pheasant

I spotted this beautiful pheasant scratting around beneath some feeders that were host to a flock of hungry goldfinches. He was taking advantage of the seeds scattered by the finches and tits feeding above.  As I watched, a Sparrowhawk flew past low and fast scattering the smaller birds in a flurry of feathers but the pheasant was unmoved.

Just look at those magnificent colours and I know that with such strong and vibrant colours most people will say that the only way to show it off is in full and glorious colour. However, I also think it looks amazing in black and white and it's worth sharing both versions.

Coming Home To Roost

Today's shots were taken at Martin Mere, I spent the day there and although it was cold and grey I wanted to wait until the end of the day to witness the arrival of the large flocks of swans and Pink Footed Geese as they returned from foraging to their roost at the reserve.

Sadly the failing light meant I had to leave before the largest flocks came in but I was lucky enough to capture a few shots of small groups pf early arrivals.

As you can see the Whooper Swans came in in small groups, possibly family groups, flying low with great swooping wing beats. In flight they are so graceful with their long necks stretched out before them. I would normally shoot wildlife in colour but because the day was so overcast and grey I decided to try some shots in black and white too. As you can see from the first image it works really well although in the second shot with the small group reflected in the water I think colour works best.

The third shot works well to show that although in flight the swans look really sleek and elegant when they come in to land they actually become awkward and ungainly. The water was quite crowded with a variety of ducks and waders so finding a safe landing spot was tricky, it was amazing to see that there were few collisions as the swans hit the water.

At The Bird Zoo

I recently spent a couple of days visiting Martin Mere Wildfowl and Wetland Reserve to watch some of the winter migrants. As well as the wetland areas there are some other pools with other species in "the bird zoo".  It is a nice opportunity to get up close to some beautiful species such as these the Chiloe Wigeon and the Northern Shoveler. 

On this particular day I had gone expecting clear skies and good conditions however although it was calm it was cold and very grey and overcast  so in order to use a fast enough shutter speed I had to use quite a high ISO.  

Oriental Beauty

So this is Levi.

I had gone to visit my niece and meet my great niece for the first time. Levi is one of the family's cats and normally he is quite shy, or stand offish but now that everyone's attention is on the new baby Levi was more attention seeking than usual and he  even sat long enough to have his portrait taken.

He really is a good looking chap!

That's Sharp

So here are three more shots of Liverpool's Open Eye Gallery with its shiny black glass exterior with acute angles everywhere you look. It looks like it would be at home in a Sci-Fi movie.

The first shot is taken from the opposite corner to the other two and so where one has the sun behind it the sun was behind me for the other two. I like the way the clouds are reflected in the sides of the building. Standing watching the reflections it felt at times like the clouds were passing through the building like fog, it was an amazing illusion. In the third shot I can see a heart formed by the clouds combined with the reflection so I really like that.

The final shot is of an apartment block built as part of the Liverpool One development. I often think that if I was in the market for an apartment I would be happy to live here. Although I cannot say what the interior is like I do like the building as a whole  and the design allows every apartment to get great views of the city or across the riverfront.