Back In The Marsh

 After the trick or treaters headed out,sat down with the lap top backing up my photos on the external drive noticing I hadn't been out as much as I taught chasing waterfowl this fall.After getting my camo-suit out and boots made plans for the next morning.
 As I reached the marsh in the dark, I set up a few feet from the edge of the cattails just as the sun rose heard many geese flying behind the trees, unfortunately none came to the water.As the light came up I noticed a Grebe swimming around driving,to my surprise I watched her catch a small trout.
 Once a few birds flew by, a couple of blackducks  landed to my left side playing about,after about half hour few mallards started to pitch in for some great landing shots.
 As the sun came up and the birds stopped flying about I came to realize how much I missed my days following the waterfowl vowing to return in a few days.Here are a few shots from the morning:

blackduck settling in for a snack

male mallard dropping in

muskrat passing through

Mushroom Hunting

 With the approach of fall colors holding back a little,decided to head in the woods toward the old growth trees in search of mushrooms.
 As soon as the temperature drop a few degrees this morning,I headed in the woods,with a little searching came upon a little patch containing quite a few different  kinds of mushrooms,but unfortunately the rabbits and squirrels had been out having thanksgiving dinner before I arrived.
 I managed to spend some time capturing a few shots with my D90....unfortunately didn't have time to look up the correct names for all the mushrooms.....enjoy..I DID.

Loonie Weekend

A few weeks back while going for a walk came across a pair of Loons playing along the shoreline.Was lucky enough to spend some time watching them feed and play within 50 feet of me.
 While using my call to keep them around i managed to get my camera and snap a few photos of them.

pair of loons

washing up

morning stretches

Nesting Heron

 Been awhile since had time to sit down and write.Finally been getting out to do some shooting,with the approach of Fall upon us the wildlife are starting to move about.
 Came across a marsh with a few nesting Heron spending the night ,so started going out early in the morning trying to capture few shoots while they woke up and groomed before the day ahead.
 Seen this Heron roosted up in the tree near the trail...

grooming before the day ahead

getting that last feather in place

overlooking the marsh

Infrared weekend

 Returned back to the Sydney Area,Wildlife a little slow with all of the heat.
 Decided to take out the Sony camera with the Infrared lens out to the old farmsteads,it was a beautiful day with little wind and a few white puffy clouds, unfortunately it was a little later in the day so the shadow were troublesome.
 Got out Sunday again went to the Wentworth park and a pasture where they were cutting hay,haven't had time to process the photos yet.
 Here are a couple of the farm....

Old farmstead Sydney

road to farm

old post 

Northern Gannets

 Well lobster season has come and gone, giving me more time to get out and shoot.Only few days left till head back to town and work construction again.
 Woke this morning to the beautiful sounds of Gulls and Gannets in the cove behind the house.First time having a chance to shot them feeding.Definitely enjoyable with all the action of them diving and circling  above chasing the mackerel.Fun to watch as the seals chased the fish in the cove and then the Gannets drove through the schools scaring them back out to the waiting seals.
 Noticed something strange the feeding stayed constant while the fog remained down once the sky opened the gannets headed back out to sea,even though the fish continued to school around.
 Here's a few of the many shots taken this moring with the Nikon D-90  150-500mm sigma lens .

Northern Gannet

juvenile gannet

Feeding frenzy off the rocks

gannet leaving after a meal

juvenile following the crowd

Bird Island,Cape Breton

 Finally,got out for a day of photos,been so busy with this seasons lobster season.So headed out to the Islands off of Cabot Straits.On Saturday,of course,we had a wind fall warning with 3-5 meter seas.But fortunately the 35 foot boat was amazingly good and comfortable.
 After the 40 minute steam out to the island we first encountered a few Black Guillemot with their bright red feet.
After we spotted on the cliff a few razorbills and puffins and large colony of Herring Gulls mixed with the odd Cormorants.

Large group of Herring Gulls

Nesting Razorbills

Lone Puffin checking Us out

Group of Puffins siting outside the nesting holes

Male Puffin fixing their nest with grass

  While on the cruise seen many Razorbills and Black Guillemot flying around the boat,with their bright red feet shining in the sun which caught my eye over the Puffins bright beaks.

Razorbill sunning with Black Guillemot

Flock of Razorbills

Black Guillemot in flight with their red feet

Black Guillemot

  After crossing from one island to the next island came across a few dozen Grey Seals feeding along the lobster traps and chasing the caplin.Once we got to the next island we came to a flock of Puffins flying around the lobster boat.

Puffins in-flight

Puffin resting on the water

  Well all in all considering the weather,was a great day out on the Islands.In  a few more weeks the little Razorbills and Puffins should be out so I'll try it again,till then happy photography. 

Song birds part 1

Well,just back home for the fishing season,loading my photos from the past 6 weeks and remembering the number of different birds I came across.In the back of the house at the feeders I had a Hairy woodpecker and a Downy woodpecker eating on the bell feeders,also have Blackeyejunko,Doves,Blue jay,Chickadee,Robins,House Sparrows,Red poll and goldfinches checking on the feeders.
Down the road by the swamp seen a few Common Grackle,Redwinged Blackbirds and a flock of Snow Bunting on the shore.
here's a few of the photos from the backyard:

Redpoll

Redwinged Blackbird

Robin with worm

Snow bunting

Downy woodpecker

Hairy woodpecker

song birds part 2

blackeyed junko

bluejay

chichadee

mourning dove

goldfinch

House Sparrow

New fields and new hunting grounds

 Drove up to FrenchVale on the last Saturday of March to check on the deers in the fields ,when came across a fox hunting the fields.Parked the truck and pursued him for about 3 miles or so through 6 farm fields in the light snow flurries while he hunted for mice not caring I was stalking him.He was very successful in his hunts as I was in my photo opportunities.

successful catch

strolling around

pounching on breakfast

  The following Saturday I woke to a heavy frost and decided to drive up to see if I could find my hawk or foxes.To my delight I came across him in the same field as the week before so I headed up the field and watch for about 1/2 hour as he seached the field for food.

 All the photos are full framed un cropped as I do have access to my own computer to do any editing.The Nikon d90 and 150-500 lens seems to be working find,but wish would of taken my 70-200 with me as the fox hung under 20 feet most of the time.Hopfully next weekend I'll get another chance.

searching under the frost

Young Pup

 Quite busy at work,so outing have been scarce lately.On Saturday headed out in search of Eagles and Waterfowl .While moving from one spot to another came across a young grey pup seal still in it's white coat,left behind after the ice moved out from the shore.

 So I gathered my camera and crawled towards her not to frighten her,spent about 20 minutes with her before moving on to let the pup rest.

Took few photos of her I'll post later as the new computer is having problems posting images???

young grey seal pup

Birding in a river bed

 Well, while looking for a sparrow hawk I saw fly by, I came across a small ravine with mostly old trees and a few maples. While in the ravine I saw my first bohemian waxwing up close. After getting a few shots, I went over to see what she was eating.
 I leaned on an old tree and then heard a noise. I looked up to see a hairy woodpecker looking down on me.
 The next morning I went back to check for them again. Luckily, I saw the woodpecker knocking away. Never saw the waxwing again, hopefully my hawk never saw her either.

Who's out there?

hairy woodpecker

bohemian waxwing