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