Friday, June 29, 2012

Butterflies for Camera Critters




 Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or please click here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Waxing Moon for Skywatch Friday

My thanks to the hosts of Skywatch Fridayhttp://skyley.blogspot.com/ for continuing to host this very popular Friday skywatch meme. If you would like to post your own photos or just enjoy looking to see the photographic offerings of others, please scroll down this page and look upon the right hand side to click on the skywatch logo to go to the meme. A happy Friday to all.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Your Eyes May Deceive You! Baby Bird On A Branch.

Earlier this week I was sitting on my back deck reading when I heard a loud "squawk".  I looked up and saw an adult Sapsucker had landed in our Plum tree. And then I thought I saw a baby bird on a branch of the tree.Hmmm.. I thought, " so that's what all the loud squawking was about.  I immediately put my book down and went into the house to fetch my camera. when I returned with my camera the adult, noisy sapsucker was gone, but the baby was still there!  Wow! what a photographic opportunity. I took a few pictures of the baby bird with my closeup scope., I was delighted.  But then I noticed the baby(?) hadn't moved at all. Was it even breathing?  No, it wasn't! It wasn't a bird but a bird shaped growth on the branch! :-(  Sometimes your eyes can deceive you.  The bird shaped  find is still there this morning as I just went out and took its picture!! It looks quite real doesn't it?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Breakfast Time In bird Alley

This might be an example of "the earliest bird gets fed first.  While watching out my window I saw this seed exchange taking place.  I shall be more alert to this feeding happening taking place just outside my window today.  Pretty sweet!

Poppies with Backlighting for Mellow Yellow Monday

Yes, these are traditional red poppies although they appear to be part red and yellow.  the yellow is the back lighting from the sun and the colourful effect it has!


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Pileated woodpecker for Camera critters

after hearing a loud bird squawk I turned to find the noisy source and someone nearby pointed out this Pleated woodpecker to me on a nearby power line pole. We were at a yard sale and the owners  told us that this large woodpecker is a frequent visitor .  Sometimes even feeding at ground level from some of  the flower beds there!

 Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or please click here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

A Rosy Maple Moth for Ruby Tuesday Two

 Sometimes when you see something pretty and soft you just want to reach out and touch it. Like when I saw this rosy Maple Moth snuggled up againt the bannister railings of my doorstep yesterday morning. Yesterday morning I only saw one, but soon there will be many  around my steps in the mornings to come.  We have a few Silver Maples on our proprty here and apparently that maple species attracts these pretty moths.


Ruby Tuesday 2 meme features photos with red of any subject. To contribute to this meme please go to;
http://rubytuesday2.blogspot.com/
or just click on the Ruby Tuesday 2 badge at the top of the column on the right hand side of this blog page.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Here Comes the Train! for Mellow Yellow Monday


I live quite close to the railroad tracks and so the other day while out on a walk I heard a train coming.  I hurried down a little incline  to catch its picture as it passed by and here are my results. you could see the yellow striping and headlights of the engine as it got closer and closer.  Wow!  exciting!.Got pictures with yellow in them? Why not share them with others on Mellow Yellow Monday at: http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Saturday, June 09, 2012

A Six Spotted Tiger Beetle for Camera Critters

I saw this colourful florescent green beetle while walking along the railroad tracks yesterday.  Its striking flourscent green metallic colour caught my eye I hadn't noticed the white spots on its body until I downloaded my pictures.   A google search of "flourscent green bug" led me to its id, having white spots on its wings and all was a key feature in helping me determine its identification.. At this time of year a daily walk in nature leaves one in awe of the beauty, design and colour that surrounds us  always in the great outdoors.

Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or please click here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 07, 2012

A Three Turtle Day; Two Snapping and a Painted Turtle



When I awoke this morning I knew I wanted to go to the Currie Pond in the Currie Woods and look for snapping turtles and Lady slippers there.  It seems its still a bit early for Lady Slippers as we didn't find any It has usually been  during the 20's of June when I  usually find them there, so I will wait for a couple more weeks for some serious searching.  But did we find Snapping turtles? Yes, we did ! Two of them! The first snapper I found is shown above and it didn't appear to be at all disturbed by my presence there.  Of course I kept my distance from it as a snapper can be quite a chunker eater... in a snap!.  I must learn to be more observant though  for as I was concentrating all of my attention on the snapper I had found, I heard a loud splash and as I turned I saw a second turtle, (this one appearing to be quite large) jump or move into the pond. After we moved away from the pond area we returned  later and I then saw the second turtle swimming about in the pond.  My camera had to contend with the glare on the water from the day's sun and light and the details are not too sharp or clear but here it  below, a picture of the one that had gotten away.  It was quite special to have found and seen these two snapping turtles this morning as it is the beginning of our snapping turtle season.  In the coming weeks there will be many sightings of these turtles laying their eggs around our village:  along the railroad tracks and the river banks.  Then the waiting and watching begins to monitor the nests until their hatching in the early fall. The first year I had discovered snapping turtles laying eggs we monitored the nest closely and we watched 20 tiny baby turtles leave their nest and immediately head for the river and once there, they jumped in and swam away. That was  fascinating experience to observe!


So the snapping turtle sightings were this morning's excitement and I could hardly believe my luck when I came across a Painted turtle this afternoon crossing the highway. I got out of my car as the turtle turned to go back the way it had come.  It was a much safer idea too.  The Painted Turtle has a beauty that cannot be said of a Snapping Turtle.  Mother Nature liberally applied her yellow and red paint brush in a joyous application of colour and details on this creature as you can see in the pictures  above  and below..

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Poppies in bloom for Ruby Tuesday Two

These poppies are my anxiously awaited favourite bloom in our garden.  Faithfully every June they begin to open, and its fun each day to anticipate how many will be opened in the morning when I check on the. Yesterday there were two open.  And as you can see from the following photo there are many more blossoms to come. and this picture shows only a few of the buds, there are more to the left of those already in bloom.

Ruby Tuesday 2 meme features photos with red of any subject. To contribute to this meme please go to;
http://rubytuesday2.blogspot.com/
or just click on the Ruby Tuesday 2 badge at the top of the column on the right hand side of this blog page.

Monday, June 04, 2012

A White-spotted Sable Moth for Mellow Yellow Monday


A white-spotted sable moth for mellow yellow Monday

the yellow feature on this tiny moth is found on both sides of the moth's head. This is a white-spotted sable moth.  I rescued it from it being all in a tangle in a spider web in my garden. When my husband came to help the little moth ended up being on his thumb when I took its picture.

Got pictures with yellow in them? Why not share them with others on Mellow Yellow Monday at: http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/