Osprey Fishing: for Watery Wednesday

Its been a while since I've noticed an Osprey flying overhead with a fish in its talons, or even sighting one fishing in the river. Perhaps they too have already left on their migration to more southerly climes. These photos were taken in the spring of the year when the river waters were high, but I thought they might fit in well with the theme of Watery Wednesday, a new meme started today by 2sweetnsaxy at her Eyes Mind Heart blog.

To view other photos posted on this watery theme just click on the links highlighted or on the patch in the side bar.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: for Ruby Tuesday

I won't be including any male Ruby-throated Hummingbird photos in this post, with their beautiful ruby coloured throats, for if I wanted to, the only place I could find them would be in my photo archives. It is the male of this species that migrates first while the female and this season's young stay behind, delaying their departure for a bit longer. The males have already left. In fact I had thought all the humming -birds had probably gone and I had taken my feeders down. It was only after I spied one last week, feeding in my garden, that I put them back up again. I purposely look for it now, each day expecting not to see it, but every morning now for the past week I find it is still here, including this morning, hurrying to my replenished feeders for sustenance.
These must be hardy little creatures, the ones still reported being seen in the province, for they have endured some very cold nights recently. Last week there had been frost warnings for two nights, with the temperatures dipping down in some areas to freezing or nearly so. Another sign of the changing seasons to be seen is my neighbour's woodpile, newly delivered, now colouring the background of the photo above.
These little hummingbirds are feeding long hours and as the early evening light diminishes, the photo above shows one still feeding. Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have already left and I expect this one to do so very soon also.

Fly away little bird and may you reach your southern, winter home safely. Farewell.
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To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click HERE, or click on the Ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site.

Coneflowers and a Moth: Today's Flowers

This is a part of my summer garden view which holds many beautiful yellow Coneflowers.
However, the earlier, bright and showy colour of these Yellow Coneflowers are beginning to fade and have now taken on a tattered appearance as the end of our summer season draws to a close.
Still, their bright colourful petals retain a certain attractiveness to me; and its seems to be especially so too, for this little, fully, black and yellow, Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar which I found on one of the petals yesterday.

Thank you to Luiz, of Todays Flowers, for this opportunity to share beautiful flowers with others. For more flower photos please click HERE.

A Reflective Chickadee for Camera Critters

This little Black-capped Chickadee seemed to be quite confused at seeing another Chickadee looking at it from its own reflection within the garden spot light . It would peck at it, then fly away, but each time it returned it would see its reflection once again.
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The 'Black-capped Chickadee' is my contribution today to Camera Critters. My appreciative thanks to Misty for hosting this site. To see other participant's photo contributions just click HERE or on the Camera Critters logo on the side panel.

A Merlin and Blue Jays

This bird used to be called a Pigeon Hawk, and the name is still around and used by a few, but this Blue Jay sized bird is not a hawk at all but a falcon. Yesterday morning, perched high, on top of an old dead tree I had spied a Merlin.

The intent of my walk had been to start checking on Snapping Turtle nesting sites where I had seen eggs being laid in mid- June. Usually taking about a 90 day period to hatch, it is just possible that if my timing is right I might see a few young hatchlings emerging from their nest. However I was detracted from my quest by a noisy racket along the tree line of a stand of old Pines fronting on the meadow.
I immediately saw the Merlin and then saw that a few Blue Jays were harassing it. The Merlin looked a bit wary and I could see a Blue Jay approach -ing it from the left. The Jay then swooped in front of it and circled around, only to regroup with the others and continue to annoy the Merlin. It didn't take long for the Merlin to decide to leave its perch and it flew off with the Blue Jays in pursuit.

Return to Bird Alley

The shuddering wind shook my house

Forgetting to whisper in its summer voice
It boisterously shouted
Jesting in its autumnal tones
of summer's end

Although its not yet autumn according to the calendar, there are many signs of seasonal change about and this is the time of year when I begin refilling our bird feeders once again. Also last night we had our first frost warning and I covered my flowers. Bird Alley is the name we have given to the area in our yard where a line of shrubbery and trees create an alley like space adjacent to our house. A bay window looking out onto this area is a perfect place to start each day with a cup of tea while surveying the early morning visitors, and I always make sure my camera is handy nearby. We get many birds each day and the variety changes as the seasons progress.
Presently American Goldfinch are the most numerous species and I was also very pleased to see a couple of Pine Siskin with them as well. Sparrows are represented by several Song Sparrows which love to run and hide under the many hostas there, and I think the other sparrows we have are young, first year Chipping Sparrows. I have also noticed that one Downy Woodpecker has already found the peanut feeders and more Mourning Doves are appearing, their numbers increasing daily. Also Black-capped Chickadees have made a few appearances and one day I had a hoard of Grackles visit, but they perhaps were just passing through for they haven't appeared in such large numbers again. There are always a couple of surprises and so far this week I have seen two! The first was a Red-eyed Vireo! This species I had only seen once before and that was just this summer. I went searching in the warbler section of my bird guide book again, finding nothing; but then when examining the photos closer I found the telltale red eye of this species. The second surprise, and it was a delightful one, was this young male American Redstart. I don't think it fully has its adult colour pattern yet and at first it was a guessing game as to what it was that was flitting about so quickly among the leaves. Only after getting its photo was I able to get a really good look at it. As well as replenishing the bird feeders each day, Bird Alley itself has much food to offer. In this grouping of vegetation we have a couple of tall High Bush Cranberry trees, Lilac seeds, Honeysuckle berries, Ornamental Crab Apples, Rose hips from old, tall Wild Rose bushes, Sumac, Choke Cherry trees, the small berries of Virginia Creeper which cover our pergola at the end of the alley, and the berries of American Bittersweet as well. And just around the corner we have a tall Mountain Ash just covered with beautiful red berries and a Plum tree loaded with fruit. Seen in the picture to the left is a Goldfinch among the Lilac seeds and if you look carefully you can see the circular pattern of a spider web behind it.

Blueberry Fields: for Ruby Tuesday

Some viewers might be surprised to see the title word, blueberry, used for a Ruby Tuesday posting but as soon as you see these beautiful 'ruby coloured' fields left behind after the blueberry harvest, I know you'll understand and appreciate their unique beauty as I do.
To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click HERE, or click on the Ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site.

Today's Flower: Yellow Pond Lily

Yellow Pond Lily
stretches from watery roots
up towards the sun

The lily pad of the Yellow Pond Lily provides ample seating for this resting frog.
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Thank you to Luiz, of Todays Flowers, for this opportunity to share beautiful flowers with others. For more flower photos please click HERE.

Silken Strings and Spiders

Not all spiders can be called cute and most all spiders spin webs. This very small Goldenrod Crab Spider however, is an exception. This spider relies upon camouflage and instead of spinning a web, it just sits and waits for it prey to come along. It is often white but can change its colour to yellow also. Its name 'Goldenrod' gives us a clue as to what yellow flowers are a favourite of this tiny predator.
Delicately intricate and skillfully woven, spider webs have an elusive transparency about them, "now you see them, now you don't". Some mornings, while the sun is still low in the east and the dew still dampens the grass, the beauty of these delicate silky orbs can be seen adorning the spaces between the branches of our Cherry tree. However, when searching for them in late afternoon they often seem to have entirely dis- appeared with the diminishing of the strong early morning light. Often while walking in the woods, the transparency of these webs catch me in stride, unaware of their presence strung between trees and branches, until I feel the silken threads stretch and break across my body.
Not all webs are constructed in the same way. When searching for other styled webs they were not difficult to find. To the upper right is a dewy construction hidden in the grasses waiting for prey. To the upper left is a 'basket' looking sort of web found among low bushes and wildflower stalks.
A unique web is that which is woven by the Black and Yellow Garden Spider. This spider weaves a zigzag stitch in the middle of its web that reminds me of a similar stitch made by a sewing machine. However, not all garden spiders structure their webs in the same way. This garden spider above, with the beautifully designed cross on its back, weaves a silken orb without the zigzag stitch in it.
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For more photos on this weeks theme of 'string' at Photo Hunter you many click on the icon in the side bar. Happy Photo Hunting to all!
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The 'spiders' are my contribution today to Camera Critters. To see other participant's photo contributions just click HERE or on the Camera Critters logo on the side panel.

Canada Geese in the Sky : Sky Watch Friday

looking overhead
I heard the wild geese calling
harbingers of fall

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My appreciative thanks to Tom , Sandy, Imax and Klaus for hosting Sky Watch Friday .

Beautiful: for Photo Hunter

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all... Beauty is found in the eye of the beholder!
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For more photos on this weeks theme of 'beautiful' just click here at Photo Hunter or you many click on the icon in the side bar. Happy Photo Hunting to all!

Osprey Pushed Off Nest!

This is the time of year when many of this season's young Osprey are faced with the difficult decision to take that first flight. In August, 2006, I chanced upon such a decisive moment and have included below my notes I had written at the time, along with photos of the action that I was fortunate enough to photograph.

August 23, 2006:

"We had come across an Osprey nest beside a secondary highway and were able to take some action pictures of one Osprey pushing another off the nest. We quickly concluded that the Osprey on the right was having a difficult time deciding to fly. First it would lift its wings, then put them down again. It would peer over the edge, then move its feet up and down, then settle down into a crouch again. It did not want to leave! All this time the Osprey to the left , and another that we could see in a tree nearby, were constantly calling and making a continual racket. This noisy encouragement went on for quite a while but the Osprey on the right just couldn't seem to make the decision to fly..... when suddenly the Osprey on the left rushed over and pushed the indecisive bird off the edge of the nest! "
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The following photos tell the rest of the story.

Choose Your Colour: Sky Watch Friday

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My appreciative thanks to Tom , Sandy, Imax and Klaus for hosting Sky Watch Friday .