Category: Wildlife photography

Photography of wildlife we have observed around the world.

In the Midst of Monarch Butterflies at Sierra Chincua Sanctuary

2 comments

Monarch butterflies on a fir bough at Sierra Chincua Butterfly Sanctuary near Angangueo, Mexico

There are eight butterfly colonies that exist in protected areas of Mexico, five of which are located in the state of Michoacan, but only two of these are open to the public.  We wanted to check out both for the different experiences that they provide.  On Day 4 of our trip, we retraced the route towards Angangueo and then branched off towards the Sierra Chincua Butterfly Reserve.  Although smaller in scope, with fewer butterflies overall, we were actually able to get closer to those resting in the trees. Read more

Among the Winged Magic at El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Reserve in Mexico

28 comments
photograph of Jean observing the countless Monarch butterflies along the creek at El Rosario Biosphere Reserve in Mexico

Monarch butterflies on the ground at El Rosario Biosphere Reserve, in Mexico

For a number of years now, Bob and I have intended to go to the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico to witness the spectacle of the Monarch Butterflies that winter there.  We realized our dream in January 2015 when we flew into Mexico City, and two days later found ourselves at El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in the State of Michoacán.  The sight literally brought me to tears. Read more

Cow Moose And Calf Ready For Winter In Algonquin

Leave a comment
photograph of a moose cow and calf in the winter in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario.

calf and cow moose in algonquin park_ontario 6

When we drive through Algonquin Provincial Park or take the time to hike one of the many trails through the forest there, we never know what marvelous birds or animals may cross our paths.  Many times, it is only the superb scenery that is to be enjoyed, and the peace and solitude of the Park’s backwoods.  Other times, wildlife, such as this Cow Moose and Calf, will come right out to the highway corridor where it is far easier to browse than among the tangle of fallen trees in the dense forest. Read more

Red Foxes Wintering In Snowy Algonquin Provincial Park

Leave a comment

red fox in algonquin park - november 2014 pic 6

Late in the fall one year, Bob and I visited Algonquin Provincial Park, in Ontario, and with the early snowfall received in the area, the Park was totally transformed from even a couple of weeks before.  As we made our way around the Park in search of wildlife, we could not resist the temptation to revisit the home range of a couple of Red Foxes known to many people.  The resident Foxes were out and about and seemed all that much more beautiful given the white canvas that accentuated their rich red coat of winter fur. Read more

An Eastern Coyote hunting prey in a farm field in Ontario

Leave a comment

An Eastern Coyote hunting prey in a farm field in Ontario

eastern coyote near saintfield, ontario pic 2

On a drive north of Whitby, Ontario, Bob happened to glance into a farm field adjacent to the highway where he spotted a Coyote (Canis latrans) sauntering along.  It is quite common to see Coyotes in and around rural farm properties in Ontario, as well as right in the heart of cities like Toronto, where they share our green spaces and waterways. Read more

Common Snapping Turtle hatchlings on the Nokiidaa Trail in Ontario

Leave a comment

Common Snapping Turtle hatchlings on the Nokiidaa Trail in Ontario

4 baby snapping turtles - aurora - ontario 3

Early last fall, Bob and I wanted to introduce my sister and brother-in-law to a new trail system that we discovered earlier this year.  It is called the Nokiidaa Trail, which in Ojibwa means “walking together”.  The trail which links between the towns of Aurora, Newmarket, and East Gwillimbury is used by cyclists as well as walkers, and we were on wheels on this particular day.  Well into our ride, I spotted something round and dark on the crushed rock surface of the bicycle trail, and nearly ran over what turned out to be a baby Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina).  In the immediate vicinity, we discovered four others lingering on the path. Read more

Great Black Digger Wasp At McKenzie Marsh In Aurora

Great Black Digger Wasp At McKenzie Marsh In Aurora

great black digger wasp - atkinson park wetland, aurora - pic 1

When Bob and I set off to explore the Atkinson Park Wetlands found at St. John’s Sideroad and Yonge Street in Aurora, Ontario, we expected to find ducks and herons, frogs and toads, but had not anticipated or planned on focusing on a number of interesting insects.  As I studied the frogs in the pond, Bob was absorbed in observing a curious black bug that turned out to be a Great Black Digger Wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus). Read more

A Northern Pearly-Eye Butterfly In Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

A Northern Pearly-Eye Butterfly In Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

northern pearly-eye butterfly - algonquin park - 2014 pic 5

This past summer, Bob and I undertook to hike the Mizzy Lake Trail in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario.  For a summer’s day, the temperature was not all that hot, but we were blessed with wonderful sunshine and a gentle breeze to cool us over the course of the 7 hours that it took to complete our hike.  Along about mid-morning, amidst the flickering shadows cast by millions of green leaves, a Northern Pearly-Eye Butterfly (Lethe anthedon) settled its dainty body on some foliage at the edge of the thick forest. Read more

Our Close Encounter with Red Foxes In Algonquin Provincial Park

2 comments
photograph of a red fox in the fall in Algonquin Provincial Park, in Ontario, Canada.

red fox in algonquin park - fall of 2014 - pic 2

Earlier one fall, Bob and I set off for a three-day visit to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario.  We were on a mission to find and photograph a Bull Moose.  Given the time of year, the odds were pretty good that we might come across one.  Instead, we were rewarded with the opportunity to observe and photograph not one, but two, Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes).  I was ecstatic! Read more

1 … 13 14 15 16 17 … 23