Category: Wildlife photography

Photography of wildlife we have observed around the world.

Raccoon Mother With Cubs Nesting In A Toronto Tree

Raccoon Mother With Cubs Nesting In A Toronto Tree

raccoon mother with cub in tree nest - toronto

Bob and I had taken a drive down to Queen Street East here in Toronto to check out the Cliff Swallows nesting at the Harris Water Treatment Plant.  On the way home, we decided to make a quick stop at a shoreline City Park where we caught up with some Baltimore Orioles and a number of Bank Swallows, but not much else was happening there that afternoon.  Then, another birdwatcher took us “under her wing” and escorted us to a tree where a family of Raccoons (Procyon lotor) was known to be nesting. Read more

A Groundhog explores the marsh at Milliken Park

groundhog looks to camera in milliken park_toronto_ontario 1

On a spring day, Bob and I visited Milliken Park, in Toronto, to see what’s new.  In light of all the migrating birds returning from the south, we thought perhaps we might spot some warblers or sparrows.  Instead, Bob observed an Opossum scurrying for its den just as a heavy downpour descended upon us, while I was witness to a Groundhog (Marmota monax) dashing across an open expanse of grass and then taking cover in thick underbrush. Read more

Skunk Cabbage at Dickson Wilderness Area

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skunk cabbage_dickson Conservation area_ontario

skunk cabbage, dickson Conservation area, cambridge, ontario

It is so much fun to go hiking and birdwatching in the springtime.  With all the migrating birds arriving daily in Ontario, we never know what surprises are in store for us at places like Dickson Wilderness Area, near Cambridge, Ontario.  The same can be said for all the tender new growth that is pushing its way up out of the cold soil.  With each passing day, new treasures are to be found amidst the bleached leaf litter on the forest floor.  Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is always one of the very first plants to emerge from the frozen earth because this plant is capable of generating its own heat and can even thaw its way through a thin veneer of ice. Read more

Moose enjoys spring sunshine in Algonquin Provincial Park

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moose in algonquin park_ontario_spring2014 - 2

On a visit to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Bob and I were thrilled to discover a Moose (Alces alces) in a boggy area just to the side of the highway.  It was a nice spring day, so the Moose was encouraged to leave the protection of the forest and soak up the warmth of the bright sunshine. Read more

Our Hike In Ashford Castle’s Mystical Forest

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photograph of the ancient oak forest at Ashford Castle near Cong, County Mayo, Ireland.

forest beside ashford castle

The estate property of    Ashford Castle    boasts a dense, healthy forest thanks to the efforts of previous owners Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness and his eldest son, Lord Ardilaun.  Sir Benjamin had thousands of trees planted during his occupancy of the castle after acquiring it in 1852, and in later years, when the estate passed to Arthur, he expanded the plantings to create extensive woodlands. Read more

Elk In A Snowy Meadow Near Lake Louise

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elk sitting on snow near lake louise 2

One afternoon during our stay in Banff National Park, Alberta, Bob and I decided to take a drive from Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway, a quieter highway than the Trans Canada, only two-lane versus four.  We were in hopes of spotting some wildlife and were on the lookout for elk in particular.  Seeing another vehicle pulled to the side of the road, we slowed to have a look.  At first, we didn’t notice the Elk laying in the snow but rather thought the tourists were admiring yet another beautiful mountain peak. Read more

White-tailed Deer In The Wild At Lynde Shores



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White-tailed Deer In The Wild At Lynde Shores

two deer along pathway at lynde shores - whitby

In mid-March of 2014, Bob and I took a drive out to Thickson’s Woods in Oshawa to look for the Great Horned Owls reported to have been seen in the tall pines there.  On our way home, we took a slow drive along Hall’s Road South, which borders the Cranberry West Tract of Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby.  There, we espied a small herd of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) lingering in the warm sunshine. Read more

An Opossum visits my Toronto backyard

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opossum heads towards garden - toronto 1

opossum in toronto backyard - 6

On one of the first really warm March days of the season, Bob and I enjoyed a walk to our local park.  We were thrilled to see an Opossum scouting around for some food there amid the snowdrifts, and it reminded us of the three that had visited our own backyard in late December.  We had seen no sign of them since then.  We were no sooner home from the park when a little visitor came calling…a very large Opossum (Didelphimorphia). Read more

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