Discovering The World Through Our Lens
Wildlife traditionally refers to non-domesticated animal species, but has come to include all plants, fungi and other organisms which grow or live wild in an area.
Bob and I had made several attempts to photograph Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) at High Park over the past year, but it wasn’t until one sunny morning early this spring that we actually succeeded in finding a pair of them in favourable light conditions that helped to show off their stunning plumage. Read more
For the past several years, starting each spring and into the summer months, I have been pestered by Red Lily Beetles (Lilioceris lilii) on my Tiger Lilies . It is actually the beetles’ shiny, hard forewings that are red. These pretty little beetles stand out quite well on green plants, but they are a trick to catch and squash. I declare that I think they see me coming because, often, as I move in on their position, they drop to the earth below and essentially disappear in the shadows. It doesn’t help that, this year, I spread red cedar chips in all my gardens, so imagine trying to find a red bug on that red surface. Read more
This past summer, Bob and I once again found ourselves in Algonquin Provincial Park here in central Ontario. We had various objectives during our two-day visit to the area, and one of them was to pick wild blueberries. Having heard that the crop was more plentiful than usual, we were eager to put ourselves to the task of harvesting a few. It was quite a surprise to find that an American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) and two cubs were sharing the blueberry patch with us. Read more
On a visit to Oxtongue Lake, Bob and I were keen to spot some wildlife, and we were not disappointed. On a drive into Algonquin Provincial Park, a few kilometres just inside the West Gate, Bob picked out a cow and calf in the ditch where they were nibbling on tender shoots and having a drink of water. Read more
When Bob and I first arrived at Grand Canyon National Park, it was getting late in the day, dusk in fact, so we were eager to find our accommodations at Maswik Lodge and to have dinner. The Park is very large, and finding our way on the road system through Grand Canyon Village was taking some time. As we drove down one stretch of the pavement, adjacent to the railway track, Bob caught sight of a number of Elk making their way from one side of the roadway to the other. Read more
On a recent walkabout in Milliken Park, in Toronto, Bob and I were surprised to see, hopping about the lawns and gardens, an unusual looking rabbit. Unlike our common Cottontail Rabbit, this rabbit was white with a smokey grey snout and a grey wash on its hind quarters. Could it be that someone’s pet escaped and is now making the park its home? Or is it possible that someone released their pet for no longer wanting to care for it? Read more
On a visit to the West Cranberry Tract at Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby, Ontario, Bob and I were lucky enough to see a Muskrat at the edge of the marsh foraging for food. Read more
Bob and I spent one afternoon exploring a marsh near Mississauga, Ontario. We barely had gotten underway when we spotted a member of the Weasel Family, a Mink, coming towards us, totally unconcerned about our presence in its habitat. Read more
On a visit to the Claireville Conservation Area in west-end Toronto, in Ontario, before we had barely set off from the parking lot, fellow visitors walking their dogs drew our attention to this wild coyote emerging from the edge of the bush. Read more