Walking Along the Shore

Photos: April 26, 2016

While the temperatures have been a bit below normal, the sun has graced us with its presence. A friend of mine and I walked along the water's edge from Lasalle through Lachine. We were accompanied by the song of birds.



Everywhere you could see signs of spring taking hold. There is a delicacy in the emerging leaves; they wear the lighter shades of their colour palette, slowly darkening as they grow full.



There is a vibrancy and rhythm to spring - the very name implies action.



While I felt energized, not all creatures did. This fellow seemed quite content to just lie there and watch us.



There was lots of action up high in a tree. This squirrel hopped from branch to branch feasting on the new growth.



Another day I'll sit and gaze out at the water. But for now I love the feeling of walking in spring.

Fauna: Parc-nature-de-Île-Bizard

Photos: June 3, 2015

I'm not much of a birder. I can identify the most common birds (robins, crows, pigeons...) but many others were just birds to me. After training my camera lens on the variety I saw in the park, I felt compelled to learn more. Above is an eastern kingbird. We saw several on our walk.



I am not sure what this one is. He stopped to have a drink.



There a number of bird houses around the park. This tree swallow was checking things out from the safety of his home.



while this one was flitting from tree to tree.



A barn swallow was enjoying the sunshine. It was chirping away on this tree branch.



Another eastern kingbird did not want to pose. When it stopped to groom a bit, I managed to take its picture.



It takes patience to photograph birds. It's another part of the zen experience of walking through nature. Stop, wait, focus, snap and then try again and again.

Spring at Parc-des-Rapides

Photos: May 2, 2015

I'm not sure what it is about the rapids, but I love to watch the water. The constant change of the movement mesmerizes me. I watch it swirl and stare where the smooth surface suddenly turns into a choppy, seething rush over the hidden rocks.



All around in the park, a spit of land reaching into the river, spring's arrivals are busy. Bird songs accompany the powerful sound of the rapids. 



Some are here to stay for the summer. Others stop by on their way farther up north.



This heron has found his fishing spot. The water is low this year. We need some rain to fill up the rivers and streams and to dampen the forest floor to lower the risk of fires. Spring is here. A good rain will help things grow.

Walking Through Regent's Park

Photos: March 30, 2015


London has some wonderful, expansive parks. This was my first visit to Regent's Park.I was impressed by the variety of water fowl. It is always a delight to stroll away from the bustle of city streets.



This bird was testing the water, searching for food. Its bright beak looks glued on!



It is always the flowers that catch my eyes. These magnolias were just opening; I like the way they seem to perch on the branches.



The English seem to have a love of formal gardens. This kind of orderly display would be quite foreign to my city's parks.



A bonus of travelling is that I get to experience spring twice. I won't be seeing blossoms like this until some time in May in Montreal.

Refuge Faunique Marguerite-D'Youville in December

We bundled up and set off for the Refuge faunique Marguerite-D'Youville on Île St-Bernard. It is a beautiful place to walk in any season. The ponds are freezing up. No more ducks swimming around.



There are lots of birds still here in the winter. Bird feeders attract many from nuthatches to chickadees to woodpeckers.



The nuthatches and chickadees will eat straight from your hand. The chickadees move very quickly - it's hard to catch them. on camera.



Once the birds knew the food was there, it became like a bird highway, one swooping in, taking a quick selection and the next ones coming in quick succession.



This cardinal watched warily as the little birds ate from my spouse's hand. When we through some seeds on the ground, it flew down under a tree and when it felt safe, it came out to eat.



We saw a number of deer. They seem to be comfortable around humans as long as we did not get too close or make any sudden moves.

We plan to go back once there is more snow.

Mývatn Waterfalls and more

Photos: August 10-11, 2014

Our day started with a visit to waterfalls. The weather was bleak, foggy with off and on rain. Selfoss is a picturesque waterfall, curving from bank to bank.



Detifoss, a little further along the river, thunders down. Its bottom can't be seen but its force can be heard. Great plumes of water droplets leap up. It was hard to know if it was raining or if the droplets were showering us.



Lake Mývatn is teeming with water fowl. No sailing is allowed on the lake during breeding season. And the lake and its shores are dotted with pseudocraters. These small islands and hills by the water have indentations like craters, but they were formed by steam explosions when lava met water.



A great variety of ducks can be seen.



Around parts of the lake are interesting lava formations.

More photos: Iceland and Faroe Island album

Back to Parc-des-Rapides

Today I was prepared - my new telephoto 55-300 mm, a monopod and my new little camera. The red winged blackbirds are all over the park. Their calls seem to predominate. They fly close to people, unperturbed unless you get very close.



They particularly like to be near water.



I have no idea what these flowers are but there were many. The air was scented with a mix of floral blooms.



This egret was standing absolutely still in the shallow water. Someone who had been there before reported that it had already caught a frog. The naturalists in the park told me that the red winged blackbirds sometimes harass the herons and egrets. I don't think I would like to get too near that beak!

Sweet Spring Sounds

Sweet sounds as the birds
Newly arrived
Sing their pleasure
At the warm spring day

A red-winged blackbird serenades
Its song returned from another tree
Back and forth they sing
A merry melody on my walk.


I

My eyes flit from tree to tree
Trying to trace the source of the singing
Birders with long-lensed cameras
Share their knowledge identifying species




Soon nests will be built
As more new arrivals move in
Quacks and squawks join the songs
A chorus celebrating spring.

Egret

Egret, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

 Photos: July 20, 2013

There are two things in life that speak to my soul: nature and music. A walk in Parc-des-Rapides was just what we needed to boost our spirits.



The park is on a spit of land jutting into the river right beside the Lachine Rapids. On one side the water is tranquil, on the other it rushes past. It's amazing to see the power as the waves form and crest.



The park is a haven for birds - both those on land as well as water fowl. And the park is full of avid photographers with massive lenses (I only had my 50 mm with me that day) trying to capture "the" picture.



A man with a scope generously zoomed in to let us get  a good look at a couple of herons. Above is a cropped image of a heron I managed to get with my camera. The big treat of the day was the egret (top) who stood quietly in the water, neck craned as it scanned the water for fish. I took a couple of pictures when it suddenly lifted off and moved a short distance away. I snapped, not looking at camera settings and was delighted to see I had caught it in flight. Ah - serendipity!

Woodpecker

Woodpecker, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: February 9, 2013

It was a perfect day for a walk on the mountain - sun shining and brilliant blue skies. The air was cold, but the walking kept us warm.

All winter the bird feeders are filled to keep the feathered population well-fed all winter. It's odd how some feeders were deserted and others attracted a crowd. This one was very busy.



Chickadees flitted back and forth from the nearby trees oblivious to the people watching or passing by. The constant movement spilled seeds onto the ground.




A resourceful chickadee feasted below along with a plump squirrel. What a delight to watch these creatures.

And then we were off continuing our walk around the summit. The lives of so many Montrealers are intertwined with memories of time spent on the mountain. It's our oasis in the middle of the city.

Singing by the Water

Singing by the Water, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I love to walk in Parc-des-Rapides. The birds sing accompanying the rush of the water as it hurtles through the rapids. It's hard to imagine what the early explorers thought when confronted with them. They had a long portage to get around them and continue their trip up the St. Lawrence River.



Now ships go through the seaway, bypassing the rapids on their way to the Great Lakes.




This is a popular spot for fishing. Some (as here) wade into the quieter water. Others stand on the water's edge, casting into the rapids. I'm not sure I would eat anything from this river. It picks up a lot of industrial waste along its path.

A park is for everyone: casual strollers, picnickers, cyclists and even wedding parties posing for their post-nuptial photos.