New Neighbours

I had a nice surprise this week. Last year we had many ducks on the pond in the park. This year two males seemed to be hanging around, but no females. In this topsy turvy year it seemed this was also a "new normal." But on Wednesday I noticed the female and then some tiny creatures scurrying into the water. A new family of ducks is here. She must have been well hidden as she brooded on her nest. Now the little ones are zipping around, venturing quite far from their mother and then peeping to hear her answer.




I'm not sure I got an accurate count as they moved around so fast, but I think there are nine little ones. It is so delightful to see these new lives at this time. Life does go on.

Another Concert

Photos: March 27, 2016

Every day is a good day to listen to (or play) Bach. His music is so uplifting, so complex, so spiritual, so inspiring... There are so many adjectives I could add to describe his many works. Salle Bourgie is featuring all his cantatas, by many different groups over eight years. Read more here. These strings were ready for two cantatas written for Easter.



This performance was given by Ensemble Caprice, one of Montreal's many wonderful early music ensembles. I have followed this group since they first started performing in Montreal and have known many of the musicians both through their time at CAMMAC and through their Montreal musical offerings, both on the teaching side and performing. One of the artistic directors, Sophie Larivière is also the director of Flutissimo (the recorder orchestra I play in).  I loved her solo yesterday on baroque flute. Yesterday's performance was glorious. How can you go wrong with Bach?

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Bonus



A surprise on my way home. While this may look like a lovely pond for ducks - it is actually a drainage area - a catchment to help avoid flooding in a very urban surrounding area. These ducks seem to think it is a great place to stop. I hope they don't decide that it is a great place for a nest.

Stratford Ontario

Photos: August 18-20, 2015

My daughter and I went to Stratford, a charming city in Southern Ontario, where the Stratford Festival has been offering amazing theatre since 1953. While the theatre was the main reason for our visit (we saw 6 plays in 3 days), a visit to Stratford is no complete without a stroll along the water. Water fowl abound. Swans, many of which are quite tame and will actually eat from your hand are the iconic bird.



They are still somewhat territorial among each other, but more so when they are nesting.



There are also a number of public pianos - this one sported a swan motif.



Ducks are everywhere along the banks - eating, sleeping, preening, bathing and quacking.



It is always fun to see them shaking off the water as they dunk and preen.



On the approach to the Festival Theatre there is a beautiful garden, complete with some water flowers. I can never resist photographing them.

I highly recommend the theatre at Stratford. This season there are 13 productions - actors take on roles in more than one. There are 4 theatres and in addition, there are lectures, concerts, tours of the costume warehouse, backstage tours... and, of course, walking along the water.

Along the Park

Photos: July 21, 2014

Montreal is on an island. Too often we don't feel that as we travel day to day without seeing water. I love to take walks with my friend who leaves near the shore. Her view looks out at the river. A nearby park is a spit of land that reaches out into the river, with a marina on one side and the river on the other. Despite its manicured look, wildlife abounds. Young families of fowl ply the waters, dodging the kayaks and canoes and other watercraft.



Young Canada geese are almost full grown. They swim together, learning the ropes of adult behaviour.




Wild flowers grow on the river side. There is plenty of food for birds, bees and butterflies.

Splash

Splash, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: September 1, 2013

A walk in Parc-de-l'Ile-Bizard is always a delight. You never know what you will see, but there is always a variety of wildlife. The ducks were splashing around.



Perhaps it was the heat of the day that had them splashing and preening.



It is always the herons that take my breath away. They are so long and lean - their shape changing as their position changes.  There were two hanging around.



One of them landed on the boardwalk which stretches over the marsh and strutted along. Then he hopped up onto the railing to survey the terrain.



The wingspan is large. This one flew over the water. At one point they both took off and flew over the boardwalk. I just stood and watched. It was so majestic. Sometimes you just have to look without a camera!





Cooler days are coming. Changes are starting to be more evident. But on this walk, the sun had not lost its summer warmth. Some of the wildlife is a little less obvious. Camouflage keeps predators at bay.

Beaver

Beaver, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It is always wonderful to visit the local parks with camera in hand. My friend took me to one I had not visited before: Parc de L'île-Bizard. There is a large pond / swamp where we saw a variety of wildlife. And what a delight to watch this beaver grooming while its friend slept in the sunshine.

The turtles were enjoying the warm sunshine. In some spots we could see them lined up along a log. Ducks were busy tipping upside down, finding their favourite repasts. Then they would come out of the water to preen.



Red dragonflies flitted around, landing momentarily, but wary of the click of the camera. Spotted, but not photographed: a kingfisher, a green heron, grebes, a hawk, terns. A great blue heron stood majestically by the water, then lifted off to find a better spot to fish. Altogether a splendid walk.

Redwing Blackbird

Redwing Blackbird, originally uploaded by susanvg.

It's spring, the redwing blackbird sings in its raucous voice. The air is filled with the sounds of birds: chirps, whistles, honks, melodies. Each stakes its claim to territory and to a mate.



The air was crisp; fingers objecting to the constant exposure as I tried to capture the scene. Gloves are still a necessity.

The branches slowly take on colour, willows turning chartreuse and some bushes blushing red. They are getting ready to send out leaves. Some trees have flowered - not the flashy flowers yet - the modest browns and downy buds.



Each day new signs as the lawns begin to turn green and flowers send up shoots. But it's the birds that really let us know spring has arrived.



New life begins as they set up nests and hunt for food in this newly thawed landscape.