2010 Spring Migration Season

As the warmer temperatures come and the melting of what snow and ice we did get this year progresses, so does the return of birds either coming to stay for the summer, or just stopping by as they make the way south, or even farther north.  Many species of waterfowl congregate at Presqu'ile Provincial Park, a stop over for many, and a super chance to see some beautiful species, in great numbers.  The Redhead Duck is one species that can be seen right now, along with Great Scaup Ducks, Buffleheads, Golden Eyes, Black Ducks, Long Tails, and of course the ever popular Mallard !

Owls Galore !!

This winter has been great for Barred Owl Photography!!  Large numbers of these beautiful birds have been sighted in the Quinte and surrounding areas...  No one is just sure why there are so many, but most likely the 2009 breeding season was a very successful one, and food sources are adequate enough to support these large numbers of feathered predators...  So far the winter has been a mild one, free of large amounts of snow and severe cold.  It is my guess that this species of Owl will continue to thrive in the area for sometime to come.  Numbers of other Owls such as Snowy's, Great Grey's, Boreal and Northern Saw Whets have not been that great this winter, most likely due to higher than normal food sources further up north, which has prevented the need to migrate this far south during our winter for food.  Here are a few pics of some Barred Owls that I have met this winter at Presqu'ile Provincial park

"Lizzie" The Iguana

This past week I had the opportunity to photograph a Pet Iguana, named Lizzie. This was a unique experience to work with a tame reptile of this caliber, and she provided some excellent shots for both me and her owner!!

"Emma"

I have been terrible in keeping up with the old Blog!! Sorry, half too tired, and half too lazy!! Yesterday I had the chance to photograph an 8 week old Chinese Shar-Pei named Emma!! What a cute little dog!! Special thanks to my friend Janet (Her mother)!!

Predator and Prey

A rainy Saturday is the best medication for the addicted photographer!! Finally I have a chance to get caught up on all the editing and such!!

Today's Blog entry is a stunning set between an Eastern Garter Snake and a rather large Bull Frog. While I was out shooting around the marsh I heard the cries of a frog. Low and behold the whole episode was unfolding right beside me.

The snake first had the frog by the head, and it was his intended meal!! Well the frog did break free and dove back into the water, and hid beneath. I thought that it was all over, frog wins, and snake loses... Wrong!! The snake actually went out on the water, stuck his head below and found the frog, grabbing it by the leg. The snake then proceeded to pull the frog back onto land! In the first photo(Top left) you can see the snake has hold of the frog's leg.

Snake's have the amazing ability to unlock their jaws to allow the swallowing of large prey items such as this frog. Bit by bit they work their mouths over and around, using their sharp teeth to keep a firm grip so that the prey can not slip out. In the next shot (Right Center) you can see just how the snake accomplishes this. All the Bull Frog can do is keep himself inflated with air, to make himself as big as possible, with the hope that the snake will give up and spit him back out, which does happen.

The last shot shows the snake getting a good swallow hold on the frog, which it eventually managed to swallow! The final picture is my favorite from the shoot, and I have also entered it into the National Geographic Your Shot contest, which if it gets selected could make it into publication! Well, until next time, Put a Canon to your head, You deserve it!!

Algonquin Moose

Today, as with most of my free time away from the day job, and on the weekends that I don't have my two girls, I am always planning different places to go to shoot Wildlife. Today I decided to make a run up to Algonquin Park here in Ontario Canada.

Algonquin is the most beautiful of parks we have here in Ontario, and is home to Moose, White Tail Deer, Black Bears, Wolves, Red Foxes, Coyotes, Beavers, birds of all kinds and various reptiles and Amphibians. Needless to say a trip into the park is almost always going to produce some sort of Wildlife, which is why you need to be careful when driving on the Highway #60 corridor that runs east to west through the park. Lots of signs are posted like the one in the top photo to the right warning motorists of the constant dangers from Wildlife, particularly the Moose which are very plentiful in the Park, and very big !! Sadly many are hit each year by motor vehicles.

This time of year the Moose are attracted to the roadsides by the lush new vegetation growing in the ditches, and also by the salty water left from the snow removal equipment during the winter, which the particularly love to drink up, as you can see in the middle photo to the right. This time of year the Bull Moose don't have their impressive Racks, they have already fallen off during the winter months. As you can see in the pictures of this Bull Moose, they are starting to grow out again. Moose Antlers are the fastest growing Bone of any animal. It won't take long for this Moose to once again have a nice rack, which is used during the rut in the fall against other Bull Moose as they fight for a mate. Perhaps I'll get back up their in the fall!! Until next time... "Put a Canon to Your Head, You Deserve it!!"

Frogs are Back !!

Well, another season of outdoor photography has begun, and everything that has been asleep over the past few months is awakening to a brand new season.

For me that means the return of the frogs, most of which are heavy into their breeding season. Spring Peepers, and Leopard frogs are the first to "Jump" into the swing of things and get the ball rolling to produce this year's generation of young frogs. Here are a few shots of what I have been seeing so far this year at the marsh ! Until next time... "Put a Canon to Your Head, You Deserve it!!"