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2013-04-04 21:54:35 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 23 +1s)

Anti-social

Just letting everyone know that I'm going offline for the next couple months. Likely will be off until June sometime, have a great spring everyone and see ya in the summer!

2013-04-01 00:16:41 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Spiral

A little Hipstamatic fun from earlier today

2013-03-29 01:18:19 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 26 +1s)

Cree

2013-03-20 16:39:23 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 31 +1s)

Deep Thoughts

This American Widgeon seemed to be in deep thought about something, maybe the meaning of life perhaps?

Happy first day of spring!

2013-03-16 02:26:58 (5 comments, 6 reshares, 5 +1s)

I am sending this one out to +Allison Sekuler, about time someone sing about Hamilton instead of TO!

2013-03-16 01:49:47 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

Sumac Drop

Not sure about this one but I thought I would post it anyways, please tell what you think good or bad.

2013-03-15 23:28:47 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

Teenager in Love

This 1st year male American Widgeon sure was chatty and trying desperately to get the attention of a close by female but unfortunately for him the gal was already taken and didn't even give him a glance, to be a teenager in love.......

Hope you have a great weekend!

2013-03-14 18:08:42 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

T. Revisited

Here is another blur of the Toronto skyline with the CN Tower to the right.  

Happy π day everyone!

2013-03-13 17:46:20 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 36 +1s)

Mr Bufflehead

I dont think there is any cuter duck then a Bufflehead!  I always get a big smile when seeing these wee little ducks zipping around in the water.  On two different occasions this guy came directly at me and in my journeys this doesnt happen too often so I made the most of it!

Happy Hump Day!

2013-03-13 04:13:56 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

T.

On my recent outing in Toronto I tried something that surprisingly I had never tried before, a blur of the CN Tower!  In all the time I have spent there shooting, including hundreds of blurs, it never once crossed my mind to try something with the cities most iconic structure.  

I only spent about five minutes working the skyline but I came away with a couple keepers.  I found it a nice challenge to get a good blur going while keeping the CN Tower somewhat recognizable.  This is my fav so far but after I get done with the next image that might change :-)

2013-03-13 04:03:43 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 23 +1s)

T.

On my recent outing in Toronto I tried something that surprisingly I had never tried before, a blur of the CN Tower!  In all the time I have spent there shooting, including hundreds of blurs, it never once crossed my mind to try something with the cities most iconic structure.  

I only spent about five minutes working the skyline but I came away with a couple keepers.  I found it a nice challenge to get a good blur going while keeping the CN Tower somewhat recognizable.  This is my fav so far but after I get done with the next image that might change :-)

2013-03-12 15:28:37 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!

2013-03-12 15:26:58 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 43 +1s)

Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!

2013-03-12 02:52:30 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 54 +1s)

Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!
 

2013-03-11 15:28:55 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 30 +1s)

Pretty Widgeon

Here is another one from this weekends monster outing in Toronto.  There was no shortage of ducks that came right up to me looking to have their portrait taken, of course I obliged and clicked away :-) This female American Widgeon was by far the friendliest of the bunch!

Have a great week everyone!

2013-03-10 16:29:16 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 44 +1s)

You wanted a Monster Day didnt ya?

I am still coming down from my most spectacular outing yesterday!  The day started off in Toronto along the waterfront doing some duck photography.  I managed to create quite a few stellar images at Humber Bay.  The ducks were rather co-operative and I even got some super close up photo ops with male Bufflehead!  

Totally satisfied with the day the wife and I headed back home to Barrie.  On the trip back my wife mentioned if we should make a detour and check the location where a Great Gray Owl had been seen a couple days earlier.

 I was rather exhausted and didnt really want to go but after checking the list serve I noticed that the bird had been seen that morning.  A quick stop in Newmarket to refuel and off to Georgina we went!

Only took me and spidey owl senses a matter of a couple minutes to find the owl. I havebeen s... more »

2013-03-07 19:15:48 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 36 +1s)

Banking Left

Another image that was buried away in last years files.  Black Tern shot at Tiny Mash near Elmvale, ON.

2013-03-06 17:14:07 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

Gray-cheeked Thrush

One of my lifers from last years spring migration trip,  shot on the Tulip Trail at Rondeau Provincial Park.

Happy Hump Day everyone!

2013-03-05 19:02:24 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

King of the Hill

Here is one for #treetuesday , of course theme curated by the fab duo of +Shannon S. Myers and +Christina Lawrie 

2013-03-05 17:19:00 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 27 +1s)

Snow Geese over Tundra Swans

Cannot wait for spring migration to get into full swing!

2013-03-03 17:02:46 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

The Gray Jays of Algonquin Provincial Park

 I have been doing research on these fluffy jays the last couple weeks and found some most amazing facts about them so I thought I would share some for +ScienceSunday.

First off I have to say that this image isnt mine but is from wikipedia taken by an unknown photographer.

It may seem strange to see a bird incubating eggs while buried in snow but Gray Jays nest extremely early in the season.  Just three weeks ago when I was in Algonquin the birds were collecting nesting material and now their nests are fully built, eggs to be laid soon.  

That means they incubate eggs when temps will easily drop under to -30 (at this temp it doesnt matter if its celsius of fahrenheit) and most certainly a few blizzards to pass through.

Whats crazy about this behaviour is that scientists cannot come up with anypl... more »

2013-03-03 17:06:59 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

The Gray Jays of Algonquin Provincial Park

 I have been doing research on these fluffy jays the last couple weeks and found some most amazing facts about them so I thought I would share some for +ScienceSunday.

First off I have to say that this image isnt mine but is from wikipedia taken by an unknown photographer.

It may seem strange to see a bird incubating eggs while buried in snow but Gray Jays nest extremely early in the season.  Just three weeks ago when I was in Algonquin the birds were collecting nesting material and now their nests are fully built, eggs to be laid soon.  

That means they incubate eggs when temps will easily drop under to -30 (at this temp it doesnt matter if its celsius of fahrenheit) and most certainly a few blizzards to pass through.

Whats crazy about this behaviour is that scientists cannot come up with anypl... more »

2013-02-28 16:27:06 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 33 +1s)

Sing Those Soft Blues

Here is a blur of Kempenfelt Bay taken a couple weeks back.  You can check out a standard image of the scene at https://plus.google.com/105779560824580764120/posts/6YUZeFfX4oH.  This was taken just to the right of the geese, not too often I take a sharp and blur image of the same scene.

Cheers!

2013-02-27 19:40:37 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 44 +1s)

Wiskedjak

Here is another image from my recent outing at Algonquin PP.  You can check out a full account of the day, including more pics, at http://goo.gl/QXK9z

Hope you are having a great week!

2013-02-27 16:02:02 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Amongst the Waves

2013-02-26 17:51:46 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 36 +1s)

Of the Snow

2013-02-22 22:42:00 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Like a Stone

Been spending the last couple days reorganizing my photo library and as always I found a few hidden gems.  This image was already edited but for some reason I didnt post it, better late then never I guess : ) 

Have a great weekend everyone!

2013-02-22 22:41:12 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 17 +1s)

Like a Stone

Been spending the last couple days reorganizing my photo library and as always I found a few hidden gems.  This image was already edited but for some reason I didnt post it, better late then never I guess : ) 

Have a great weekend everyone!

2013-02-21 16:03:59 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee

Wow, I have been so busy lately that I didnt realize it has been almost three weeks since Ive posted here!  

Here is a cutie leucistic BC Chickadee that I finally got to see at Algonquin PP last weekend, only been two years of searching :-)  Though the bird is only missing a bit of black on its bib and cap it still fools most people into thinking its a different species all together.

More to come soon....

2013-02-21 17:47:38 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 37 +1s)

Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee

Wow, I have been so busy lately that I didnt realize it has been almost three weeks since Ive posted here!  

Here is a cutie leucistic BC Chickadee that I finally got to see at Algonquin PP last weekend, only been two years of searching :-)  Though the bird is only missing a bit of black on its bib and cap, it still fools most people into thinking its a different species all together.

More to come soon....

2013-02-08 22:01:13 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 20 +1s)

Sing Those Soft Blues

2013-02-03 17:45:28 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 55 +1s)

Holding Out

Despite Kempenfelt Bay freezing over almost two weeks ago there are still quite a few Canada Geese hanging around.  The only reason I can come up with is that they know we are going to have an early spring, that must be it ;-)

Hope you are having a great wekend!

2013-02-02 17:00:41 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 30 +1s)

“It is pleasurable, when winds disturb the waves of a great sea, to gaze out from land upon the great trials of another” Lucretius

Have a great weekend everyone!

For +HQSP Art curated by +Jay Gould and +Syuzanna Avetisyan 

2013-02-01 00:32:09 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 59 +1s)

How You Doin?

Here is another one from my close up encounter with a Barred Owl last week.  You can check out more pics and full story over on the blog at http://bit.ly/XoHmP4

2013-01-31 16:44:04 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Everything Changes

Another strange winter we are having here in southern/central Ontario.  Shot this wintery scene two days ago just after I found the Snowy Owl.  Returned there yesterday to visit the owls and the snow was completely gone!  Then magically the snow has reappeared today, can old man winter make up his mind ;-)

Happy Thursday!

2013-01-30 16:05:02 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 50 +1s)

Making Something Out of Nothing

Yesterday I finally saw my first, and second, Snowy Owl of this winter season!  The only bad part about it was I found them on their favourite perch, telephone poles :(  When photographing birds, or any wildlife for that matter, you want to be at eye level to create the most engaging image. So what to do when you have a bird 25+ feet up in the air?  Read the scene and get creative!

After taking a couple of marker shots for the blog I came up with an idea to negate the bird being high up in the air.  I noticed was that the bird was leaning over the pole due to high winds so I slowly approached it using my "I'm not a threat tactics".  

After about 5 minutes I got myself right underneath the bird, not an easy feat to accomplish as most people couldnt get within 20 feet without pushing the owl off the pole.  Then Ipointe... more »

2013-01-30 03:01:09 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 34 +1s)

Dances with Gulls

So glad to have found this community!

2013-01-29 16:56:52 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 32 +1s)

Dances With Gulls

Been sitting on this one for awhile and I think I am finishing editing it. Funny how I have spent hours playing with different colour combinations then last night I started from scratch and finished the photo in about 4 minutes ;-) FYI, aside from a slight crop in Aperture this photo was completely edited in Niks color efex 4 only using three fliters. 

I am going to send this one out to my new favourite page, +HQSP Art, curated by the duo of +Jay Gould and +Syuzanna Avetisyan 

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

2013-01-25 22:13:16 (17 comments, 4 reshares, 78 +1s)

RIght Time, Right Place

Just finished up a quick and close up photo op with another Barred Owl!  The wifey and I were right at the end of our Minesing loop and it was looking like another empty handed trek.  Up to this point I hadnt even picked up the camera, not even to ID a bird, when I spotted the Barred Owl just off the side of the road!

We circled back around to get a better angle when we noticed another group had found the bird.  It turns out they were bird banders we know from our local naturalist club!  

It was amazing how they caught the bird within a minute.  We watched as they weighed the bird and checked its tags. Of course we were graced with a minute to get some close up shots which I didnt mind at all ;-)  Great way to end our other wise boring outing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

2013-01-26 16:29:58 (12 comments, 7 reshares, 63 +1s)

The Watcher

 One thing there isnt a shortage of this winter is Barred Owls, I seem to find one wherever I go!  Other species of owls, like Boreal and Great Grays, are now starting to move into my area so it should be a smorgasbord of owly fun for the next couple months!  

Shot this guy a couple weeks back in the Minesing Wetlands.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

2013-01-23 17:07:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

IT'S OFFICIAL: Pearl Jam will be playing at Wrigley Field. Will you be there? #PearlJamJuly19 http://bitly.com/PJWrigleyField

2013-01-23 00:07:30 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Yesterday I found two way out of season rarities at my local park not 500 feet from each other.  Finding a Brown Thrasher and a Gray Catbird in Barrie ON in the middle of Jan is like finding two needles in a haystack!  Full post with a few pics up on the blog

2013-01-22 23:44:47 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 33 +1s)

Brave or Stupid Bird?

  I spent yesterday afternoon roaming around Sunnidale Park despite the cold temps and found not one, but two way out of season birds.  The first was this Brown Thrasher pictured below and the second was a Gray Catbird.  

Both of these species should have left Canada many months ago but for some reason they decided to hunker down in Barrie and make a go of it.  Hopefully they can survive the next couple days as the temps continue to fall.

You can check out a full post over on the blog at http://bit.ly/10EvxcT

#birding  

2013-01-22 00:03:14 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 71 +1s)

Here is a sweet Lady Redpoll for #backyardbirdingmonday  curated by the dynamic duo of +Celeste Odono and +Ricky L Jones, though I must admit it was technically taken in a front yard ;-)

2013-01-21 16:46:23 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

The Old Man Returns

Well it finally looks like winter has set in in my area.  We got hit with an Alberta Clipper this past weekend and temperatures are now very frigid.  Sadly Kempenfelt Bay has been fully engulfed in ice so no more ducks for me until March, oh well at least the ice fisherman will be happy now ;-)

Have a great week everyone!

2013-01-20 18:53:47 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 34 +1s)

Dissolve Me

Here's a sneak peak at new blur series I'm currently working on which is centered around waves.  More details to come soon....

Hope you're having a great weekend!

2013-01-11 23:01:09 (10 comments, 4 reshares, 39 +1s)

Oceans

Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Guide me towards you
Know something's left
And we're all allowed to dream
Of the next time we touch..........

You don't have to stray
The oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts
Hold tight the ring...
The sea will rise...
Please stand by the shore...
I will be...
I will be...
There once more.........

Ed Vedder ~ Oceans

#lyricallyinspired  

2013-01-03 18:23:39 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 54 +1s)

Honorable Mention

This image may have made my Top 12 Photos of 2012 but it was taken this past weekend after my list had been made so I have to give it an honorable mention post ;-)

 I am really excited that Redpolls are everywhere this winter , love these winter finches!  I did a lot of birdtography this past weekend all around my area but I find it amusing that the best session came at the side of a city street ;-) Caught two Redpolls and a few House Finches feeding on dried wildflower seeds such as Goldenrod and Chicory in the north end of Barrie.  A good reminder that good birdtography opportunities are everywhere.
 
Have a great Thursday everyone!

2013-01-01 15:19:55 (13 comments, 1 reshares, 44 +1s)

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a safe and prosperous new year! Here's my Top 12 shots of 2012, catch up with up with everyone very soon!

#topphotos2012  

2012-12-08 01:27:08 (7 comments, 3 reshares, 49 +1s)

requiem for a dream

Been away for a couple days but it seems to be some new feature on G+ called "communities" based on my massive influx of email invites ;-) I'll check it this weekend and maybe set one up for blurs.  I'm having a real hard time keeping up with #unsharpsaturday  and this may be a really good solution.

Have a great weekend everyone!