July 2018
A mustachioed Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus auratus) up in the canopy. The Yellow-shafted subspecies lives in eastern Canada and the States
One of the many Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) flitting around above
A small male Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) basking in a smal patch of sunlight
An Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) munching away on a Deer Fly. Its always great to have one of these guys around when your doing fieldwork!
After getting some shots of this White Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) I noticed the tiny little Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) that calls the flower home
A Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa) popping out from the surrounding needles
Delicate lilac flowers blooming on a Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), a non-native species that was accidentally introduced to North America from Europe on the 1800’s
A young American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) peering out through the leaves
Despite the open bill of this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) it fkew away in complete silence
Sunset in swampland
A small Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) contemplating life along the streambank
Standing stock still this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) was trying not to be seen
An elusive Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) making her way through the wetlands
A Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) taking full advantage of some poor spiders hard work
Wild carrot (Daucus carota) blooming in the city
This Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) would not move off the road even after being honked at and chased! so instead I took a photo and waited
A surprisingly colourful American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) who doesnt seem to have a care in the world
This unconcerned North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) came right up to the edge of the canoe
When was the last time you heard the haunting calls of a Common Loon (Gavia immer)?
A little Mink Frog (Lithobates septentrionalis) blending in with his environment, green on green on green!
A little Two-spotted Bumble Bee (Bombus bimaculatus) collecting pollen from a Vipers Bugloss (Echium vulgare)
A Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) surveying his territory
Here is a Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor), one of about 300 pairs that can be found in Ontario. The Ontario population is the northernmost portion of their range and is separate from the rest of the population which lives throughout the Eastern United States
An Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) standing out from the surrounding greenery
Young Northern River Otters (Lontra canadensis) playing a game of hide and seek! This was one of many exciting moments from a summer of fieldwork tracking turtles through the swamps! I had been hoping to see Otters all summer so I was very happy that this little family let me sit and watch them play and hunt for quite some time :)
A Frosted Whiteface (Leucorrhini frigida) perched on the edge of the wetland
A great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) waiting for his next meal to fly by!
The little Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) that we have dubbed ‘Gandalf the Grey’ munching away on the sunflower seeds we left for him
Craters and details can be seen on the surface of the moon on a clear summers night out in the Canadian wilderness
This is a Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) that Was spotted after if flew up off the rock and landed in the tree. This individual had dive-bombed us a few times before as we went through the area during field work searching for Turtles
Bristly Sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida) berries out in Ontario lake country