The Eastern Towhee (m) perched conveniently on this post and provided a nice portrait pose. Often vocal and very inquisitive they can be seen as well as heard.

Pinery Provincial Park,

Lambton Shores, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments***

Harris Hawk soars to a perch

A epringtime view of this Red Admiral butterfly.

Longpoint, ON

This Tufted Titmouse found an acorn but was unable to crack the nut open. It was funny that it would bother with a nut that was half the size of it's head, quite the challenge for this fellow.

Pinery Provincial Park,

Lambton Shores, ON

A curious campsite visitor, looking for a few peanuts.

Eastern Chipmunk,

Pinery Prov Park, Lambton Shores, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments ***

The few, mostly bare branches and twigs along this creek bank don't offer much cover for the Great Blue Heron.

Wawanosh Wetlands, Sarnia, ON

The female Long-Tailed Duck is absent the Long Tail that the males exhibit and is part of their name These ducks are a common winter visitor in the Great Lakes region and return to the high arctic for summer and breeding.

Sarnia Bay, St. Clair River

A bench beside the Thompson River.

Happy Bench Monday!

The White-breasted Nuthatch in a classic downward facing pose, as it moves down the trunk in search of food.

This common skimmer is widely found throughout North America. The blue body is recognizable while the males have those metallic looking green eyes.

Pinery Prov Park, Lambton Shores, ON

My time to get out for fall migration has been a bit limited, but my most common Warbler find has been the Yellow-rumped Warbler.

We seem to be in the later stages of migration here and most of my sightings have been the YRW, with a light mix of Kinglets, Goldfinches and a few Vireos.

Wawanosh Wetlands, Sarnia, ON

This Downy Woodpecker was hammering away with it's pointed bill, making a hole in this tree. A closer look at the head shows the eye covered by the nictitating membrane. The translucent nictitating membrane helps to moisten the eye as well as offer protection.

Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

The Great Blue Heron finds a fish in the boggy muck. Normally this area is covered in shallow water but the dry summer had left lots of exposed areas.

Port Rowan, ON

Walking along a stretch of sandy shore this inquisitive Mallard strolled by. This appears to be a female (darkish vs yellow bill) as opposed to the male in eclipse plummage.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all.

Herring Gulls share a perch on an overcast day.

The North Slip, Sarnia, ON

The White-throated Sparrows were busy feeding on the seeds of these grassy plants. Often too slim to hold their weight, the Sparrows flitted about trying to find a perch to support them as they fed on these plants.

Swainson's Thrush in Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

A Mallard drake was not bothered by my presence as I walked along the shore. Several hens and others all moved away while this fellow stood his ground.

Lake Chipican, Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

This mossy, messy Painted Turtle, climbs onto a log where another turtle was sunning. At first it looked like there might have been a challenge but after a few moments of head wagging they both settled at either ends of the log.

Pinery Prov Park, Lambton Shores, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments ***

The Great Egret spears a tasty morsel with it's sharp beak, while hunting in the shallows.

Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

Bell Bottom Tear

My latest "You're Beautiful" A flower in the dark

A Sanndhill Crane was watching and preening as it's partner was feeding.

Big Creek NWA,

Port Rowan , ON

The Black-capped Chickadee popped out along the edge of the trail for a brief view and dove back into the heavy cover.

Wawanosh Wetlands, Sarnia, ON

A friend and I were waiting along a trail when we heard some sounds in the thick brush beside us. The rustling and cracking sound had us perplexed until we looked up and saw this Eastern Red Squirrel.

It was going from branch to branch, working it's way along and knocking the pine cones from the tree, and peppering the area around us.

I got the look from it when I whistled at it.

LPBO, Long Point ON

Canon 5D Mark III

Zeiss Distagon T 1.4/35 ZE

Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies.

Painted Turtles sunning on the end of a submerged log.

Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

I waited along the edge of a creek, as some Yellow-rumped Warblers came through in small groups, and they fed on the insects they stirred up. A few Kinglets and Vireo's appeared to be mixed in with the late travelling warblers.

Wawanosh Wetlands, Sarnia, ON

This Red-breasted Nuthatch was tucked away in this cedar tree, and popped out briefly for a view.

Wawanosh Wetlands,

Sarnia, ON

Yes, I know the title sucks! I might think of something a bit more flowery later on. This was taken at Blue Rocks, I thin it was only one of a handful of images I took of the lovely lupins last year.

Toronto, Ontario

Lanner Falcon ( Mediteranean, N. Africa) . Close up portrait

The White-throated Sparrow had been feeding behind a trailside log. I had stopped and was looking in a different location when this one popped out briefly. I swung sideways and grabbed a shot before this one made a hasty exit.

Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

'L'accalmie' is the name of this boat, that can be found near Baie-St-Paul, in the Charlevoix, Québec. 'L'accalmie' also means the calm that follows a storm, for example.

EDIT: Very sad news, L'accalmie has burned yesterday (Feb 18, 2015): see the article (in French) here: ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/quebec/2015/02/18/008-accalmi...

The Chipmunk uses every inch of it's reach to grasp the desired fruit of these clingy vines.

Wawanosh Wetlands, Sarnia, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments ***

Great Blue Heron resting on a log in a swampy area. A sunny backlit angle and shooting through a screen of cover gave this image the soft and washed out look.

Canatara Park,

Sarnia, ON

Along Paul Lake Road,

Near Kamloops, B.C.

What is it about reflections that make a scene so serene? All I know is... I want to live here in this cabin.

The Great Egret was preening in the sun and had to get at that one spot. Those long legs come in handy.

Canatara Park,

Sarnia, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments ***

Breaking out of some heavy cover to catch some autumn sun.

Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON

The First Falling Leaf In The Fall

Canon5D3

zeiss 1.4/50

Vancouver

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet strikes an acrobatic pose while feeding.

LPBO, Long Point ON

Just after breakfast at Moraine Lake Lodge. What a great place so sit and enjoy nature at it's best.

Taken at sunset with the dark clouds rolling in, at one of the many lakes surrounding the town of Jasper, Alberta, Canada.

A friend and I had been walking a trail in a marsh when we heard the song of a nearby Marsh Wren. We watched and waited and after a while, the Wren burst out of the deep cover, moving further into the marsh with no shot offerred. As we turned to move along a flash of colour caught my eye, as this Common Yellowthroat (f) popped out for a quick visit. Always nice to get a chance for a nature sighting, even if it wasn't the one expected.

Big Creek NWA, Port Rowan, ON

*** Thanks to all for the views, faves and comments ***