A Surprise Visit from a Cormorant
Posted: September 2, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario | Tags: birds, Bruce Peninsula, Cormorant, Lion's Head, Ontario 4 Comments
Cormorant–Image courtesy of Michael Elliott at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
We had a surprising and humorous encounter with a cormorant on a recent visit to the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario. Shortly after pulling out of a parking spot in the town of Lion’s Head, we heard a loud sound coming from the back of the car. We couldn’t figure out what this was and thought that perhaps something was rolling around in the trunk. However, when the sound returned 2 or 3 more times, I turned around in the passenger seat to see if the trunk was unlatched. There, looking back at me from the rear of the car, was a cormorant. We quickly pulled over to the side of the street and got out, hoping the bird wasn’t injured in some way. S/he seemed fine–no wings held at odd angles or other obvious problems that might explain why s/he had landed on the car. So this remains a mystery to us. After looking at us for a few seconds, the cormorant hopped onto the side of the road. A man heading the other way stopped to tell us he’d been amazed to see the bird land on our car. Thankfully, Lion’s Head is a small place where other vehicles had a chance to slow down or stop to make sure they didn’t hit the bird.
Fowl and Fido
Posted: May 1, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, Brickworks, dog, Double-Crested Cormorant, Evergreen Brickworks, fido, mallard, nature, pond, red-wing blackbirds, swallows, Toronto, urban nature, waterfowl Leave a commentI went to the Brickworks last Sunday. The air was awash with the calls of red-wing blackbirds and soaring and diving swallows. I came upon mallards and cormorants in the ponds, plus a mournful and patient dog awaiting the return of his human companions.
A mallard at the Brickworks, Toronto, April 27, 2014
Double-Crested Cormorant at the Evergreen Brickworks, Toronto, April 27, 2014
Woof. When are they coming back to me?!
Spring is Coming to Todmorden Mills
Posted: April 8, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Inspiration, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, buds, climate change, green, spring, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, urban nature, woods 2 Comments
On Sunday, I went again to Todmorden Mills in Toronto. It was sunny and relatively mild–around 8 or 9 Celsius. I walked on the little wildflower path through trees and by a pond and streams. On the way, I’d seen a cardinal atop a naked tree–pointed out to me by a young couple passing by. In the woods, I heard chickadees and a red winged blackbird. And a woman walking her dogs pointed out a woodpecker–I think it was a downy–on a nearby tree that she was photographing. I searched the ground for tiny green shoots, leaves and moss, looked in the trees and shrubs for buds and came upon a squirrel looking down at me while munching a nut.
I was thinking about the latest climate change report that came out several days earlier warning again about the changes to the climate that are already here and that will be coming. I thought about what we gain and lose when nature is protected or harmed. When I am in a natural setting, urban or more wild, I feel a link to something larger than myself. I am a living being among others in nature. I know my experience is not unique and that the companionship of humans and non is vitally important for my, and others, well-being.
Todmorden Mills in Winter
Posted: February 24, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Inspiration, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, Canada, nature photography, Ontario, snow, sunlight, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, urban nature, woods Leave a commentLast week we had some warmer days and on a sunny afternoon, Wednesday the 19th, I walked to Todmorden Mills Heritage Site just off the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto. I knew it was my chance to see the wooded wildflower preserve while the snow was still on the ground, ahead of predicted above-freezing temperatures and rain. As always, my mood improved greatly walking in this beautiful setting. I heard chickadees and, I believe, a cardinal above the traffic. And I loved seeing the late sunlight on the snow, trees and rail fences. Here’s some photos from that day.
A Past Winter Scene
Posted: February 14, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto | Tags: bare branches, birds, black and white photography, Toronto, trees, urban nature, window, winter Leave a commentHere’s a photograph I took in 2009 of birds, trees and the houses across a laneway. I think I’ve mentioned before that in winter when colours are more muted I look to the shapes of bare branches for beauty in the city.
From the window, January 2009, Toronto
Pigeons, pigeons
Posted: January 30, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Sky, Toronto | Tags: birds, birds on wires, electrical wires, grey day, pigeons, Toronto, winter 3 CommentsThe other day I was viewing photos I had taken around a year ago to see what winter was looking like then. I came upon this image of pigeons on electrical wires on a grey day. They congregate near a tiny park outside a subway station in Toronto. I love these birds. They are a familiar and often undervalued sight in the city. But I enjoy seeing them on my walks, being careful, however, not to walk directly underneath them!
Pigeons on the wires, December 2012, Toronto
Cape St. Mary’s Encore
Posted: September 10, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Mineral World, Newfoundland, Water | Tags: Bird Rock, birds, Canada, Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, ecological reserve, kittiwakes, nature, nature photography, Newfoundland, Northern Gannets, ocean, rock Leave a comment
At Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland, August 2013.
I’m back at the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve in my mind. This photo shows Northern Gannets and Kittiwakes on tiered rock. The expanse of ocean, rock and huge numbers of birds created exuberance in many of us there. Indeed, while setting out for Bird Rock, we came upon 2 people from England returning from the walk. We talked for a few minutes, as people often do in natural settings. The man told us that he is a volcano watcher and has been to see some fantastic volcanoes. Nevertheless, he said, what he had just witnessed at the Cape had been the greatest natural experience of his life. Later, I would have the same feelings.
Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland
Posted: September 5, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Newfoundland, Plant Life, Water | Tags: Atlantic Ocean, barrens, Bird Rock, birds, Canada, Cape St. Mary's, Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, ecological reserve, fog, kittiwakes, nature, nesting grounds, Newfoundland, newfoundland canada, northern gannet, Northern Gannets, sheep 2 Comments
The sheep at Cape St. Mary’s, on the way to Bird Rock, August 2013
In August we went to the Ecological Reserve at Cape St. Mary’s in Newfoundland. This was the most intense and positive experience of nature I have ever had. It shocks me to even be able to narrow down all the wonderful experiences in nature that I have had, but there it is. It was an extremely windy day, as I gather it usually is. Fog is also very common here. We saw it dissipating over the water as we walked over the barren’s grass, past grazing sheep, near orange stakes that guided us and kept us from venturing too close to the cliffs.
Northern Gannets at Bird Rock, Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland, August 2013
Bird Rock with nesting gannets, Cape St. Mary’s, August 2013
This reserve is known for its spectacular views of seabirds who nest on Bird Rock, 10 – 20 metres from the viewing area which is the edge of a cliff. The majority of the birds we saw were northern gannets, but we also saw black-legged kittiwakes and other visitors saw murres. There are over 50,000 birds nesting at the reserve–an amazing sight as they flew with grace near us or sat on the rocks with their young.
Northern Gannet, Cape St. Mary’s, August 2013
Northern Gannet, Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland, Canada, August 2013
The entire site is beautiful in a haunting way, what with the fog, 100 metre high cliffs descending to the ocean, the lighthouse in the distance and fog horn sounding. I also enjoyed the nearly level walk to Bird Rock with grass and low lying plants stretching out before us. It reminded me a bit of the prairies.
Looking back at the Interpretive Centre and Light House, Cape St. Mary’s, August 2013
A Refreshing Drink
Posted: August 3, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Water | Tags: birds, Bruce Peninsula, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Cyprus Lake, cyprus lake trail, mallard, nature, Ontario 2 CommentsHere’s another bird, a more common mallard. Still, she was delightful to see earlier this summer on the Cyprus Lake Trail in Bruce Peninsula National Park. I see many mallards in the city and enjoyed seeing their countryside relative.
Mallard at Cyprus Lake, Bruce Peninsula, June 2013
Black-Crowned Night Heron
Posted: July 29, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, black crowned night heron, Canada, Evergreen Brick Works, flood, heron, nature, nature photography, Ontario, ponds, Toronto 3 Comments
Black-crowned night heron at the Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, July 2013
A week ago Sunday we went to the Brick Works which has been flooded twice this year from torrential rains. A little over a week after the last flood and a clean-up effort, the site had recovered quite a bit. On the way over, the wildflowers by the railroad were dense leaving only the tiniest of paths to stumble through.
Black-crowned night heron at the Brick Works in July 2013, Toronto
Shortly after arriving at the Brick Works, we saw this black-crowned night heron in one of the ponds. He or she stood hunched and still for long periods, except when catching a meal. It is heartening to see wildlife in Toronto in this place where nature is being restored so close to a major highway.
of humans and nature 
Recent Comments