Photowalk - Among the chickweed and trees

I enjoyed a lovely morning walk today. Met some nice people and saw some great animals along the way. 

All the "little ones" are not so little anymore. It is amazing, what difference a few weeks make. There were a whole lot of different colorful dragonflies but they were really busy and nervous so I didn't get the pictures I wanted. Well, bummer, so I will HAVE to come back again soon and try again. 

It's been a while but I finally saw one of the young owls again. What a privilege. Ok. Quite a number of people seem to see them all the time but I don't so for me they are a very special sight. It is especially rewarding if I find one on my own, like today.

Midland Painted Turtle enjoying a sunbath 

 Juvenile Wood ducks

 Green Frogs (Rana clamitans)

 Meadowhawk Dragonfly Male

We met again!! Almost all the baby fluff is gone by now. What a beautiful owl and I almost overlooked it sunbathing on that dry tree branch. :) 

Photowalk - Owl update

It was rainy all day long and so I left quite late for a rather quick photowalk. I wanted to take the opportunity to picture some Lily of the Valley before they are past their prime but it turned out nothing much changed since last week, when I saw them showing a lot of flower buds. They are still not in full bloom yet. I guess the recent cool air slowed things down for them.

I also wanted to try to see the young owls again, since they most likely came down their nesting tree.

I could not believe my luck. I actually managed to see one of the youngsters! Out there, kind of on his own, doing what owls are supposed to do. Looking great. That is incredible! Such an awesome bird! I kept my presence there to a minimum and left after a few pictures. I also tried to get a glimpse of one of the adult birds but simply did not manage to locate one. They must have been right there somewhere since the crows were again making a spectacle out of themselves.

I really like the early evening hours when the sun glances through the trees, back-lighting the leaves beautifully.

Shirley Bay sunset after a rainy day.

Photowalk .... Owls, Turtles and Night Herons

This time I went to check on the Owls again, to see how much bigger the young ones have gotten. I also was hoping to see another adult owl when I'm in the woods. 

These trees smelled wonderfully. By looks I would guess that they are some sort of apple tree.

There she is. According to another photographer, that is Mrs. Owl. 

The youngsters grew quite a bit since I visited the previous time which was 6 days ago.

Amazing. By now they actually look like owls already, not like cotton balls with beaks. :)

 Midland Painted Turtle 

 Full attention of a Canada goose.

Night heron. I saw at least 6 of those guys this time. 

That is a new record for me!

Mrs. Owl, basking in the sunshine. 

Mr. Owl, keeping a cool face even though a crow tried really really hard 

to annoy him enough to move.

Midland Painted Turtle 

Photowalk...Cardinals, Owls and Turtles

Northern Cardinal

Some Midland Painted Turtles enjoying a beautiful spring day.

Siberian squill

That is what I actually came here for, although most of them were
past their prime already so I did not manage to picture a "field in blue"

this year. Maybe next time. :)

Another Northern Cardinal clowning around. Checking me out in all different angles

to make sure it is  safe for him to emerge from the bush he was hiding in.

As it turned out, he's kind of a professional photo model... At least it seemed that way.

I managed to see and photograph my very first baby owls!! I am so, so, so happy! :)

These guys are just so cute and fluffy looking. 

Mom or Dad, keeping an eye on things.

Midland Painted Turtles

Quite a large Snapping Turtle swimming by ...

....and taking a breath of fresh air.