Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[Doug Watson]

Thanks for the loads of information, guys, very interesting stuff. I never thought parsnip could be such a serious issue though. In Europe I think the giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a similar threat, and cause very ugly burn injuries.

This pic is from last year, but I hope to see this year's hatchlings very soon

We have the Giant Hogweed as well and apparently it has reached my area but I haven't run into it yet (thankfully). Great Mute Swan shot is that in Ireland or Hungary?

[btb300]

Thanks for the loads of information, guys, very interesting stuff. I never thought parsnip could be such a serious issue though. In Europe I think the giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a similar threat, and cause very ugly burn injuries.

This pic is from last year, but I hope to see this year's hatchlings very soon

We have the Giant Hogweed as well and apparently it has reached my area but I haven't run into it yet (thankfully). Great Mute Swan shot is that in Ireland or Hungary?

It was taken in Ireland. I will try to shoot the grey heron around my neighbourhood, too. It is quite timid though, not easy to get close to, and at the moment I don't heve a tele lens with me.

[Takama]

Found this Pigeon on my way to get something to eat.

ITs the first one of this kind i saw in my home town. they usually dont live around here.

[Newt]

The most successful living dinosaur...

[tyrantqueen]

Regarding Giant Hogweed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuJQL8GBqY

[Takama]

The most successful living dinosaur...

Sorry about the poor quality. it was taken with my phone and i had a hard time trying to get it to focus on the moving subject

Can anyone tell me what Species this Dove is?

[Newt]

It's a feral common pigeon, Columba livia. That black-and-white pattern is called "pied". Feral pigeons, which are descended from escaped or released domestic pigeons, have a wide variety of patterns; the most common is the "wild type", which looks like the rock dove (wild ancestor of the common pigeon).

[btb300]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday the swan family was nice enough to let me take some photos from a close distance. Unfortunately I forgot to turn up the ISO so most of the pictures turned out to be slightly blurry, but I thought I would share some anyway. The two adults had eight hatchlings with them, quite a crowd

[Halichoeres]

Those are nice shots! I love newly minted waterfowl

[laticauda]

Those chicks are cute. 

[Doug Watson]

Very nice Swan shots btb300. Their elegance belies the fact that they can be very violent at times. We have some Mute swans that are released each spring on our Rideau River. They are descendants of swans given to us by the Queen of England in 1967. One day my wife and I witnessed a battle between what I guessed were two rival males. There was a third swan nearby that I assumed was a female. One swan was beating the living daylights out of the other on the water and at the end was holding the head of the loser under water in what I thought was an attempt to drown it. It was getting really limp so I started throwing branches in their vicinity and eventually they separated and the one swan escaped. I knew geese and swans could get very nasty protecting their young but I never expected that kind violence with one of their own kind.

[Halichoeres]

Very nice Swan shots btb300. Their elegance belies the fact that they can be very violent at times. We have some Mute swans that are released each spring on our Rideau River. They are descendants of swans given to us by the Queen of England in 1967. One day my wife and I witnessed a battle between what I guessed were two rival males. There was a third swan nearby that I assumed was a female. One swan was beating the living daylights out of the other on the water and at the end was holding the head of the loser under water in what I thought was an attempt to drown it. It was getting really limp so I started throwing branches in their vicinity and eventually they separated and the one swan escaped. I knew geese and swans could get very nasty protecting their young but I never expected that kind violence with one of their own kind.

Never mind the incredible violence of the mating systems of most waterfowl. Male mallards are worse than fraternity members.

[btb300]

Very nice Swan shots btb300. Their elegance belies the fact that they can be very violent at times. We have some Mute swans that are released each spring on our Rideau River. They are descendants of swans given to us by the Queen of England in 1967. One day my wife and I witnessed a battle between what I guessed were two rival males. There was a third swan nearby that I assumed was a female. One swan was beating the living daylights out of the other on the water and at the end was holding the head of the loser under water in what I thought was an attempt to drown it. It was getting really limp so I started throwing branches in their vicinity and eventually they separated and the one swan escaped. I knew geese and swans could get very nasty protecting their young but I never expected that kind violence with one of their own kind.

That must have been a strange spectacle to witness, I'd guess most of such quarrels end with the weaker animal capitulating and fleeing, was this particular specimen too stubborn to do that?

Never mind the incredible violence of the mating systems of most waterfowl. Male mallards are worse than fraternity members.

Mallards are quite funny, there is a bunch of males hanging around usually, and when finally a lonely female turns up they all go crazy and start chasing her and each other

[Viking Spawn]

I've seen the mating frenzies of Mallards before.  I felt bad for some of the females who sometimes were literally "gang raped" at a pond in Castalia, Ohio.  Surprised me on how violent they acted!  I had to scare a few males off once since one poor female appeared she couldn't take anymore.   

[Doug Watson]

That must have been a strange spectacle to witness, I'd guess most of such quarrels end with the weaker animal capitulating and fleeing, was this particular specimen too stubborn to do that?

No that was the scary thing, the loser wasn't even putting up a fight in the end. The one on top would grab its neck behind the head and hold it under water then raise it up after a while, I guess to see if it had any life left. It wasn't even struggling at this point. That is when I started heaving branches. I was amazed it was able to move away when the other one stopped holding it.

[Doug Watson]

Double post for some reason and I can't delete it.

[Doug Watson]

First day out kayaking this season at Murphy's Point Provincial Park. We saw 145 Map Turtles, 30 Midland Painted Turtles, one Northern Ring-Necked Snake, three White-Tail Deer and plenty of birds. Early on I spotted a Map Turtle that got itself stuck between the branches of the tree it was basking on. It had been there a while since you can see where it scratched the outer layer of bark off with its hind feet. It never would have freed itself because it took all my strength to get it out. I had a hard time getting close enough to release it. In the end I had to kneel in the very font of my kayak. Eventually it would have died from exposure or something would have found it for a free meal. It swam away when I got it free.

Map Turtle stuck between two branches



Another Map Turtle that I caught and released.


11 of the 145 Map Turtles we saw that day.


Midland Painted Turtle


Two mating Midland Painted Turtles


A Northern Ring-Necked Snake. Only the second one I have found in the last two years. Before that I hadn't seen one since I used to go herping in my teens. Back when I used to catch these guys in the 60s and 70s it wasn't known that these were rear fanged and mildy venomous. Actually our Garter Snakes and Hognosed Snakes are also rear fanged and mildy venomous but they aren't harmful to humans, their venom only works on their small prey. I can't even remember one of these pretty little guys trying to bite me.



A Hairy Woodpecker. Up here we have this guy and a Mini Me version called the Downy Woodpecker with the exact same markings only smaller with a shorter beak.


Three female White-Tail Deer

[btb300]

First day out kayaking this season at Murphy's Point Provincial Park. We saw 145 Map Turtles, 30 Midland Painted Turtles, one Northern Ring-Necked Snake, three White-Tail Deer and plenty of birds. Early on I spotted a Map Turtle that got itself stuck between the branches of the tree it was basking on. It had been there a while since you can see where it scratched the outer layer of bark off with its hind feet. It never would have freed itself because it took all my strength to get it out. I had a hard time getting close enough to release it. In the end I had to kneel in the very font of my kayak. Eventually it would have died from exposure or something would have found it for a free meal. It swam away when I got it free.

You should keep a list on the wild animals you have saved I love the pictures by the way, especially the close-up of the snake, such a gracile little creature.

[Doug Watson]

You should keep a list on the wild animals you have saved I love the pictures by the way, especially the close-up of the snake, such a gracile little creature.

I'm hoping someone upstairs is keeping track and that along with opening doors for little old ladies and the fact I haven't killed anyone will get me through the gates.

I know I've saved at least one snake, a few birds, some insects and one bat but turtles would make up the lion's share of my saves. Mostly by helping them across the road or in one case getting it back on it's feet after a car flipped it on it's back.

[Viking Spawn]

Updates coming soon with plenty of new images and audio!  Stay tuned!!! 

GREAT LAKES CICADA PAGE

www.magicicada.net



The BROOD V Cicadas have finally arrived...  Here are a few pics to see what's been keeping me busy lately!!!