Day at the Beach – Feathers

July 14, 2014 by Created by RCW

So, despite some early morning rain, Sunday ended up being a beautiful hot day in Toronto. And where better to spend such a day than wandering the boardwalk along Lake Ontario in the east end of the city.

At first, I wondered where the hell everyone was…the beach was almost deserted. Had traffic and construction finally gotten the better of everyone? And then it dawned on me: World Cup!

The day got that much more beautiful.

I’ll have another set of photos tomorrow, but here are some images of the birds that came out to play. Not all are technically wonderful photos…mostly a sign of how bright it was, how far off the birds were and/or how much I still have to learn about using my camera.

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.

: Before dining on popcorn, this little beauty checks the photographer is cool

: These little guys were having a high old time chasing each other in the dead tree

: I like catching birds in flight, if I can…this was the best of the gulls

: Less hip-hop and just coming into his colourful plumage

: After morning rains, a deep puddle makes a good starling bath

: A male sparrow makes the most of someone’s lost popcorn kernels

: My camera struggled to focus on these swift moving guys

: Too graceful for gulls, these snow geese flapped in the far, far distance

: After shepherding the kids, mom needed to stretch

: Feathered environmentalists, the starlings share their bath water

: A young starling lets his momma know that it’s lunch time

Meanwhile, in BC – Campbell River, Qualicum Beach

July 4, 2014 by Created by RCW

The final batch of photos from my brief vacation on Canada’s west coast…in this case, from a Canada Day trip up Vancouver Island to Campbell River and around my mom’s house above Qualicum Beach.

: Man no doubt wonders what we’ve done to his homeland

: A bee burrows deep to fill his pollen quota

: Apparently, dogs AND cars must be on a leash at all times

: Not a fan of having his picture taken, he slinks away

: Crossing the remnants of an old ship yard and slip-way

: A bee hangs carefully from the flower

: Scared by the dog, a treed grouse watches us closely

: Tip-toeing through the daisies

: On the hottest of days, the local peaks still retain their white caps

Life on campus – Vanderbilt University

April 28, 2014 by Created by RCW

I took my camera with me when I attended the Nashville Film Festival and wandered the grassy lanes of nearby Vanderbilt University.

These are some of the plants and animals I found on campus.

: Each droplet reflecting the university around it

: Not quite successful in making himself invisible during his raid

: Waving like so many bells peeling silently on the breeze

: A noisy cardinal finds a hot dog bun wedged in a tree

: The dampness of Spring meant moss grew everywhere

: A bit of Canadian flavouring on a dewy morn

: Reproductive splendor decorated the craggy old limbs

: Not exactly sure what she was expecting, but she was attentive

Autumn birds

November 6, 2013 by Created by RCW

As I mentioned earlier, I took a bit of a walk to visit my grandparents’ grave yesterday and brought along my camera. During my expedition, I was glad to see that a number of animals had not yet given up on Toronto and could still be found, prepping for the coming winter.

Today, the birds.

: Hanging out in the trellis of over a restaurant, this fellow was chatting with his neighbours

: I desperately need (want) a telephoto to capture distant birds like this one

: This little guy wanted to see what was happening with the waaay too early Xmas lights

: No birds, that I can see, in this photo, just a nice colour contrast

: A small sparrow checks out the neighbours

Parks and Rec – New York

October 12, 2013 by Created by RCW

As you can tell, I haven’t had much to talk about lately, so just to prove I’m alive, and hopefully entertain, here are some more photos from my time in New York City a few years ago.

: The skyline looms peacefully in the distance

: Looking for some end of season worms in the decaying foliage

: Keeping a wary eye on the photographer

: A moment of serenity in the late autumn sun

: A familiar friend wanders in the waters of a pond

: Central Park is amazingly gorgeous throughout the year

: The rink in Rockefeller Plaza is a popular destination at lunch

: The building famed of film and television

: You think they’d give him some pants this late in the year

Souls before sentience

September 25, 2013 by Created by RCW

As human beings, we tend to make a lot of noise about sentience. The challenge I find, at the deepest level, with this is that we seem to equate feeling with awareness in its broadest sense.

To me, feeling focuses inward, toward me, whereas awareness focuses outward, on what is out there. Thus, I’m more interested in soul. Not in the religious sense of who goes to heaven, but in the sense of unity with the greater universe.

One look into the eyes of animals tells you, humans are not the only ones with souls. What do you think?

: Mute though he was, I knew he was asking about food

: More curious than afraid, he could run either way

: He was intent on lunch, but always aware of me

: He did nothing wrong and yet looks like I’ve killed his pet

: Pensive sparrow waiting for her mate

Zoo Story – New York

September 21, 2013 by Created by RCW

A few photos I took while traveling through the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan back in 2011…my previous camera and unedited, so not as good as more recent images, but I like them just the same.

: A pond of seals, if I remember correctly

: Unlike the other zoo denizens, this one is welcome to leave

: One of the myriad ducks in the park

: And more…

: And more…

: Checking me out checking him out

: Not a great shot, but I love the bubbles left by the diving penguin

: Ready for winter

: Not sure if it’s too cold to go hunting for snacks

: A terrible shot, but it looks like he’s waiting for a bus

: Half-chicken, half-peacock

: The racket these guys made was amazing

: Just one of the local hippie freaks

: Just a little closer…

: Bright green stands out no matter how well hidden

: Not sure if this was Riki Tiki Tavi

: Not sure if this is supposed to make the cats happy or the birds worried

Never surrender (summer) – Part Deux

September 18, 2013 by Created by RCW

More photos from my sandy walk along Toronto’s beaches.

: Never thought of gulls as thinkers, but there seems to be something on his mind

: Figure they’re heading to Montreal from Toronto’s island airport

: Lovely natural back scratchers

: Finally…first cricket I’ve found all year, despite the noise

: Wanted his pic taken because he’s handsome…have to agree

: Such beautiful iridescence

: Liked the shadow along the sand

: Looking for that last bit of pollen

: Beautiful colours on this monarch

: A small statue I found near the water treatment plant

: Wary of my presence, but hungry

: Recycling for this little buzzer

: Lots of these lovelies crawling around the bushes and flowers

: Hanging out to see if anyone has some food

: My beloved downtown core, so much quieter from out here

Never surrender (summer)

September 17, 2013 by Created by RCW

Even as the overnight temperatures in Toronto reach the mid-single digits Celsius (about 40 F), a few die-hards–human, animal and vegetable–have refused to give up on the beach.

: A lone gull skirts the water as the Scarborough Bluffs rise in the distance

: Buried in the greenery, a grasshopper takes a rest

: Flowers brighten the sidewalk

: A sparrow grabs a bit of sun and seed

: Framed by nature, the sailboat catches the breeze

: A wader dares the waters of Lake Ontario, sandals in hand

: A handful of wasps (hornets?) latch onto the last flowers of summer

: A monarch stands bright orange against the sand

: As the milkweed prepare to explode their seed, a snail and lady bug rest

: A bumble and hornet visit the same hangout

: A yellow rose gives one last burst of glory

Winged warriors

August 14, 2013 by Created by RCW

As I continue to live without a telephoto lens, I find my winged colleagues in the nearby ravine are doing their best to help me with my photography. I could still use a bit more help…or at least a closer vantage point.

: Unfortunately, he was so far away the resolution isn’t great…I like the composition though

: The cropped version was nice, but I prefer having a bit more background context

: Even the sparrows proved challenging to photograph today

: Two tiny sparrows commune in a tree

: This young lady wasn’t sure she wanted her photo taken

: …but then decided to show me her good side

createdbyrcw

Seer of the invisible, scribe of the unwritten

Tag Archives: birds

Day at the Beach – Feathers

Meanwhile, in BC – Campbell River, Qualicum Beach

Life on campus – Vanderbilt University

Autumn birds

Parks and Rec – New York

Souls before sentience

Zoo Story – New York

Never surrender (summer) – Part Deux

Never surrender (summer)

Winged warriors

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