nature photography – Page 10

Saturday Snapshot Nov. 16: Magical Realism

At first, what drew my attention were the birds on top of the distant trees, sillouetted against the predawn sky. What were they?

Must be the hardy European Starlings, I thought. My birding instinct prodded me to get out of the house to find out, at 7:30 am, in -13C temperature.

As I got closer, their buzzing sound reminded me that I’d heard them before, in flocks, making sounds almost like cicadas, but lighter, more metallic and electric. By then, morning had broken. Indeed, they were not Starlings but Waxwings.

The sun shed its glorious light and I was much gratified to see that all those plump bellies were not Cedar Waxwings which I’d seen in the summer. From their grey pot belly, I could tell they were Bohemian Waxwings. Of course, they will be spending their winter here. The Cedar Waxwings had all gone south.

What attracted them to our neighborhood? My stalking skill led me to find out. Ah… berries:

It was a delight watching them feast on these frozen fruits for breakfast:

Got it!

Soon, washed by the glowing sunrise, their greyish plumage began to change into a magnificent color. No CGI (computer-generated images) here:

Just pure magical realism:

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

ALL PHOTOS IN THIS POST TAKEN BY ARTI OF RIPPLE EFFECTS, NOVEMBER, 2013. PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR REBLOG.

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Saturday Snapshot Nov. 9: Fall or Winter?

This is what our neck of the woods looks like. Autumn still.

Snow or no snow, a gal’s gotta eat.

Evening meal

And at the creek…

Who’s afraid of a little snow?

This Chickadee flew right to me, ‘Welcome to my hood!’

“Fall or winter, what does it matter?”

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot Oct. 26: The Woods in the Fall

We don’t have the colorful foliage which many of you are privileged to behold, but Beauty dwells within our woods too:

Especially in the evening sun:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep:

But for these inhabitants, it’s time to eat:

And for some others, miles to go before they sleep:

and miles to go before they sleep:

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

All photos in this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, Fall 2013.
Please do not copy or reblog

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Saturday Snapshot Oct. 5: Wabi-Sabi (3)

I’ll wrap up my mini-series on Wabi-sabi with these photos. Yes, I’m saving the best for last.

By this flood-damaged bridge:

I came across a rare sighting, for me anyway. For those of you who live near the coast, a Pelican may be as common as a Sparrow, but for me who call the Rockies home, spotting one in our neck of the woods is exhilarating:

I quickly followed her with my camera from afar. Against a backdrop of debris and damaged bank, she performed a few dance moves for me:

After that, she turned around and swam quietly into the mythical scenery:

I went back a few days later and was gratified some more by these two Cedar Waxwings, chatting away in the afternoon sun, oblivious to the damaged landscape:

quietly enjoying each other’s company:

but best of all, looking out together:

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

Previous posts:

Wabi-sabi (1)

Wabi-sabi (2)

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All photos taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, August, 2013.

DO NOT COPY OR REBLOG.

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Saturday Snapshot Sept. 28: Wabi-Sabi (2)

The June flood in Southern Alberta has turned out to be the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

To continue with the Wabi-Sabi idea, here is another set of photos. Again, in the midst of ruins, weeks after the flood, I took in these sights…

Along the debris-filled, muddy shore of the river:

A sandpiper lightly skimmed over:

then took flight:

A butterfly playing in the sand:

another resting on the rocks:

Some creative souls had even left impromptu monuments:

A tribute to quiet beauty among torrents of destruction.

Wabi-sabi… beauty in ruins.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

CLICK HERE to Wabi-Sabi (1)

and Wabi-sabi (3)

All photos on this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects,
August, 2013. Do not copy or reblog.

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Saturday Snapshot: Wabi-Sabi (1)

To put in very simple terms, the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi refers to finding beauty in the withered, aging, destroyed, juxtaposing beauty and sadness.

This notion came to me in the past few days as I surveyed the ruins of the devastating flood now almost two months later. Landscapes had been altered, what once were the healthy homes of birds now destroyed. And yet, from the fallen, a sense of beauty arose.

Here are some photos I took yesterday of the area where I once saw the Merganser family. Remember those baby Mergansers wearing masks heading to the masquerade party?

This is the exact spot where I spotted them before the flood:

Wooded area now flattened:

Altered landscape:

Debris wrapped around tree like an armour of quiet resilience:

Wounded spirit:

Withered, but with colour:

Broken, but with character:

Most important of all… life shooting out from the ruins:

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More Wabi-sabi’s to come in upcoming Saturday Snapshot, hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. Click to see what others have posted.

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All photos taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, please do not copy or reblog.

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When Two Beavers Meet…

For Saturday Snapshot July 20, I present the following sequence of events:

One beaver busy rebuilding after the flood:

Spotted by another beaver which then quickly made his move:

The following sequence needs no captions:

And what happens when two juvenile Robins meet?

Sibling rivalry.

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot July 13: Where are they now?

** You’re most welcome to browse and throw in your two pebbles, make some ripples or make a splash. But PLEASE DO NOT REBLOG OR COPY **

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A few weeks before the worst flooding in our City’s history, I saw these baby Mergansers having a great time by the Bow River with their Mom. Where were they when the flood came? And where are they now?

Here, let me get closer for you to hear what they were saying that one fine day…

“Ok, our goggles on, we’re ready.”

“Let’s get going.”

“Hey you with the camera… what are you looking at? Don’t you know she’s a tough act to follow?”

“Ok kids, do as I do. I dive, you dive.”

“I skim, you skim.”

Hope they’re still skimming and diving in some clear, calm water.

The following photo was taken just a few days ago. Somebody had the good sense to lighten up in the aftermath of the disaster. I shot this looking down from a high bridge onto the muddy bank of the Elbow River . At first I had trouble spotting exactly what we were supposed to be happy about. But later, my heart lifted as I silently thanked the anonymous rock gatherer(s). Yes, to all:

HAPPY SUMMER!

And the well wishes extend to all those Down Under as well… a safe and happy winter!

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

Saturday Snapshot June 22: The Two Faces of a River

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Saturday Snapshot July 6: After the Flood

** You’re most welcome to browse and throw in your two pebbles, make some ripples or make a splash. But PLEASE DO NOT REBLOG OR COPY **

What happened to the birds during the flood, I can’t say. But after the most serious flooding had passed, these were some of the sights.

Downtown view one day after the heaviest rain:

The Glenmore Reservoir, two days after. Yes, that’s where our drinking water comes from. The heavy silts in the water made a peculiar sunset scene. You can see the muddy water in the foreground:

Due to flooding, the Weaselhead Natural Area was closed for some time. Two weeks after, I went to survey the aftermath:

From the mud on this bench, you can see how high the water came up to:

Among the rubbles of dead trees and debris, what I found amazed me. Do you see what I see? Look, right in the middle:

Not just one or two, but half a dozen Cedar Waxwings frolicking among the ruins:

Absolute serenity:

A closer look at the beautiful silky plumage:

Not just the Waxwings, hoards of Cliff Swallows joined in the natural chorus. But they were too fast for me to capture on camera. I could manage just a few shots. In most of the photos they came out too small and blurry:

Lots of Wild Roses among muddy leaves. See the bud?

Berries too, red defying brown:

And this little guy came out to greet me on the flood-swept path now dried:

As I was leaving the area, a Small Blue butterfly ensured me…

Life goes on.

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot June 22: The Two Faces of a River

Household items, children’s toys, swing sets, and the roof of a house should not be flowing down a river. And yet they did. It was painful to watch, even just from a TV screen. You probably have heard about it on social media and in the news, the unprecedented flooding of Southern Alberta, and right here in the City of Calgary.

Record rainfall downstream from the Mountains gathered forces into torrents so fast and furious that caught many off guard. In just a matter of hours, 26 communities in the City had to evacuate, that’s 100,000 people leaving their homes, some had to be rescued by emergency responders in boats. In other towns, many had to be plucked from the rooftop by helicopters.

No I don’t have snapshots of the devastation. Yesterday, I was tense but relieved I didn’t have to evacuate. I was in no mood to head out and snap photos, however rare and newsworthy they could have been. I didn’t want to add any more sensationalism to a dire reality.

The two faces of our rivers. I’ve been birding close to The Bow all this time, knowing it is the lifeline, home and playground for many species of shorebirds. But yesterday, I saw its ferocious side.

For my Saturday Snapshot, I’d like to remember its calm and peaceful face. These photos were taken three weeks ago by The Bow River.

Baby Mergansers’ Day Out with Mom:

This Canada Goose family had also come out in that beautiful afternoon:

This is the face of the river I like to remember:

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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Saturday Snapshot June 15: West Coast Birding

Spent a few days in the Metro Vancouver area last week. Didn’t see a lot of variety of shorebirds, but just catching sight of some Great Blue Herons was gratifying enough.

About half a dozen of them, far from where I was standing. They were peaceful and enjoying themselves until a Bald Eagle headed towards them, in a not-too-friendly manner. What was he thinking? He was alone and there were half a dozen Herons. An altercation soon followed, I could only hear the battle cries from afar but couldn’t snap the photos quick enough. But I can tell you, the Bald Eagle had to fly away subdued.

Here’s the approach. Whatever happened next you’re free to imagine:

Another time I got the chance to see a solitary Great Blue Heron up close and personal. It was a mesmerizing moment:

Takes flight:

… landing:

Another day at dusk, above a pond were Swallows mingling in the evening sky. They were flying so swiftly that I could hardly capture them on camera. But after I uploaded the photos, this is what I saw… looks like another mid-air altercation. But since they are of the same species, shall I say this time, a little domestic dispute? Or perhaps just friendly frolicking…

Here’s a more serene Canada Geese family outing, a quiet evening swim before bed:

Day is done:

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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

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More Herons photos here:

Sign of Spring: Nesting

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Spring Babies and Parenting Styles

I’ve been following this Great Horned Owl family for a few months now. At first I only spotted Papa, later I found Mama nesting nearby, now the two Owlets had come out too. Here’s my recent visit, the first Owlet I saw:

Here’s the second one. Took me some time to spot:

I didn’t have the chance to take a family photo, since each of them was on different branches, two adults and two young ones, but never far from each other though. Here you can see one parent (not sure if it’s Mom or Dad) keeping an eye on the owlet from a distance. Can you spot them both?

I love this… staying together, but also giving each other room.

Here’s a family photo I did manage to take, albeit from afar. Two Canada Geese with their Goslings close by:

Ah… the different parenting styles.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted on a new site now: Melinda of West Metro Mommy. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.

Related Posts on the Great Horned Owl Family:

Saturday Snapshot March 9: The Great Horned Owl

Sign of Spring: Nesting

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