Weird Blue Jay Behaviour

As we stood at the observation deck at Halls Rd., John had been offering peanuts to the couple of blue jays that often will show up there and eat from your hand. The 2 there that day were too timid to take the nuts from your hand so he put them in the feeder that is there.

One jay flew down and grabbed a peanut and went up into the tree that sort of overhangs the corner of the deck and is right behind the feeder.

Then the oddest thing happened. It flew back down to a lower branch with the nut, then down to the feeder. It dropped the nut back into the feeder, had a look around and then picked the same nut back up again.

What in hell was it doing?! lol! Was it too small? Was he looking for a better one but at the same time didn't just abandon the one he had in case there were no more?! It was just Weird! lol!

Always Something Gorgeous Seen at Halls Rd.

John'll check the night before on Friday or Saturday to see if the next morning may be bringing fog. The forecast was fog, clearing by morning. Fog conditions are my favourite early morning scenes and photography opportunities, I love fog! We woke around 6ish and by 6:45 were up and ready to head out. It didn't look like spectacular fog and light conditions but we figured we'd like an early morning walk as we have not done one for a while.

There were still lots of cool sights. The light on the plants and wild flowers still left, like asters, the virginia creeper, and other plants and leaves. I'm not a real plant or flower person so I rarely know what any are. Here is a great link for identifying Ontario Wildflowers that has just about every one on it I personally have seen on most of our walks.

There were lots of birds to spot too, ones on their way south during fall migration. There were warblers, I believe a Northern Parula (sp) and Kinglets, Vireos, and we saw Swamp Sparrows, both what appeared to be adult and older fledglings or maybe females, not sure. The White Egrets we saw in the dozens last weekend were sparser but there, and we saw one fly by Mute Swan.

I even grabbed some shots just of the bokeh effects I was seeing through my lens, abstract art photography :-)

The Quintessential 1970's Camping Photo

While searching for a photo for my daughter I'd assume for her grade 12 grad, I ran across what is probably one of my favourite photos from my childhood. My parent's 1970s VW camper, parked at my Grandparents' trailer site on Lake Erie ( hated that lake as a kid because it is so yucky lol!), my Mom on the right, my brother, then my aunt, my grandmother, my grandfather (who is standing in front of 11 year old me unfortunately) and my Dad's legs lol! Looking at this, it is then hard to believe my aunt was 29 here, not even 30. And gawd knows Why her and my grandmother are so dressed up for camping lol! Probably because she was only down for the day in my aunt's case. Not sure who took the photo, maybe my aunt's husband. Not sure where my sister was as she is missing from the pic too.

I love this photo. Though looking at it you'd never know any stories about these particular people, I guess like any photos of people.

Rosetta McLean Gardens in Scarborough

Haven't been to This park in over 20 years, not since I lived just east of there for about a year and a bit in my 20s. Last time I was there, there was a couple actually doing the deed under one of those pink blankets with the satin edging and in the middle of a sunny day with families and kids and such all walking around the grass area where they were lol! Didn't see anything like that this visit, maybe next time lol!

The reason we went there was a curiosity upon learning it is a very well known spot for raptor viewing. Kind of have lost interest in the bird thing lately but we went to see mainly since we'll be nearer there when we move, and for something different.

Since we won't be far from there in just over a month, we'll definitely go back in the spring if not in the winter!

Omg Such a Cute Garter Snake!!!

This morn, I had my usual ear ache thing that comes from the fact that I need some work done on my teeth that I've been putting off for over 4 years. However, I really wanted to get out for a morning walk. Both myself and John love getting up real early and getting out before civilization crawls out of bed and goes out to the areas we enjoy too. We always see something cool early! By early, it began as 6:30 but lately, it's moved to about 8 - 9 am lol! This morning, I was slow to get out so it was after 9.

We chose the right time afterwards though we realize. If we had not have, we may not have seen this cutie patootie!!! A little garter snake. I so wanted to pick him up! He came towards us on the rocks on the beach just as we were about to step off the path onto the shore. "omg a snake a snake!" I'm screechign as I raise my camera so fast thinking I may only get one shot of the cute little thing. He sat and looked at me as I crouched though, for about 5 mins. It allowed me to really get to see him and also ensure that I hopefully would have a nice focused shot of him, so I can see him again :-) He shot his tongue out at me a few times before he finally high tailed it into the opposite grass and bush. No luck getting to hold him :-(

Lots of dragonflies today out too, hawks, spiders on the rocks, and lots of people out lookign to the skies for raptors. We saw 2 hawks. We also had a second exciting adventure seeing the Belted Kingfishers, 2 pairs of them, flyign back and forth and hovering a few feet from us! I think I even got a Swamp Sparrow if I am correct with the ID. Quite the morning it was.

Saw a Bald Eagle at Halls Rd. in Whitby!

We often go down to an area just west of Lynde Shores, where it is really interesting to walk through. The marsh is real neat and one never fails to end up seeing something really cool or exciting.

We went down this evening for a short time. It was a great temperature out, no humidity, and sunny with clouds as well. Lots of sailboats on the lake and lots of gulls looking for fish. We saw the larvae stage of the dragonfly. tons of flying dragonflies, and we saw a red tailed hawk soaring. The hawk was our first sight when we got out of the car. The next were the tons of dragonflies. On the way home I pulled over because we spotted 2 Belted King Fishers on a wie. The third and probably one of the most amazing thing I've ever seen on our walks and truly unexpected, came before the King Fishers.

As we were leaving, John mentioned going across the road into the field path a bit. There in the sky was a large white headed bird. We thought no it can't be a bald eagle, but that is all it could be once we realized it had a white head and as it fanned out its tail, that too was white. It was not real close but close enough that my camera could pick up what it was with no doubt. A mature bald eagle.