Heights/CDP Theme Day

Birds on wires, poles, insulators...

November 1st is a City Daily Photo Theme Day and this month we are  featuring photos that illustrate HEIGHTS.

Starlings gather at great heights above the highways on their way south.  Looks like they enjoy each others' company - safety in numbers.

 Longer view

Actually, they were many more birds just before I took these photos but a couple of hikers scared many of them off. Well, at least I can blame the hikers since I probably would have scared them off anyway when they saw me approach with my trusty point-and-shoot. These are the brave ones.

Closeup of starlings

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Days  HERE

Pumpkins Outside the Fence

Looking a little spooky!

I am linking to Friday Fences here.

The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

X/Alphabe-Thursday

 Xtra spooky!

X is for XTRA.

Just in time for trick-or-treaters: an Xtra spooky willow.

 Xs make this bridge Xtra sturdy

Xtra close view

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

White-throated Sparrow

 White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

White-throated Sparrows are forest sparrows with a lovely song that seems to sound like Oh-sweet-Canada.  How appropriate since during spring, summer and fall, they breed across Canada. During winter, though, they do fly south to eastern and southern North America.

As you can see in the photo, they like to feed on the ground, scratching for yummies. But they can also be seen in low shrubs, particularly in spring when they find new buds tasty.

Eating at a feeder

Keep seed in your bird feeder and they'll eat there too.

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Late October

Jacket weather

Our weather had been warmer than usual until last week. Now we are wearing jackets. As you can see in the largest square, some fishers  are also wearing hats and mittens. Brrr.

Moving clockwise: goldfinches are chowing down, this one is eating Echinacea seeds;  cleaned-out sunflower seed heads (at sunset) show that blue jays and chickadees have been enjoying one of their favourite foods; leaves are falling from the trees; monarchs are migrating south but still finding clover nectar on their way; and canoes are still out but will soon be put away till next spring.

Another view of the sunflower at sunset

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Extreme Decorating

 Somewhere south of East Gwillimbury

One house and fenced-in yard. Really. Some of you might think this is over-the top, but I think this is...er, over the top too.  However I do confess I really did want to photograph it and...

 A few closer ups

 create a mosaic of some of the elements.

 Porch above the front entrance

Someone is crazy about Halloween, dontcha think?

Side yard

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Highbush Cranberries

A native shrub to most of Canada

Ripe, yes. But these berries will remain on the shrub throughout the winter. Birds don't usually eat them until late winter/early spring.

I am joining I Heart Macro HERE.

FYI: The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Butterflies Still Here!

 Butterfly on aster

Until the beginning of last week, out weather has been unseasonably warm. Still, I was quite surprised last Sunday to see butterflies on the north shore of Lake Ontario.

Monarch on clover

There were quite a few monarchs sipping nectar, possibly migrating southward.

I am linking to Madge's Weekly Top Shot.
 
FYI: The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Muskoka Window

Gravenhurst

Some windows are hard to pass without photographing them!

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James at Weekend Reflections HERE
 
FYI: The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Through the Windshield

Guard Rails on Ridge Road

We still have some leaf colour, although leaves are falling from the trees.

I am linking to Friday Fences here.

FYI: The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

W/Alphabe-Thursday

 Wind, the artist #1

W is for WIND, the artist.

Here at the shore you can see wind has created lovely lines and designs.

  Wind, the artist #2

 Wind, the artist #3

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

 The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Great Black-backed Gull

 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

Regal in appearance, Great Black-backed gulls are the world's largest gulls and their domineering attitude seems to show they know they are BIG.  They were once threatened by the 19th-century feather trade and 30 years ago were still rare on the Great Lakes. But their range has been expanding. 

They are opportunistic birds, fond of human garbage. As well, they prey on smaller birds, and/or steal their food, eggs and chicks, plus hunt for fish, mussels, and other marine invertebrates.

A gathering on a Lake Simcoe dock

To me these Great Black-backed Gulls look like politicians (diplomats maybe?) at a dinner party. FYI: that occurred to me even BEFORE I discovered these gulls were opportunistic by nature.
I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE
The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Mid Autumn At the Lakeshore

Forgotten pail alone on a beach

The sky was blue for most of the day yesterday. My husband and I were out and about enjoying the fresh air, searching for birds  and looking for colour.  At first it appeared the water edges were devoid of people, that only a few colourful remains of summer were there such as a little, red plastic pail,..

  Lake Ontario, Port Darlington

surf and footprints,..

 Lakeside cottage

and boarded-up cottages.

 Lake Ontario glistening in the sun

But a few sailors were out, not yet ready to take their boats out of the water for the approaching winter and

Port Darlington light

fishers have replaced swimmers.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."

Mid October

Lynde Shores Conservation Area, Whitby

Walking along a woodland path can be rewarding any time of year, but in October it seems especially so.

Largest square: Squirrels  sure are busy collecting as many seeds as possible to hide but also taking time to fatten up for the winter .

Moving clockwise: Colourful foliage, a girl with a bag of birdseed hoping to attract a chickadee to land  on her palm full of sunflower seeds, a friendly chipmunk hoping for a handout, fallen leaf on old log, and two boys luring a chipmunk to take seeds from their hands.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Coming In For A Landing

 Great Blue Heron, landing gear down

GBHs are still here providing entertainment! The heron doesn't appear graceful in this photo but it did land quietly.

 Landed

Settling in

 Fishing

I am linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'  HERE.

Colour and Clouds

Autumn colour and reflections in water

Closer look of cloud reflections in water

I am linking to Madge's Weekly Top Shot.

Autumn Pond

 Reesor Pond, Markham #1

Two similar photos but different textures.

 Reesor Pond, Markham #2

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James at Weekend Reflections HERE

Serpentine Fence

Curvy fence on bridge over McKenzie Marsh, Aurora

A main road spans one end of the McKenzie Marsh, and this time of year colourful trees line the north side of this wavy fence.

I am linking to Friday Fences here.

V/Alphabe-Thursday

Burlington Canal Lighthouse

Built in 1858 of dolomite limestone, this lighthouse was no longer needed by the 1930s due to radar and better lighting on the nearby pier. The lighthouse - in use for more than a century - was decommissioned in 1968, making it vacant  for a little more than half a century.

V is for VACANT.

 Collapsing barn

It's pretty obvious why this old barn is now vacant.

Nest made in the hollow of an upright log

The breeding season is now over here and there are many avian vacancies.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

Double-crested Cormorant

 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

Double-crested cormorants are making a comeback on Lake Ontario. Now that the lake has been cleaned up of many toxic contaminants and certain pesticides such as DDT are no longer legal, cormorants have returned in LARGE numbers every year to spend approximately six months on the Great Lakes. This makes many fishers unhappy as they blame cormorants for the decline of certain fish, especially small-mouth bass.

 Balancing and drying its wings

Strange but true, even though cormorants are excellent divers, their wings are not waterproof. This means they must spread their wings out to let them dry after swimming and fishing.

Another view

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

Thanksgiving

Ornamental corn

It's Thanksgiving already - here in Canada, the second Monday in October.  The actual feasting may occur on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, but here in Ontario - not true in all provinces of Canada - Monday is a statutory holiday.

Wild turkey

Even though it's a long weekend, it feels short...but all weekends feel short, don't they? Many are traveling to visit with family, see fall foliage or even bird watch. I know for a fact that the wild turkey above would prefer to be bird watched than er...cooked and eaten.

Pumpkins still in the field

Most of the harvest is in, although I did notice a couple of days ago that many Halloween pumpkins are still in fields waiting...

Last Saturday, pick-your-own pumpkins

to be chosen.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.