Lagoon Report IV

Melanistic garter snake, Ward's Island, Toronto Islands

Eyes of Coal

A melanistic garter snake pokes its head up through the leaf litter, its jet-black eye reflecting the photographer and surroundings.

Malformed painted turtle, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Gimpy Returns 2008

A three-and-a-half legged turtle first photographed in 2006, surfaces again in 2008 in a different body of water, connected briefly during the high-water mark in spring. In 2006 I wasn’t sure how this fellow would do in our environment, happily it seems to be doing just fine. Tagged as a b-roll shot, focus and lighting […]

Malformed painted turtle, Hanlan's Point, Toronto Islands

Gimpy 2006

A three-legged painted turtle basks on a log in 2006 near Hanlan’s Point. What happened to this fellow’s front-right leg is still a mystery, but subsequent sightings in later years confirm that, despite the missing leg, it’s doing just fine.


Painted turtle, Snug Harbour, Toronto Islands

Back on Black

A painted turtle basks in the sun framed by deep shade in Snug harbour.

Beaver, Algonquin Island, Toronto Islands

Lagoon Snack I

A beaver enjoys a snack on the shore of the lagoon by the new firehall.

Swimming beaver, Algonquin Island, Toronto Islands

Waterline

A beaver swims in the reflected colours of June, keeping its nose just above its own bow wake.


Swimming beaver, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Lagoon Snack II

A beaver has a floating snack of a tuber of some sort in the waters off of Doughnut Island

Mute swan closeup, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Minimum Focus Distance

A mute swan tests the minimum focus distance of the Canon EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS lens, proving that telephoto lenses can be too long for bird photography.

Female robin, Ward's Island, Toronto Islands

Hot Robin Mama

The distinctive markings of a female robin amongst Ward’s Island grass.


Canada goose goslings, Algonquin Island, Toronto Islands

Baby Train

Canada geese form a gosling train in the lagoons off of Algonquin Island.

Mute swan on nest, Doughnut Island, Toronto Islands

Watchful Eye

A nesting mute swan keeps absolute focus on the photographer interloper, eyes locked and never straying from the lens.

Goose on nest, Centre Island, Toronto Islands

Blazing Buns

A goose sits on her nest in an unlikely location: right beside the railroad tracks on Centre Island, trainloads of tourists passing within two feet every few minutes.


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