Rooftop Bandit
Racoons are back on Third St., the little bandits running roughshod over the rooftops at night.
Lord of the Skies
An adult Sharp-shinned hawk lords over a hapless pigeon by Far Enough Farm, preparing to eviscerate it. Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks are very similar in appearance, I’m going with Sharp-shinned here because the feathers on the crown almost merge with the back feathers.
Red Eye Flight II
A great horned owl sits in a tree on Fourth St. A quick pop of the camera flash turns the pupils red, like an inverted night heron whose eyes are predominantly red.
Bruiser
A large beaver rests on the ice near the RCYC, feeding on branches close to holes kept open in the thick lagoon ice.
Sunshine Love II
A barred owl basks in the sun at the base of the Algonquin Island bridge, one of those Island where-were-you-when moments.
The Loneliness of Being
A barred owl glances downward as a Parks Gator drives by, the most concern it showed for hours as it snoozed in a tree on Algonquin.
Perch on Blue
A barred owl perches in a fir tree at the base of the Algonquin Island bridge, completely unconcerned by the crowd gathered below.
Boardwalk Fur
A mink pauses on the boardwalk breakwall, before heading into the pack ice between the Island and the Spit.
Boys and Their Toys
What to do when winter never ends? How about parasailing on the inner harbour with a snowboard?
Map Time
2013 was a very good year for map turtles, their numbers have increased significantly. Here a tiny turtle, about four inches long, basks on a log in Snug Harbour.
Inside Job
A glimpse of the underside of a great egret’s wing, preening itself off of Doughnut Island.
Eye to Eye
A cormorant prepares to swallow a catfish whole, after a long but ultimately futile struggle.
New Bling
Canada Goose XC54 shows off her new neck tag, while sitting on her nest near Doughnut Island.
Early Arrival
One of the first arrivals of Spring 2013, a cedar waxwing (thanks Rob!) perches on a branch by the boardwalk.
Ol’ Blue Eyes
Taking a break from screeching like a broken car alarm, a goose shows off its stunning blue eyes on Centre Island.