Final Resting Place
The unfortunate remains of an Island deer lie sun bleached in the field in front of the Island filtration plant. Discovered about two years ago by plant staff, the timing coincides with the deer’s disappearance. This deer was assumedly a coyote victim, nothing else on the Island would be large enough to take down something […]
Equinox Firelight 2012
A huge crowd assembles on Ward’s beach for the annual Equinox bonfire. Thanks for the potatoes, Alice!
A Modern Classic
Venus and Jupiter swing together in conjunction past the Gibraltar Point lighthouse. Together with star and aircraft trails, they form a unique ceiling of light over the oldest existing lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
Moon Heron
A black-crowned night heron perches on a rock off of the boardwalk around 9:00PM, bathed in the dappled light of a rising full moon.
Well Blow Me Down
Strong winds turn normally placid Lake Ontario into pounding surf, completely inundating Ward’s beach. 3 minutes 35 seconds. 24.1MB MP4.
Pier Sunrise
The Centre Island pier stands in stark silhouette against the colours of a predawn October sky.
Golden Hour I
Sunrise on the Toronto skyline yields lovely pastel contrasts as seen from Centre Island in this 2011 update to the skyline series. The Port Lands still remain conspicuously absent from the image, but the sky cranes are moving steadily eastward: how many years until this is a historical photograph?
Wingtip Flight
A great blue heron takes flight near Doughnut Island, wingtip feathers outstretched mere inches from the surface of the water.
Rebirth
A monarch butterfly stretches its wings for the very first time, mere hours after emerging from its chrysalis.
Crayfish Delight
In our continuing series of Wildlife Sticking Their Tongues Out, a Centre Island mink crunches through a crayfish, consuming it entirely shell and all.
Size Differential
Northern map turtles show the size differential between young and old, basking on a log near Doughnut Island. The 2011 season was a great one for map turtles.
Hot September Sun
A great blue heron stands on the tern raft in the centre of the trout pond, panting in the hot September sun with its tongue on full display. This might be the start of an odd new wildlife theme, hot on the heels of this black-crowned night heron and canada goose.
Uncommon Eyes
The distinctive eye and beak of a large snapping turtle, seen here surfacing in Blockhouse Bay. I spent a wonderful hour floating over this fellow, watching him (her?) hunt through the late-summer plant life on the bottom of the lagoon.
Shining Light I & II
A great blue heron hunts in the September light off of Algonquin Island, evoking the image of this great egret from September of 2008.
Hiding In Broad Daylight
A cormorant proves hard to see even in broad daylight, the low September sunlight casting many background areas into dark shadow.
Straight as an Arrow
A great blue heron takes flight in Long Pond, primary and secondary flight feathers outstretched.
Woody Couple
A lovely wood duck couple, stopping over on their fall migration, grace the waters off of Doughnut Island.
Canvasback Haze
A rarity for these parts, this elusive canvasback spent the summer here, often visible around Sunfish Cut.
An Amphibian Gala
A good sign: six northern leopard frogs have their own gala day on a piece of wood near the Eastern Gap.