From the Earth to the Sky

 The Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias is my animal totem, or power animal.  This is the bird that has been a constant all throughout my life.  From my childhood growing up on Cook's Bay in Keswick to now being drawn to the waterfowl of this area's small lakes and rivers in the St. Clair River watershed. They hunt and live anywhere from open coasts, marshes, sloughs, riverbanks, and lakes to backyard goldfish ponds.  They also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields.  Breeding birds gather in colonies or 'heronries' to build stick nests high off the ground.  I have been to a few heronries in my life, they are always protected and as they are sensitive breeders, very little time is spent there.   They have always shown up for me when I need it most, and to not get too spiritual here, they have inspired and guided me in many ways.  I have photographed this gorgeous species many times, but none of my photos has really captured the grace and b...

trip report I had been curious lately why the festival refers to the Huron Fringe.  I know that MacGregor Point Provincial Park is situated on Lake Huron, but what is the 'fringe'?  The Fringe is a bird migratory corridor that scans from Pinery Provincial Park to McGregor Point Provincial Park and the Bruce Peninsula and points in between.   Late May many of the migrants are on their way to their breeding grounds and the resident birds are on nest, so birding can be interesting.  I thought it might be fun to do a Provincial Park Road Trip to see if I could note any differences and similarities between the areas. Point Farms (307.57 ha) It was a very cold 6C with strong N winds and light drizzle when I set out.  When I initially got into my trusty Honda at 5 am I wasn't contemplating doing the PP tour, but I came to realize, that as I'm getting older, why not live a little!  I stopped in at Point Farms just outside of Goderich, mostly to use the facilities....

 I knew that I wanted to do Paul's walk, but wasn't sure if I wanted to tour around on my own or join an event.  The Birder Murder Mystery Tour appealed to me, because, as you know I'm a pretty die hard birder with really no time for fun!  This looked like fun, and when I got to the registration tent Saturday morning I asked if their were spaces and if I could sign up.  I could and I did!  It was a good decision, cause I had a blast! Marshall brought us to his and his wife's Wanda's estate close to Tiverton to solve several mysteries!  None of us where really sure what was going on, but as he showed us around his property we happened on various 'clues' to solve mysteries.  I will not divulge details of the clues, as they are pretty clever and insightful, but let me just say there was alot of learning going on!  Marshall has several tree swallow boxes on his property, he opened up and showed us this one with 6 eggs. A couple of hours later we had l...

trip report  I had heard of this awesome Bird festival through my fellow birders, they all say it's a must do, and the birds and habitat are so different from what we have down here.  The Huron Fringe Birding Festival is set at McGregor Point Provincial Park, just outside of Port Elgin on Lake Huron. I started my day leaving the house at 4 am to get to the park, it's a 2.5 hr drive, check in at registration and be ready for my 7:15 tour 'On the fringe' with Paul Riss.  I am a big fan of Paul's and I have seen his CBC POV documentary 'Rare Bird Alert' a few times! I have a link to his documentary at the bottom of my post.  If I thought I had a rough morning, well he just got in at 2am from a birding tour in Trinidad!  Talk about climate change! coming into the park with 7 C temp and light rain. Yellow Ladies Slipper Fringed Polygala The rain let up and we ventured out on the Tower Trail where about 10 of us got good looks at Least Bittern Botaurus exilis (lif...

 I must apologize as I haven't gotten caught up with the posts...too busy birding!  But I must post a dogspotting post as the dogs have been stacking up.  I don't engage or photograph with every dog and owner that I encounter, but if there is a connection I will! Here is Phoebe, a gorgeous English Labrador Retriever who was very enthusiastic about the birds that we were looking at.  and I love her name! (I have a sister named Phoebe!) Then we have Ludo, a very gregarious huge Cane Corso that is the gentlest dog!  I've seen Ludo many times in my travels and he always noses my pocket for treats! The sweetest most graceful senior girl, Seal, who is a Standard poodle who has participated in agility in her younger days is one of the regulars at the park as well.  Very well mannered and very well groomed! When I travelled up north this weekend I met Daphne, who is a super sweet, pretty shy Alaskan husky, ex sled dog.  Her owner told me that he had gotten to ...

 This is the time of year for Birding Festivals!  Rondeau and Pelee both have had theirs from the 1st of May to the 21st.  They are fun events that coincide with the spring migration of birds from their southern wintering locations.  This past weekend I went to Pelee on the Sunday of the last weekend.  Point Pelee National Park is located at the southernmost point of Mainland Canada. extending into Lake Erie.   It is known for its diverse ecosystems, it is Canada's second smallest and most ecologically diverse national park.  The park is also on two dedicated migration flyways, the Mississippi and the Atlantic.  Birds congregate on the tip before they make their way northward, so sometimes rarities are seen. I decided to wake up bright and early and get to the Park by 7 am so I could take the tram to the tip by 7:15.  I was welcomed by this 'rafter' of Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo on my way into the park   and of course stopped t...

 I love making photographs.  I really do.  I have been behind a camera since I was a teenager.  I really enjoyed my Canon 35 mm film camera, and jumped over to digital to a Canon Powershot.  Last September I treated myself to a full mirrorless digital camera.  It has a entry level R100 body with an adapter for my Canon EF lense as well as a 150 mm to 600 mm Sigma EF lense.  It has been a real learning curve with this thing.  I can't seem to get sharp focus if in focus at all.  I have been practicing and talking to people and watching Youtube videos with some success.  Lately the frustration has affected my joy in birding.  I especially felt it this weekend as I went to Pelee and instead of enjoying the sights and sounds of birds and birders, I was focused on how I wanted to chuck my camera into the next swamp.   Today I came to the conclusion that my focus is on learning the birds, the habitat, the sounds, not just on gett...