June 11, 2023 early morning road trip: Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean Conservation Area to see the Yellow-crowned Night Heron before the rain was to arrive. I had a...

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean Conservation Area to see the Yellow-crowned Night Heron before the rain was to arrive. I had a feeling it was going to be a momentous day when I saw a total of eight deer and three fox, a mother and two youngsters all within a km or two from the conservation area. I learned an important lesson which is to have my camera out and ready to shoot before I leave the house from now on as I missed the fox opportunity. Although it never happens for me, I arrived and seen the bird I was after thru binoculars within 5 minutes, it was a first-time sighting for myself of this bird, so I took a couple of photos just to verify that I had seen it and decided to walk around the area as it was only 7am and I had lots of time. I seen a total of 21 species at the sight but the highlight was witnessing a couple of huge snapping turtles out laying eggs. As I was headed out I stopped to see the star attraction once more time and lighting had improved a bit and it was slightly closer than when I had arrived so took a couple more photos.

After stopping at Keith McLean Conservation Area, I stopped in at Rondeau Provincial Park without a lot of luck other than having a friendly conversation with what I think was a lost Raccoon youngster because he was talking up a storm, I believe complaining that he had lost mom and his siblings, lol. Drove back along the lake and decided that I was going to stop at Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area on my way back and it was a fantastic choice.

It was my third trip to Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area this spring and I was determined to try and get a sighting of the Mourning Warbler that kept showing up on the ebird lists for this area. Stopped at the first pond on the way in and was entertained by a family of Wood Ducks although I am sad to say there were three fewer than the Sunday before. I managed to spot a pair of Great-crested Flycatchers bringing food to their nest. I got my best shots of a Belted Kingfisher so far this year but the better part of a hour was taken up watching a Great Blue Heron stalk across this fallen tree crouch low and wait. I was photographing the Great-crested Flycatchers when I heard a loud splash and commotion. I turned to see the Great Blue Heron had pounced off the tree and into the water the problem was I could only see the top two-three feet of the birds neck and head the water it appears was deeper than it anticipated but with a lot of struggling it managed to come back to the surface and fly back up onto the fallen tree with its prize, and I could not believe the size of the bass that it got from this small spring fed pond.

I took a walk around the big pond and managed my best photo of the Eastern Wood-Pewee, and started on the path out when a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker caught my attention so I sat watching it feed young ones I believe because it would fly from one tree to another then back to the first once constantly. At that point, a fellow hiker came down the path and asked if I was seeing the Mourning Warbler that was singing, first off, I didn't know it was the Warbler singing and I really didn't think it was going to be a case of the Mourning Warbler had finally come to me. Well, Steve took a few moments and located this bird, and my chase was over..........no not that simple now it was waiting for the opportune time for a good photo lol. I spent an hour watching this bird fly around in this area collecting food, and the second lesson I learned this day was to read up about your subject matter. I had figured my last two trips it was a warble look up, well this lovely bird spent more time down low and, on the ground, than up high in the trees and once I knew this it was much easier to figure out a pattern of how long you had once it landed before it was off on the chase again.

Overall, another fantastic day spent out amongst nature and its ability to soothe the soul
Stay positive there is always someone, somewhere that has it worse than you
Stay healthy and well we have lost the past couple of years and will never get that time back but we can move forward

Nikon z50 with the Sigma 100-400mm

Gold-crowned Night Heron rare visitor to Southern Ontario

(Download)

Snapping Turtle headed back to the pond

(Download)

Great Egret and Great Blue Heron out for a Sunday stroll

(Download)

close up of a female Snapping Turtle laying eggs

(Download)

Lost Raccoon it was certainly very vocal

(Download)

Lilly on the water
Lilly on the water...

(Download)

Great Blue Heron proudly displaying it's catch after almost getting in over it's head

(Download)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at a feeding hole

(Download)

Mourning Warbler second bird of the day to add to my life list.

(Download)

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Wow what a great set. Love the warbler

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

gtilford wrote:

Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean Conservation Area to see the Yellow-crowned Night Heron before the rain was to arrive. I had a feeling it was going to be a momentous day when I saw a total of eight deer and three fox, a mother and two youngsters all within a km or two from the conservation area. I learned an important lesson which is to have my camera out and ready to shoot before I leave the house from now on as I missed the fox opportunity. Although it never happens for me, I arrived and seen the bird I was after thru binoculars within 5 minutes, it was a first-time sighting for myself of this bird, so I took a couple of photos just to verify that I had seen it and decided to walk around the area as it was only 7am and I had lots of time. I seen a total of 21 species at the sight but the highlight was witnessing a couple of huge snapping turtles out laying eggs. As I was headed out I stopped to see the star attraction once more time and lighting had improved a bit and it was slightly closer than when I had arrived so took a couple more photos.

After stopping at Keith McLean Conservation Area, I stopped in at Rondeau Provincial Park without a lot of luck other than having a friendly conversation with what I think was a lost Raccoon youngster because he was talking up a storm, I believe complaining that he had lost mom and his siblings, lol. Drove back along the lake and decided that I was going to stop at Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area on my way back and it was a fantastic choice.

It was my third trip to Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area this spring and I was determined to try and get a sighting of the Mourning Warbler that kept showing up on the ebird lists for this area. Stopped at the first pond on the way in and was entertained by a family of Wood Ducks although I am sad to say there were three fewer than the Sunday before. I managed to spot a pair of Great-crested Flycatchers bringing food to their nest. I got my best shots of a Belted Kingfisher so far this year but the better part of a hour was taken up watching a Great Blue Heron stalk across this fallen tree crouch low and wait. I was photographing the Great-crested Flycatchers when I heard a loud splash and commotion. I turned to see the Great Blue Heron had pounced off the tree and into the water the problem was I could only see the top two-three feet of the birds neck and head the water it appears was deeper than it anticipated but with a lot of struggling it managed to come back to the surface and fly back up onto the fallen tree with its prize, and I could not believe the size of the bass that it got from this small spring fed pond.

I took a walk around the big pond and managed my best photo of the Eastern Wood-Pewee, and started on the path out when a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker caught my attention so I sat watching it feed young ones I believe because it would fly from one tree to another then back to the first once constantly. At that point, a fellow hiker came down the path and asked if I was seeing the Mourning Warbler that was singing, first off, I didn't know it was the Warbler singing and I really didn't think it was going to be a case of the Mourning Warbler had finally come to me. Well, Steve took a few moments and located this bird, and my chase was over..........no not that simple now it was waiting for the opportune time for a good photo lol. I spent an hour watching this bird fly around in this area collecting food, and the second lesson I learned this day was to read up about your subject matter. I had figured my last two trips it was a warble look up, well this lovely bird spent more time down low and, on the ground, than up high in the trees and once I knew this it was much easier to figure out a pattern of how long you had once it landed before it was off on the chase again.

Overall, another fantastic day spent out amongst nature and its ability to soothe the soul
Stay positive there is always someone, somewhere that has it worse than you
Stay healthy and well we have lost the past couple of years and will never get that time back but we can move forward

Nikon z50 with the Sigma 100-400mm

Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean... (show quote)

great set of images!!

ELNikkor

Beautiful photos; you're making great use of your equipment and talent! (Never even heard of a Mourning Warbler, now, thanks to you, I've seen what they look like. Just curious how many birds you've got on your "life list"?)

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Excellent set!

randave2001 Loc: Richmond

Very nice set of images.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

gtilford wrote:

Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean Conservation Area to see the Yellow-crowned Night Heron before the rain was to arrive. I had a feeling it was going to be a momentous day when I saw a total of eight deer and three fox, a mother and two youngsters all within a km or two from the conservation area. I learned an important lesson which is to have my camera out and ready to shoot before I leave the house from now on as I missed the fox opportunity. Although it never happens for me, I arrived and seen the bird I was after thru binoculars within 5 minutes, it was a first-time sighting for myself of this bird, so I took a couple of photos just to verify that I had seen it and decided to walk around the area as it was only 7am and I had lots of time. I seen a total of 21 species at the sight but the highlight was witnessing a couple of huge snapping turtles out laying eggs. As I was headed out I stopped to see the star attraction once more time and lighting had improved a bit and it was slightly closer than when I had arrived so took a couple more photos.

After stopping at Keith McLean Conservation Area, I stopped in at Rondeau Provincial Park without a lot of luck other than having a friendly conversation with what I think was a lost Raccoon youngster because he was talking up a storm, I believe complaining that he had lost mom and his siblings, lol. Drove back along the lake and decided that I was going to stop at Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area on my way back and it was a fantastic choice.

It was my third trip to Yarmouth Heritage Conservation Area this spring and I was determined to try and get a sighting of the Mourning Warbler that kept showing up on the ebird lists for this area. Stopped at the first pond on the way in and was entertained by a family of Wood Ducks although I am sad to say there were three fewer than the Sunday before. I managed to spot a pair of Great-crested Flycatchers bringing food to their nest. I got my best shots of a Belted Kingfisher so far this year but the better part of a hour was taken up watching a Great Blue Heron stalk across this fallen tree crouch low and wait. I was photographing the Great-crested Flycatchers when I heard a loud splash and commotion. I turned to see the Great Blue Heron had pounced off the tree and into the water the problem was I could only see the top two-three feet of the birds neck and head the water it appears was deeper than it anticipated but with a lot of struggling it managed to come back to the surface and fly back up onto the fallen tree with its prize, and I could not believe the size of the bass that it got from this small spring fed pond.

I took a walk around the big pond and managed my best photo of the Eastern Wood-Pewee, and started on the path out when a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker caught my attention so I sat watching it feed young ones I believe because it would fly from one tree to another then back to the first once constantly. At that point, a fellow hiker came down the path and asked if I was seeing the Mourning Warbler that was singing, first off, I didn't know it was the Warbler singing and I really didn't think it was going to be a case of the Mourning Warbler had finally come to me. Well, Steve took a few moments and located this bird, and my chase was over..........no not that simple now it was waiting for the opportune time for a good photo lol. I spent an hour watching this bird fly around in this area collecting food, and the second lesson I learned this day was to read up about your subject matter. I had figured my last two trips it was a warble look up, well this lovely bird spent more time down low and, on the ground, than up high in the trees and once I knew this it was much easier to figure out a pattern of how long you had once it landed before it was off on the chase again.

Overall, another fantastic day spent out amongst nature and its ability to soothe the soul
Stay positive there is always someone, somewhere that has it worse than you
Stay healthy and well we have lost the past couple of years and will never get that time back but we can move forward

Nikon z50 with the Sigma 100-400mm

Left at 4:30 am on June 11 to head to Keith McLean... (show quote)

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

Great set, thanks

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Curmudgeon wrote:

Wow what a great set. Love the warbler

Thanks very much

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Manglesphoto wrote:

great set of images!!

Thank you

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

ELNikkor wrote:

Beautiful photos; you're making great use of your equipment and talent! (Never even heard of a Mourning Warbler, now, thanks to you, I've seen what they look like. Just curious how many birds you've got on your "life list"?)

Thanks very much, I changed the way I go about my wildlife photography this year and find a spot to sit and let nature come back to life around me and it has produced significant improvements to my opportunities to photograph the world around me. I started into wildlife and nature photography back in the spring of 2018 and am up to 227 different bird species all seen in Ontario, Canada so far have not ventured anywhere else to look....yet lol

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

yssirk123 wrote:

Excellent set!

Thank you

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

randave2001 wrote:

Very nice set of images.

Thanks very much

gtilford Loc: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Bultaco wrote:

Great set, thanks

Thank you for taking the time to read about my adventure.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A truly excellent set. Very nice.