Anti-social

Just letting everyone know that I'm going offline for the next couple months. Likely will be off until June sometime, have a great spring everyone and see ya in the summer!

Spiral

A little Hipstamatic fun from earlier today

Deep Thoughts

This American Widgeon seemed to be in deep thought about something, maybe the meaning of life perhaps?

Happy first day of spring!

I am sending this one out to +Allison Sekuler, about time someone sing about Hamilton instead of TO!

Sumac Drop

Not sure about this one but I thought I would post it anyways, please tell what you think good or bad.

Teenager in Love

This 1st year male American Widgeon sure was chatty and trying desperately to get the attention of a close by female but unfortunately for him the gal was already taken and didn't even give him a glance, to be a teenager in love.......

Hope you have a great weekend!

T. Revisited

Here is another blur of the Toronto skyline with the CN Tower to the right.  

Happy π day everyone!

Mr Bufflehead

I dont think there is any cuter duck then a Bufflehead!  I always get a big smile when seeing these wee little ducks zipping around in the water.  On two different occasions this guy came directly at me and in my journeys this doesnt happen too often so I made the most of it!

Happy Hump Day!

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
T.

On my recent outing in Toronto I tried something that surprisingly I had never tried before, a blur of the CN Tower!  In all the time I have spent there shooting, including hundreds of blurs, it never once crossed my mind to try something with the cities most iconic structure.  

I only spent about five minutes working the skyline but I came away with a couple keepers.  I found it a nice challenge to get a good blur going while keeping the CN Tower somewhat recognizable.  This is my fav so far but after I get done with the next image that might change :-)

T.

On my recent outing in Toronto I tried something that surprisingly I had never tried before, a blur of the CN Tower!  In all the time I have spent there shooting, including hundreds of blurs, it never once crossed my mind to try something with the cities most iconic structure.  

I only spent about five minutes working the skyline but I came away with a couple keepers.  I found it a nice challenge to get a good blur going while keeping the CN Tower somewhat recognizable.  This is my fav so far but after I get done with the next image that might change :-)

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!

Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!

Great Gray Owl

You can now check out a full post, including lots of pics, of my recent monster day that was capped off with this beauty Great Gray Owl at http://goo.gl/Lbc5j

Cheers!
 

Pretty Widgeon

Here is another one from this weekends monster outing in Toronto.  There was no shortage of ducks that came right up to me looking to have their portrait taken, of course I obliged and clicked away :-) This female American Widgeon was by far the friendliest of the bunch!

Have a great week everyone!

You wanted a Monster Day didnt ya?

I am still coming down from my most spectacular outing yesterday!  The day started off in Toronto along the waterfront doing some duck photography.  I managed to create quite a few stellar images at Humber Bay.  The ducks were rather co-operative and I even got some super close up photo ops with male Bufflehead!  

Totally satisfied with the day the wife and I headed back home to Barrie.  On the trip back my wife mentioned if we should make a detour and check the location where a Great Gray Owl had been seen a couple days earlier.

 I was rather exhausted and didnt really want to go but after checking the list serve I noticed that the bird had been seen that morning.  A quick stop in Newmarket to refuel and off to Georgina we went!

Only took me and spidey owl senses a matter of a couple minutes to find the owl. I have been searching for this owl for 4 years and despite many attempts this year including trips to Algonquin Park, I finally got him!

I would have been happy just to see this guy but I was super lucky and got some sweet shots, a great way to cap off a most amazing day!  I was in desperate need of a monster day and I definitely got it.  More to come very soon.....

Hope you are having a great weekend too!

Banking Left

Another image that was buried away in last years files.  Black Tern shot at Tiny Mash near Elmvale, ON.

Gray-cheeked Thrush

One of my lifers from last years spring migration trip,  shot on the Tulip Trail at Rondeau Provincial Park.

Happy Hump Day everyone!

King of the Hill

Here is one for #treetuesday , of course theme curated by the fab duo of +Shannon S. Myers and +Christina Lawrie 

Snow Geese over Tundra Swans

Cannot wait for spring migration to get into full swing!

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
The Gray Jays of Algonquin Provincial Park

 I have been doing research on these fluffy jays the last couple weeks and found some most amazing facts about them so I thought I would share some for +ScienceSunday.

First off I have to say that this image isnt mine but is from wikipedia taken by an unknown photographer.

It may seem strange to see a bird incubating eggs while buried in snow but Gray Jays nest extremely early in the season.  Just three weeks ago when I was in Algonquin the birds were collecting nesting material and now their nests are fully built, eggs to be laid soon.  

That means they incubate eggs when temps will easily drop under to -30 (at this temp it doesnt matter if its celsius of fahrenheit) and most certainly a few blizzards to pass through.

Whats crazy about this behaviour is that scientists cannot come up with any plausible reason why this would be advantageous.  They only have one brood per season and there isnt any natural food sources around so why nest so early?  

The only thought is that they do it so they have the summer free to cache food supplies.  You see, Grays Jays survive the winter solely on food that they have cached from the previous summer/fall.

Despite this crazy nesting behaviour these jays have one of the highest survival rates amongst all bird species!

Another interesting fact about the Gray Jays of Algonquin PP is the scientific study of them.  Research of these jays began back in 60s by Russell Rutter.  
He started using multiple leg bands so that he could study and easily identify each individual.  This banding technique is still used today and to see a Gray Jay in Algonquin without lots of leg jewelry is just unheard off!  

After Russells passing in 1976, Dan Strickland took over the studies and continues them today.  Because of the dedication of Russell and Dan the study of the Algonquin Gray Jays is one of the longest-running studies of a marked population of vertebrates anywhere in the world, way to go guys!

There is so much cool info on these guys that maybe I will do a second part next week!  

Alright I am off for the day to find some ducks to photograph, hope you are having a great weekend!

The Gray Jays of Algonquin Provincial Park

 I have been doing research on these fluffy jays the last couple weeks and found some most amazing facts about them so I thought I would share some for +ScienceSunday.

First off I have to say that this image isnt mine but is from wikipedia taken by an unknown photographer.

It may seem strange to see a bird incubating eggs while buried in snow but Gray Jays nest extremely early in the season.  Just three weeks ago when I was in Algonquin the birds were collecting nesting material and now their nests are fully built, eggs to be laid soon.  

That means they incubate eggs when temps will easily drop under to -30 (at this temp it doesnt matter if its celsius of fahrenheit) and most certainly a few blizzards to pass through.

Whats crazy about this behaviour is that scientists cannot come up with any plausible reason why this would be advantageous.  They only have one brood per season and there isnt any natural food sources around so why nest so early?  

The only thought is that they do it so they have the summer free to cache food supplies.  You see, Grays Jays survive the winter solely on food that they have cached from the previous summer/fall.

Despite this crazy nesting behaviour these jays have one of the highest survival rates amongst all bird species!

Another interesting fact about the Gray Jays of Algonquin PP is the scientific study of them.  Research of these jays began back in 60s by Russell Rutter.  

He started using multiple leg bands so that he could study and easily identify each individual.  This banding technique is still used today and to see a Gray Jay in Algonquin without lots of leg jewelry is just unheard off!  

After Russells passing in 1976, Dan Strickland took over the studies and continues them today.  Because of the dedication of Russell and Dan the study of the Algonquin Gray Jays is one of the longest-running studies of a marked population of vertebrates anywhere in the world, way to go guys!

There is so much cool info on these guys that maybe I will do a second part next week!  

Alright I am off for the day to find some ducks to photograph, hope you are having a great weekend!

Sing Those Soft Blues

Here is a blur of Kempenfelt Bay taken a couple weeks back.  You can check out a standard image of the scene at https://plus.google.com/105779560824580764120/posts/6YUZeFfX4oH.  This was taken just to the right of the geese, not too often I take a sharp and blur image of the same scene.

Cheers!

Wiskedjak

Here is another image from my recent outing at Algonquin PP.  You can check out a full account of the day, including more pics, at http://goo.gl/QXK9z

Hope you are having a great week!

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
Like a Stone

Been spending the last couple days reorganizing my photo library and as always I found a few hidden gems.  This image was already edited but for some reason I didnt post it, better late then never I guess : ) 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Like a Stone

Been spending the last couple days reorganizing my photo library and as always I found a few hidden gems.  This image was already edited but for some reason I didnt post it, better late then never I guess : ) 

Have a great weekend everyone!

RESHARE:


Reshared text:
Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee

Wow, I have been so busy lately that I didnt realize it has been almost three weeks since Ive posted here!  

Here is a cutie leucistic BC Chickadee that I finally got to see at Algonquin PP last weekend, only been two years of searching :-)  Though the bird is only missing a bit of black on its bib and cap it still fools most people into thinking its a different species all together.

More to come soon....

Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee

Wow, I have been so busy lately that I didnt realize it has been almost three weeks since Ive posted here!  

Here is a cutie leucistic BC Chickadee that I finally got to see at Algonquin PP last weekend, only been two years of searching :-)  Though the bird is only missing a bit of black on its bib and cap, it still fools most people into thinking its a different species all together.

More to come soon....

Holding Out

Despite Kempenfelt Bay freezing over almost two weeks ago there are still quite a few Canada Geese hanging around.  The only reason I can come up with is that they know we are going to have an early spring, that must be it ;-)

Hope you are having a great wekend!

“It is pleasurable, when winds disturb the waves of a great sea, to gaze out from land upon the great trials of another” Lucretius

Have a great weekend everyone!

For +HQSP Art curated by +Jay Gould and +Syuzanna Avetisyan 

How You Doin?

Here is another one from my close up encounter with a Barred Owl last week.  You can check out more pics and full story over on the blog at http://bit.ly/XoHmP4

Everything Changes

Another strange winter we are having here in southern/central Ontario.  Shot this wintery scene two days ago just after I found the Snowy Owl.  Returned there yesterday to visit the owls and the snow was completely gone!  Then magically the snow has reappeared today, can old man winter make up his mind ;-)

Happy Thursday!

Making Something Out of Nothing

Yesterday I finally saw my first, and second, Snowy Owl of this winter season!  The only bad part about it was I found them on their favourite perch, telephone poles :(  When photographing birds, or any wildlife for that matter, you want to be at eye level to create the most engaging image. So what to do when you have a bird 25+ feet up in the air?  Read the scene and get creative!

After taking a couple of marker shots for the blog I came up with an idea to negate the bird being high up in the air.  I noticed was that the bird was leaning over the pole due to high winds so I slowly approached it using my "I'm not a threat tactics".  

After about 5 minutes I got myself right underneath the bird, not an easy feat to accomplish as most people couldnt get within 20 feet without pushing the owl off the pole.  Then I pointed my camera almost straight up at the owl and waited for it to look down on me.  

Voila, I came away with a decent shot when it looked like there was none to be had.  Another good reminder that if you want to photograph wildlife, knowing and understanding your subject is more important than knowing how to use a camera, though you need some of that too ;-)

I see its Wednesday so I will put this in for #wildlifewednesday  curated by +Mike Spinak 

Have a great hump day everyone!

Dances with Gulls

So glad to have found this community!

Dances With Gulls

Been sitting on this one for awhile and I think I am finishing editing it. Funny how I have spent hours playing with different colour combinations then last night I started from scratch and finished the photo in about 4 minutes ;-) FYI, aside from a slight crop in Aperture this photo was completely edited in Niks color efex 4 only using three fliters. 

I am going to send this one out to my new favourite page, +HQSP Art, curated by the duo of +Jay Gould and +Syuzanna Avetisyan 

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

RIght Time, Right Place

Just finished up a quick and close up photo op with another Barred Owl!  The wifey and I were right at the end of our Minesing loop and it was looking like another empty handed trek.  Up to this point I hadnt even picked up the camera, not even to ID a bird, when I spotted the Barred Owl just off the side of the road!

We circled back around to get a better angle when we noticed another group had found the bird.  It turns out they were bird banders we know from our local naturalist club!  

It was amazing how they caught the bird within a minute.  We watched as they weighed the bird and checked its tags. Of course we were graced with a minute to get some close up shots which I didnt mind at all ;-)  Great way to end our other wise boring outing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Watcher

 One thing there isnt a shortage of this winter is Barred Owls, I seem to find one wherever I go!  Other species of owls, like Boreal and Great Grays, are now starting to move into my area so it should be a smorgasbord of owly fun for the next couple months!  

Shot this guy a couple weeks back in the Minesing Wetlands.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

RESHARE:
It looks like my favourite band in the world,  Pearl Jam, has decided to play me a birthday show at Wrigley Field in Chicago this July, thats very nice of the boys to do ;-)  With the band labelling it as a special evening and no opening band and Mr Vedder just happens to a Cubs fanatic, I think the word EPIC might be in order!!!

Reshared text:
IT'S OFFICIAL: Pearl Jam will be playing at Wrigley Field. Will you be there? #PearlJamJuly19 http://bitly.com/PJWrigleyField

Yesterday I found two way out of season rarities at my local park not 500 feet from each other.  Finding a Brown Thrasher and a Gray Catbird in Barrie ON in the middle of Jan is like finding two needles in a haystack!  Full post with a few pics up on the blog

Brave or Stupid Bird?

  I spent yesterday afternoon roaming around Sunnidale Park despite the cold temps and found not one, but two way out of season birds.  The first was this Brown Thrasher pictured below and the second was a Gray Catbird.  

Both of these species should have left Canada many months ago but for some reason they decided to hunker down in Barrie and make a go of it.  Hopefully they can survive the next couple days as the temps continue to fall.

You can check out a full post over on the blog at http://bit.ly/10EvxcT

#birding  

Here is a sweet Lady Redpoll for #backyardbirdingmonday  curated by the dynamic duo of +Celeste Odono and +Ricky L Jones, though I must admit it was technically taken in a front yard ;-)

The Old Man Returns

Well it finally looks like winter has set in in my area.  We got hit with an Alberta Clipper this past weekend and temperatures are now very frigid.  Sadly Kempenfelt Bay has been fully engulfed in ice so no more ducks for me until March, oh well at least the ice fisherman will be happy now ;-)

Have a great week everyone!

Dissolve Me

Here's a sneak peak at new blur series I'm currently working on which is centered around waves.  More details to come soon....

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Oceans

Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Guide me towards you
Know something's left
And we're all allowed to dream
Of the next time we touch..........

You don't have to stray
The oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts
Hold tight the ring...
The sea will rise...
Please stand by the shore...
I will be...
I will be...
There once more.........

Ed Vedder ~ Oceans

#lyricallyinspired  

Honorable Mention

This image may have made my Top 12 Photos of 2012 but it was taken this past weekend after my list had been made so I have to give it an honorable mention post ;-)

 I am really excited that Redpolls are everywhere this winter , love these winter finches!  I did a lot of birdtography this past weekend all around my area but I find it amusing that the best session came at the side of a city street ;-) Caught two Redpolls and a few House Finches feeding on dried wildflower seeds such as Goldenrod and Chicory in the north end of Barrie.  A good reminder that good birdtography opportunities are everywhere.
 
Have a great Thursday everyone!

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a safe and prosperous new year! Here's my Top 12 shots of 2012, catch up with up with everyone very soon!

#topphotos2012  

requiem for a dream

Been away for a couple days but it seems to be some new feature on G+ called "communities" based on my massive influx of email invites ;-) I'll check it this weekend and maybe set one up for blurs.  I'm having a real hard time keeping up with #unsharpsaturday  and this may be a really good solution.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Secret Heart

My favourite blur from this past weekends fog filled outing.  Hope you are having a great humpday!

Out of the Mist

Had a fab outing yesterday in the fog around the Minesing Wetlands.  I was looking for some Snowy Owls but alas I didn't find a single one but instead found this small group of Sandhill Cranes playing in the fog, I'll take it!

Have a great week everyone!

Breaking Like Waves

I had a false belief
I thought I came here to stay
We're all just visiting
All just breaking like waves
The oceans made me, but who came up with love?
Push me, pull me, push me, or pull me out

Ed Vedder ~ Push Me, Pull Me

Finally I'm around for #unsharpsaturday , been a while ;-) Looking forward seeing everyone's fab images!

Cruising the Strip

 This fall I've been doing a lot of birdscapes (Full credit for that term goes to Artie Morris, BirdsasArt.com ) where the bird is small in the frame and you get a good sense of the surrounding habitat.  This is an adult Bonaparte's Gull in winter plumage cruising the shoreline of Kempenfelt Bay a couple weeks back.

For #flybyfriday  curated by the fab +Meg Rousher 

RESHARE:
Great idea and cause!

Reshared text:
Wildlife and Conservation Petition Please share this!

There is a movement to provide an alternative to the U.S. Duck Stamp to support wildlife conservation independent from the hunting community. (This is not an anti-hunting movement.) There is now a petition at the White House to support this new stamp.

"We propose a Wildlife Conservation Stamp, comparable to the well-known Duck Stamp, to support the acquisition of habitat and the conservation of all wildlife in the National Wildlife Refuge system with an emphasis on non-game species. A Wildlife Conservation Stamp would allow birders, photographers, hikers, and other people who enjoy wildlife in a non-consumptive way to financially show their support of the National Wildlife Refuge system."

As of this posting we need more than 23000 signatures by December 14th to get a response from the White House. Please help out!

Here is another image of the Barred Owl at Sunnidale Park in Barrie.  I hope to get out and photograph this guy with falling snow later this week if the weather cooperates ;-)

Time Flies

Wow, I cant believe that it's been three weeks since I put a post up, how time flies!  Ive been in another computer hiatus of late and just started to edit some images from the last month.  

Here's an image of the Barred Owl that has been hanging out at Sunnidale Park taken this past weekend.  So lucky to get the bird right out in the open just 20 feet from the trail.  Amazing to see family after family just walk right past this beauty raptor totally oblivious to its presence but they do have some good camo ;-) 

Catch up with everyone in a bit!

Wash

Experimental long exposure blur of some gulls along the Barrie waterfront, no textures added.

Deep Thoughts

Had a great weekend of bird photography along the Barrie waterfront.  Even thought I got lots of great pics of rare birds like Brant and Little Gulls my favourite image of the weekend is of the very common Loon, go figure ;-)

Have a great week everyone!

It was nice knowing ya!

After a eight day stay at the tiffin boat launch in Barrie the pair of Brant have flown the coup and continued their journey south.  It was such a treat having these rare visitors around for such a long time and surprisingly they fed in the exact same patch of grass everyday, must be some good eating there ;-)  

For the goose edition of #birdpoker  which of course is curated by +Phil Armishaw 

Dancing Nancies

Here's one for #inmotionthursday  curated by +Scott Thomas 

A Rare Visitor

I was super fortunate to get a great session in with a pair of Brant along the Barrie waterfront this past weekend.  These small cutie pie geese are known as costal geese and are rarely seen inland though they seem to be spotted with more frequency the last decade likely due to habitat loss.

I've only seen this species once before so I made the most of the situation despite the cold, rainy conditions.  I took my time getting close to the geese and after about 15 minutes they didn't consider me a threat and I was able to move around them freely and get real close!

If anyone is in the area you can see the pair at the Tiffin boat launch in 
Barrie.  They've been at this location since Saturday and were spotted there yesterday and me thinks they didn't make a move overnight with Sandy present ;-)

Sitting Pretty

First off I have to say that this isn't my photo but I wish it was ;-)  My darling wife, Kelly, captured this beauty Barred Owl a couple days at a local park.  I was both happy and jealous when I got a text at work saying she was photographing an owl.  I was even more envious when she told me that got pics of it on the ground, I've photographed many owls but never one on the ground before.

What's crazy about this is when my wife heads out for a photo-op on her own she never takes the 100-400mm with her due to the weight of the lens.  For some reason this day she decided to bring it with her.  Even crazier is just minutes before she spotted it she made a mental note to herself to keep an eye out for one, funny how that works sometimes ;-)

Put this one in for #wildlifewednesday  curated by +Mike Spinak and +Morkel Erasmus 

Siting on the rock of the bay, watching the tide roll away...

Have a great week everyone!

You're Disappearing Before My Eyes

Once in a while I like to take pictures that aren't blurry ;-)
Happy Friday!!!!!

Listen to the Colour of Your Dreams

       ~ John Lennon Tomorrow Never Knows

On the Move

 Herring Gull doing a fly by at Minet's Point in Barrie, so happy gull season has started in my area!  For #inmotionthursday  curated by +Scott Thomas 

Autumn Song

Seems like forever since I've seen blue skies.  Shot a couple weeks back at Severn Falls.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower ~ Albert Camus 

Flight of the RBG's

Just finished editing some pics from the fog induced weekend and noticed that the #birdpoker  theme is blurred wings, don't think it can get any blurrier then this ;-)

Ents

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

For #treetuesday  curated by the fab duo of +Christina Lawrie and +Shannon S. Myers 

* ~ Disappearing Act ~*

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” 

- Mahatma Gandhi

Had a great day out in the countryside shooting blurs in the fog with my lovely wife.  One thing I've learnt in photography is that inclement weather makes for great photography.  One thing I love about fog it that it mutes colours and often produces  dreamy like scenes, especially when combined with blurs ;-)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Silent My Song

Another weekly dose of Unsharp yumminess is just around the corner! If you want to play all you have to do is post a blur, out of focus, soft focus or any image that the main subject isn't sharp, it's just that easy! If you want you can use the hashtag #unsharpsaturday , tag the image with the +Unsharp Saturday and/or mention me +Nathan Beaulne. 

I may not get around to viewing all the images until Sunday sometime as I am indisposed for most of the weekend.

PS ~ if you tag the image with +Unsharp Saturday it will be automatically shared on the pages stream!

On an Island for One

I may be good for a couple hands of #birdpoker  today, birds on rocks theme, hosted by +Phil Armishaw.  This one was actually shot in Phil's neck of the woods at Bayfront Park in Hamilton last winter.

Have a great Friday everyone!

~ Wandering ~

Fooling around with the new multi-exposure feature on Hipstamatic, pretty neat add-on. Good part about dinner at the in-laws is there is always lots of flowers and stuff to take pictures of ;-)

For #mymobilemonday curated by the fab +Sinead Sam McKeown

Gold on the Ceiling

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians out there!

Acid Drop

Had a nice outing this afternoon around the Minesing Wetlands. Lots of sparrows and finches moving through the area right now and fall colours are near peak, gotta love this time of the year.

I really pushed the colours on this one and I'm still deciding on whether I like it or not, watcha think?

Frame and Focus

Fall colours are really starting to pop around Barrie. Created this blur using a slight panning motion with the aid of strong winds, why not let mother nature help me create this one ;-)

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Greetings everyone!

Well I meant to walk away from G+ for a long time but in reality there is a lot people I miss here so I am coming back!  Also I feel really bad about letting #unsharpsaturday  slip away and after some time to reflect I underestimated the connections that I have made here and what they meant to me.

Catch up with everyone soon!

I'm sad to say that I will no longer be posting or interacting here on G+. I'm not going to get into specifics but I feel this place has been going downhill for awhile.
As of now the only place online I will be active is Facebook and that will occasional at best.

Due to my absence #unsharpsaturday will now go unmoderated. If anyone wants to take over the duties please let me know.

If you need to get a hold of me you can always reach me at nbeaulne@gmail.com

Wishing everyone all the best!

Nathan

~fin~

"I Know Places"

Shot last weekend at George Langman Wildlife Sanctuary near Orillia, ON.

"Breaking it Up"

Welcome everyone to another weekly dose of Unsharp yumminess! If you want to play all you have to do is post a blur, out of focus, soft focus or any image that the main subject isn't sharp, it's just that easy! If you want you can use the hashtag #unsharpsaturday   , tag the image with the +Unsharp Saturday  and/or mention me +Nathan Beaulne. 

PS ~ if you tag the image with +Unsharp Saturday  it will be automatically shared on the pages stream!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

"Supper Time!"

Still trying to catch up on all the unedited files from this year.  Savannah Sparrow shot this past spring near Tiny Marsh.

Have a great day everyone!

"Sunspots"

  Just noticed that the #macromonday  theme is abstract and I sure do like me some of that!  Here's a zoom blur I did with my 100mm macro lens of some dahlias.  I started off with lens right at min focusing distance then pulled back away during a 2.5 second exposure, who says you need a zoom lens for a zoom blur ;-)

Of course the theme is curated by the kick ass trio of +Kerry Murphy, +Kelli Seeger Kim and +Jennifer Eden.

Have a great Monday everyone!

"Painted Lady"

For +On the Wings of Butterflies! curated by +Sharon Jeannette, +Cicely Robin Laing.  Shot this past July in Barrie.

The wifey and I are having a nice evening giving a first listen to the new Whitehorse album, really enjoying it so far!  This is the video for the first single, Achille's Desire, which was awesome live last weekend at the show!

Finally starting to catch up on some editing, key word there is starting ;-)  Putting this one in for #flybyfriday  curated by the fab +Meg Rousher and #birdpoker  Diving Birds theme curated by the bird master +Phil Armishaw!

Black Tern shot last June at Tiny Marsh near Elmvale, ON.

RESHARE:
If this doesn't put a smile on your face I don't know what will ;-) Please send +1's and comment to Austin's original post.

Reshared text:
A Little Owl out for an early evening stroll...

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

"This Trumpet in My Head"

Over the last couple weeks I've been experimenting with longer exposures in my blur photography and I'm starting to get some good results, or least I think they're good ;-) This image is a 7 sec exposure done just after sunset while moving in a car.

Also a reminder that I will be returning full time to curate #unsharpsaturday  starting next week!!! In the meantime keep those images coming!

Have a great Friday everyone!

Here's my last hand for #birdpoker Owl edition.  I somehow managed to spot this N. Hawk Owl some 200 feet into the bush while driving just south of Cochrane, ON.    My wife says I have an uncanny knack of being able to spot birds deep in the bush while in a car, passenger side of course ;-)  

We made a bet on this on one that if I was right she would never again question me when I tell her to turn around because I saw a bird and surprisingly this time I was right ;-)  And it was also a life bird to boot!

"What are you looking at cameraboy!"

Here's my second hand for #birdpoker  Owl edition.  This young Tawny Owl didn't seem too impressed that I was taking its picture, that or he really needed his morning coffee ;-) Captured a couple weeks ago at Bird of Prey show in Coldwater, ON.

I should be good for a couple hands of #birdpoker  today, seeing as the theme is Owls!  Found this Barred Owl image tucked away in the archives, taken last year in Oro.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

"In the Dark I See"

Some long exposure flower fun from this evening 

Finally I have some concert pics so I can join in the #welovemusicwednesday  fun!  Still tingling from the Whitehorse show this past weekend.  Luke and Melissa have such a great chemistry on stage but seeing as they are husband and wife it's not surprising ;-) One of the best shows I've seen in many years, can't wait for the next one!

Theme curated by fab group of +Folletto Folletto, +Harmony Goodson, +LaDonna Pride, +Andy Q. and +Trillian Petrova.

Had a fantastic time at the Whitehorse show last night.  It's not too often that I'm blown away at a concert but these two did that and then some!  Got to hear a lot of material from the new album and can't wait for it to come out on Tuesday!  More to come on the concert adventure soon.

Just noticed that it's +Sandra Parlow birthday so  #happymoosedaysandra !  I don't have any moose photos to share so we'll pretend that Whitehorse is singing you Happy Birthday ;-)

#pff2012  

W00t! Super stoked I was able to bring the SLR into the show, most relaxing and rule free venue I've ever been to!

Bring on Whitehorse!