The ice is gone Very rapidly over less than a couple of days, the ice went from the St-Lawrence and we are back to flowing water again. However, if you look at the foot of the tall tree you will see a few remnant, trapped plates of ice caught there temporarily. I am looking [...]
This magnificent bird is a Northern Pintail male and as the ice on the river starts to open up in the next couple of weeks (we hope) there will be a small number of them spending a short moment in the vicinity. I have to confess that this is a wild Pintail, but a [...]
Some interesting photographs from the period 1-6 January 2018 (click any thumbnail to see the images at full size) This weeks views ... Snow cushioned in the divided trunk of a paper birch tree Cat-tails backlit by a winter sun This and image #4 are two pictures of the [...]
In search of gainful occupation on this sunny, cool morning and having set the week’s bread to rise, my thoughts turned to birds and landscapes. When we first arrived in Montreal we used to regularly visit the Parc-du-moulin in the tip of Ile-Perrot. This was where I saw my first close-up flock of Cedar Waxwings [...]
A truly spectacular, bright, sun-filled and bitterly cold day today after yesterday's general nastiness. Temperatures of -17degC (-29 with the windchill factored in) but with a good coat and a "stout heart" excellent for walking and taking the air. Down by the river at the end of the road (you must all be sick of [...]
A Happy Christmas to all our Friends and Relations A gorgeous Christmas Eve in Baie d'Urfé with bright sunshine, a blue sky, crisp snow on the ground (at last - that was a close thing) and you just had to be outside enjoying the -16degC temperatures. Beautiful, beautiful. Merry Christmas ... [...]
Having decided to re-awaken the journal, I need material to post. It strikes me, you readers being keen on photographs, to try to do at least a weekly photo (and maybe even daily ones if possible). Driving along the lakeshore every morning to work with no camera and other cars pressing behind me I am [...]
WE never managed to get to visit the park on Ile Bizard this spring and so missed all the "good" birds that were reported from there so decided to take a walk there this non-labouring Labour Day holiday. This is a really wonderful park run by the Montreal city authorities with extensive marsh and forest [...]
The gardening conditions this year continue to be very favourable towards the maintenance of plenty of flowers despite it being high summer. Finally the humidity has gone but a pleasant mid-20s temperature is keeping everythng looking good ... though the glorious lily displays are aided, made possible even, by J's daily forays to squish lily-beetles. [...]
After a couple of years of dithering we have bought ourselves a pair of kayaks to complement the canoe we already enjoy ... somewhat lighter and easier to load onto the car. Today was their first outing ... conditions on the lake were less than ideal with a strong wind and good waves but we [...]