Art Title: Baby Tortoise - New Beginning

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This little tortoise breaks through his shell, and into the soft sand of his new world.

Art Title: Barn Swallow - Old Barn Door

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A weathered barn door acts as a temporary perch for a Barn Swallow.  The dark slate blue head and wings and deeply forked tail distinguish it from other varieties of Swallow.

Art Title: Barn Swallow - Red Barn Door

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A Barn Swallow rests momentarily. Swallows spend a great deal of their time in the air and nearly all of their food is caught "on the wing". Barn Swallows can be found throughout most of the world and makes its home on all the continents except Australia.

Art Title: Bird on a Wire - Wren

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Wrens are cheeky, energetic little birds.  They are fascinating to watch and have one of the most beautiful, vibrant songs of all the birds found in Southwestern Ontario. This one patrols the fence, protecting his territory from intruders.

Art Title: Bluejay and Eastern Redbud

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The vibrant pink of the blossoms on the Eastern Redbud tree highlight the vibrant blue of the Bluejay.

Art Title: Brown Pelican

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The Brown Pelican is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is endangered in all of its range except for the Atlantic coast, Florida and Alabama. This beautiful specimen tucks his head in for an afternoon nap as he rests on a Florida beach.

Art Title: Cardinal and Apple Blossoms

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In the 1800’s Cardinals were much sought after cage birds highly valued for their color and song.  Thousands were trapped in the south in winter and sent to northern markets and thousands more were sent to Europe.  This trade was stopped with the creation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918.

Art Title: Cedar Waxwing and Crabapple

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The Cedar Waxwing is completely dependent on fruit.  It’s entire life cycle is timed around the availability of a variety of fruiting trees.  The name ‘waxwing’ comes from the red appendages on the tips of the secondary feathers.  The exact function of these tips is not known.

Art Title: Chipping Sparrow

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The Chipping Sparrows are the first birds to visit me when I’m digging in my garden.  They wait patiently, turning their russet heads from side to side, waiting for me to throw them a juicy grub or worm.

Art Title: Eastern Cottontail

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Last spring our Jack Russell terrier found a nest of baby bunnies, nestled just below the surface of the grass up against the house.  Luckily, these little bundles of fur survived their ordeal long enough to be moved to a safer location.

Art Title: Fall Bluejay

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Large flocks of Blue Jays migrate every year through Point Pelee National Park, making their way through the park to the southern-most tip of Canada before heading south of the border for the winter.

Art Title: Great Blue Heron Pair

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The plumage of the Great Blue Herons becomes vibrant during mating season.  This is Canada's largest heron and in spring, they can often be found in large nesting colonies .  This pair displays their finery to one another, showing off the bright coloring of their bill and neck feathers.

Art Title: Hummingbird and Foxglove

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The long slender flower of the Foxglove seems to be custom designed for the Hummingbird.  This male Ruby-throat buzzes up the stalk from flower to flower, sipping the nectar that hides inside.

Art Title: Little Blue House

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This wren house sits nestled in the corner garden, abandoned by this year’s brood and waiting for the next.  During the busy nesting season, the male wren can often be seen sitting on the peak of the roof, singing his little heart out!

Art Title: Mallard - Morning Reflections

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This Mallard hen sits in the shallows of the river waiting for the sun to rise above the horizon.  The stillness of the water reflects her patience.

Art Title: Mourning Dove

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The Mourning Dove is my favorite backyard bird.  I love waking up to their soft ”cooing’ call.  They seem to be quite patient birds, often allowing me to come quite close.  When I’ve exceeded their tolerance level, they explode into the air with a whistle.

Art Title: Northern Oriole and Dogwood

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The Northern Oriole, or Baltimore Oriole, is not a common sight and when they are present they are often difficult to see as they tend to stay in the tops of the trees.  Most of the time you only catch a glimpse of their startling orange and black plumage.  If you’re lucky, they’ll venture down into the lower branches in search of berries or insects.

Art Title: Paso Fino

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I recently saw this Paso Fino stallion at our local fall fair as he was being put through his paces in the ring.  He was the equine picture of beauty and grace.

Art Title: Pickwick Crocus

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Pickwick is a stunning variety of early spring Crocus.  It’s purple and white stripes make it stand out in the garden.

Art Title: Red Fox and Split Rail Fence

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The coat of the Red Fox is rich in color and texture, especially in the winter.  Wandering through the stark whiteness of the winter landscape, it stands out, even at a distance.

Art Title: Red Wing Blackbird

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I always think of the Red-wing Blackbird is primarily a marsh bird so I was very surprised to see them at my city birdfeeder this year.  They seemed to take great pleasure in bullying the smaller sparrows and finches out of the way so they could monopolize the feeder!

Art Title: Red-tailed Hawk

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The Red-tailed Hawk is an opportunistic hunter but seems to prefer rabbits and small rodents.  You'll often see them perching on a fence or telephone post scanning the horizon for movement.  But... try to get close, and off they go, moving farther down the fence line to safety.

Art Title: Ruby Throat

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The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the most common Hummingbird in the eastern half of North America.  They are inquisitive and territorial visitors and quickly become accustomed to the presence of humans.

Art Title: Slate Junco and Pussywillows

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Thought to be a harbinger of winter, juncos are known to many as "snowbirds", however, they are frequent visitors to Ontario feeders and gardens throughout the year.  These delightful birds can act like little chickens scratching through your yard and will often clean up seed thrown out of your feeder by fussier birds.

Art Title: Snowdrops

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Snowdrops seem to be a very unassuming spring flower but some varieties hide a secret.  Look up into their flower caps and you may see a multi-petaled white and green rose form.  Left to their own devices they will spread to create a spring carpet, even in the shadiest of spots.

Art Title: Snowshoe Hare and Dogwood

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The winter coat of the Snowshoe Hare provides excellent camouflage as it rests next to a winter bare Dogwood bush.  These hares have large, furry feet that help them move on top of the snow in winter. Each spring, as the snow melts, their coats slowly turn back to the soft brown color they'll wear for the summer months.

Art Title: Swallowtail and Lavender

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The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is called a swallowtail because it has long "tails" on the hind wings which look a bit like the long, pointed tails of swallows . This one takes a short rest on a lavender stem, perhaps grabbing a sip of nectar before taking to the air again.

Art Title: Tree Swallows

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Swallows always seem so happy.  The joy of watching the flying acrobatics of these little birds, conflicts with hope that they’ll stop and rest so I can get a better look at their gorgeous coloring.

Art Title: Under Cover Goslings

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These goslings have so much personality. Nestled safe and secure under their mothers wing, they are protected from the outside world.

Art Title: White Trilliums

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I know it's spring when I see the carpets of white Trilliums blanketing the ground of roadside wood lots.  You have to enjoy these flowers, Ontario's provincial emblem, while they last as they soon disappear into the ground until the following year.

Art Title: Wild Canadian Columbine

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This wildflower is a fast grower and is wonderfully low maintenance.  The delicate looking red and yellow blossoms are actually quite sturdy and bloom for weeks in a spring garden.

Art Title: Winter Ice Cardinal

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The Cardinal is one of our most colorful birds that frequently stays for the winter.  Their brilliant red feathers make a striking contrast to the stark dullness of a winter day.

Art Title: Wren and Grapevine

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I could hear this Wren, but couldn't see it as it remained hidden among the grapevines, it's coloring perfectly matching the fall foliage.   It briefly flew up to perch on the fence post and survey the surroundings before, once again, disappearing into the leaves.