§§§ 🇨🇦 Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario - Part One

Let me start by saying these few pictures are like peeking through a door of wonder. So much more! Rondeau I visited in early spring where things are just getting started. Necessitated follow up visit required. A few points about Rondeau:

- A very strong family connection for me.

- Second oldest park in Ontario since 8 Sep 1894

- 8 km long crescentic (now that’s a word!) piece of land jutting into Lake Erie

- Important stopover for migrating birds. 360 species seen and 130 breeding. Includes many rare birds such as 

  Black Tern, Brewer’s Blackbird, Cerulean Warbler and most famously Prothonotary Warbler

- Largest Carolinian forest in Canada. Sassafras, Red Oak and Tulip Trees grow there

- Mixed use park of varying habitats

Yours truly on park bench. Note the famous foot to knee bend tree to the right.

Massive, ancient knarly Willow tree

Blending in - Brown Creeper


Top left to right, Yellow Crowned Kinglet, Yellow-billed Sapsucker (we think), Eastern Bluebird and Great Blue Heron

Snowdrops

Breeding pair Mute Swans near park entrance

One of oldest cabins in the park

Early frog out sunning 

§§§ 🇨🇦 Midland, Ontario April 2022

Finally managed a trip! This time to Midland, Ontario situated on the southern end of Georgian Bay. A wonderful town with some notable landmarks and parks.

Tiny marsh 

Phragmites  (invasive)

Pussy toes

Harbinger of spring - Song Sparrow

Midland Harbour, Georgian Bay

Starling and it’s eye home 



Actually upside down reflection of Grackle at dock

Nature :

Eastern Phoebe

Chipmunk

Early Crocus

Black squirrel which is actually a melanistic version of the Eastern Gray Squirrel. I thought these were different but the locals, less so.

Spring migration

And it wouldn’t be complete without a “face in a tree”

§§§ 🇨🇦 Regina, Saskatchewan Canada - January into February 2022

Well, planned trip cancelled due to COVID so some winter photos in this area.

Christmas leftovers …

Back again this unlikely pairing 

Beluga Whale ?

Surviving winter

Spring is soon to be here!

Ahh… can a trip be that far away?