Photo of the Week 2021-06-28

Hummingbirds of Revolve Farms

 

On a recent visit to Matt & Claire's Revolve Farms location in Athens ON, we were treated by an appearance of the local Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

 

Ruby-throated Male

Ruby-throated Female

These two were in frequent attendance at the feeder outside the tiny-home window and I imagine provide much entertainment when Matt & Claire are taking respite from their daily work regimen.

feeder outside the window

It was challenging to get the sharp images I would prefer without my 'birding' setup of the Canon 7DII with EF100-400 L IS. The EOS M5 and Sigma 18-300 performed acceptably but I look forward to going back to see just how much I can improve my results.

The above images of the birds are crops from the frames below which include the feeder. The Hummers did land on the branches holding the feeder and I would like more time to focus on making better images without being a distracted, disrespectful guest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-06-21

On the lookout for a Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) to photograph this spring, I was surprised when the cottage neighbours found several growing along the edge of their property. Of course I took advantage of the opportunity close at hand ...

 

back-lit blue flag

A blossom's eye view of a back-lit Blue Fag Iris

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-06-14

 

Sometimes the noise, the static, the clamour of the world today reaches a point and turning it all off isn't enough. You just have to get away and get up in the morning, make a fresh cup of coffee and go sit by the water before anyone else is around ...

 

 

... and enjoy the quiet.

the quiet

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-06-07

Blue-Eyed Grass

On my late spring walks at the cottage, I'm on the lookout for Blue-Eyed Grass along the margins of the roadway. I first encountered this lovely little perennial wildflower in the years we were driving up to 'the Bruce' while considering if we might buy a cottage there. Now, I'm treated to clusters of these little purple-blue flowers along the road just a few hundred meters from our driveway.

 

Blue-Eyed Grass in Sun

 

This year in the first week of June, I was pleased to see quite a number of the little flower buds early one morning. These flowers only open for a short period each day, closing up again in the evening once the sun begins to set. This makes them somewhat elusive to spot, as without the flowers, they look just like the other grasses in the dirt and gravel bordering the road.

 

Blue-Eyed Patch

 

Blue-Eyed Roadside

 

I'm managed to find several more patches to visit and photograph in the coming years ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-05-31

 

There is a little patch of forest, where the morning sun breaks through the predominantly cedar canopy to dapple the ground. In spring, it is magically transformed when several large patches of Fringed polygala or Gaywings (Polygaloides paucifolia) emerge. Pushing up through the forest floor, their bright green leaves and pink flowers are like paint spattered from natures brush. A closer look reveals an amazingly complex little wildflower, with a pair of pink wing-like petals bracketing a 3rd forward facing petal tipped with with fringe (my description).

 

Gaywings

The location is one I look forward to visiting every spring now, and this year I had plans to spend a bit more time photographing these unique spring wildflowers. With my creative spirit seeming to have fled in these COVID times, the first effort did not go well. Oh, I could blame it on my allergies, raging with pollen filling the air at this time, that had my eyes watering and itchy making it difficult to focus (literally and figuratively), but more likely, I've just gotten lazy with my photography. Firing off exposures, not really paying attention to the basics of composition, shutter speed, aperture, going through the motions is no recipe for a good image. It showed in the initial results when I reviewed them back at the cottage.

 

With a better plan, more aware, more focused, more determined to create an image I could be satisfied with, I settled in to enjoy the process and let it flow. The result above may not be to everyone's liking. Some may critique it's lack of focus on all parts of the plant, but I find it hearkens back to my earlier shallow depth of field (DoF) imagery.

Following are some additional, more conventional images from the outing.

I've seen these flowers at various locations along another trail, but not in the large patches I see in this favourite little patch of forest in my northern backyard.

 

DJE