2011-IMG_5135

2011-IMG_5135, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Had a report of a Bald Eagle on this tree (not the first time). Many will mistake the osprey for an Eagle (from a distance) because of the white portion of the head feathers, and the size.

Of course I had to check it out due to the fact this tree will hold eagles through the winter because of open water nearby.

2011-IMG_4304

2011-IMG_4304, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Le Conte's Sparrow is another one of those hard to photograph birds unless you have a long lens (the Canon ef 400L 5.6 was used here)...there are very skittish. What I find works well (and I'm sure this is no secret to the pro's) is to stay put long enough for the birds to fly back for some decent shots.

These are also 100% crops.

2011-IMG_2743

2011-IMG_2743, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

A recent wedding in the family! :)

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2011-IMG_4083-2, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Redtail Hawk perched in a tree on a sunny afternoon near RMC, Kingston, Ont.

This was an unexpected treat. I had been looking for a doe and fawn, but stumbled across this wonderful find instead from the corner of my eye.

2011-IMG_4282

2011-IMG_4282, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Buck presents himself for a portrait.

I now have several locations in the Kingston area where I frequently can find wildlife. Areas can be from around the airport (Lemoines) to the area north and east of CFB Kingston. The waterfront also presents many small gems all within easy reach for a quick shoot early before work or on my lunch hour.

My hot-spot list continues to grow!

2011-IMG_2039

2011-IMG_2039, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

This young buck is enjoying a cool spot in the shade. Had to pump up the ISO for shutter speed...and still shooting at 1/20th...good & solid tripods are a good thing to have. :)

2011-IMG_2035

2011-IMG_2035, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Took my lunch at...of course, my very favorite place and I had the pleasure of this little visitor. It stayed long enough to get my tripod up and fire off 2 shots then promptly bounded off.

This was on a frequently used trail.

2011-IMG_1234

2011-IMG_1234, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Black Guillemot on a rock cliff with a recent catch. This photo was captured during a recent visit to Cheticamp.

Getting home I had to dig into the bird books trying to identify the different species encountered not found here in Kingston.

This Guillemot was one of them, I find their red feet to be quite comical!

2011-IMG_9956

2011-IMG_9956, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Had a great visit recently to Cheticamp on the Cape Breton island in Nova Scotia....simply stunning scenery!

Beach in petite Etang, just north of Cheticamp, on the Cape Breton Island.

Blue Heron keeps me company.

I'm very spoiled here in Kingston. I can choose any one of a number of locations to pull over for a quick bite and not be alone. On this day, I have a Crispy Chicken to wolf down during a 20 minute respite on my runs, and I have this Great Blue Heron standing on the end of a dock at a nearby canoe club.

Equipment used was my trusty Canon Ef 400mm 5.6L series lens on a 60D, tripod mounted. Image is a 100% crop.

Cheers!

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IMG_9796-2, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Great Blue Heron takes off from it's perch once it saw our brigh yellow canoe approaching.

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IMG_9867, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

Turkey Vulture spreading it's wings as we canoe past it. It seems that it does this to warm it's body before it flies.

My wife and I fianlly took the canoe out for the first time this summer. I brought two camera bodies (T1i & 60D) with my 400 and the 18-85 IS 5.6, but the wrong size drybag for the bigger lens. The idea is to keep one body/lens in the drybag, secured to the canoe as I'm shooting with the other.

Should we capsize, I lose one and not both. The trick though, is to not capsize! :)

We have a 16' kevlar (Elite 16) from Scott's Canoe. Handling is really nice, weighs only 48lbs which makes handling really nice and easy when I go solo.

I find that a monopod is easier to handle than a tripod from inside the canoe, reaction time is a bit slower though, don't want to start the canoe rocking...been there before. :)

We hope to get out some more this summer and do some exploring.

Cheers!

IMG_9743

IMG_9743, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.

On a recent visit to Bluffers Park in Scarborough, had a chance to see this Northern Mockingbird.

As with most...this was shot on a tripod.

Immature Red Wing Blackbird

This immature Red Wing Blackbird found in the cat-tails waiting for a parent to show up.

IMG_0687, a photo by Michel (Mike) Soucy on Flickr.