Mark Bernards
KANATA, CA
Member since January 13, 2021
Most Viewed
Part of the Group
Hiking along this trail near Lac Lusk in Gatineau Park when the fall colours are at their best is like walking through a Group of Seven painting.
A Moment to Reflect
Walking along the trail around Mud Lake in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, I almost didn't notice this Great Blue Heron standing merely a few meters from the shore. Contrary to my encounters with herons in the past, this one was in no hurry to leave once it noticed me, and even seemed completely indifferent to my constant shuffling and moving around as I tried to find the right angle. Instead, it continued grooming itself, pausing occasionally, almost as if to pose for the camera.
A Welcome Visitor
In previous years, a pair of loons have taken up residence on this small lake, but sadly, this past summer they were noticeably absent. Luckily, this loon (likely a resident of one of the many other nearby lakes), decided to stop in one evening and hang around long enough for me to float out and take a few photos as the sun began to set.
An Unlikely Encounter
Although the Black-crowned Night-Heron is one of the most common herons in the world, it is an uncommon sight, because it is primarily active at night. So it was quite the delightful surprise when, while walking my dog in the early evening, along a path we take often, I happened to spot this incredible bird among the reeds of a small, man-made pond between a busy highway and a retirement community in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. I didn't have a camera with me, so I ran home, traded the dog for my camera, and hurried back. Luckily, the heron was still there, standing so perfectly still in exactly the same position it was in when I left that, for a moment, I doubted whether it was even real. Then it turned its head, and that's when I took this photo.
An Unlikely Encounter
Although the Black-crowned Night-Heron is one of the most common herons in the world, it is an uncommon sight, because it is primarily active at night. So it was quite the delightful surprise when, while walking my dog in the early evening, along a path we take often, I happened to spot this incredible bird among the reeds of a small, man-made pond between a busy highway and a retirement community in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. I didn't have a camera with me, so I ran home, traded the dog for my camera, and hurried back. Luckily, the heron was still there, standing so perfectly still in exactly the same position it was in when I left that, for a moment, I doubted whether it was even real. Then it turned its head, and that's when I took this photo.