Although all my earlier memorable canoeing experience was on northern rivers, here in the valley we do have some nice small lakes that are attractive for a paddle. This one is Bell's Lake, a small mostly protected lake that is really just a widening of a small stream, but because it's all wild, it's fun to paddle. It's like a bit of northern wilderness plunked down here in southern Ontario.
At one point you literally paddle across the top of an old fence!
But once you get there you've got a ot of interesting shoreline to explore.
At some point the water level has risen and killed off a lot of trees, so today there are stretches of shore that are a tangled mess of fallen tree trunks, with lots of reflections.
What struck me about all the paddles we've done on this lake (I think we've been here at least three times), was the bird life. The Kingfishers were common, each patrolling its own stretch of stream or shore, At one point we saw a Kingfisher dive into the water and come up with a tiny fish. I consider myself lucky to have got this shot; Kingfishers are known for flying away down the shoreline in front of you!
And this is a Kingbird, easily recognized if you get a good look at it by the white band across the bottom of the tail feathers. It feeds on insects, catching them on the wing as it swoops over the water.
Puttering along the shoreline I spotted this shrub, a Swamp Rose I think. But I had to move up through a tangle of branches to get the picture!
Can you spot the same group of blossoms in this picture?
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Meanwhile, here on the home front we've had more snow.
A lot of snowblowers going on the street this morning!
Small, humble, interesting places like that are fun to explore. They are private. And no motorboats blasting around.
ReplyDeleteWe had never seen a kingbird until a few years ago. We seem to have a family of them here every summer.
ReplyDeleteNice to see your photographs ...
ReplyDeleteOh dear, poor crane-stick!
All the best Jan
So peaceful paddling around. Beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a contrast between the green river shots and that last one one! I can just feel the silence of those river paddles, though, and to me that would be the best part.
ReplyDeleteHope the snow lets up for a while.
Love the pictures of the canoe flowing through the stream. I can see the same clump of flowers in your second picture.
ReplyDeleteHeard about the snow.......maybe that all means March will be snow-less?🙏
I know kingfishers, but I don't know kingbirds. More to learn. Beautiful photos. Still no snow here in Washington state, weird.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good naturalist.
ReplyDeleteI was just remarking last evening that this seems to be a cold winter, but most Januaries are like that, I think.
I love puttering along the shoreline, or paddling up a winding creek, exploring. Thanks for jiggling my memories!
ReplyDeleteKingfishers have quite a sharp chatter to them. We have one hear at the Park's pond. I don't think I've ever seen a King Bird. That looked like quite a paddle in the brambles for that nice flower shot. The bow shots of your canoe remind me a poem we read in public school. 'The Song My Paddle Sings' by Emily Pauline Johnson.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on the warmer days of your paddling adventures is a great antidote to the snow that continues to fall. Thanks for taking us along with you.
ReplyDeleteOh for the warmth of the sun. I am so looking forward to spring. These photos are beautiful. Love the kingfisher especially.
ReplyDeleteSeems like that would be a lot of fun to go canoeing. I enjoyed the pictures.
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