As the year progressed I added 1 or 2 photographs and summary text to this page that illustrated projects or trips that I’ve been working on or have just completed.
December
The Northern Hawk Owl is usually found in northern Canada and from Alaska to Labrador. I photographed this one in Schomberg, Ontario just north of Toronto. Since it arrived there are often upwards of 50 photographers trying to get a unique shot of this bird. The Northern Hawk Owl doesn’t seem to be bothered by people as it hunts for prey.
October
Aerial Photography — The photographs were taken on September 30, 2019, starting out from the Airport in Greenfield, Nova Scotia then over Ponhook Lake, Molega Lake and on to the Atlantic Coast to the LaHave Islands, Hirtle Beach and Gaff Point and on the return flight over the LaHave River and Bridgewater.
More photographs can be viewed at this link: Aerial Photography Album
September
Today, September 16, 2019 Pam and I decided to go for a hike that took us through the Nova Scotia Nature Trust’s 15 hectare property “Knox Conservation Lands” on the north side of Molega Lake. This was just over a week after Hurricane Dorian passed through Nova Scotia. We had stayed at our summer home on Molega Lake during the storm and although scary at the time the damage we experienced was minimal although it included our power being out for 6 days. Others in the area saw more trees come down or break off.
We weren’t prepared for what we saw on the conservation lands which were just a kilometer away. Along the inland edge of the Conservation Lands, the property line follows an old logging road for a little over half of a kilometer. On the other side of this road the forest had been logged right after the Nature Trust took possession of the these lands. This left a large area of land deforested with an obvious edge or tree line beginning at the Nature Trust’s conservation property. This edge is visible in the photographs. The open area created from logging acted like a wind tunnel and the Hurricane hit the tree line with its full force toppling any tree in its path along that line as well as dominoing numerous trees adjacent to the first row. In this short forest edge there were at least 50 trees down, mostly pine and somewhere between 80 to 150 years old.
Later we hiked another short trail that took us to the edge of the lake at the other side of the conservation lands and what was noticeable was that the interior of the forest suffered very little damage. On a quick inspection I couldn’t see any trees that were blown over by the Hurricane.
In the next couple of weeks I’ll be revisiting this forest to get a better idea of the types of trees affected by the storm and to count how many were actually downed by the storm.
In a forest one tree supports another if one tree is taken down then the next tree becomes much more vulnerable.
— UPDATE – I went back a couple of days later and had a closer look at the damage. At the edge of the logging road I counted 73 trees that were uprooted and of those all but 3 were Eastern Hemlock the others were 1 Birch and 2 Red Spruce.
July – August
I’m switching from the Spring Projects and exploring new forests. I photographed a beautiful forest in New Brunswick but want to return later this summer to photograph an Old Growth Forest that I missed in my late June visit at Fundy National Park. I have a list of forests that I’m hoping to get to photograph over the coming months.
During August Pam and I drove to the area north of Lake Superior to Thunder Bay. Along the way we did several hikes in the Lake Superior Provincial Park and many other trails. For me it was an opportunity to photograph the southern edge of the Boreal Forest which I’ve been wanting to do for sometime. I’d still like to get further north into the Boreal Forest and eventually to the northern end of the tree line. I’ve added a very small selection of photographs from this trip.
April -June
During April through June I’m working on 2 projects. 1. Creating an Album of Photographs on Old Growth Forests near the Humber River. 2. Shooting additional photographs for my project on the Niagara Escarpment which I hope to present on this Website during the winter of 2019/20.
I went to the Orchid Festival at Tobermory the first week of June to photograph the Lady Slippers, while I only saw 2 in bloom it was a great time to be on this part of the Escarpment before the main tourist season begins.
DECEMBER -- Northern Hawk Owl - Although rare to be seen in southern Ontario this one I photographed about a 1/2 hour drive north of Toronto. -- FF, 400mm, 200 ISO, f5.6 1/1000 (photo cropped)
DECEMBER -- Northern Hawk Owl -- FF, 400mm, 200 ISO, f5.6 1/1600 (photo cropped)
DECEMBER -- Northern Hawk Owl. It had just caught a mouse or vole which can be seen hanging from its talons. -- FF, 400mm, 200 ISO, f5.6 1/1000 (photo cropped)
OCTOBER -- Between Seven Mile Lake and Hirtle Lake, Lunenburg, County, Nova Scotia -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, f10, 1/200
OCTOBER -- Between Seven Mile Lake and Hirtle Lake, Lunenburg, County, Nova Scotia --FF, 28 mm, 200 ISO, F 8, 1/160 Focal length 28 mm ISO 200 Shutter speed 1/160 sec
OCTOBER -- Between Seven Mile Lake and Hirtle Lake, Lunenburg, County, Nova Scotia -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, f10, 1/160
OCTOBER -- Seven Mile Lake, Lunenburg, County, Nova Scotia -- FF, 23mm, 200 ISO, f11, 1/200
SEPTEMBER -- Arial Photography - Ulhman Point, Queens County, Nova Scotia. My camera records the GPS coordinates so I was able to identify the lakes below, using google maps. The camera also records the altitude, this one was taken at an altitude of 345m, most photos were taken around 400m. -- FF, 70mm, 400 ISO, f5.6, 1/640
SEPTEMBER -- Arial Photography - Hirtle Beach, Gaff Point and West Ironbound Island, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. This shot was taken at an altitude of 420m. -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, f5.6, 1/800
SEPTEMBER -- Where the water meets the sand there are at least 6 edges (6 separate exposures). Beach near the entrance to Raggged Harbour close to Port Medway, Queens County, Nova Scotia -- FF, 19mm, 200 ISO, f11, 1/250
SEPTEMBER -- This shot was actually several exposures that the camera stacked together to give a different effect on the waves similar to using a slow shutter speed. Medway Head, Queens County, Nova Scotia -- FF, 17mm, 200 ISO, f11, 1/400
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – A logging road defining the northern edge of the conservation lands and a row of uprooted trees along the logged area. The wind blew across the open area when the Hurricane's wind was coming from the north and hit the tree line full force uprooting many older trees growing along this boundary. At the edge of the logging road I counted 73 trees that were uprooted and of those all but 3 were Eastern Hemlock the others were 1 Birch and 2 Red Spruce.-- FF, 60mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/25
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – More trees down along the forest edge. -- 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/25
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – An uprooted tree with me next to it to show the size of the root structure. -- FF,28mm, 800 ISO, F11, 1/125
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – The domino effect - one tree then another. As one tree on the edge of the forest toppled it knocked down a second and that tree forced another over. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/25
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation -- FF, 28mm, 800 ISO, F20, 1/50
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – The previously logged area north of the Conservation Lands boundary. This open area allowed the wind speeds to build without natural forest tree buffers. The treess top right are at the outer limit of the logged area, the conservation land is behind me. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/100
SEPTEMBER – Knox Conservation – This view is of an area deeper within the forest that shows no visible signs of tree damage from the wind. The outer line of trees gave protection to trees deeper in the forest. --FF, 34mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.5 sec.
SEPTEMBER -- Big Mushamush Lake canoeing. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F8, 1/100
SEPTEMBER -- Big Mushamush Lake -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/400
SEPTEMBER -- Big Mushamush Lake canoeing. -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/160
SEPTEMBER -- Big Mushamush Lake canoeing, Pitcher Plant. -- FF, 105mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/100
SEPTEMBER -- Big Mushamush Lake canoeing. -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/250
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Falls, LaHave River, Newburne, Nova Scotia. -- FF, 105mm, 100 ISO, F29, 1/8
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Falls, LaHave River, Newburne, Nova Scotia a wasp nest hanging over the river. -- FF, 105mm, 100 ISO, F5.6, 1/125
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Falls rapids above the falls, LaHave River, Newburne, Nova Scotia. -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/40
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Lake, Union Square, Nova Scotia, entrance to the LaHave River. -- FF, 17mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/250
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Lake, Union Square, Nova Scotia entrance to the LaHave River. -- FF, 26mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/125
SEPTEMBER -- Indian Lake, Union Square, Nova Scotia, a rest and lunch along the way. -- FF, 17mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/160
SEPTEMBER -- North of Molega Lake -- Forest area adjacent to logged area. -- FF, 17mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/40
SEPTEMBER -- North of Molega Lake -- Previously logged area. -- FF, 17mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/100
SEPTEMBER -- North of Molega Lake -- A tree island adjacent to logged area. -- FF, 26mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/60
SEPTEMBER -- North of Molega Lake -- Previously logged area. -- FF, 17mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/100
SEPTEMBER -- North of Molega Lake -- Previously logged area. -- FF, 17mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/100
SEPTEMBER - Down river of Apron Falls, North River, Nova Scotia --FF, 34mm, 200 ISO, F7.1, 1/125
SEPTEMBER - Apron Falls, North River, Nova Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/30
SEPTEMBER - Apron Falls from the top of the falls, North River, Nova Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/20sec
SEPTEMBER - Hike to Apron Falls, North River, Nova Scotia --FF, 105mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.3
SEPTEMBER -- Hike along the North River's rock structure and fern caps. - FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.5sec
SEPTEMBER -- Hike along the North River, aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. - FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.3sec
SEPTEMBER - North River, Nova Scotia --FF, 34mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/15
SEPTEMBER - Hemlock tree routes gripping large rock, Cherryfield Rd., Water Fall on LaHave River, N.S. Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F22, 3sec
SEPTEMBER - Cherryfield Rd., Water Fall on LaHave River, N.S. Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/25
SEPTEMBER - Firebrook Falls, Lunenberg, N. S. --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.8sec
SEPTEMBER - Logging near Molega Lake, Nova Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/160sec
SEPTEMBER - Logging near Molega Lake, Nova Scotia --FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F10, 1/60sec
SEPTEMBER -- Molega Lake – Porcupine FF, 105mm, 100 ISO, F4.5, 1/6
SEPTEMBER Molega Lake – Porcupine climbing a tree to escape the persistent photographer. FF, 105mm, 800 ISO, F4.5, 1/400
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River. - FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/15
SEPTEMBER --Pleasant River. FF, 34mm, 100 ISO, F18, 0.5sec.
SEPTEMBER -- Hike along the Pleasant River. - FF, 43mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.8sec
SEPTEMBER -- Hike along the Pleasant River another tree uprooted by Dorian. - FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.6sec
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River. Fungi on decaying tree. -- FF, 105mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.8
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River after Hurricane Dorian. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F10, 1/25
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River after Hurricane Dorian. Even with the roots hugging the rock the tree couldn't resist the wind. -- FF, 50mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/6
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River after Hurricane Dorian. An other tree with roots hugging the rock. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 0.6
SEPTEMBER --Hike along the Pleasant River after Hurricane Dorian. -- FF, 28mm, 100 ISO, F11, 1/120
AUGUST --Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park, Dorion, Ontario. FF -- 21mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/125
AUGUST -- 600 foot Suspension Bridge over Eagle Canyon, Dorion, Ontario. FF, 17mm, 200 ISO, F8, 1/400
AUGUST -- Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay, Ontario. This old Cedar tree was one of a number of Cedars in this area of the park (on the road around Lake Marie-Louise). I was looking for a Cedar that was reported to be 345 years old. After I returned home I was able to find another reference to the tree and found out I was only about 15 feet away from it. That Cedar was only slightly wider then this one I'm standing beside. -- FF,17mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/15
AUGUST -- Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. -- FF, 21mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/15
AUGUST -- Rustle Lake, Lake Superior Provincial Park. -- FF, 43mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/6
AUGUST -- Nokomis Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park forest floor plants -- FF, 43mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/30
AUGUST -- Nokomis Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park, forest floor plants, bunch berry -- FF, 105mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/8
Nokomis Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park -Pam and I at a Look out overlooking Old Women Bay.
AUGUST -- Nokomis Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park overlooking Old Woman Bay -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F9, 1/250
AUGUST -- Nokomis Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park, over looking the southern edge of the Boreal Forest. -- FF, 35mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/125
Noisy Trail, Boreal Forest, Lake Superior Provincial Park , with very old white birch showing signs of being part of an Old Growth Forest ecosystem. -- FF, 200 ISO, F11, 1/4.
AUGUST -- High Falls, near Wawa, Ontario, -- FF, 28mm, 200 ISO, F10, 1/10
AUGUST -- Sandy Beach, near Wawa, Ontario in front of the cottage where A. Y. Jackson painted. -- FF 28mm, 200 ISO, F10, 1/125
AUGUST -- Aguasabon Falls near Terrance Bay, Algoma, Ontario. -- FF 28mm, 200 ISO, f10, 1/25
Back Forty Trail at Whitesand Lake near Schreiber, Ontario, an example of lichens growing in this Boreal Forest. -- FF. 43mm, 200 ISO, F13, 1.6sec.
AUGUST -- Nipigon River Trail, hiking to Red Rock look out. -- FF, 35mm, 200 ISO, F11, 1/13
AUGUST -- Tower overlooking Nipigon and the Nipigon River. -- FF, 17mm, 200 ISO, F5.6, 1/800
New bridge over the Nipigon River -- FF, 200 ISO, F10, 1/10
JULY -- Sunset overlooking the St. Lawrence River at Kamouraska, Quebec from the Boulangerie Niemand FF, 34mm, ISO 400, F3.5, 1/400
JULY -- Beckett Ancient Forest is a small Old Growth Forest in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The oldest trees are over 200 years old. FF, 21mm, ISO 100, F11, 1/3
JULY -- Beckett Ancient Forest is a small Old Growth Forest in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The oldest trees are over 200 years old. FF, 17mm, ISO 200, F11, 1/6
JULY -- Beckett Ancient Forest FF, 35mm, ISO 200, F11, 1/4
JULY -- One of my favourite lakes for canoeing. This year Pam and I spent about 5 hours, in the canoe, exploring this lake on an absolutely perfect summer day. Shingle Lake, Nova Scotia. FF, 43mm, ISO 200, F11, 1/250,
JULY -- One of the many Bays of this lake featuring incredible rock structures with mosses, lichens and Sheep Laurel growing on top and in cracks of the rock. Shingle Lake, Nova Scotia FF, 28mm, ISO 200, f5, 1/250
JUNE -- Fundy National Park, New Brunswick - Along the banks of the Bay of Fundy are a number of beautiful older forests. I was looking for an old growth forest in the park but got mislead to this one which is spectacular none-the-less. FF, 17mm, ISO 200, f13, 1/30
JUNE -- Covered Bridge in the Fundy National Park, New Brunswick. FF, 17mm, ISO 200, f11, 1/100
JUNE -- Four Falls, New Brunswick - One of four water falls on a tributary of the Aroostook River. Four Falls, New Brunswick. FF, 28mm, ISO 200, f8, 1/160
JUNE -- Gault Nature Reserve, Mount St. Hilaire, Quebec - An older American beech tree, one of many beech trees in this old growth forest. The first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Canada. Gault Nature Reserve, Mount St. Hilaire, Quebec
JUNE -- Gault Nature Reserve, Mount St. Hilaire, Quebec FF, 28mm, ISO 200, f11, 1/50
JUNE -- Gault Nature Reserve, Mount St. Hilaire, Quebec -- FF, 34mm, ISO 200, f11, 1/5
JUNE -- Orchid Festival, Tobermory, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario - Painted-cup -- FF, 105mm, ISO 200, f10, 1/250
JUNE -- Orchid Festival, Tobermory, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario June 2019. This is part of my Niagara Escarpment Project which I'll continue working on this Fall and Winter. Due to a cooler Spring than usual there were few Orchids in bloom this year but I was able to photograph a number of spring flowers which I have never seen before and some are unique to this area. I will be adding these flowers to the Plant Album in the Galleries heading of the site. -- FF, 28mm, ISO 200, f10 1/400
JUNE -- Orchid Festival, Tobermory, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario - Yellow Lady's Slipper -- FF, 105mm, ISO 400, f8, 1/400
JUNE -- A beautiful old cedar forest near the Parks Canada Visitors Centre on the Burnt Loop trail --FF, 17mm, ISO 200, f10, 1/13
JUNE -- Orchid Festival, Tobermory, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario - Burnt Loop trail -- FF, 17mm, ISO 200, f11, 1/13
MAY -- Jefferson Woods - Trilliums - FF, 31mm, ISO 400, 1/125, f10
MAY-- I couldn't resist photographing the Trilliums at Jefferson Woods in Richmond Hill, Ontario Trilliums - FF, 17mm, ISO 400, 1/200 f11
MAY -- On edge of Old Growth Forest, Near Bolton, Ontario -- FF, 21mm, ISO 100, f16, 1/20
MAY -- Humber Valley Heritage Trail - stairs from River to top of bank and Old Growth Forest -FF, 17mm, ISO 100, 1/25, f11
MAY -- Spring Humber River - Silt left after flooding with Blood Root plant -- FF, 17mm, ISO 100, F8, 1/25
MAY -- Humber River - Fallen tree - FF, 17mm, ISO 100, 1/80, f8
MAY -- Humber River - Decaying tree. FF, 17mm, ISO 100, 1/25, f16
MAY -- Humber River and in the Humber Valley Heritage Trail from Bolton were a section of the trail following the river is made up of old cedars and hemlocks. --Beavers at work - FF, 17mm ISO 100, 1/8, f20
APRIL -- Humber River Forests - FF, 105mm, ISO 200,1/13, f11
APRIL -- Humber River Forest - FF, 105mm, ISO 200, 1/60, f5.6