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I will be "In Studio" this coming July 1st (Canada Day" and also July 2nd ... hours 10:30 - 4:30 both days If you are around for this coming Canada Day weekend please come in and say hello, and have a look at some of the unique art available for sale by a number of different artists . The address is 9713A Second Street Sidney (1/2 block South off Bevan) I'll have some of my latest images , greeting cards and jewellery on display. Hope to see you there...... TerryV  
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  Osprey MOON in June  Morning of June 26th I waited patiently out in a farm field for Papa Osprey to come back from fishing. After an hour and 1/2 , I heard his greeting call to his mate and shot several hundred images of the breakfast event. He caught a small Sole (these fish live flat on the bottom of the ocean, so one wonders how deeply he had to dive to grab this fish) He flies in past the nest to show off his catch, then goes over to a nearby tree to dine on fresh fish head.      After enjoying his meal of fish head, Dad flies back to the nest where Mom is camped out and he gives her the rest of the fish! She accepts his offering , stretches her wings and flies from the nest into the same tree where Dad ate breakfast. (Then Dad takes over nest duty )   Momma O lands and gives herself a good shake before she begins her morning meal.   The last bite.. Nothing is wasted... even the tail fin goes down the hatch!   Momma O takes some time to groom after breakfast, meanwhile Dad remains on the nest snugged down with the kids ... (I have not yet seen the little Ospreys but I will certainly be watching and report and sightings) Thanks for looking ... Hope everyone has a great day! TerryV ...
   The 3 photos above taken this morning of a Blue Eyed Darner  Above and below taken this morning of a large unknown Dragonfly... I will get an ID for you!   Unknown Damselfly also from this morning... A slender minute Dragon-Like insect!
 I was at the Osprey nest early enough today to just miss the 1st fish delivery (which as eaten by Mom at the nest) then 20 minutes later Dad comes back with another fish, seen here after he spent 10 minutes removing the head. This seems to be a thing with the male Osprey ... They eat the heads of the fish quite often before delivering to the nest.  Here's Mom after receiving the fish breakfast and she decides to take a break from minding the kids and enjoy it in their favourite tree.  Mom Osprey flying off with breakfast!   After breakfast leg and talon stretch  Mom Osprey looking regal during her break from nest duty.
 Great Blue Heron stealthily fishing in the early morning light of Solstice, June 21st .. * click on images below to view full size *  A pair of Orioles chase a marauding crow  There are 16 images in the slideshow below * click to play* I must have water in my ears... I hear a buzzing sound!  Blue Darner Dragonfly checks out my camera gear!   When I first got to the nest, Mom Osprey was in the tree where Dad normally sits and he was no where to be seen A crow came along after a while and Mom paid no attention to it until the crow flew off toward her nest. She followed quickly and landed on the nest. When Mom got to the nest a head popped up! It was DAD and he had been sitting on the youngsters (giving Mom a break) He go up, stretched and flew back to the tree where Mom had been sitting!    This photo of Dad with a Sculpin is from 2016, but flying in to the nest with a fish is what I most often see him doing! Thanks DAD, for everything you do for us! ... Happy Father's Day!
 Michell's Farm Market , 2451 Island View Road , Saanichton BC  This is as close as I get to a self portrait!! :)
 Curious creatures these Turkey Vultures! I found a dozen of them today not far from the Victoria airport in N Saanich ... No doubt their gathering was on behalf of some less fortunate beast that had perished? The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) are terrific cleaners of road killed animals and will eat almost anything. I have watched them in farm fields during farming activities as they follow the hay cutting machinery to grab rodents or birds that get left in the open or injured. I thought of Africa today as 8 of them gathered in a tree very close to me. It was unusual because these birds are normally wary and difficult to study at a close distance. Certainly not everyone's favourite bird, but a wonderful part of the Natural System , and very well suited for carion removal given their naked head, large beak for tearing and cutting and wide wings to soar above the earth looking for food. Interestingly wide spread, these birds range from Southern Canada to the most Southerly points of South America! Hope you enjoy todays photos..... All the best.... TerryV      hours are 10 - 4 ... 9713A 2nd Street , Sidney BC ..... Please come out and say hello! I am just finishing up some of my favourite images on canvas from 2018. Hope to see you this weekend ..... TerryV  |
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September 2023
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March 2018 .. I just received notice that my blog has been awarded a distinction of being one of the top 100 photography blogs in Canada.
* All images and content copyright Terry Venables and NaturalImagesCanada *
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