Tag Archives: trees

Costa Rica Scarlet Macaw In Flight

costa rica macaw lapas in flight

Bucket list bird! Getting a good image of a bird in flight is arguably the hardest form of taking pictures… their moving fast!!! Off to Costa Rica we went recently for vacation and I had two types of birds to find (also was looking for monkeys in the wild and here too we did not disappoint): the Scarlet Macaw shown here and a Toucan which will be in the next post.

Macaws – also known as Scarlet Macaws and Lapas locally – are native to Costa Rica living in the tropical low land forests along the Pacific Coast. Its estimated 1,500 of the birds call this country home.

The one here has a mate (they mate for life which is roughly 60 years). I heard the pair flying into the area from their noisy unique call, and was able to walk the half kilometer to the tree they landed in. Very lucky to be shooting rapid sequences when this Scarlet Macaw took off towards me.

The second photo below is the pair leaving the area.

two costa rica scarlet macaws in flight lapas

Skier lodges at Big White Mountain, tucked in between the Okanagan Highlands and Monashee Mountains, British Columbia

big white mountain kelowna british columbia okanagan highlands monashee mountains

This is what fresh powder looks like hanging from trees! Sun setting after a ski day at Big White.

Day break over 16 Mile Creek

daybrake sunrise 16 mile creek oakville canada
We are a few minutes after 8am on Saturday October 26, standing on the Dundas street overpass looking south down 16 Mile Creek. The sun came over the trees about 15 minutes ago, slowly bringing light and life as the birds got going. Mist from the creek rose and a sun haze stretched out across the tree canopy.

Peak fall colors this week in lake of bays township

fall colors in the forest lake of bays township muskoka
We hit peak color this week in the Baysville area, punctuated by a bright sun and shadows of the forest. This is along Browns Brae Road, a gravel route connecting a few of the lakes in the Lake of Bays Township.

Daybreak over Mt. Arthurs and Finlayson Ridge, Monashee Mountains, B.C.

mt arthurs finlayson ridge monashee mountains british columbia
The morning views across the Monashees deliver most every time.  Because the peaks hide the sun, the sky will lighten an hour before it rises over the horizon producing a myriad of colors (purple, pinks, reds, and orange all mashed together!) and finally fading to yellow as the sun climbs.

Fresh Powder in the Corkscrew Glades at Big White Ski Resort

corkscrew glades at big white ski resort
I find this picture both calming and exhilarating at the same time. The stillness of the air and clarity across the snow and between the trees, plus the depth of view makes it easy to look at and pretend you are there in person. And then there is the adrenaline rush from making first tracks through snow as your heart beats, legs ache, and you are screaming with delight in your head!

Change In Colors, Thanksgiving weekend, Echo Lake

fall colors birch trees echo lake muskoka
Birch trees mixed in with the requisite vibrant fall colors on echo lake this past Thanksgiving weekend. Though never taking the change in colors for granted, it still is fun to see tourists arrive by motorcoach to look at what we Canadians see every year!

The Snow Ghosts of Big White

big white ski resort snow ghosts powder skiing
This is the peak of Big White looking West to the Monashee mountains across what they call the ‘Enchanted Forest’. The previous day it snowed like crazy, and this next day it was powder top to bottom. The trees when covered with snow are locally known as ‘snow ghosts’ – great name!

A Fresh Winter Snowfall

fresh winter snow on trees
What’s there not to like about snow? White, fresh, magical, picturesque… A view out back of house and into the ravine. Another winter has arrived!

Bright and still forest of Canada

bright and still fall forest of canada with colorful leaves
Thanks for having a look. This is the last picture taken of the fall season at the cottage. Even with 2/3 of the leaves on the ground, it was still wildly spectacular to take in all the color and shadows. The day was bright, but cool, and completely still. Another reason to love Canada.