Northern Exposures Photography

Limited Season

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:57:42 +0000

: Winter Retreat

Ice fishing is one of the more popular winter sports in Ontario, and may be done during any time of the day, with the most active times during dusk and dawn.

As conditions permit, the ice shacks are dragged or trailed onto the lakes behind an ATV, snowmobile or SUV. They are usually constructed of wood or metal and have runners on the bottom for transporting. Inside, and depending on the size, the ice shacks may be as basic as having only a bench over the holes or may be equipped with a stove, beds, and heaters.

In addition to the maps and surveys of lakes to assist in placing the ice shack on the ice, ice fishermen may now use sonar to show the shape and content of the lake bottom as well as indicating at what depth the fish are, and how to set the number and type of lines.

Ice fishing generates significant revenue to Ontario and local economies, from ice fishing package offers of numerous resorts, lodges and inns to the local bait and tackle shops. In most winters, ice shacks are on the lakes in early January, however, with the winter experience in Ontario thus far, the ice conditions in a number of locations is of poor quality or non-existent. With debate ongoing with respect to climate change, there is discussion that in the future, many areas of southern Ontario may no longer have ice fishing available as a winter sport and will be reduced elsewhere around the province.

Prolific

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:32:29 +0000

Mourning Dove

The Mourning Dove is one of the most abundant bird species found in North America. They are named for their soft and drawn out call, which sounds like laments. Their range includes all of southern Canada, the entire continental United States and the northern areas of Mexico. With their large numbers, believed to be 475 million individual birds, this species is also the leading game bird in North America, both for sport and meat. The ability to sustain the populations under this pressure is due to the prolific breeding of this bird: in warmer areas, a breeding couple may raise up to six broods per year, with a brood usually containing two eggs.

Adult Mourning Doves are usually up to twelve inches in length, with a plump body and relatively small head. The colouring of the sexes are similar, with a light grey and brown colour, which is generally muted. Their long pointed tails are unique to Northern American doves. The bird is a strong flier, often attaining speeds of up to 88km/h. with fast and powerful wingbeats. The wings make a characteristic and unusual sharp whistling sound on takeoff and landings.

Mourning Doves feed almost exclusively on seeds, and will often swallow grit such as sand or gravel to aid in digestion. They are usually ground foragers, eating what is readily visible. The species occupy a wide range of habitats including urban areas, farms, grassland and lightly wooded areas, but do avoid swamps and thick forests.

Wolf Moon

northernexposuresphotography — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:24:32 +0000

"Wolf Moon"

A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun, so that the face of the moon is completely illuminated by sunlight. Full moons rise around sunset and set near sunrise, the only day of the month when the moon is visible in the sky all night long.

The naming of full moons, correlating to the seasons, has been tradition dating back to the First Nations people of North America. As European settlement occurred, they carried on the custom. The full moon, which was observed yesterday, is known as the Wolf Moon in English lore. Other names that it is known as include; Hunger, Storm or Candles Moon. In the Algonquin First Nation people of Ontario, this moon is known as the Snow Moon. This name of the moon in February coincides with the time of year where food may be scarce and heavy snowfalls experienced.

Full moons have traditionally been associated with insomnia or insanity (thus the terms lunacy and insanity), though there does not appear to be any consistent evidence to suggest these effects on humans, although numbers of people in the general population and those involved in law enforcement, health care and social workers may have a different opinion.

No Longer Required

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:17:01 +0000

Old barns like certain species of plants and animals are becoming “endangered”. With the shift in the agricultural economy to large and intense operations, from the small family farms, large numbers of barns and homesteads are now abandoned.

As agriculture has progressed, the requirement for barn construction include; hydro, running water, heating, cooling and building materials with a longer life span than wood. The old barns become neglected, increasing the maintenance and insurance costs substantially. Additionally, the old barns housed animals in the winter that provided heat, ensuring the ground did not freeze. As the animals were moved, this allowed the annual freeze and thaw cycles to begin, which is one of the key reasons barns are literally falling apart.

Perhaps a greater threat to the older barns is urban sprawl. As populations increase, the demand for land for new housing and development is pressuring and competing with older agricultural areas for space.

There is a growing business for reclaiming the timbers and wood from old barns. The wood is then used for flooring, mantels and timbers. On rare occasions, the old barns are in a sufficient condition to be disassembled, moved to a new location and then raise the structure again to become the core of a new building and preserve a piece of history.

Upsidedown and Sideways

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:18:35 +0000

White Breasted Nuthatch

The largest of nuthatches, the White Breasted Nuthatch, is still a small bird, no longer than five to six inches in length, a ten inch wingspan and a short tail and a long narrow pointed bill.

These birds are active and agile, feeding mainly on insects and seeds. Nuthatches are often observed creeping along the trunks and branches of trees probing into the bark for food. Like other nuthatches, they often probe upside down and sideways on vertical surfaces as they forage. This ability is due to their extra long hind claws, (as depicted in the accompanied photo), giving them the superb balance. Their common name is derived from the habit of jamming large nuts and acorns into tree bark, then striking them with their bill to “hatch” out the seeds inside.

The White Breasted Nuthatch is a non-migratory bird occurring across southern Canada, most of the United States to northern Mexico. Their habitat is a preference of mixed woodland areas, with hollow oak trees for nesting.

Backyard Visitor

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:54:11 +0000

American Goldfinch - Male Winter Plumage

The American Goldfinch is a small finch (4-5 inches) long and is distributed in a wide area across North America. The winter range is from southern Canada, through the United States to northern Mexico. This finch is a short distance migrant during periods of cold weather and lessened food supplies. During a migration, they are observed in compact flocks, with the flight pattern erratic and wave-like in their appearance.

The usual habitat of this bird are open fields, meadows and areas of open woodlands. They feed primarily on seeds of weeds and grasses, but will occasionally feed on insects, which are also fed to its young as a source of protein. Human activity has generally benefited this finch and will often feed at bird feeders in winter. A particular favourite food at the feeders being Niger (or Thistle) seeds. Their beaks are small and conical which aids in the extraction of seeds from sunflower, thistle and other plants. Additionally, unlike other finch species, this bird uses it feet extensively when feeding, by hanging onto the seed heads to reach the seeds more easily. This dexterity enables it to feed on a larger variety of plants and increases it chances for survival.

The American Goldfinch undergoes a molt in the spring and fall, and is the only finch member in its subfamily to molt twice a year. During the winter molt all feathers are shed; in the spring, all feathers are shed with the exception of wing and tail feathers, which are dark brown in the female and black in the male. Once the spring molt is complete, the male displays its typical bright yellow body colour, jet black cap on the head and a white rump. This bright colouring is used for the attraction of a potential mate. The female is mostly brown, with lighter brown shades on the undersides and a yellow bib. Following the autumn molt, both sexes appear similar, with the plumage becoming dull with an olive-brown colour above and buff below; the male displays yellow shoulder patches. In addition, the beaks, which are usually pink through the year, become a bright orange in both sexes following the spring molt.

Year Round Resident

northernexposuresphotography — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:34:46 +0000

: Black Capped Chickadee

One of the most common and easily recognized permanent bird residents of North America is the Black Capped Chickadee.

Chickadees are found across Canada and into the northern United States, and is the official provincial bird of New Brunswick. In general they do not migrate, only relocating to a different area if the population becomes high.

Their habitat consists of any area that has trees and shrubs, from woodlands to residential neighbourhoods and parks, and sometimes even cattail marshes. They frequently nest in the rotted hollowed areas of alder or birch trees.

During the fall and winter months they usually flock and in the spring and summer split into monogamous breeding pairs. During the spring breeding period, the black-capped chickadees may be very inconspicuous.

The diet of the chickadee is primarily insects (especially caterpillars) in the summer months. Seeds and berries become more prevalent in the winter months, with black oil sunflower seeds from bird feeders a particular favourite. Food may be stored in various sites such as dead leaves, bark clusters of coniferous tree needles and knot holes. The memory of chickadees for the location and the type of food of the various food caches has been observed to be up to twenty-eight days.

Perhaps one of the most interesting facts of this bird is the ability to reduce their body temperature by up to 10-12 degrees celsius to conserve energy on cold winter nights, one of the few bird species known with this capability.

On Watch

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:50:15 +0000

The white tail deer is aptly named for the large white tail that “flags” as the animal bounds away, at speeds up to 50km/h when startled, warning other deer of imminent danger. Their primary defences against predation are their good eyesight and acute hearing, but depend mainly on the sense of smell to warn of danger.

The colour of the deers fur changes with the seasons, from a reddish-brown in the spring and summer to a darker gray in the winter. Their home ranges are generally small, being a square kilometer or less. During winter they do not migrate but tend to herd up within their territories during times of heavy snow.

The basic family unit is a doe and usually one or two fawns, which is illustrated by the accompanied photo. Females usually stay with their mothers for two years, and the males usually leave within the first year. The normal expected lifespan of a deer in the natural environment is ten years.

Winter’s Return

northernexposuresphotography — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:52:38 +0000

: Freeze Up

With the recent winter storm that has has tracked through eastern Georgian Bay, followed by a steep drop in temperatures, the lakes are finally showing signs of freezing over.

Green and Mild

northernexposuresphotography — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:47:02 +0000

First Day of Winter

Although it certainly doesn’t feel or look like it, with the fog, lack of snow and a thin layer of ice on the local lakes, today is the first day of winter. With temperatures continuing to be at or above freezing up to Christmas Day, any precipitation will most likely be in the form of rain, making for a slim chance of a white Christmas This would be the first green Christmas in the area since 2006.