WILD ANIMALS & BIRDS
IN OUR BACKYARD
Nature photography within the city
I love to take pictures of nature, especially animals found in our own back yard. I find it very relaxing to go for walks with my camera in hand and be in touch with nature. As I have travelled around the world, and been in many war torn countries, I find true peace with the natural beauty around us. I am inspired by simply capturing these moments of peace through my lens, and showcasing nature and all it offers us.
I am most inspired by nature photographers, such as Alan Rouse https://www.andyrouse.co.uk or Andy Murphy
https://www.alanmurphyphotography.com who manage to capture nature at its finest: animals in action. It requires time, patience and of course a fast-acting photographer, normally with a very good zoom lens.
Preparing for winter
While walking in the greenspace around Ottawa, probably the easiest wildlife to spot and photograph, is the black capped chickadee. These little creatures are very hungry in the fall, as they like to harvest thousands of seeds, so that they can hide them away in cracks on trees, to ensure that their cache is ready for winter. Interestingly, the hippocampus of the chickadee’s brain enlarges in the fall to remember where they hide them! [i]
[I] Facebook post dated 25 Oct 2021 https://www.facebook.com/WBUKanata
Wild Birds Unlimited Kanata, Accessed on Nov 3, 2021
Stealing a feast
A walk in the woods in and around Ottawa with a handful of sunflower seeds, will have these little creatures eating straight out of your hands.
showing my colours On the run
Blue Jays, on the other hand, prefer peanuts. So, they will be a little more shy, and will not come very close to humans.
Wild Turkeys, which were extirpated, and were only re-introduced to Ontario in the mid 80s, are now in abundance throughout the province. So, they are often seen as we drive around the suburbs and country roads of Ottawa.
Blending into my surroundings
A shy creature, the white tail deer is abundant in the Ottawa Green Space and can also be captured right within our city limits. A little harder to spot than our feathered friends, but none the less, if you are quiet and patient, you are sure to spot one.
It took two afternoons of walking through our greenspace to capture these animals in their natural habitat. These pictures certainly fit into the theme of nature (wild animals), and show us how, right inside our own city, we have animals in their natural habitats sharing our space.
