Puppy Paradise!

I had the privilege of doing a Puppy Adoption photo shoot for Team Chelsea, a Durham Region community volunteer group that helps pets in need.

Photographing these 7 beauties was so much fun!  Happy to report that so far four have found amazing new homes where they are no doubt cherished and spoiled!

A Surprise Snowy Owl on a Dreary Day

This almost never happens to me with Snowy Owls.  I was driving through South Whitby on a dreary, rainy and miserable morning wishing hard to see something, anything to photograph when I saw this stunning beauty in a random field in an industrial area.

Not only did I spot him, but he was withing decent range which also almost never happens.

Needless to say, my day went from dreary to amazing!

Watching for prey in the field.

Muddy "Paws"!

Here, the owl is swatting at crows and gulls as they pester him on a roof-top.

Majestic Great Horned Owl

I was incredibly lucky to find this Great Horned Owl, who just happened to move into the only sliver of sunlight in the dark forest.  WOW.  I think my heart stopped.  Such incredible beauty.

Great-Horned Owl, Durham Region Ontario

Lucky Duck - Merganser Rescued and Released in Durham Region

On a bitterly cold winter evening I caught glimpse of something lying on the ice in a construction lot in South Whitby. I soon realized it was a male Red-Breasted Merganser.  He was one of countless waterfowl along the Great Lakes this winter who struggled to survive, no doubt crash landing in this desolate area.  These birds need open water to fish and swim, which is scarce this winter with the lakes freezing at a much higher rate than usual.

There was no telling how long he had been there.

After a battle walking through huge snow drifts, I was able to access and contain the bird.  I got him warm and comfortable for the night.  The next day he was transported to Toronto Wildlife Centre, where he was found to be emaciated, like many of the waterfowl in Durham who were in trouble. But fortunately, no injuries.

"My" Merganser can be seen in this video clip, as he enjoyed his 15 seconds of fame the day he was admitted, in this CBC News Video Clip.  He is the first bird shown, eating fish in the clinic.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Toronto/ID/2655684378/

Several days later he was released with a new friend he made at TWC while in care.  These birds were very lucky because they were rescued in time and made full recoveries.  It is hard to walk along the shores of Lake Ontario now and see all those that didn't survive this harsh winter.

Thanks as always to Toronto Wildlife Centre for the huge difference they make to wildlife in the GTA (and in my life too!).