I heard the call...

Last night after the storm I heard the call of a lonely loon calling out. I called back as best I could and to my surprise it came closser andd closer. I have never been so close to such a beautifull bird such as the loon.

What a wind!

Yesterday was a terrible day for weather. Wind gusts were recorded at up to 100 kph , knoking over trees across the province and cutting hydro to thousands of it customers. I think it's a good time to go off the grid!

Here on Sturgeon Lake waves crashed against the shores and some waves you could probably surf! The wind was so powerfull it swept mist into the air as shown in these pictures.

Female Mallard

There was a huge downpour here around suppertime, terrential downpour is more like it! But , as the rain subsided, the fauna came out to play. What enjoys rain more than anything? Ducks! I think this is my best shot of one to date.

She's always squakin'

Out on my daily photowalk I noticed a family of mergansers swimming near shore. After a while of shooting I was able to get off this shot of the female "squakin' ". Titled as such to create a bit of fun controversy.

Loon

This is a very special time of year. Most migratory birds have returned to their Sring/summer nesting grounds. For the past week or two the loons have also returned to the lakes and ponds here in the Kawarthas. Their call haunts me and I feel I need to always look when they yodel. The Loon catches its food by swimming underwater propelled by their feet, sometimes diving to a depth of 200ft.. Sharp backwards facing teeth and barbs on their tongues help to get a tight grasp on thier food so it dosn't slip away.

Happy Easter

For This 24th of may I decided I would try and capture a merganser. Of the duck family it is the second smallest of that genus. Pictured here is a female of the "hooded meganser". These are very hard to photograph at a close distance as they are more skittish than the larger ducks one can feed at any given pond and tend to fly off rather quickly. These "ducks" have great eyesight and catch their food ( small fish ,crustaceans and insects) by diving and swimming under water.

The perch

I am blessed in the fact that I am able to walk to 3 osprey nests within minutes from where I live. But even more so, that This one comes back year after year and fishes from this perch right in my own backyard. It is a truely amazing bird to watch. This raptor has an outher "toe" that can shift from from to back enabling it to hold it's prey staright forward reducing air drag when flying back to it's nest.

Nest Building

On a walk down the road from where I live one can find 3 Osprey nests in various stages of being built. Within a few minutes drive I have counted more than 6 viewable from the side of the road. Here is one of my favourite ones located in a marsh.

Robert Schaetzle Photography: Our Water

Robert Schaetzle Photography: Our Water

Our Water

I chose this image from last september to illustrate the importance of our water. Here you can see what is referred to as " Blue /Green Algae". This occurs when phosphates are introduced into our waterways. The phosphates are an ingrediant used in chemical fertilizers. After a rainstorm these phsphates are eventually washed down into our lakes , rivers and streams. The phosphates then accelerate the growth of natural algae to the point in which you see here in this photo. Millions of tons of this chemical  eventually end up in our water killing aquatic life. True that the algae is a food source for some aquatic life but, One the surface is covered it actually chokes off the oxygen in the water killing almost everything. Just look at Lake Simcoe! It was said that by the year 2050 that water will be a problem due to a shortage of clean water. Beaches are closed each season due to ecoli which breeds in this blue /green algae. Pets have died and children get sick when they come in contact with this toxic algae. We need our water to survive.

So this spring when cleaning your yard and creating your "curb appeal" think about your actions. Don't use chemicles. Instead, use a mulching blade on your mower , use natural fertilizers if you really have to. Because what you do today will affect your children!

The Ospreys are back

Over the past few days I've noticed high flying raptors circling high above the highways and backroads in the srrounding area of which I live. This is exciting as it is a sure sign of spring. Now with the warmer weather starting to show, the Osprey's have started their nest building in trees and platforms provided by the township.

They're Back!!!

I went out to photograph the usual suspects, geese... ducks.... you know them ...you see them all the time. I was thrilled to find that the Ospreys have returned. I stalked my prey waiting ....waiting... and then some more waiting. I lit a cigarette and when I turned to put my pack away I noticed that not only had the ospreys returned but, So had the herons! Yee Haw! Well what you see here is the culmination of over an hour sneaking (so not to disturb this beautifull bird) and getting my vantage point.

The Blue Jay

This shot was taken last summer near Wasaga Beaxh at one of the numerous campgrounds in the area. Early morning this bird woke me up. I guess they are used to campers and the food that is left behind after a meal as these were not shy at all. I had to laugh as I would throw bread for the multitude of chipmunks but the Blue Jays would just pick them off in a dive bomb attack for the food.