Winter on the prairies – Grasslands National Park
Snow-covered hills in Frenchman River Valley – West Block of Grasslands National Park. This photograph was taken after a late spring snow storm south of the old Larson’s homestead (this is an older image from the archives). Friends told me that they got a “lot of snow” in Val Marie so I went south and spent a weekend photographing in the park. It does not looks much, but for this (very dry) part of Saskatchewan, any moisture is received with joy. Back to the Grasslands National Park photo gallery.
Read MoreMale Northern Shoveler, Wanuskewin Park
Male Northern Shoveler displaying, Wanuskewin Park. This dabbling duck species is unmistakable due to its large spoon-like bill. They feed by dabbling for plant food, often by swinging its bill from side to side and using the bill to strain food from the water. Small, comb-like structures on the edge of the bill act like sieves, allowing the bird to filter the food particle from the water surface. Males are very colourful, with iridescent dark green head and brightly red coloured body. I observed this male occasionally flapping its wings and waited for a right moment to capture the image....
Read MoreSolitary Canada Goose at Wanuskewin
Solitary Canada Goose on the banks of Opimihaw Creek. Canada Geese nest in the vicinity of Wanuskewin and can be seen almost all year round (except in the middle of winter when any open water and South Saskatchewan River are frozen solid) . I photographed this goose in early May along the Opimihaw creek running through the park. Vegetation was still brown and I like how brown shoots of grass frame the bird. Back to the Wanuskewin Heritage Park photo gallery.
Read MoreRichardson’s ground squirrel at Wanuskewin
Richardson ground squirrel at Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Saskatoon Better known under the common name ‘gopher’, ground squirrels were named after the Scottish naturalist Sir John Richardson. They prefer prairie habitat with short grass so they can betters see predators. And there are many: coyotes, foxes, hawks. This fellow had a burrow right beside the Wanuskewing Park interpretive centre. I placed my tripod downhill from where the animal was grazing, to be able to take the image at the same level. When photographing small critters, whether they are animals or children, they look...
Read MoreNorthern Lights over Highway 4, Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park
Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) over Highway #4 at Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park. Photograph one cold November evening around 2 am. I set my camera to ISO 1600 and exposed the scene for 30 seconds. The charged particles of the aurora were constantly moving and long exposure captured the dense curtain of light across the sky. Return to the Saskatchewan photo gallery.
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