BIRDS OF A FEATHER

BALD EAGLE STOMP. We usually associate eagles with elegance, power and graceful flight; but this guy looks like he is having a bad hair day! All he needs to complete his image with "attitude" is to have a cigar protruding from his beak.

YOUNG GREAT HORNED OWL Young owls out of the nest are able to fly short distances, but they will frequently stand and puff themselves up to make themselves appear larger. All the hissing and bill clacking can be intimidating, but the real weapons to look out for are their talons.

MALE BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER If there is a more flaming orange bird than the Blackburnian Warbler, I have yet to find it. Feeding and nesting high in the trees of the boreal forest it is amazingly difficult to see, but it's secretive nature simply makes its occasional revelations all the more spectacular.

CANADA GEESE AND STORM CLOUDS These Canada Geese were heading South before a storm. Sometimes I like to add filtration or colour effects to enhance the mood of what I feel about a situation. The threatening storm with the sun struggling to peek through seemed more sinister with the added power of emotional hues.

BALTIMORE ORIOLE The Baltimore Oriole belongs to the blackbird family, but that is not the first thing you notice about this bold bird. It's gaudy coat is almost matched by the loud ringing whistles it sings out when it first arrives on territory. In a matter of weeks, the birds seem to disappear as they go about the business of raising a family in the treetops.

BONAPARTE'S GULLS OVER OCEAN WAVE I was standing on a cliff in Point Reye's National Seashore, California photographing the sunrise, when this flock of gulls appeared flying steadily into a strong north wind. They were Bonaparte's Gulls heading for Alaska or Northern Canada, and they were determined to get there as soon as possible.

GREAT GRAY OWL FLIGHT The Great Grey Owl is Manitoba's provincial emblem. Although not the largest of our owls by weight, it sports a 52 inch (130 cm) wingspan that is impressive indeed. Every time I see one in my viewfinder, I thrill at the prospect of seeing it head in my direction. When these owls are hungry, they can be incredibly "tame" and almost oblivious to human presence as they hunt for voles under the snow. It is definitely my favorite owl.

YOUNG MALE SUMMER TANAGER Summer Tanagers are not common in Canada, but they regularly appear at Point Pelee National Park in Southern Ontario. Slow, and deliberate, they are a delight to photograph as they flycatch from a favourite perch and frequently return to the same spot.

GREAT GRAY OWL HUNTING IN SNOWSTORM For years I had dreamed of photographing a hunting Great Gray Owl in a snowstorm. One day my friend Pat & I stumbled on one just as heavy wet snow began to fall. Anxiously I mounted my camera and telephoto lens on my tripod sure that the bird would fly before I could get this shot. Fortunately, it waited just long enough before disappearing into the forest. Then the snow stopped just as abruptly, and the dream moment was gone! Lucky for me, the memory was captured forever in my camera.

KIRTLAND'S WARBLER The Kirtland's Warbler is one of the rarest birds in North America. Most of the 400-500 pairs nest in Michigan, but a few have been found nesting in Canada. This bird appeared at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario for a few days several years ago and put on a great show for birders and photographers alike.

BURROWING OWL NEAR NEST The Burrowing Owl has become an endangered species throughout much of its former range because of the over-use of pesticides. The owl feeds primarily on grasshoppers which makes it a secondary target of some of the chemicals used by farmers to rid their fields of those pests. Where grasshoppers are abundant, the owl won't be far behind.

CANADA GOOSE GOSLINGS Canada Geese are becoming pests throughout much of their range primarily because they deposit a lot of guano on golf courses and city parks! On the other hand, their confiding charm and their cute goslings are hard not to like.

OSPREY LANDING ON NEST The Osprey is one of the most widespread raptors in the world. Feeding primarily on fish, it is a delight to watch it hovering high over the water before plunging down to snare its prey. Equally fascinating is to watch it turn the fish in its talons to make sure the fish is always facing headfirst as the bird flies home to its nest.

ROSEATE SPOONBILLS AND TULIP Sometimes a photograph is better as a sum of several parts. I photographed these Roseate Spoonbills in Florida against a very dull sky. One day I noticed that they blended well with another reject slide of mine that was a close-up of a fading tulip. Putting the two "throw away" images together produced this artsy shot.

MALE SPRUCE GROUSE IN BOREAL FOREST The Spruce Grouse is a very secretive bird of the boreal forest. It can sit so quietly in a tree that it is easy to walk by. Like other members of the grouse family it can be extremely approachable when it thinks it isn't being seen. It is those intimate moments a wildlife photographer lives for!

GREAT GRAY OWL LAUNCH When a Great Gray Owl hears the sound of a mouse or vole under the snow it launches into action. Its swift dive will plunge it several feet into the snow, if necessary, to catch its prey in its talons.

MALE WOOD DUCK ON FALL POND The Wood Duck is arguably North America's most beautiful duck. A resplendent male's irridescent patchwork of colour is completed here by the reflection of autumn leaves in the water. Once badly threatened, it has made a remarkable comeback and is now quite common throughout it's Eastern range.

GREAT GRAY OWL ON PERCH The Great Gray Owl is a silent hunter. Often perched low to the ground, it is listening for the rustle of mice and voles moving under the snow. Its amazing hearing allows it to pick up those sounds from great distances at which point it will plunge into the snow and grope for its prey with its long legs and sharp talons.

MALE PROTHONOTARY WARBLER The Prothonotary Warbler barely makes it into Canada, and is considered a declining and threatened species. It prefers the Carolinian woods and swamps of extreme Southern Ontario, and can be found there at Point Pelee National Park and Rondeau Provincial Park.

ARCTIC TERN AT SUNSET. Known for their pugnacious attacks near their nest sites, and tireless long-distance migrations, it's a treat to see a tern at rest.

BOREAL OWL IN SPRUCE TREE The Boreal Owl is one of Canada's most elusive and sought after owls. Birders and photographers sometimes travel great distances for an opportunity to see and to photograph these tiny raptors. As a result, I consider myself most fortunate in having had the occasion to photograph this bird three times in my own back yard! This bird was revealed to me by screaming Blue Jays. After walking around the tree three times staring carefully into the higher branches near the trunk of the tree where they prefer to hide, I suddenly realized it was right in front of me at eye level!

ARCTIC TERN IN FOG. The Arctic Tern is always striking whether in sunshine or in fog. This bird is about to attack me for straying too close to its nest.

MALE AMERICAN REDSTART The redstart belongs to the colourful warbler family and is quite widespread in its Eastern North American range. Both males and females love to flaunt their splashy orange or yellow patches in the wings and tail by flicking them open and shut repeatedly while they flit about their business of feeding.

YELLOW WARBLER. The Yellow Warbler may be one of the most widespread warblers in North America, but that certainly doesn't detract from its beauty.