Polar Bears,Toronto Zoo Feb.12

Crazy winter

As this winter has been so up & down. The ice freezes only to thaw a day or 2 later,so ice fishing has been not safe. These 2 guys went out in this little tin boat one day the ice had only just formed. Withing half an hour they pulled up this huge whitefish. Although not a smart thing to do. They had a bit of trouble getting back after sitting out there for a few hours. Just around the bend the water was wide open. Fish huts are out just at the spot were the open water and ice forms further up the lake. Not something I would class as being safe.

Bald eagles on the ice Feb.

I was lucky one day went I went to check the ice that the adult and immature bald eagles were trying to fish. Here both adult and young were trying to catch the same fish they could both see just under the thin ice. By the afternoon that ice was gone and fishing resumed on the open water.

Winter

My winter has consisted of bald eagles and woodpeckers. With the lake staying open it has given me the oportunity to shoot many birds I wouldn't normally see during the winter months. My red bellied male is here almost daily. This day the female joined him and had a good feed while the canada goose was dipping for some good eats and the eagle kept coming back to it's favorite tree after fishing on the open water.

Birds on the point Feb.

Bald eagles have been seen right up until March 2ndthis year. then only the immature was seen. Cardinals are singing and brown creepers peeping,downy woodpeckers pecking away and chattering to each other. Spring must be close by.And because of the bald eagles this lonely canada goose was hiding as close to the icy shore as possible.

Winter birds Feb.

Various snowy days has brought different birds to the area. House finches and goldfinches in my yard. Common merganzers brown creeper and gulls to the point to bear the cold icy winds.

Beautiful Lake Simcoe Feb,2012

The sunsets over the lake here are amazing at times. The magnificent bald eagles and the ice that keeps trying to form only to thaw over and over this winter. Have made for beautiful shooting right at my back door.