Chickadee Photo Art

Channel Catfish on the Red at Lockport

// July 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // Manitoba Tourist Destination

Welcome back to my website & thanks for visiting !

People from all over the world visit the Red River in Winnipeg-Lockport area to catch these monster Channel Catfish.  When we have gone fishing for cats it is always catch and release but I have heard they are not bad eating if smoked. I don’t know anyone personally that has kept them for eating. People say it is like chicken – Yup! Heard “tastes like chicken” many times to describe unusual meats although I did taste Lynx once at a banquet hosted by a Yukon group and it really was like a chicken thigh.   It takes a long time to get a large catfish up to the boat ( sometimes 20 minutes or more) due to their bulk.  My son estimated this one in the 3 foot range and weighing in around 30+ pounds.  This is not an unusual size to catch at Lockport- there really are a lot of huge catfish concentrated in this area. You will notice my son’s hand in the mouth – they don’t have teeth, just a “sandpaper” like rim but they do have barbs than can do some damage if you get stuck by one.  People even catch these big ones from the shoreline casting out their baited pickerel rigs. The shorelines here are often lined with people relaxing and fishing and of course, Lockport is also known for its delicious foot long hot dogs at a few local diners. The Red River at Lockport / Selkirk  is  closely monitored by the DNR officers so be sure to have appropriate licences, barbless hooks etc. and practice good catch and release methods at all times.  Below a few more photos  – another large one and a few smaller ones.

Showy Lady Slipper

// July 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Boreal Forest, Whiteshell Provincial Park, Wildflowers

Delicate large blooms that grow in sandy, rocky soil and ditch areas.  These are most beautiful members of the orchid family and wonderful wild flowers to happen upon.  These were blooming in a ditch in the Sandilands area.  Enjoy them in their natural habitat and do not pick or remove these plants – they are not meant to grow in our gardens.  To quote one of my wildflower books, “Pick None”.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

What’s in Your Backyard ?

// July 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Birds of Manitoba, Dragonflies-Butterflies-Moths, Insects, Wildflowers

You don’t have to take a trip to see nature because it is always around us even in our own backyards.  You can plant certain flowers that will attract butterflies ( Monarchs like the milkweed plant ), others will attract hummingbirds and so on.  Today a few photos from my backyard as I was  outside enjoying the sun and puttering in the garden for a few hours.

Above:  Butterfly gathering nectar from a Joe Pye plant      Below:  A House Wren chattering on the garden fence.

Below:  A few photos of bees gathering pollen

Below:  Not sure if this is a wasp or bee but if was flying around with a large piece of plant leaf and then landed.  A leaf-cutter of sorts.

Below:  This is a domestic garden plant that was tagged “Love in the Mist” when I bought one a few years back.  It seeds itself every year and produces these beautiful delicate flowers in blue and purple tones.

Enjoy!

~Sharon