Chickadee Photo Art » Nopiming Provincial Park

Sunsets & Star trails

Sharon — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:33 +0000

Sunsets are always beautiful to see and depending on the time, sky conditions and cloud cover sunset colours can vary like our weather. Today some of my favourite sunset photos and night skies.

Below: Star trails on a clear summer night in Nopiming. If you have a camera with a bulb setting, a sturdy tripod and can get away from city lights you can try star trail photos on clear nights when the moon is in new stages.

Below: There was lots of smoke from forest fires in the sky this day and I think this is why the skies were pinker than usual.

Common Tern

Sharon — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:00:10 +0000

Common Terns are fun to watch flying over the water in search of food. They can hover in one spot like a helicopter and then turn abruptly diving straight down into the water. Smaller and more delicate looking than gulls I find them to be very attractive birds. These photos were taken in Nopiming Provincial Park.

Below: Common Terns preening on a rock island.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Manitoba Wildflowers

Sharon — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:00:45 +0000

Three of our four seasons bring with them a variety of wildflowers that decorate our roadsides, fields and forests. Every year I stumble across a few that I have not seen before and it has gotten to the point where I am actively searching for new ones to photograph. If you have not looked yet, check out the Wildflowers Gallery found to the right – there are hundreds of Manitoba Wildflowers catalogued there.

Below – Blue Eyed Grass ( Spring )

Below: Silky Lupine ( summer ) Tall and showy in a variety of colours, whites, pinks, blues and lavenders.

Below: Woodland Horsetail. These plants have remained unchanged for millions of years except Woodland Horsetails of today are smaller. Chances are you have seen these plants numerous times but have not paid too much attention to them as I did. They are also known as Horse Pipes, Joint Grass and Mare’s Tail.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Reflections

Sharon — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:00:30 +0000

When waters are still I like trying to shoot reflection photos. Below are some of my favourite reflections.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Beavers “Super Beaver”

Sharon — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:00:12 +0000

This adult beaver was busy eating the leaves and branches of a recently harvested branch. Two adults were floating this branch in the water only to be met by two beaver kits (photos below). The little kits swam out from the edges of the creek to meet their parents and promptly started munching on the leaves as well.

I recently saw a nature show featuring the Canadian Beaver who is wreaking havoc in South America. In South America they are known as Super Beaver because of their ability to alter entire ecosystems. It seems our Canadian Beavers are very adaptable to different environments, are active for longer periods throughout the day and therefore create their watery worlds at a faster rate. Our transplanted Canadian Beavers are thriving and destroying forests and valleys on the island of Tierra del Fuego. Beavers also create wetland habitats for the benefit of other species and are nature’s greatest engineers. The most fascinating rodent and so much fun to watch!

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Wildflowers of Manitoba

Sharon — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:00:37 +0000

Today, some wildflower photos taken this summer in Manitoba. Above is a Wood Lily which is commonly found along roadsides and forest edges. This lily was growing at Oak Hammock Marsh.

Below: Common Bladderwort. These grow in marshes with the green leafy mass of the plant being under the water and the flowering stem shoots up above water level. This was in a marsh in Nopiming Provincial Park.

Below: Northern Crane’s Bill. I found this one growing in a scrub forest area in the Whiteshell. The bloom on this plant has seen better days but it is still a pretty plant.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Blue Flag Iris – Wildflower

Sharon — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:00:03 +0000

These wildflowers are found along roadsides and usually around marshy areas. I saw quite a few of them in various areas of Nopiming and the Whiteshell this summer. They are very beautiful, delicate and unfortunately short lived as far as bloom time goes.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Nopiming Provincial Park

Sharon — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 11:00:15 +0000

I love visiting Nopiming Provincial Park mostly because you can drive into “wilderness” and really feel like you have gotten away from the hectic city life. Although there are some cottage developments and a few campgrounds it is much quieter and remote than the more familiar Whiteshell Provincial Park. Below, a Bald Eagle sits watch over her nest. There is at least one chick here – we saw the wing flapping up and down. Perched high above the water, Bald Eagles are excellent fishers.

Speaking of fish (I am about to brag here) – Below is just one of the rather large Smallmouth Bass which I caught. These bass were put back into the lake where they belong. They are so much fun to catch and I love the way they will leap out of the water. Great pickerel fishing too!

Below: A scenic view from a lake in Nopiming.

Below: The moon as seen during the daylight hours.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Marsh Wildflowers of Manitoba

Sharon — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:00:54 +0000

Note: New Photos Gallery has been updated.

Today some photos of wildflowers that you will find in marshes. These photos were taken in Nopiming Provincial Park in late June.

Below: Beautiful Water Calla Lily

Below: Yellow Pond Lily

Enjoy!

~Sharon

June Wildflowers of Manitoba

Sharon — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:00:33 +0000

Manitoba, like other Provinces, has an abundance of colourful wildflowers. Today, some photos of wildflowers than can be seen in June-early July.

In late June our spring/early summer wildflowers are beginning to bloom. Above is a Northern Bog Violet – a very pretty and delicate wildflower found here in Manitoba.

Below: Wild Roses are blooming everywhere along roadsides now.

Below: Bunchberry Plants decorate the forest floors.

Below: Tufted Fleabane

Enjoy!

~Sharon