Project 366

A project I undertook in 2012 to share one photograph I took each day of that leap year. The subjects are diverse and show the development of my own photographic skills as I learned how to use my camera and compose photographs as I wanted them to be seen and enjoyed.

Muskrat With Tail Visible (94/365)

Posted by Ellie

The next trip I took into Miner's Marsh gave me another first for bird viewing, a pair of Bufflehead, which were both too far from me to photograph well, but enough to get a photo to use for identification.  Striking black and white diving ducks, they are not rare around the coast, but not common inland nor on our side of the Province. 

The muskrat were out that day, busy doing whatever muskrat do and this one was near enough for me to study in a bit more detail. At one point as my camera was pressed to my eye I realized that (s)he was swimming rapidly towards me and I was a bit worried. They can be very nasty when provoked. I felt sure that I was not particularly threatening in my behaviour, so I held my ground. Eventually this one came to rest and I was particularly pleased to see how clearly the rat-like tail was visible. When it is swimming, the tail seems to act as a rudder, looking almost like an undulating snake behind the furry body. The little paws look cute as it holds whatever it is nibbling, but the claws would be not be so cute if they were used in defence, I suspect. I have never seen these creatures so close up, so was really pleased to be able to show you another photograph of the muskrat.

#365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton

HQSP Animals  curated by  +Anja Wessels +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith #hqspanimals +HQSP Animals

Wildlife Photos  curated by  +Robert SKREINER +Mladen Janjetovic #wildlifephotos +WILDLIFE Photos


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Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret (93/365)

Posted by Ellie

The Sunday of April 14th was a red letter day for me. I saw two birds that were firsts for me. One was this snowy egret, which is a rarity in our part of the world, the other was an unusual bird whose photograph I will post shortly (one per day for the project, so it has to be for another day). During the week before, I had been hearing about the snowy egret sightings that had been announced on our rare bird watch group and was feeling frustrated as they were all a fair distance away from where we live. On top of that, the renovations going on in the house meant that it was impossible to go for a long drive and just abandon the work. And of course going for a drive to a 'last sighted' location, over 1 hour drive away did not guarantee a sighting – it could have been a wild goose egret chase. So I kept quiet and said nothing and, I guess, felt a bit sorry for myself.

On Sunday another sighting came in and this time, with the work temporarily halted, I mentioned it to Steven. In no time at all I found myself in the car and on the way across the province. It was a dull grey day, with a drizzle falling at times, but it was nice to get away from the dust and rubble, even if we hadn't sighted the egret. As you see here, of course when we got there, it was still feeding along the banks of the bay. I couldn't get as close as I wanted as it was a good way across the water, but I did get a good number of photographs of it. A great blue heron was keeping it company and it was lovely to just sit in the car and watch this rare visitor.

#waterbirdwednesday +Water Bird Wednesday by +Ray Bilcliff +Sherry McBriar +Margaret Tompkins
#birds4all +Birds4All by +Walter Soestbergen
#birdloversworldwide +BIRD Lovers & WILDLIFE by +Robert SKREINER
#thirstythursdaypics by +Giuseppe Basile +Mark Esguerra
#365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton


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Spring Greens – 92/365

Posted by Ellie

I took another trip around and about on Saturday, with Joni at my heels, this time into the woods themselves. There was plenty of grey lichen on the bark as the woods are fairly dark, but then I came across this bright green patch of delicate frondy bits. I have no idea what they are, but they were the greenest, most spring-like things we came across.

#365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton

#naturephotos by +Robert SKREINER  +NATURE & MACRO Photos 

#allthingsgreen +All Things Green by +Cicely Robin Laing

HQSP Natural Other  curated by  +Anja Wessels +Jean-Noel Nicolas +Valesa Diamontes +Daniel Taylor #hqspnaturalother +HQSP Natural Other


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There's Nothing Quite Like a Good Stick to Chew – 91/365

Posted by Ellie

Yesterday Joni and I went for a walk in search of signs of spring for me to photograph. There were bare patches where the snow has melted and we managed to walk around quite a bit of the garden on the grass alone. There has been a lot of storm damage from the winter, most noticeably branches that have fallen down and lots of twigs and debris scattered all over the brown grass that's only just seen the light of day since the fall.  Joni (who has taken her role of photographic assistant seriously) looked for good props for an early spring photograph. This was her favourite and she obligingly modelled it for you all. She put on what she thought was her most attractive stick chewing pose for you all. There were no (other) signs of spring … not yet.

Enjoy any spring weather you might be having, wherever you are. Yesterday as you see it wasn't too bad. Today we have pouring rain. Have a great weekend everyone, no matter where you are.

#365project +G+ 365 Project by +Simon Davis-Oakley +Patricia dos Santos Paton

#dogloversworldwide +DOG LOVERS Worldwide by +Robert SKREINER  +Roswitha Böhmer +Tom Crews 

#hqspanimals  +HQSP Animals curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith

#noapologies #bordercollie #puppy #JonisDiary  #AdayinthelifeofJoni #fansofJoni 


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