Photos from Rainy River - Part 1

I rarely post photos on my blog and a big part of this comes from the fact that I don't own a proper camera. I've absolutely given thought to purchasing a good camera as I'm learning how important they are for identification and documenting your experiences in the field. However, the first major purchase on my radar is a new pair of binoculars. Dragging around an old pair of Bushnells has made me a bit self-conscious but they do get the job done. I own a spotting scope I'm happy with now but it's time I upgrade my bins.

Anyway, right now I'm restricted to using my iPhone for wildlife photography, which is surprisingly efficient if you're not looking to get stellar shots but rather are using the photos for identification or submission to the OBRC. iPhone-scoping and iPhone-binoscoping have allowed me to get records photos that were never possible before. Supporting photo evidence always makes writing a report easier.

For all of my iPhone photos, you can visit my Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyhatt/
A warning to be prepared for some silly friends photos on my Flickr page. I have my photos broken into sets.

Some of these photos have been altered with Instagram as well. More to come!

  

This Cattle Egret was our first stop in Keswick. My second of the year. First was at the Hillman Marsh Shorebird Cell in May. 

  We saw this gorgeous double rainbow over the Trans-Canada Highway. I loved how the highway actually went to the end of the rainbow. 

Sunset over Pumpkin Point Marsh, Sault Ste. Marie. This is where we photographed the region's first-recorded Common Gallinule, a sighting we were quite proud of.

 

In the north, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is replaced with the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, abundant along the Trans-Canada and along Everard Road, Thunder Bay County, pictured here. These butterflies were getting nutrients from dung on the road.

 We rescued this Painted Turtle off the highway. There are 4 subspecies of Painted Turtle in North America: Western, Eastern, Midland, and Southern. In Ontario, any Painted Turtle seen south of Lake Superior is the Midland subspecies. In Northwestern Ontario, we get the Western subspecies, pictured here. The darkly-marked plastron and range identify this subspecies.

Emo Sewage Lagoons. One of many locations we checked multiple times for Eared Grebe.