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Toadlet
In the middle of summer, the Spring’s generation of baby toads start getting adventurous and venture forth from the ponds in which they were spawned. One has to be careful where one puts one’s feet whilst out walking, as the paths are often crawling (hopping?) with loads of these little chaps. This makes me happy:…
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Hello, lady toads…
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single toad in possession of a good pond, must be in want of a wife. Despite having been interested in, and looking out for, frogs and toads since a young age, I’d never actually seen a male Anuran calling; whilst walking in a park in Oakville, I…
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You don’t get this stuff at home
This sighting was one of the highlights of my time thus far in Canada; whilst exploring a path from a rather splendid B&B (Shambhala, in Buckhorn), I found this bear just strolling towards me. After contemplating me for a few moments (and kindly refraining from eating me), it wandered off into the bushes; just enough…
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Rhamphorhyncus
This is a close-up of a well-preserved Rhamphorhyncus from the Royal Ontario Museum; it’s from the Middle Jurassic, so it’s at least 161 million years old. Rhamphorhyncus was a pterosaur (so, not a dinosaur, as any fule kno) – apparently, the name means ‘beak snout’. This particular fossil came from the Bavarian Solnhofen limestone (noted…
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ROM
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is one of my favourite places in Toronto; the recent(ish) refurbishment included the addition of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal – whilst I’m not an architecture fiend, I feel the modern addition works extremely well with the fabric of the original building and makes for a great exterior, leading to the…
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Tiffany Falls
Tiffany Falls is one of the many waterfalls that drop down over the Niagara Escarpment around Hamilton; this was taken on the second trip out to find the falls – I’d failed miserably to find it the first time! This image is a fairly straightforward long(ish) exposure; the overall effect was generated via Color Efex…
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People too?
It’s difficult to do Orang-utans justice in just a few lines; they have such intelligence and depth to them – I still recall being taught about their behaviour, when I was at university and eventually reaching the conclusion that you can make a very good case that they are people too – admittedly, hairy orange…
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A grand old lady
This is Merriweather, Toronto Zoo’s venerable Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa); every other time I’ve visited her, she’s been asleep – this was a rare opportunity to see her moving about. When you’re as old as this Clouded Leopard, you’re entitled to a bit of rest! A typical life-span for a Clouded Leopard in captivity is…
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Seagull against the Toronto skyline
This image was taken on a beautiful sunny afternoon in the middle of March last year; I had done a walk along the lake-shore to Rattray Marsh and was heading back to the car – although it was beautifully sunny and the water was crystal clear, it was also d**n cold (to use the technical…
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Toronto Motor Show
I’ve been very fortunate since coming to Canada to meet some really fantastic people; one of the finest paid me a great compliment by inviting me to join him and his son for their annual pilgrimage to the motor show – the first one I’ve been to. It was a thoroughly memorable day, spent admiring…