Lots of Textures and Stung by a Wasp

It has been fairly slow a start to nice nice weather this Spring so many times, not much to see on our walks. I enjoy seeing and capturing gorgeous and interesting textures and shadows anyway so I can get easily into that in stead of always animals and birds.

In the last 2 weekends, we took one real long 3+ hr walk and also visted our usual places for a shorter period. It was Easter so some of the areas were a bit more crowded. We've run into a nice couple 2 times, from Scarborough, and another couple from Vaughan, who we enjoy talking with. They hadn't been to this area before and were really thrilled to find so many things to see. There is a lot here to see and ejoy on hikes, we are lucky in teh Durham Region to have so many cool places to visit.

One of the walks, in Cranberry Marsh, we spotted Ring Necked Ducks. They were timid compared to the Mallards, so difficult to get a good look at them. Gorgeous markings! There were male and females. We happened upon a few, closer to the marsh edge, as we walked allong the beach area, and I was able to grab a couple shots before they moved too far into the marsh centre again. ( will add pics soon)

We spotted a Black Capped Chickadee with a leg tag on, which is weird we thought. As well, we ran across a Chickadee which had absolutely No tail It was hanging around us for quite a while but would not take seeds from our hands, only the ground. Seemed to be flying fine though.

We saw the Saw-whet owl again but far more hidden than the last time. We also ran across the resident Barred Owl again and we were really surprised to see it on the exact branch, sitting in the exact direction, in the very same tree we saw it in at the beginning of our 3+ hr walk. It made me slightly worried about it as generally it moves around or at least turns, unless it is sleeping which is often actually. But, seeing blood on its beak almost every time I manage to get a face shot is relieving. The owl has been in the area since Oct 2012 so it must be eating ok to still be healthy and here.

Lastly, I actually was stung by a wasp! In March! It stung me right on the tip of my middle finger on my left hand. Every time I've been stung, and it's only been 3 times in my life, it is always when I am not aware a wasp or bee is on me, a moment of laying my arm down on a chair arm and trapping the insect, or something of the like. I absolutely hate being stung, it kills like hell, and I do my best to avoid it - but it's not the ones I See that ever get me lol!