Thursday 1 January 2015

2014 Best-of



 So it's this time of the year. Looking back at the pictures I've taken over the year. I haven't been able to take as much as I want but I got to travel in some places of the province that I hadn't explored yet.


So here is my Top 10:

#10
This picture is not extraordinary and is more about the place where it was taken. This year was the first time I went to Bellevue beach. Where I got to see many of these guys and other shorebirds feeding on the mussel bed. Also saw 5 ospreys flying around and diving. I will definitely go back there if I'm still around in 2015!


Semipalmated Plover, Bellevue beach
 
 #9
 We had quite a brutal winter but every now and then we had a glimpse of light which with the snow and ice would give pretty sparkles allover the place. Looking at this young herring gull you almost forget it was -15C!
 
Herring Gull, Quidi Vidi lake

#8
A "classic" shot of a gannet coming in to its nest at Cape St. Mary's. This was my 3rd time there and it's always a pleasure to spend the day in the middle of these large birds hoovering just above your head.

Gannet, Cape St. Mary's
 
 #7
This was my first time spotting some cedar waxwings, there was still quite a bit of snow, and I wasn't too well equipped for it. I ended up with freezing and wet feet but some great memories.

Cedar waxwing, Quidi Vidi area
 
#6
During the last day of my stay in Gros Mourne National Park I decided to do the Gros Morne hike, the weather was very cloudy and not promising regarding photography opportunities. When I arrived at the top it was fog all around, on my way down, I ran into the male rock ptarmigan who was hanging around with 4 females. I played a bit of hide and seek with them before letting them go back to their regular activities.
 
Rock Ptarmigan, Gros Morne



#5
On the same day, in the forest part of the hike, when I wasn't expecting anything , this grouse just came out of the bushes and we looked each other for about 5-10 minutes it decided it had enough with me and went back to where it came from.

Spruce Grouse, Gros Morne

#4
This summer, we were lucky to see icebergs coming down the Avalon peninsula. a few big ones anchored themselves just outside of the Narrows, after 2 years in St. John's that was the first I saw icebergs, and it was quite an impressive sight. I like this picture because it gives a sense of the size of these big ice-cubes !
 
Icebergs, Signal Hill
 
#3
This picture is more about perseverance than anything, during all winter I tried to get some shots of the bald eagles on Quidi Vidi lake, carrying my gear with me most of the time. There was always something missing: eagles no there or too far from the bank, no light, or just me forgetting my camera.  Eventually, one evening of march, after leaving work and spending a hour changing a flat tire, as I drove by Quidi Vidi, I saw this adult and 2 juveniles very close to the bank, I didn't get a chance to take pictures of them fighting but it was amazing to be there nonetheless and get a few pictures.
 
Bald Eagle, Quidi Vidi Lake
 
#2
Yet another picture taken in Gros Morne National Park, I left my campsite early in the morning and saw this storm coming in hiding the sun for the rest of the day.

After the storm, Gros Morne National Park
 
#1
Finally, my favorite picture for this year is a shot of a common tern just at the start of its dive.
I love the elegance of these birds and there are many more shots that I would like to take with this species but this is something I had been trying to do for a little while and being able to get a picture that I had visualized before actually taking it was very satisfactory.
 
Common tern, Gros Morne National Park




















No comments:

Post a Comment