Happy 2026

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 Welcome to the New Year

And looking back on the old 2025. Exploring the new Fork Lake Trail was a highlight of 2025, not seeing much but it was great exercise going up the staircases in the woods to reach the overlook of the lake most notable fauna of the trail were the squirrels and the Blue Jays. The trail was a new addition to the park and opened in June of 2025.

Fork Lake Trail

American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) Fork Lake Trail, Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.

Most notable photography for 2025 was again a frog year on my Flickr site.


Even though the photo was taken in 2024 of a Northern Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans melanota) Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was highlighted to be my most popular upload for World Frog Day which was on March 19, 2025. Subsequently garnering even more views and likes when I included the photo on Flickr's Your Best Shot 2025 in the Nature category. Some other notable photos of the year include the following : 

Cottage Visit

Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite) Kaz Station, Quebec, Canada.

Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) Quebec, Canada. Conservation Status: Vulnerable (S3) in Québec, CA (NatureServe).

Lyn Valley Conservation Area

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) at the Lyn Valley Conservation Area, Ontario, Canada.


Greater Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza) at the Lyn Valley Conservation Area, Ontario, Canada.

Mer Bleue Conservation Area

Rose Pogonia orchid (Pogonia ophioglossoides) Mer Bleue Conservation Area, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Ramsar site no. 755.

Blanding's Turtle Discovery


Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Conservation Status: vulnerable (S3) in Ontario, CA (NatureServe). Endangered in Canada (Canadian Species at Risk Act).

So these are my most favourite discoveries of 2025 only a few but turning out to be rare flora and fauna which was a great surprise be it a new spotting in the Mer Bleue to a mucky sighting of a rare and endangered turtle. It is best described as quality over quantity in the year of 2025. I am hoping for 2026 to bring more great adventures and discoveries. I forgot that as well last years spotting of the Snow Buntings in February which was on my list of must haves so indeed 2025 was a banner year.






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