Greg Shchepanek

   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 yea...

 Bat Lake Trail, Algonquin Provincial Park American Toad ( Anaxyrus americanus ) Went for a two day adventure in Algonquin Provincial Park and on the first day came across some amphibians along the Bat Lake Trail . First I saw a  Dekay’s Brownsnake and in close proximity found the above American Toad who posed nicely for the camera. The next to see was a little baby toad  about the size of the tip of the finger he was fast moving but eventually came to a halt to get some great photos of the little guy.  Little baby  American Toad  ( Anaxyrus americanus ) When I arrived at a body of water on the trail I found it teaming with Northern Green Frog s not happy to pose for pictures but I managed to come across this one who believed he was hiding form me trying not to fall in the water I was able to get a trio of shots of this guy.  Northern Green Frog ( Lithobates clamitans melanota ) It was a great day for amphibians along the Bat Lake Trail . On the se...

 Nature & Wildlife Site Northern Green Frog ( Lithobates clamitans melanota ) Foley Mountain Conservation Area, Ontario, Canada. Featured on the Project Noah Facebook page on November 7th, 2024. About the Project Project Noah is an award-winning software platform designed to help people connect with the natural world and learn about wildlife. Launched out of NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program in early 2010, the project began as an experiment to mobilize citizen scientists and build a digital butterfly net for the 21st century. The original Project Noah platform was founded by Yasser Ansari , Martin Ceperley, Peter Horvath, and Bruno Kruse with support from New York University and the Joan Ganz Conney Center . Participation I have been an active member on the Project Noah   community website pretty much since its inception in 2010. I first learned of the site from my participation in the National Geographic Your Shot global photo community. " NOAH " ...

 For Nuthatches My first publish in Canadian Geographic Magazine Venturing out in the cold of the season and finding Nuthatches galore. These friendly little birds are a sheer delight to come across while out and about.  They get their common name from their habit of jamming large nuts and acorns into tree bark, then whacking them with their sharp bill to “hatch” out the seed from the inside. You will always hear the Nuthatches before you see them with the insistent nasal yammering usually high up in the trees but they soon come down to investigate your presence insearch of a free meal. We are blessed to have two varieties : the Red-breasted and the White-breasted. This year there is an abundance of the White I have only come across one Red while visiting  Britannia Conservation Area, Mud Lake, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. White-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta carolinensis ) Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa, ON, Canada. No matter wha...

  The Most Friendly Red-Breasted Nuthatch Resting on a Cedar Tree a Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) is found at the Jack Pine Trail, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This photo was the very first published in Canadian Geographic and made the short list for Canadian Wildlife Photo of the Year 2019 . This beautiful little wonder of the woods will always come for a visit while you are in the forests of North America . These guys will search you out & land on you looking for a treat. Them and the Chickadees are the most friendly little creatures found in our Canadian forests . They are always a blessing to see & hear while in the woods. They walk down the trees upside down and are marvellous to see in the wild. You know the woods are healthy when you see these little guys doing their thing. On the Boardwalk a little Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) Jack Pine Trail, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. On a Spruce Tree a Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) Algonqu...

Established in May 23, 1893.   Fauna Female Moose ( Alces americanus ) grazing along Highway 60 looking beautiful. American Red Squirrel ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) Algonquin Provincial Park , Spruce Bog Trail , Ontario, Canada. Moose & Squirrel ... LOL !!  I cannot say enough of how much I love Algonquin Provincial Park . I visit the park at least two - three times a year & in varied seasons. I have yet to visit in winter but I am hoping that I will fulfill this dream very soon for I want to chase Pine Martens on the snow cover trails. Any was less talk & lets see some pictures ! I was so very happy to come across this guy in the park & he graced me with a photo in on foliage which I have never seen before. Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle ( Cicindela tranquebarica ) Spruce Bog Trail , Algonquin Provincial Park , Ontario, Canada. The Spruce Bog Trail is my favourite trail of the park & I always go there every time I visit. Female Spruce Grouse ( Fa...