Greg Shchepanek

 Merivale Gardens in Ottawa Saturday this weekend went exploring the sand dunes of the Piney Forest and was lucky to find the Tiger Beetles out on the dunes in the warm sun. I didn't get a chance to photograph any last year but I did come across a number on the sandy beaches of Petrie Island in eastern Ottawa. I think this is the first time I photographed Tiger Beetles with my new Canon EOS R7 with the 100mm macro lens. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the photos being that the insects are hard to find not moving or flying about. The sand dunes at Merivale Gardens has three species of beetle including the Ghost, LeConte's and the Eastern Sand. This time I came across the most common LeConte's/Festive Beetle. LeConte's Tiger Beetle ( Cicindela scutellaris lecontei ) Merivale Gardens, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Hoping I will get some more varieties this summer I would most definitely like to get some shots of the Ghost but unfortunately they are getting hard to...

 Exploring Petrie Island Northern Green Frog ( Lithobates clamitans melanota ) Petrie Island, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In the East end of Ottawa, Orleans, there is a popular island on the Ottawa River called Petrie for nature enthusiasts and those who just want to lounge on the beach. The island is made up of various wetlands types and there are a number of trials to follow to view nature in its splendour. The island is a great location for viewing amphibians and turtles. Let's start along the Educational Amphibian  Pond where I observed both American Bullfrogs and a Northern Green Frog .  American Bullfrog ( Lithobates catesbeianus ) Petrie Island, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  There is also great turtle viewing ares especially the Turtle Trail where there logs and boards set for turtle sunning and basking. On this day the Northern Map Turtles were out representing and putting on a show for the viewers. The large females and the somewhat small males dotting the logs...

  Exploring the Marshes & Wetlands of  Petrie Island on the Ottawa River Bronzed Tiger Beetles (Cicindela repanda) of the sandy beaches along the river at Petrie Island, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Marshes were teaming with life : American Bullfrog  ( Lithobates catesbeianus ) Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ) stalks prey in the high reeds. Exploring Petrie Island is always a good time. The island is a complex of marshes & varied wetland habitats on the Ottawa River in the East end of the city. One of my favourite endeavours is to chase & photograph the frisky Tiger Beetles that populate the sandy beach shores of the Ottawa River . Even on the first weekend of Autumn the little guys are out hunting down their prey, flying, jumping & running so very fast.