Paul Finnie
@1canoe2paddles.bsky.social
In Ottawa, Ontario. Just here to follow what I used to like on Twitter.
In Ottawa today the trees, grasses and other plants put on a show. The ordinary, everyday world turned magical and monochrome.
November 21, 2025 at 1:44 AM
In Ottawa today the trees, grasses and other plants put on a show. The ordinary, everyday world turned magical and monochrome.
It is coming in to peak color in Ottawa-Gatineau right now. Many leaves have fallen, but the trees are still well decorated. There are reds, oranges, yellows, browns, but still a fair bit of green here and there. I hope you get the opportunity this long weekend to get out there and get a good look!
October 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
It is coming in to peak color in Ottawa-Gatineau right now. Many leaves have fallen, but the trees are still well decorated. There are reds, oranges, yellows, browns, but still a fair bit of green here and there. I hope you get the opportunity this long weekend to get out there and get a good look!
I almost missed this female? or juvenile? goldfinch because it was wearing camouflage, perched here on one of the stems of what remains of the false sunflowers. It is easy to see here, but that's because is is in the center. You can totally understand the tail colors - they look just like leaves.
October 5, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I almost missed this female? or juvenile? goldfinch because it was wearing camouflage, perched here on one of the stems of what remains of the false sunflowers. It is easy to see here, but that's because is is in the center. You can totally understand the tail colors - they look just like leaves.
It is second summer in Ottawa-Gatineau this weekend. McKay Lake was dressed up in its full fall colors. Just beautiful.
October 5, 2025 at 11:45 PM
It is second summer in Ottawa-Gatineau this weekend. McKay Lake was dressed up in its full fall colors. Just beautiful.
It is late in the wildflower season in Ottawa and these little lavender asters are everywhere. The bumblebees really go for them, and there are many, but the flowers are so small they really have to work, zipping from one cluster to another, landing only briefly on a couple of flowers at each.
September 27, 2025 at 10:14 PM
It is late in the wildflower season in Ottawa and these little lavender asters are everywhere. The bumblebees really go for them, and there are many, but the flowers are so small they really have to work, zipping from one cluster to another, landing only briefly on a couple of flowers at each.
It was a just glorious late-summer/early fall day in Ottawa-Gatineau. It is peak season at the Orleans Fruit Farm and it was hopping at apple picking - still v. good! - and at the tent. Great stuff at the kiosk: corn, four varieties of apples including macs and lobos, strawberries, carrots and more.
September 21, 2025 at 11:52 PM
It was a just glorious late-summer/early fall day in Ottawa-Gatineau. It is peak season at the Orleans Fruit Farm and it was hopping at apple picking - still v. good! - and at the tent. Great stuff at the kiosk: corn, four varieties of apples including macs and lobos, strawberries, carrots and more.
It is the transition between summer and fall. This bumblebee was sleeping on a false sunflower in a cluster of false sunflowers. Another bee, maybe a sister, flew up and tried to rouse her, but she brushed her away with her front legs and went right back to sleep. Being a bee must be exhausting!
September 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
It is the transition between summer and fall. This bumblebee was sleeping on a false sunflower in a cluster of false sunflowers. Another bee, maybe a sister, flew up and tried to rouse her, but she brushed her away with her front legs and went right back to sleep. Being a bee must be exhausting!
Just put one of these up. That'll do.
August 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Just put one of these up. That'll do.
Fireworks at Kìwekì Point, Ottawa, last night.
August 10, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Fireworks at Kìwekì Point, Ottawa, last night.
You are being watched. (Too see the watcher, zoom in near the center.)
August 5, 2025 at 12:33 AM
You are being watched. (Too see the watcher, zoom in near the center.)
I went canoeing today wearing a mask because of the bad air. That’s a first and pretty much unimaginable here until a couple of years ago. The water was gently rippled. The diffuse light gave the surface a silvery shine. There was not much wind at all, but that's a sailboat way off in the distance.
August 4, 2025 at 11:57 PM
I went canoeing today wearing a mask because of the bad air. That’s a first and pretty much unimaginable here until a couple of years ago. The water was gently rippled. The diffuse light gave the surface a silvery shine. There was not much wind at all, but that's a sailboat way off in the distance.
The white waterlilies are blooming on the Ottawa River. Although they look all white from a distance, closeup they have bright yellow centers.
August 2, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The white waterlilies are blooming on the Ottawa River. Although they look all white from a distance, closeup they have bright yellow centers.
Here's a photo of one of the spots where the city put stop signs for the pedestrians in response to people asking for traffic calming.
July 30, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Here's a photo of one of the spots where the city put stop signs for the pedestrians in response to people asking for traffic calming.
The bee balm is still blooming, but it is starting to look a bit ragged. The bumblebees have been working the flowers hard for over a week now. They are getting a bit worn down. This evening I caught one bee napping under a bee balm leaf.
July 24, 2025 at 3:05 AM
The bee balm is still blooming, but it is starting to look a bit ragged. The bumblebees have been working the flowers hard for over a week now. They are getting a bit worn down. This evening I caught one bee napping under a bee balm leaf.
I have only seen a few monarchs so far this year. When I have seen one and tried to take a pic they've been like "no, no, no" and flown off leaving me with just an orange blur. But today at noon in Ottawa this one set down on some milkweed and held mostly still just long enough for a quick photo.
July 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
I have only seen a few monarchs so far this year. When I have seen one and tried to take a pic they've been like "no, no, no" and flown off leaving me with just an orange blur. But today at noon in Ottawa this one set down on some milkweed and held mostly still just long enough for a quick photo.
I thought there were fewer bumblebees at the bee balm this year but they must have been waiting for the harvest: tonight was a frenzy. Here’s a video. Bee balm has tiny florets that the bee has to shove its beak into for a taste before moving on. What a mad scramble! They'll sleep well tonight!
July 15, 2025 at 1:06 AM
I thought there were fewer bumblebees at the bee balm this year but they must have been waiting for the harvest: tonight was a frenzy. Here’s a video. Bee balm has tiny florets that the bee has to shove its beak into for a taste before moving on. What a mad scramble! They'll sleep well tonight!
While I was looking at the wildflowers and insects, this creature was keeping an eye on me.
July 14, 2025 at 12:40 AM
While I was looking at the wildflowers and insects, this creature was keeping an eye on me.
After the thunderstorm when most of the water had dried up I finally saw a couple of bumblebees working the bee balm. They briefly examined each flower, rarely landing, usually only on the smaller flowers, staying only for a short time. (Zoom in to see a face in a parka with yellow trim.)
July 14, 2025 at 12:22 AM
After the thunderstorm when most of the water had dried up I finally saw a couple of bumblebees working the bee balm. They briefly examined each flower, rarely landing, usually only on the smaller flowers, staying only for a short time. (Zoom in to see a face in a parka with yellow trim.)
The bee balm has started flowering, and there is lots this year! I didn’t see any bumblebees but there were many kinds of native bees. The bigger bees checked out the flowers but didn't land. Others, like this micro-bee were feeding, though. Can a bee get smaller than this? Zoom in on those eyes!
July 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
The bee balm has started flowering, and there is lots this year! I didn’t see any bumblebees but there were many kinds of native bees. The bigger bees checked out the flowers but didn't land. Others, like this micro-bee were feeding, though. Can a bee get smaller than this? Zoom in on those eyes!
There are all kinds of bees in the wildflower patch now but we haven’t seen many butterflies, apart from a few of the little white "cabbage" ones. But recently there’s been the occasional smallish orange one. “Atlantic fritillary”, I think? Zoom in to see the crazy candy cane antennae!
July 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM
There are all kinds of bees in the wildflower patch now but we haven’t seen many butterflies, apart from a few of the little white "cabbage" ones. But recently there’s been the occasional smallish orange one. “Atlantic fritillary”, I think? Zoom in to see the crazy candy cane antennae!
Those tiny green bees better stay alert, because this monster was lurking right nearby. I'd call this a robber fly, and it is on the hunt! Very scary! (-if you happen to be a tiny green bee, that is.)
June 30, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Those tiny green bees better stay alert, because this monster was lurking right nearby. I'd call this a robber fly, and it is on the hunt! Very scary! (-if you happen to be a tiny green bee, that is.)
These tiny metallic green "flies" were running all over the swamp milkweed leaves. They are too small to see very well - you just see the metallic green shine. Even the photo is a bit blurry. I think they are actually a kind of bee. (Not that long ago I learned that some bees are metallic green!)
June 30, 2025 at 7:53 PM
These tiny metallic green "flies" were running all over the swamp milkweed leaves. They are too small to see very well - you just see the metallic green shine. Even the photo is a bit blurry. I think they are actually a kind of bee. (Not that long ago I learned that some bees are metallic green!)
Look at this big ol’ bumblebee on this purple flower. These purple flowers (tradescantia?) are a good size – maybe the length of your thumb. Even so, every time the bee landed the flowers drooped down. So here, the bee is still flying - just about to land. That showy mane reminds me of a parka.
June 14, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Look at this big ol’ bumblebee on this purple flower. These purple flowers (tradescantia?) are a good size – maybe the length of your thumb. Even so, every time the bee landed the flowers drooped down. So here, the bee is still flying - just about to land. That showy mane reminds me of a parka.
Look at this tiny bee! The hind legs don’t so much have pollen baskets as pollen pants! The flower on the right is a thumb's width. Several of these bees were working these pink-white petaled mini-daisies which were in full sun, which was slightly less bright than usual because of lingering haze.
June 8, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Look at this tiny bee! The hind legs don’t so much have pollen baskets as pollen pants! The flower on the right is a thumb's width. Several of these bees were working these pink-white petaled mini-daisies which were in full sun, which was slightly less bright than usual because of lingering haze.
We checked out Turtle Trail on Petrie Island in Ottawa on Sunday. The trail was flooded so you couldn't walk far and it was windy with whitecaps! Sheltered waters were still too high for turtles: most of the logs were submerged. I only saw these two small painted turtles that found a sunny spot.
May 1, 2025 at 3:25 AM
We checked out Turtle Trail on Petrie Island in Ottawa on Sunday. The trail was flooded so you couldn't walk far and it was windy with whitecaps! Sheltered waters were still too high for turtles: most of the logs were submerged. I only saw these two small painted turtles that found a sunny spot.