White-tailed deer swimming across a channel in Georgian Bay between mainland and Franklin Island. Water temperature would be about 4C. Although this route is heavily used in the winter when the water is iced over, it seems odd that a deer would swim to an island when there appear to be abundant resources nearby. Perhaps coincidentally, this was also the day before the opening of deer hunting season.
Snapping turtle observed crossing the road, possibly to/from nesting area (both sides of the road are marshy). Note leech on carapace. As I got out of the car to take the picture, two more people arrived to remove it from the road. Note gloves.
This person was using an axe handle, but the second person noted he usually carries a kid's hockey stick in the car to remove both turtles and snakes from the road, which is quite heavily travelled by campers and kayakers.
The series of photos shows the turtle's response to efforts to remove it from the road, turning completely around to face the attacker.
I couldn't resist the red-red of this bit of sea weed against the salt-and-pepper effect of the black rock and white shell beach.
I love crows, but find it tough to get a good photo of a black bird. This one captured its ruffled head feathers and bright eye nicely.
A skunk cabbage plant is reflected in a temporary pool along the shore of Mackenzie Beach.
Is it just the force of the wave action or are all the intact sand dollars scooped up by beach combers to sell in the tourist shops?
Herring? Eulachon? eggs - between the flies, the crows and the dogs, they won't last long!
An old western red cedar is covered with moss and ferns in the Rainforest Walk at Long Beach, Vancouver Island (Pacific Rim National Park).
