Not much remains of a leaf after it was made a meal by insects near The Grand in Waterloo.
Mathew McCarthy
July 15, 2009
July 14, 2009
Sparrow
A sparrow chick waits for food in a box near the river in Kitchener and a nearby water lilly blooms in a shade.
Mathew McCarthy
July 13, 2009
Evening fishermen
While walking back from my hike I came across two anglers making use of the fading daylight and the coolness of evening to try their luck fishing. They were making use of a rock bed that until recently was covered by water near the remains of a railroad crossing.
David Bebee
Long summer day on the Grand
I took a walk on the Walter Bean Grand River trail towards Bingeman's Park. I stopped regularly at the river's edge using smaller access trails to get there. On one of these trails, I emerged and had to hold my hand up to block the intense sunlight reflecting off the water. I used a hanging elm tree branch to shoot through and made this picture.
David Bebee
July 12, 2009
Ducklings in tow
A family of mallard ducks swim in the current of the Grand near the linear trail in Cambridge. The windy conditions added some texture to the water.
David Bebee
July 11, 2009
Tiger Lily
A fisherman makes a cast under the bridge at Freeport. There are several species of flowers along this part of the Grand River trail. This tiger lily is one of my mother's favorite plants and made me think of the large bunch of lilies that grace her front garden. This one is for you mom.
David Bebee
July 10, 2009
Ribbet ribbet
I hiked down a familiar and favorite part of the Grand today near University Avenue that overlooks Snyder's flats. It seems like every time I go for a walk in this area I see something new or meet someone with a love for the river. Today I met a leopard frog enjoying the sun on a stone just at the water's edge.
David Bebee
July 09, 2009
Grass and flower
A flower grows in the water and under the shade of a bush in Kitchener. A short walk away a backlit seed head bends in the breeze. A subtle change in light conditions can change the palette of colour in a photograph from pastel to brilliant.
Mathew McCarthy
July 08, 2009
Snapping turtle gaze
I had heard from a couple who follow the Year on the Grand blog that some snapping turtles had laid eggs on a sandy shore near the Grand in Cambridge. I visited the site a couple times and didn't have much success. I started to wonder if I would get a chance to photograph one of the big lumbering lugs this summer. Today turned out to be the day.
I was hiking a stretch of the river in Kitchener when I heard a loud plop. It turned out to be a muskrat going about its business. After taking some pictures I saw what appeared to be a rock smeared with muck and slimy green vegetation. On closer inspection I realized it was the shell of a snapping turtle and after waiting for 5 minutes the head began to rise out of the murky waters.
I remember being warned in my youth to keep fingers and toes away from the hooked beak like jaws of the largest turtle in Ontario. There is something very prehistoric looking about these reptiles. Looking at the impressive eye of this one made me think of dinosaurs.
David Bebee
July 07, 2009
Red insect on yellow
My first visit to the Grand after a week away yielded this picture of a red insect perched on a wild parsnip plant on a nice stretch of the river above the Galt Country Club in Cambridge. I found it refreshing to be near the Grand again.
David Bebee
David Bebee and Mathew McCarthy
David and Mathew are photojournalists at the Waterloo Region Record.
Do you have any story or photo ideas about the Grand River? Email David at dbebee@therecord.com or Mathew at mmccarthy@therecord.com
