First Visit to Mud Lake

I made a brief visit out to Mud Lake yesterday, mainly to get a feel of the area. Mud Lake is a Conservation Area withing the Ottawa City limits and has a pretty diverse range of flora and fauna.



I did a trip around the lake to get an idea where things were and how the light was. So I can plan a much longer photo expedition (I went for about 90 minutes). I did see, one Muskrat, but was in too much clutter for an interesting photo. About 2 dozen squirrels, including one very curious grey that approached me (I guess it thought it was a model). Countless Canada Geese and Mallard ducks. A shy Wood Duck drake that was swimming towards me and into a pool of sunlight until he was spooked by two yahoos on mountain bikes (who ignored the no bikes signs)

Several Cottontail rabbits, lot's of grackles, red-wing blackbirds. I didn't encounter the Black Capped Night-Heron or Green Heron that have been seen at Mud Lake.  Almost every log had a sunning Eastern Painted Turtle on it.

All photos were taken with a Pentax * ist D, and a SMC Pentax-M* 300mm f:4 lens.



A Mallard drake, the same fellow a few moments later.



A Canada Goose on her nest, no goslings peeked out from below her.








Darrell

Here is a MSN Maps, satellite view of Mud Lake.