Sahyadrica

Last year I was fortunate to observe a few Eastern Garter Snakes late in March. I had set out to track when and how life returned to Medway Creek , without expecting to find any snakes so early in the season. After stumbling upon many Garter Snakes and being amongst a few individuals that I photographed for the first time, I started following one unique fellow with a rather dark abdomen compared to the others around. His name is Toby and this is his story. Toby is just another male Garter Snake in this vast country who spent the cold months huddled in a hibernacula with his fellow mates. Now he is out and about, exploring the dense woodland surrounding a fragment of Medway Creek – a tributary of Thames River in London, Ontario, with one important mission – to find a mate and pass on his genes. (The script of narration is provided at the bottom) If you watched the documentary, you may have had the same question in mind – was it really a female or just a trickster male? I was quit...

Medway Creek, photo taken on 20th April, 2010 The last two trails at Medway Creek have been pretty short. I was glad I managed to go there before I left London, probably forever. It has only been eight months since I discovered this little paradise known only to a handful of people who jog through the woods or walk their dogs. I started regular nature walks at Medway Creek late in the winter, when the temperatures stayed well above freezing. As on any nature walk, I had some expectations on wildlife sightings from this land, of which I did see a few, such as a White-tailed Deer buck showing-off his elegant antlers. Unfortunately, he was distracted and dashed for cover deeper in the woods before I could photograph. I also saw many birds I always wanted to see, such as Northern Flickers, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, Cedar Waxwings and so on. I also fulfilled my dream of photographing Garter Snakes. What I did not see is something I’m looking forward to now, but I must not forget th...

Medway Creek on 21st March, 2010 No more salty shoes. No more blowing snow. No more frozen earth. The days are longer and nights shorter. The air is warm and humid. The winds of change have arrived. And with these winds come all the residents of this land. I spent quite some time in the woods during March and April, photographing and studying as much as I could. I came across some astounding life I had always wanted to see, but this is just the fraction of it. I was able to photograph most that I saw through my eyes, but capturing the subtle scent of spring is impossible. Forest floor covered in new leaves The monochrome browns are disappearing as tender greens dot the trees. Some plants are already blooming, much ahead in the race of regeneration this summer. Medway Creek, just another tiny paradise lost amidst urbanization is showing off its phenomenal display in the undergrowth as well as treetops. From moths and butterflies, flies and beetles, from birds and mammals and from fish...