As the days grow longer and the snow begins to melt, local photographer Jennifer Normand has been busy capturing the beauty of spring through her lens.
Normand is from New Bothwell but recently took a trip out to Sandilands in search of wildlife, and she wasn’t disappointed.
“I came across two porcupines and a skunk, which was exciting for me because I have never seen a porcupine before, unless unfortunately, it was roadkill. But these ones are happy and alive,” Normand shares. “One was sleeping in a tree, and the other was walking in the ditch. So, I got to photograph those two, and that was pretty exciting for me.”
Her adventure didn’t stop there.
“I came across a skunk, and this little guy was sitting on top of a deer carcass just having some lunch. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a photograph of that particular sight, but I did get a photo of the skunk, so that was pretty cool.”
Normand’s passion for wildlife photography extends to even the less-appreciated animals, like skunks.
“It’s a living creature. And they’re really cute because they really do act like a cat. They’re actually really sweet, despite the smell.”
But the highlight of her recent outings was spotting a great grey owl.
“I feel I got pretty lucky considering I have never seen a great grey owl in our area. I mean, I’m sure there has been a lot, I’ve just never come across one. But I had been driving through the Giroux area, and very slowly, I’m driving about 10 and right at the corner of my eye, I see this great big grey head sitting on a tree right next to me.”
She immediately pulled over to admire the majestic bird.
“Sure enough, there was a great grey owl sitting on top of the tree there, perched, doing some hunting, looking in the field. So, I was lucky enough to get pretty close to it without it flying away, which was really exciting.”
With spring in full bloom, Normand encourages everyone to take some time to enjoy the season.
“I think everybody should. Spring is the time to go and check out nature. For me personally, it’s my favourite. I find spring—new beginnings, new life, babies.”
She notes that springtime brings not just budding trees and flowers, but an increase in wildlife activity and more opportunity to see cubs or pups.
“We’re trapped in winter for so long and it gets dark and depressing. And I mean, for me, photography is my happy place. So, I’m able to do more of that come spring. The days are longer and it’s just more exciting because you’ll get to see more animals.”
Even when the outings feel slow, there’s always something to see.
“I saw a bunch of eagles and deer. There are so many deer. And it’s not just one I’m seeing, they’re in like 12 to 15 in a field. Because I had gone to Pansy, Sandilands, Sarto area, and all I saw was deer and bald eagles. Again, trees full of eagles. That was not disappointing. That’s still very exciting.”
For Normand, photography isn’t just about snapping pictures, it’s about connecting with nature.
As spring continues to unfold, Normand plans to keep her eyes and her lens focused on the wildlife that makes this season so special.
With files from Judy Peters