I spent the day photographing Bald Eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) and Trumpeter Swans ( Cygnus buccinator ). The Bald Eagles were feeding on spawning salmon which were coming to the end of their life cycle. The Trumpeter Swans were coming into land on a wooded pond. Click on either one of the photos to see a larger version.
Fall light for photography is magical due to its low, warm angle, which creates golden hues at sunset. However, this time of year it gets dark by 4:30 p.m. I had to work quickly, before the sun went down, to get this photo of a Pacific Great Blue Heron perched on one leg which helps it to conserve body heat. Click on the image to see a larger version.
In October I look forward to chasing colours with my camera. The shorter days and cooler temperatures signals the trees to stop producing chlorophyll. At times, my hands were cold, but it felt great to spend the day in nature. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Click on a photo to see a larger version and then use your left and right keys to scroll through the gallery.
One of the best known mountains in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains. It’s considered to be the remnant of an extinct andesitic stratovolcano which formed between 1.1 and 1.3 million years ago. To the Squamish people it’s T’ákt’akmúten tl’a Ín7inyáx̱a7en which means ‘Landing Place of the Thunderbird’. The jagged shape of the mountain and its black colouring are said to come from the Thunderbird’s lightning. In my photo, just to the left of the mountain you can see the rock formation the ‘Bishop’s Mitre’ which is a challenging and technical climb. Click on either photo to see a larger version.
The Ospreys ( Pandion haliaetus ) have migrated back to British Columbia. One of the first things they do after arriving is clean up their nest. With generations adding to the nest year after year, it becomes bigger. I was fortunate to photograph the male Osprey collecting nesting material. It didn’t land on the lakeshore, it would just swoop down and collect sticks feet first. Click on the photo to see a larger version.
I was on my way to see if the Ospreys had returned to their nest for another season of breeding, when I spotted two American Kestrels ( Falco sparverius ) perched on a wire. They are North America’s smallest falcon and eat mostly insects and other invertebrates, as well as small rodents and birds. The photo below is a female American Kestrel and it was scanning for prey. I never did see the Ospreys, but I enjoyed watching this pair of American Kestrels hunting. Their flight is very light and buoyant. Click on the photo to see a larger version.
In British Columbia there are two species of Otters. They are commonly confused, but Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris) live at sea and swim on their back. The River Otter (Lutra canadensis) is semi-aquatic and swims on its belly. The River Otter has a pointed head and a thick tail which is 2/3 of its total body length. The Sea Otter has a blunt head and a flattened tail which is 1/3 of its total body length. I spent some time photographing three River Otters. When they catch prey like fish, shellfish, birds, and small animals, they bring it ashore to eat. Click on the photo to see a larger version.
It wasn’t the best light and the background is kind of dull and uninteresting, but I was really excited to take images of a Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus ). This falcon is part of the Pacific ( Peale’s ) population. They eat mostly birds, some 450 North American species have been documented as prey. When dropping on their prey with their wings closed they can achieve speeds over 300 km/hr. They will grab a bird or strike it with their feet hard enough to stun or kill it. I felt very fortunate to spend some time with this elite predator.
A Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) shows its two metre wingspan. You can see in the photo that the Bald Eagle is watching me. They have excellent eyesight and can see four to seven times farther than humans.
Being outside in the rain taking images is an enjoyable experience if you have good rain gear. The light is soft, it’s quiet and there are very few people. I like this photo of a Pacific Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias fannini ) because of the dark water background and the way it was perched on the log.
