Month: June 2011

Puff Ball #1

Bears

I was able to get out today and the sun was excellent! I knew I was going to have some good light to work with.
All I needed was some animals to model for me!
I went up to Island Cove and than Gunner Inlet. I didn’t see anything and was heading back out when I did one last over the shoulder check just to make sure……………and sure enough,there she was! A Sow came out of the bush and started to walk along the beach with her two cubs! I thought I had died and gone to heaven!
I came in very quietly and was able to get a few good shots. The thing I liked about this shoot is that the bears for once came out on a shore in good light! Most of the times they are in the shade. Black bears in the shade do not go together!
The cubs seemed awfully small compared to all the other cubs I’ve seen?
I finished with them and moved on to my eagle friends.
All in all, a good night out!

Down But Not Out

Miscellaneous

I’ve always liked this stump and it’s location.
It’s on Indian Island. You can see it from the Grice Bay parking lot. I’ve always thought the a nude would look good up on this stump?
I think the best time to shoot it would be in the Spring. It’s warmer than and the model would appreciate my timing I’m sure!. Plus, I still have that beautiful background of snow covered mountains!
That tree must of been at least 500 years old! I’ve been up close to it and it’s bigger than you think! That cut must of been done after the tree had fallen. It’s way too high up the trunk for anybody to get a chainsaw up there! It still has it’s root ball ,so it must of been by the waters edge and fallen?
This stump has been there for years and will continue to be for decades I suspect!

Romeo Being Pestered By A Crow

Crows, Eagles

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I saw Romeo starting to fly towards me from Deadman Island and I also noticed that he was bringing along a nasty Crow with him!
For whatever reason ,this Crow really was taking a personal interest in bothering Romeo! He flew all the way from Deadman Island to Romeo’s rock and was content to watch and than pester him alittle more.
I have never seen a eagle attack a Crow,but i suspect that the Crows are far more maneuverable than the eagles and he wouldn’t be able to get ahold of one! It would be great if Romeo “did” get a hold of one occasionally?
Romeo could eat “Crow” than!

Tofino Air Taking Off

Tofino Air

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The sun was out and so was I! The wind was up a bit as well.
I went up to Island Cove and Gunner to look for bears,but no one was home. I did see the two wolves I call “Salty” and her mate “Pepper”!
They were heading west towards Duckling Island from Spittle point.(Browning Pass) I thought I’d out smart them and race to the west and cut in way ahead of them and just wait for them to come to me!
They had other ideas however! They cut into the forest before they got to the corner. They cut that corner where I lay in wait for them. They came out past the corner back into the shallow bay behind Duckling Island. I didn’t even have enough time to get a shot off!
I was very disappointed!
I tried to go into that Bay,but it was too shallow and besides they disappeared from the shore. Dam! I was so close to getting them tonight.
On the plus side ,I know where that forest trail enters and comes out! If I see them again,I will be waiting for them to come out there!

I screwed up some exposures because I accidentally hit one of my dials and didn’t realize it until it was too late!
Canon really has a design problem with the Mode dial. No way to lock in!
Other than all that,I had a good night out!
UPDATE:(June 26th) I have something to confess that is rather embarrassing!After I took this sequence,I naturally took off down the inlet.
I heard from two individuals who own a Whale Watching business something that surprised me!
They saw me out in the harbour shooting the airplane and also a Humpback whale right behind me! It must of gone right under my boat and I didn’t see it! I was looking forward and not paying attention!
How embarrassing!
One can never be paying too much attention!

Juliette Taking Off

Eagles

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I saw Juliette fly over to this grassy rock and decided to see how close she would let me get to her?
She is way more skittish than Romeo! Romeo and I get along like old chums.
I very rarely get to shoot one of them at this location. It’s on the mudflats and as result hard to get to without water!
I take advantage of them being at my eye level. They very rarely are ever at eye level.
I’ve seen them on the beaches when there is a carcass,but other than that,they stay high up on a tree perch.
Much better camera angle when they are at eye level.

Damon Landing at Sunset

Atleo Air

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The results from the TSB are in and it would appear that the investigators have given their opinion on what caused that tragic airplane accident.
ALCOHOL
As simple as that folks,…….booze!
The three passengers had a very high level of alcohol. The pilot had no drugs or alcohol in his system and appears to of died because of other individuals being drunk!
Oh sooooo many people have died because of alcohol.
So much so, that when we see a bad car accident, we naturally assume that the person was drunk! We condone the use of alcohol in our society. It is probably the most pervasive & powerful drug of choice across the entire planet! The only other drugs that I can think of that are more pervasive are the Teen Sisters……..Caffeine and Nicotine!
The Reaper’s Shadow blackens Tofino’s beautiful face once again !

I took this sequence of Damon landing at sunset on May 23rd of 09. Almost a year exactly before the accident!
rest in peace Damon…..

Wide Eyed and Wide Taloned

Eagles

The sun was shining and that means I was smiling!
I was able to get out in the boat today. I went up to Island Cove and Gunner Inlet to check on the Boo Boo situation………..and there was no body home at all!! I was very disappointed! I even went into Grice Bay to check. The tide was going out and Grice bay is exposed at low tide. Not a place you really want to be as the tide is going out! I went in anyways and glassed the shore and once again,nobody home!
Dam!
Sorry folks,my furry friends were else where. The tide was high and starting to head out,so the bears were probably waiting for the low tide dinner bell to chime before they would come out!
I did visit both the Daredevil/Delilah as well as Maggie/Moe. They seemed to be friendly enough tonight.
The light got snuffed by some clouds and I had to call it a early night.
Still a good evenings shoot!

Meares Island Forest Rays

Meares Island

I was able to get out today! The sun was shining and I was chomping on the bit to sink my teeth into some adventure! I had to get out in the boat!
I went down Tofino Inlet to Island Cove and than Gunner Inlet. I found a new yearling at the mouth of Gunner Inlet.
At first I thought it might be Curly,but this guy had a very white chin! I’m pretty sure Curly doesn’t have that.
Also,he has a very brown mussel!
I have noticed a pattern with the Vancouver Island Bears!
Vancouver Island has a unique sub species of Black Bear.
When Darwin studied the Galapagos Island, he found the same species (isolated islands) had developed separately from it’s cousins else where!
For instance,he found that the Iguana’s in the Galapagos had learned and adapted to diving under the water to eat the sea weed growing on the rocks! He had never observed this elsewhere and was amazed!
The Kodiak bears on Kodiak Island (50 miles off the coast of Alaska) have developed independently from it’s close Mainland cousin ,the Grizzly! It is a shorter,very powerful and more robust compared to the Grizzly!
Vancouver Island has developed many unique animals in it’s own right.
The Black bears (there are no Grizzlies on Vancouver Island) I find are a little smaller (10 %),very passive (not aggressive) and have a dark mussel. The mainland bears are larger,more aggressive and have a brown mussel.
Grizzles have never developed on the island ,but several have swam from the mainland……………….& than were promptly shot by some Redneck’s who believe that Grizzles would become a menace to all living things!
All animals develop…….. forward, and if this is the desire of the species to develop forward on Vancouver Island than who am I to stop them! What God given right do I have to interfere into another animals evolutionary design in such a negative manner? Besides,they are probably swimming to the Island because we are invading their habitat on the Mainland!

After leaving this bear I noticed to the west the Forest rays coming from Meares Island! I normally do not shoot something like this by it’s self,but this unusual display just begged me to!
I wish I could of had a subject for the foreground,but unless a eagle or flock of birds flew in front,there was no way that was going to happen!
Meares Island has over 22,000 Acres and 60 miles of shore line. It is all Original growth and will never be logged. It has acouple spots that have been logged ,but other than those patches ,it’s all big, bold and Beautiful!

New Bear

Bears

I thought this was “Curly” at first,but when I saw that very white chin I knew it couldn’t be him. A very unique marker! Plus this guys mussel is way too brown. Curly’s is much darker. I won’t be confusing him/her with any other bear. We spent 10 minutes together and than I continued on my way up Gunner Inlet.
I couldn’t see anybody else up Gunner,so when I was coming back out of Gunner,I went to visit this bear again.
I wasn’t paying attention and broke one of my primary animal rules!
When he/she was looking at me wondering what I was…….I moved! It realized I was another animal and it got alittle spooked.
I backed off and left it alone to finish it’s dinner.
I always have to keep in mind not to move when they are looking at me!
No harm,no foul.

Romeo’s Rock At Sunset

Eagles


As I was coming up the back channel(Stockham Island),Romeo saw me at a distance and started flying towards me!
He has excellent eyesight and saw me way before I saw him! He likes to do this from time to time. He flew around me,chirped and landed onto his rock.
I get a little upset at him when he does this! He moves so fast that I am not in position before he lands on his throne!
I yell at him not to land yet and to do a few more circles…………but does he listen noooooooooo!
He’s such a character!

The Daredevil

Eagles

The sun was shining today and I got out in the boat for a evenings shoot.
I always go out about 2 hours before sunset.
The Canucks-Bruins game started at 5:30 pm or so and I delayed going out to watch this historic game!
After the 2nd period ended (0-3) I had a good idea what was about to happen and went on my merry way into the wilderness. I also knew that there was going to be trouble!There is no excuse for the destruction that occurred in Vancouver!
These people (mostly young drunk males with nothing much else to do) should be placed in stocks in the centre of Vancouver. People could pay a Loonie to throw rotten tomatoes at them. All the proceeds could go to help needy charities?
I think a few million could be raised quickly!
I go out into the wilderness to get away from these things. I never see riots in Nature!
We are a strange species?

I went up to Gunner Inlet and Island Cove to check on the bear situation but came up empty handed! I was very disappointed!
The Canucks lost,a riot happened and I didn’t come across any of my furry friends! Thats strike three.
I however, always have my finely feathered friends to fall back on.
Besides ………..I know where they live!
I got some good shots tonight of my eagle friends and a Osprey!