Month: June 2012

OSPREY

Osprey, Tofino Wildlife

I managed to get out today,but to be honest I should of stayed at home!
I didn’t see or get much to write home about! I went up into Fortune Channel,Gunner Inlet & Grice Bay & couldn’t find a single bear! I think they’re preoccupied with the fresh berries? Also,It happened to be high tide so there wasn’t enough shore line for them anyways.I did come across a skittish one in Tsapee Narrows but couldn’t get close enough to get a half decent shot.
Because of getting very little,I decided to go out to the Lighthouse & see how things were? Turns out the light got snuffed about a hour before sunset as well! I was really striking out tonight!
I found this Osprey in Grice Bay.
Better days ahead!

GUNNER BLACK BEAR

Bears, Tofino Wildlife

It seems so long since I last got out! I’ve only been averaging once a week lately & for the summer time that’s poor!
I went up into Fortune Channel for bears but couldn’t find one! In all honesty however,the tide was high so they are not as numerous with no shore line to pick over for juicy crabs! I do usually find one or two but didn’t tonight. I was disappointed to say the least!
So I went over into Gunner Inlet & yes I did fine two there,but they were both in the shade on the west side! I had to boost my ISO to compensate but managed to get a few.
With the tide coming in,I decided to try Grice Bay for bears? I found two of them but one of them was also in shade & the other was a bit too skittish to approach!
The bears down there are not use to people at all! As a matter of fact, I’d bet that I’m the only other animal they see down there! Nobody goes down there because it’s too shallow! The entire bay goes dry at low tide!
Headed back into town. Stopped off to say hi to the Daredevil & Delilah at Tsapee Narrows. They seemed happy!
I next went to visit with Moe & Maggie on Morpheus Island. They didn’t bother with me tonight,& I could only see Moe over on Nielsen Island.
I continued on to Deadman island to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Romeo didn’t come over to meet me at his rock as he normally does,so I headed over to the island. When I was halfway over, the silly bugger flew over to his rock! So I turned around & went back to the rock. I asked him whats up? He just looked at me! He’s a funny guy sometimes.
Juliette stayed on the nest. I didn’t see their eaglet either.
The sunset was great but tying to find anything for a foreground subject was hard! THAN I realized that a kayak was coming into the harbour out of the dark! I shadowed her for awhile silhouetting her against that great sunset sky!
Another fantastic evening shoot for me folks!

ROMEO’S SUNSET CLOSE UP

Eagles, Tofino Wildlife

Not sure what Romeo was thinking tonight?
He didn’t come over to greet me at his rock! So I headed over to Deadman island. When I was halfway there,he decided to fly over after all! I turned around & went back. Not sure why he was acting strange tonight? Silly bird.
He still looked beautiful in the setting suns light!

HUMMERS

Hummingbird, Tofino Wildlife

The cloud was doing it’s usual tricks today so I wasn’t able to get out at all! I could of gone yes,but with poor light……….”why should I”?
So,I stayed home today & took a few shots of my little feathered friends. I got a new lens & wanted to know how it reacted to something fast? I was very happy to find that the lens is even faster than my Hummingbird friends & sharp too!
The weather doesn’t look very good for the next two days either!

NICK

Bears

I did get out today,finally! It is suppose to be summer but someone should tap Mother Nature on the shoulder & wake her up! It’s been a cold/wet Spring! SO when the sun came out today I jumped at the opportunity!
I went immediately up into Fortune Channel looking for my bear friends. I was very disappointed when I couldn’t find not a one about! I did two passes & decided to try Gunner Inlet. Thats where I found “Nick”,but he was in the shade! I had to boost my ISO up to 1000 just to get this shot. Black bears in the shade do not make good shots! Plus, he was skittish & didn’t hang around today!
Struck out with my bear friends for sure. I was very disappointed too! I just bought a new lens & was looking forward to trying it out on them.
My eagle friends were the ones I tried it out on instead. Worked great too! Very quick & sharp!
The sunset tonight was great as well but I couldn’t find anything for a foreground subject! A kayak would of been perfect but their never around when you want one!
Still a great nights shoot even if I didn’t get any bears!

SWIMMING EAGLE

Eagles, Tofino Wildlife

This is a rare sequence! It’s the only shots I have of a Eagle swimming!
This happens from time to time,but as I say……rarely!
When a eagle grabs a fish,it can misjudge it’s speed/height & go into the water! This can mean death to a eagle if it is too far from shore. Hypothermia sets in & it drowns! Fortunately this eagle was close to shore! I raced in to get this shot quickly when I realized what was going on. So quickly I hit a small rock with my prop! I arrived just as it was getting to shore. A eagle cannot dislodge the fish from it’s talons! With the fish’s weight & the added weight of the water, it cannot take off out of the water! So it is forced to swim! I’ve only seen this happen three times!
I noticed that the end of it’s tail feathers show alittle darkness. A sure sign that this eagle has just graduated from being a adolescent!(4.5 – 5 yrs)
It might also explain the rookie move?
I am not familiar with this eagle.

TAMMY & THE TRIPLETS……… aka. “THE THREE STOOGES”

Bear Cub, Bears, Tofino Wildlife

I haven’t been out in what seems to be so long! This is were my patience is tested!
If I don’t have the light,than there’s no point! I know many photographers get great shots in the rain etc,but it ain’t my schtick!
I chase the gold only!
Tonight’s shoot was exactly that……….golden! Got some good light for sure! Filled my boots because the next frontal system is already descending upon us!
I went straight up into Fortune Channel to see if any of my furry friends were out & about? I did my pass along the shore line heading north & couldn’t find a single bear! On my return trip I came across this Sow with three cubs! I heard that there were two Sow’s with three cubs & was getting down because everyone else was seeing them but me!
I got lucky & came across one of them tonight! Bears with three cubs are uncommon but not unheard of. If it was quads,now that would be rare! I’ve never heard of it but bet it has happened!
I’m calling the female “Tammy” & the triplets, “The Three Stooges”. The cubs acted goofy & with them being three in number,how could I not call them that!
I got lucky when they all got together & looked straight at me! My camera was burning at that point! That doesn’t happen very often & I don’t need to be asked twice!
After a nice visit with my new friends,I went over into Gunner Inlet. Nobody was home unfortunately. I shut the motor off & had my treat. I always like to chill out up there. Very therapeutic. Not that I need it,but one can never fill their boots with enough!
I left Gunner & decided to head back,but a large cloud was blocking the light! The tide was coming in,so I decided to go up into Grice bay to see if anyone was home? Sure enough I found two separate bears! One was the largest Black Bear I have ever seen! Also a big scaredy cat. I couldn’t get close to it. The bears down here do not see anyone coming down for a visit. Out of the way & too shallow for most of the time. So they are not use to boats. I’ve seen this bear before & it did the same thing in the same spot. Just wandered behind some tall grass & disappeared!
The second bear was skittish as well,but more of a Braveheart than the other guy.
I finished with him & went back into town. Romeo came over to meet me at his rock! It’s always great to be greeted by him like this!
The sun was a ball of pure orangeish gold! PERFECT! Just the way I like it!
Took a few shots of Romeo & than went to the nest. I saw their eaglet for the first time this year! It was poking it’s head out & looking straight at me!
They always look so funny in this state! Romeo & Juliette normally have two eaglets but I didn’t see a second one. Will have to keep my eye on that!
I said goodnight to them all & went into the harbour. I found two kayaks coming into town. One of them had just caught a fish & was proudly displaying it to a small crowd on shore!
That wrapped up a great evenings shoot! Another day in paradise!

MY FRIEND ROMEO

Eagles, Tofino Wildlife

This is a great example of the type of light I chase! Pure gold!
I swear you could take a picture of a sack of potatoes & it would look fantastic!
Great light not only is a prerequisite but absolutely critical to a great shot!
If you also have a great subject (like Romeo here) instead of a sack of potatoes,it just amps up the shots impact!
You either have the light……or ya don’t……..& most times ya don’t!
Tonight I did!

Foraging

Bears, Tofino Wildlife

I did get out tonight & went straight up into Fortune Channel. The tide was high & I knew that it would limit the shore available for the bears to forage. However,I did manage to still come across 5 of them tonight!
I was watching this bear for awhile when I noticed a Sow & her cub only a 100 meters away! I switched bears instantly! I’m a sucker for bear cubs!
At first, I thought this was Diamond & her new cub! When I got closer I realized that this was a different Sow! Could be Diamond’s sister!
Think I’ll call her “PEARL” & her cub L’il Pearl.
After visiting with them,I went south along the shore & came across two more bears! A Sow with a 2 year old. They unfortunately were in the shade,so I didn’t get the light & moved on! :(
Returned to Tsapee Narrows to visit with both the Daredevil & Delilah. They both were active tonight!
Continued on into town to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Romeo came over to his rock but seemed more preoccupied with other matters tonight? Not sure what the story was there?
It was a great sunset tonight & I had a great evening shoot!

MANGY

Bears, Tofino Wildlife

I got out today,even though it looked like a large cloud system was about to move in from the west & snuff the light! It turned out that this cloud system actually dissipated enough to allow the light to shine! I was pleasantly happy to be wrong!
I went up into Fortune Channel looking for bears & only came across one tonight. A female yearling. I’m going to call this one “Mangy” because it appears to of had a bad case of mange! She’s on the mend, but the bout with the mange, made her fur look funny! She had a “Mohawk” going up the spine from the rear!
The fur had fallen out on each side of her flank! Making the spine have a “Mohawk” look to it! I’m sure she’s just being trendy!
She didn’t mind me being around & I had a nice visit with her.
I than went back into town. I stopped off to see Moe & Maggie,both were active tonight. I wonder if they have had any eaglets this year? Their nest is hard to see! If I had to guess,I’d say they don’t. I see too much of them all the time. Which tells me there’s no one to take care of at the nest!
I could be wrong of course & hope I am.
I than continued on to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Romeo came over to his rock as usual. Only he does this,Juliette doesn’t like the rock at all.
She did get off the nest & fly about to stretch her wings however! I still haven’t seen a head or “heads” poking out from the nest yet? Soon!
I saw a “Sun Dog” in the sky & knew that rain would be coming within 24 hours! It was an unusual one at that! Very sharp & bright!
Another great evening out in the wilds of Tofino!

SUNDOG

Clouds

A Sundog is called a “PARHELION” in Greek. Meaning “Beside the Sun”!
Sundogs occur in the 9 & 3 clock positions,with the sun being in the centre.
Sundogs occur as a result of flat plate like (hexangle) ice crystals high up in the atmosphere. When these ice crystals (Diamond Dust) are randomly oriented,a halo around the sun occurs. However,if these crystals descend & orientate themselves vertically,the light is refracted horizontally & thus a Sundog is born.
Sundogs tell of a weather change about to occur.
Usually rain.