Month: October 2012

“SCAMP”

Bear Cub, Bears, Tofino Wildlife

It’s been raining & generally overcast for almost a week now,so when the sunshine came today,I didn’t need to be asked twice! I never can go when I want (or I’d be going ever day!) only when invited by Mother Nature!
Having said that, I did get out today BUT much later than what I should of! The sun is setting much earlier now! I should of gone out sooner because I wanted to go down to Tranquil to check on the salmon run,but there wasn’t enough time. It’s a hours ride down there,which means 2 hours traveling time there & back! Too much time wasted,so I decided to head into Gunner inlet. The wind was up as well,so Fortune Channel’s eastern shore would be getting hit! Gunner is far more protected.
I went into Gunner & upon first inspection couldn’t find anybody home? I was beginning to head out & go over to Fortune Channel when I saw a bear cruising along the eastern shore line! I’ve never seen this bear before or at least by it’s self? I suspect it was the cub recently given the boot by it’s mum a few weeks ago?
I followed it along the shore line of Gunner until it went into the shaded area to the west.
It had a odd behavior of running from time to time for no particular reason?? Normally when a bear does something like that,it’s because it was spooked by something,but there was nothing doing that to this bear! The best way to describe this bear,would be to say it acted like the rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland”!
It acted like it was late for a very important date! I think it was feeling like it should find it’s Mother? I suspect it was the cub I saw in this area several weeks ago being chased away by it’s mum? I think it’s a female?
It kept a eye on me but was more concerned with cruising & exploring things it came across! It found a white plastic bucket & began to rub it’s neck & head on it! It acted like it was cat nip! She stuck her head in the bucket & I was praying it wouldn’t get stuck,cause there was no way I was going to go up on shore & pull it off! I would of simply called it “Buckethead” instead of Scamp!
After spending about a hour with my new found friend,I headed back into town. I stopped at Tsapee Narrows to visit with both The Daredevil & Delilah. They both seemed to be in fine spirits tonight!
Continued on to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Romeo flew out to greet me again! He’s done this almost every time since coming back from the salmon festival!
Both of them flew into the setting sun! The sunset was pretty good but lacked clouds.
All in all,the evening shoot went pretty good today!

PLAY TIME!

Bear Cub, Bears, Tofino Wildlife

Scamp came across this plastic bucket & started playing with it! She sniffed & than began to rub herself vigorously with it! It almost seemed to be like cat nip to her! She stuck her head into the bucket & that’s when I realized that if she got stuck,there was no way I was going to pull it off! Her head was thankfully too small,so I was let of the hook.
Bears do not come across plastic very often out in the wild. If they find something out of the ordinary,they investigate to see if they can eat it? Scamp decided that this bucket was more of a plat toy than food!

THE “OCEAN SIESTA”

Fishing Boat

It was overcast today. I normally would not of gone out,but a friend was visiting. So we headed out to Fortune Channel for bears & found three! As to be expected on a overcast day,the contrast was poor! I had to bump my ISO up to 2000 just to get a shot!
We headed back to town to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Got a few of just Romeo & that was all she wrote.
Couldn’t get too excited about the light to be honest,but got a few nice silhouettes of Romeo at least.

COAST GUARD HEADING OUT

Canadian Coast Guard

Before I headed out today,I checked the Satellite for the cloud situation. I saw a large coastal cloud system coming in from the south & knew that there was a very good chance that the light was going to go bye bye!
I went down to Gunner looking for bears & found zero. I continued on to Tranquil Creek to see if any bears were down in there? Lots of Chum salmon & yes I did see that Sow with one cub again. I see her every time I go down there! Did some video shoots with the Go Pro too. I’ve been getting underwater footage of the salmon swimming about! Very tricky to get it too! They’re always on the alert for anything getting close to them!
Headed back & saw that the Fog had moved in & that was all she wrote for the nights shoot folks! No light………no shots!
I took a few token shots of Romeo! Both him & Juliette flew out to greet me! She normally doesn’t bother!
Did one run & that was it!
Had no light or subject to shoot,so I just came back in.
I did get some good footage of the salmon,so It wasn’t a total loss!

ROMEO & THE FOG

Eagles, Fog, Tofino Wildlife

You can see how badly the light went south! Once that Fog moves in,the whole story changes!! It basically stops the evening shoot dead in it’s tracks right there!
It was sweet to see both Romeo & Juliette flying out to greet me! It brought a smile to my face,even if the light was to poor to take any shots!
I took a few of Romeo & that was it!

AHHHHH…………….THERE YOU ARE!!

Bears, Salmon, Tofino Wildlife, Tranquil Creek

At first I thought this was a female Chum salmon but now realize that it is a male! I thought what was squirting out were the eggs,but the colour is too white! Eggs should be orange! So this must be a male & his “Milt”!
This bear got his/her Thanksgiving meal! ……….I wonder if there was Pumpkin pie after??

HARBOUR SEALS SUNNING

Harbour seal, Harbour Seal Haul Out, Tofino Wildlife

I was able to get close to these guys because I used a large rock in front of them as cover to approach!
I went by them & when that rock blocked their sight of me,doubled back straight in! I shut the motor off when I was beside that rock & slowly allowed the wind to drift me out past that cover rock. I didn’t move when I became “exposed”! They freak when that happens! By not moving it gives me a few seconds until they figure out what I am & scoot! Long enough to to get the shots!