Month: August 2013

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Bears, Tofino Wildlife

20130825-IMG_5070I always sell my shots down at the public market on Saturdays. I watch the weather forming during the day to see if I’ll be able to go out?
Today was perfect for getting out! No wind either! The only fly in the ointment was that the high tide was happening! I prefer low tide because there are many more bears but I found two tonight,so I couldn’t complain!
I found one in a small bay I like to go to in Fortune Channel. It literally popped out of the bush & was cruising. I hate when their cruising because I only get acouple of shots as they go by & than I have to start up the motor & leap frog them for the next shoot!
I didn’t recognize this bear? It did stop at a prominent tree to get it’s daily scratch however!
It disappeared along the shore into the forest but I knew that it was going through the forest to the next bay. Sure enough after zipping around the headland,I saw it pop out in the darkness in the back of the bay. I waited for it come around into the sunshine but it decided to head back into the darkness & that’s when I left it.

Went into Big bay to search for my friend Diamond! I couldn’t see her or anyone for that matter along the shore line? Remember that it was high tide,so there wasn’t much shore line for them to walk around on.
I saw movement off to my right & very quickly realized it was “Diamond” & she was walking along a prominent downed tree! I was tickled that I found her again! She’s becoming one of my favorites! She was eating Salal berries & grass,but did overturn a few rocks for crab as well.
Her fur was shining in the sun light & she looked fantastic! I stayed with her for awhile & realized the sun was getting low & I better start my trip back in.
Said goodbye to her & headed back. I noticed that first bear I found was walking along the shore line around the corner from Diamond! I knew they would meet & wanted to hang around & watch but time was not on my side. Diamond is so large that I bet she scared it off it the bush as soon as it got sight of her!
Stopped off at Tsapee to visit the Daredevil. By this time I could see the leading edge of the next Frontal system moving in. The sun was swallowed but highlighted the clouds structure nicely! I knew that by the time I’d got into the harbour that the light would be gone,so I made the most of it with the Daredevil.
Said goodnight & continued on into the harbour. As expected the light went bye bye! I went to Deadman Island but neither Romeo or Juliette were home?
I saw a few fishing boats coming back in from the open ocean & shot them.
All the light was gone by this time,so I called it a night & came back in.

Finding that first bear & having it scratch up against that tree made my night! Plus finding my friend Diamond was icing to my photographic cake!

THE “C JEWEL” WITH ATLEO AIR COMING IN FOR A LANDING.

Atleo Air, Boat, Strawberry Island

20130821-IMG_4539The weather & light were perfect for a evening shoot today,so I was off to the races!
Went straight up into Fortune Channel to look for some of my furry friends! Found one near Creative Salmon’s Dawely Pass fish farm. I recognized him right away. It was “Lil Jack” turning over rocks like they were books!
Li’l Jack & I spent some quality time together! I think he’s around 3 1/2 years old or so?
He wandered along the shore line & up into the forest for a nap I suppose. He probably gobbled up several hundred Rock crabs while I was watching him!
Said goodnight to him & continued along the eastern shore line looking for Li’l Jacks cousins! Found one in “Big Bay” but couldn’t get very close. The tide was dropping & the shore line in there was shallow. Didn’t recognize this one,but I got some good shots of it by some big old dead tree’s!

I noticed another boat out there for the third night in a row. He’s like me but a professional videographer! I saw him last year too. He had his hands full with another bear & I had mine.
Continued along the shore line to the north. I have a spot where I turn around & begin to head south because the shore line past this point gets steep & the bears cannot come out along the shore line.
I was about to turn when I saw a bear by the shore line! I slowly approached & soon realized it was a Sow with two cubs! I recognized her right away! It was “Streak” & she finally had her cubs out! She has always guarded them & kept them just inside the forest cover!
I had lucked out tonight! I approached slowly & watched her ears. They’re the first sign of stress!
She seemed fine,so I continued. The cubs both had little streaks down there chest just like Mum! One was wider than the other. Not sure but I think that one is a male & the one with the thin streak is a female?
I went up wind & drifted in very quietly. It worked & I was in position. Streak was cool & more interested in overturning large rocks for those tasty crab treats! The two cubs have never seen me before & so were apprehensive about me. They kept there distance but were watching me constantly. Because of all this excitement I hadn’t noticed that the sun had gone past the spot where I normally take off. I knew I’d be missing the sunset back in town, but sometimes something comes up that demands ones attention more so!
The sun went behind Meares & the shadow touched the shore where Streak & I were chewing the fat. No light,no shots,so I said goodnight to her & thanked her for introducing me to her two “Little Streaks”! (“Thick” & “Thin”)
Headed back to town but not before stopping off at Tsapee Narrows to visit with the Daredevil. Because the sun had gone in behind some low laying cloud,the best I could do for shots were silhouette’s.
Only got a few shots & took off. The clouds did look great so I wanted to take advantage of them in the harbour. By the time I got in there the clouds had totally changed & gone more to the red end of the spectrum. Not as impressive I thought but still great none the less!
Went to Deadman island to visit with Romeo. He wasn’t home when I arrived & I cursed,but the silly bugger perched just as I was thinking no shots from him tonight! Couldn’t see Juliette anywhere?
Romeo & I had a few words & than he posed a bit for me.
By this time the light was all but gone,so I called it a night & came back in.

Seeing Streak with her cubs really made my night! Had another great shoot tonight!

“STREAK’S” LI’L STREAKS…………….”THICK” & “THIN”

Bear Cub, Bears, Tofino Wildlife

20130821-IMG_4707Both cubs have white streaks down their chests just like Mum!
The one looking at me has a wider or thicker streak,so I’m calling him(?) “Thick” & the other is his little sister. She has a very thin streak,so thus I’m calling her “Thin”.