Papaveedy

Snowy Owl

2012-01-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

I believe this to be a young male as it is much whiter than the other shots I got. As I said before, I much prefer them perching on a fence than a power pole. We were lucky enough to see seven owls in one day of driving the back roads East and North of Calgary. Of course, some were pretty far away to get decent photos.

Snowy Owl

2012-01-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

After a bunch of research, we finally drove to Calgary to get shots of Snowy Owls. This is the sample I was hoping for, on a fence rather than on top of a power pole. I did get a few really close but on top of a power pole. I much prefer this shot.

Caribou

2011-12-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing a few Caribou on the way to work and here is a sample. This happens to be a female.

Barrow's Goldeneye

2011-12-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a group of Barrow's Goldeneyes at the Cartier Pond. We seldom see this many Barrow's around here so this is a nice find.

Pine Marten

2011-12-23T23:09:00.000-08:00

There were two Pine Martens in our back yard for a few minutes the other day! I can tell you that the squirrels were going nuts for a while.

Trumpeter Swans

2011-12-23T23:07:00.000-08:00

These were at 3-Valley Lake on the weekend and we managed to get pretty close to them for a little while.

Raccoon

2011-12-23T22:59:00.000-08:00

This is the first time a raccoon has been seen in the Revelstoke area! Actually there are two of them as we found out a few nights later! I hope they don't stick around.

Buffleheads

2011-11-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

This is a cropped shot of more that 26 Bulleheads today at the airport ponds. There were also 3 eagles in the trees waiting for lunch.

Winter is in sight

2011-11-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

Some shots taken today, Nov 1. Looks like the first frost and winter is creeping down the mountains.

More front and back yard colours.

2011-10-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

Some really nice colours right now!

Fall colours

2011-10-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Back yard colours just before the task of raking them up.

Another fall shot.

2011-10-17T22:36:00.001-07:00

A scene from 9 mile south today. Pretty soon there will be no leaves on the trees.........just takes a good wind now.

Fall colours

2011-10-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Finally the fall colours are here whether you like it or not. And the snow is next...........what a thought!!!!!!

Ruffed Grouse

2011-10-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

This guy was beside the road and I had too much lens on but I grabbed some shots before he flew off.

Rain, rain, rain!

2011-10-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

With all the rain showers, it's still nice to see some colour left in the garden and even nicer with some raindrops.

Red-tail Hawk

2011-10-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

I just wish that all of the wing would be in the frame, but maybe nest time.

Sulphur

2011-09-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Whether this is a Common Sulphur or a Yellow Sulphur, you can call it by all these names. At the time this was shot, this was the only one that was yellow amongst a lot of Cabbage Whites.

West Coast Lady

2011-09-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

At first I thought this was a Painted Lady but upon examining the butterfly book, it turns out to be a West Coast Lady, which is fairly rare in these parts. I was very pleased, to say the least!

Lorquins Admiral

2011-08-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if the spelling is right but I think that is what it is anyway. Managed to shoot this one right from the window of the truck.

Pine White

2011-08-22T18:59:00.001-07:00

I just had to post this one I shot yesterday after a long drive down West side Road, finally got this shot of a Pine White Butterfly, a first for me so it was quite exciting, especially chasing him down the road with a broken leg. ( I have the broken leg)

Belted Kingfisher in flight

2011-08-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

Taken just after the shot below, exiting from the scene because I got too close.

Belted Kingfisher

2011-08-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

I got a hot tip that this Female Belted Kingfisher was around this area on the Columbia and I decided to see what I could get. I did not take a long enough lens with me and had to resort to a 2x telextender to get this shot which is cropped about 50% as posted.

White-tail Deer

2011-08-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Had too much lens on again with this one but even with the ear missing, I thought this is a keeper.

Lauzuli Bunting

2011-08-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

This Bunting has been frequenting my feeder for the past few days but it was very wary of me. I managed to get this in heavy shade.

Stellers Jay close-up

2011-08-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

Had too much of a lens on and his head was obstructed so I just thought I would shoot for detail of his feathers. This is full frame.

Eastern Kingbirds

2011-07-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

This was a quick grab shot and it worked out okay for me as I did not have time to look at what my setting were and I lucked out with 1/2000 @ f4 with a 300 and a 1.4 TC hand held too.

These birds are not fighting but are a pair of proud parents.

Admiral

2011-07-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

This is a Lorquin's Admiral I believe. I shot this with my 28-300 laying down on the ground just to get a better background and foreground. This lens is fantastic as it focuses to less that a foot even at 300mm.

Family feed time!

2011-06-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Here is Mom feeding 2 of the 3 in her family.

Full House

2011-06-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

Full House and I'm not playing poker! Pretty noisy Pileated!

Song Sparrow

2011-06-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

While shooting another scene, this Song Sparrow appeared to my back in the deep shade but I managed to get a few shots.

Lazuli Bunting with Lunch

2011-06-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

This is a big crop but was lucky enough to one that is sharp. These birds are my nemesis I think but I will keep on trying to get one better all the time.

Another shot - same bear

2011-06-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

The light was low and the camera was busy but out of a hundred shots, I only got 2 fairly good ones in all that panic.

Back yard bear

2011-06-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

This little guy was interrupted by me taking his picture and I think you can put a lot of captions on this one!

Male Phalarope portrait

2011-06-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

If you lay down in the swamp long enough, then if one is lucky, they will come really close. Close enough for a portrait like this.

Wilson's Phalarope

2011-06-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a male. Usually the males in birds are the most colourful but in this species it's the opposite.

Here is the family.

2011-06-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Looks like only one survived this year as there are usually more of them in the brood.

Killdeer

2011-06-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

Really don't know why they call these what they are but this one was guarding it's partner and little one so I was able to get pretty close to him.

Wilson's Warbler (female)

2011-06-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

I think this is one of the most stealthiest and quickest of all the warblers, at least for me and I was really lucky to get this shot.

American Goldfinch

2011-06-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Finally got a decent photo of this Goldfinch although the techs are way below what I would like.

Female Rufous Hummingbird

2011-06-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

Its tough to get a decent shot of a hummer but I found that if you wait until evening and just used a flash on 1/2 or 1/4 power to get more speed, it really does turn out pretty good.

Little Black Bear

2011-06-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

A two year old, I guess and it was trying to get at our bird feeder that was about 8 feet off the ground on a wire between two trees. We had a real comedy show for a while while it was on two legs and dancing around and around but in vain.

Female Purple Finch

2011-06-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

This little bird was accompanying some Pine Siskins at our feeder for a couple days so I decided to lay out for it to get a shot and this is the outcome..

Ruffed Grouse

2011-05-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

This guy was pretty mad at me but I had to get him off the highway so he wouldn't get run over.

June Bug

2011-05-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Finally the June bugs have arrived! I haven't seem them for a few years it seems.

Little Mallard

2011-05-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year when you see the little ones swimming around discovering the world.

Orange-Crowned Warbler

2011-05-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a few years and I finally got a decent shot of one of these birds. He was so busy in out maple tree that out of 70 or so shots, I only got one that I liked a little.

Common Loon take-off.

2011-05-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

Nice to see these in the airport ponds again this year.

Horned Grebes

2011-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

In the airport ponds this spring. A welcome sight too!

Yellow-Rumped Warbler Myrtle Version

2011-05-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Cute little guy and he was flying around the same trees as the Audubon's version. They seem a little smaller than the Audubon's.

I Wonder

2011-05-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I wonder what this is but I think it is a female Brewer's Blackbird. Nice luminous colours!

Osprey

2011-04-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

I think this is a young one because it let me this close. Beautiful wing stretch!

Female Red-winged Balckbird

2011-04-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Its that time of the year and the females are establishing their territory and the males are chasing each other all around the ponds.

Pheasant

2011-04-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

Well its been a long time since I had a chance to get one of these in my sights and finally today there was one out in the open.

Group of Eagles

2011-04-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Most every spring around the first week of April, Bald Eagles come to feast on the fish that have become frozen in the ice during the winter. Here is a group of which there were around 26 or so this year.

Immature Bald Eagle

2011-04-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

A lot of people in this area think that this is a Golden Eagle but in fact we rarely see them here but we do have a lot of immature Bald Eagles and as you know it takes about 5 years for them to get a white head.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

2011-04-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

The first warbler shot of this spring would of course be the Yellow-rump, and a fine specimen it is!

Song Sparrow

2011-03-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here he is singing his song too! Caught in my yard the other morning just as I was leaving to get shots of birds in the neighborhood. The best ones seem to come from my yard though!

Swans in snow

2011-03-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Don't know for sure if these are Trumpeters or Tundra but most likely Trumpeters. Heavy snowfall too!

The happy couple

2011-03-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Taken today, it was really nice to see this couple enjoying life on their branch. The larger one on the left is the female, I believe.

Moose

2011-03-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Looks like this moose has had a few years under his belt. Taken on the way up to Mica last week.

Pileated Woodpecker

2011-03-07T15:54:00.001-08:00

Well, I've been waiting for him to show up on this tree for a few years! Finally got some decent shots of him.

Motocross

2011-02-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

Being a motorcycle nut most of my life, i like to go down to the new track being built in the summer and here is a shot of the kids practicing.

Formation Flying

2011-02-21T21:58:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I posted this one before but anyway...........here is a Raven and a Retail Hawk flying in formation. Neat............!

Some images that I like

2011-02-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

Going through some of this years pictures that I liked and thought I would post it. This one is from a heli ride helping out a friend of mine servicing some radio transmitter repeaters in the mountains north of town.

Downtown

2011-02-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

I took this one this summer from the plane as I approached the airport. Just a quick shot showing the main street in the middle and downtown.

Varied Thrush on one leg.

2011-02-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

Soon as he landed he stuck one leg up into his feathers to keep it warm. At almost the same time I saw a Junco do exactly the same thing.

Pileated Woodpecker

2011-02-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

Caught this one just in time right out our upstairs window the other day. He didn't stick around for many shots but I was lucky enough to get this through the glass.

My House this winter

2011-02-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

This year we have enough snow that we can hardly see out our first floor windows. The height to the roof is about 10 feet so take a guess on how much snow there is. AND it has snowed another foot since this picture!

Pygmy Owl and Lunch

2011-02-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

This Pygmy Owl had a Varied Thrush and was not capable of flying with it as it was a lot bigger than the owl itself, but it was determined not to let it go. By morning all that was left was a few feathers.

Moose on the run.

2011-02-15T22:00:00.001-08:00

This is not a picture that I would usually post but it was an interesting one. This female was jogging for miles before I got close and just kept on going long after I passed her so I grabbed a shot out the window without looking through the camera and got this one.

Red Shafted Northern Flicker

2011-02-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Frequent visitor to the back yard all year round but in the winter they seem to be much easier to photograph. I think they know that it is I that feeds them..........LOL.

Downy Woodpecker

2011-02-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

Finally the Downy has come to the feeder! Usually these cute birds are here most of the year but I haven't seen them for quite a long time and was beginning to wonder if I ever would. Haven't seen the male yet though, but 2 females have visited at the same time.

Song Sparrow

2011-02-15T21:49:00.000-08:00

Trying to catch up on this blog a little although the weather dictates whether I can get some good shots and we certainly haven't had much of that lately. It's also hard to get a shot I like enough to post here but when I do, it gets posted. This little sparrow is constantly on the move so a shot that is all in focus is a bonus.

Bald eagle in snowfall

2011-02-15T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's hard to pass by an eagle and not stop to shoot a few shots even though it may be snowing hard or the traffic will not let you. This was the case this time but I pulled over on the wrong side of the road and got a few shots although I was in a hurry and I should know better, only the last couple shots were sharp. I must learn to relax more!!!!!

Portrait of a Nuthatch

2011-01-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

Now here is a close up of a red-breasted Nuthatch which was posing frozen on a branch outside my window possible trying to stay still because of a merlin in the vicinity. Just guessing but he did stay very still for a long time and I took advantage of it.

Varied Thrush in my yard

2011-01-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

The Varied Thrush have been staying around my house for awhile and today I decided I should get more shots of them before they all of a sudden disappear. Here is a selection that I got today. Hope you like them. They are a very skittish species and I had to resort to all kinds of trickery to get these.

From last fall

2010-12-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is not so easy as it looks to get. Although it is a large crop, I still like it as it is of a bird that is the most elusive of almost all species.........I think!

Not birds or nature!

2010-12-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

Flying low over the house yesterday.................not really but it looks like a freighter going north to south.............wish I was on it!

Grosbeak Portrait

2010-12-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

How about this for close? This even surprised me as I was concentrating on a much farther shot! Good think that the fast focus on the Nikon did the trick. This is full frame and not cropped.

White tail Deer

2010-12-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

This friendly deer posed for me today when she strolled into my front yard to raid the bird feeder.

Varied Thrush

2010-11-29T16:49:00.000-08:00

Now that it has snowed, the birds seemed to find my feeder. This is not that good of a shot, taken through the window, but at least it shows the birds superb colour. Before the snow, this bird is virtually impossible to see in amongst the fall colours. This is one of two that were there today.

Pygmy Owl

2010-11-28T18:54:00.000-08:00

Here it is for those who have never seen one! Sitting here I think he was about 4 inches high! Caught right in my front yard bush trying to make a few Siskins into a meal.

American Goldfinch

2010-11-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

The Goldfinches are back!!! They were gone from my feeder for a long time but now they are back in force. I counted about 50+ the other day.

Aerial view of my home

2010-11-17T15:56:00.000-08:00

For those who don't live here in paradise, I took this flying in the summer. It shows most of the town and the Big Eddy to the left but not Arrow Heights which would be at the bottom and right of the shot.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

2010-11-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

This time of the year, most of the birds are gone south but the Nuthatches keep emptying the feeder in preparation of winter. They just never stop and usually very difficult to get a sharp shot.

Grosbeak in flight

2010-10-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here is hard to get and I was lucky to get this one. The light was really low and I had to use 2000 ISO and f2.8 to get it. Also I might add that I shot it through a window!

Airport Marsh

2010-10-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

In the middle of fall and waiting for snow to come, a few birds still loafing around and colours in the water. Before you know it the scene will be all white.

Bald Eagle

2010-10-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

I was happy to get this one today and they have been really shy lately. Even though I couldn't get a clean shot, I do like this one with the fall colours of the Mountain Ash.

New Snow

2010-10-23T22:26:00.001-07:00

A skiff of new snow on Mt.MacKenzie ski hill. I just thought it was a neat shot.

Mountain Ash

2010-10-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

This is a mountain ash tree loaded up and ready for winter. Almost sagging to the ground, its safe to say that it may be a long hard winter.........or maybe not. I thought it was a neat shot as usually the Mountain Ash is usually a big tree.

North Downie Ponds

2010-10-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

This is a compilation of the Downie Ponds. I think it was 6 vertical images put together to get this. If you look close, you can see the Snow Goose in almost the centre of the image. Click on the pic to make it bigger.

Snow Goose

2010-10-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

I think this is a young Snow Goose and I didn't want to get any closer for fear of scattering them. Besides, I wasn't packing the big optics anyway.(Good excuse)

Milbert's Tortoiseshell

2010-10-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of the last butterflies of the year! Amazingly, this one popped in the yard yesterday and I ran out but it was gone. I patiently waited and what do you know.....it returned so I could get some shots. The new lens I got recently is a dandy....Nikon's AFS28-300 f3.5-5.6. I actually focuses to less than one and a half feet at 300mm!! It sure comes in handy with most subjects.

Red-breasted Nuthatch and Steller's Jay

2010-10-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

These last 4 shots have been taken through the living room front picture window glass!!!!! Yes, that's a little bit of cheating but not really.....because it's hard enough to get a good shot sharp enough when you do that. The trick is to use off the camera fill in flash for the shot. I tried using the radio controlled built in camera and SB900 flash but I did not like that way it behaved so I used the SC-17 cord(I think that's the number). That seemed to do the trick but could only get a few feet away.

Evening Grosbeak

2010-10-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Up until now, the Grosbeaks have been regrowing their feathers and are starting to look better. Finally got a decent shot of them. Here are both the female and the male that I shot today.

Fall colours

2010-10-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Fall colours are here and almost half gone already. Snow soon I hope.

Dowitcher Flight

2010-10-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

They are still here!! I was surprised today that some of the flock is still here or maybe this is a brand new flock......hmmmm.

Patterns in the garden.

2010-10-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you look, there is a picture just about anywhere.

Down the centre line.

2010-10-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here you go, try this and into the sun too.

Frenchman's Cap

2010-10-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Located about 40 miles North of Revelstoke, this mountain always stands out. I think it's almost 10,000 ft elevation.