2019-12-08: Random photos from walks

I always take a camera with me when I go out for walks with my dog (or on the rare occasion when I go for a walk on my own).  I haven’t taken too many images in recent months, and as such hadn’t downloaded the card in quite some time.  While out on Thursday, I saw a beautiful barred owl near my house, and while reviewing those pictures, I found a few others I had forgotten that I had taken.

This is a bit of a random assortment of images taken since July, while out and about on walks.

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I see this young buck frequently around the neighbourhood now, but this was the first time that I had spotted him while out on a walk.
P1040399 copy-Edit
A violet-green swallow seen while out on a walk on the dikes in Pitt Meadows.
P1040415 copy-Edit
A proof shot that there are moose in the neighbourhood, even if they are seen very infrequently.
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A barred owl spotted on my morning walk last week.
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An early morning along the Pitt River.

Deer at Pitt River

It was a wonderful weekend for photography while out walking with the dog.  I’ve got lots of photos to go through and edit 🙂

I spotted a deer along the river!  It wasn't long before I realized there were two, resting in the grasses along the river. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO5600
I spotted a deer along the river! It wasn’t long before I realized there were two resting in the grasses along the river.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO5600

I’ve only seen deer along the Pitt River a few times, and each time it has been on the far side of the dike, away from the river.  Yesterday, I caught a pair of deer relaxing in the long grasses in the flats along the river.  Once they caught sight of me, they didn’t stick around long, but it was lovely to have the chance to watch them for a few minutes.

Deer

The deer was definitely watching me to see if I posed any danger to it. 1/500sec, f5.6, ISO3600
The deer was definitely watching me to see if I posed any danger to it.
1/500sec, f5.6, ISO3600
Always alert for danger - it was time to get on the move. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO6400
Always alert for danger – it was time to get on the move.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO6400
The leader and the follower. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO5000
The leader and the follower.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO5000
Once they decided to head for cover, they did so with purpose. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO4000
Once they decided to head for cover, they did so with purpose.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO4000
Wandering along the edge of the river, right towards the heron sitting on the stump. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO2000
Wandering along the edge of the river, right towards the heron sitting on the stump.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO2000
After heading off along the bank of the river, both deer soon disappeared into a small clump of trees. 1/500sec, f7.1, ISO2200
After heading off along the bank of the river, both deer soon disappeared into a small clump of trees.
1/500sec, f7.1, ISO2200

 

Trumpeter Swan

After a very stressful week, I was dragging my butt this morning, but I still managed to get out the door for our walk by ten past six.  I almost left my camera at home, but decided to bring it along at the last minute – I’m so glad I did.  I had a lovely walk with Spencer and fabulous bird sightings as well.  I have lots of editing and posting to do over the next few days!

Today was the first time I saw a trumpeter swan along the Pitt River.  I’ve not had any success in finding any information online about what the tag signifies, but it is a yellow neck band, marked with M38 as well as a visible band around one leg.

I was surprised to see a tagged trumpeter swan (M38) amongst the geese towards to end of the dikes.
I was surprised to see a tagged trumpeter swan (M38) amongst the geese towards to end of the dikes.
1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO640
1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO640

Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter swan tagged with M38 swimming amongst some Canada geese.  One their own, the geese seem very large, but next to the swan, they seem so small!
Trumpeter swan tagged with M38 swimming amongst some Canada geese. One their own, the geese seem very large, but next to the swan, they seem so small!
My first sighting of a swan along the Pitt River coming to an end.
My first sighting of a swan along the Pitt River coming to an end.
Flying so low over the river, the long wings of the swan occasionally made contact with the water. 1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO2200
Flying so low over the river, the long wings of the swan occasionally made contact with the water.
1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO2200

Trumpeter Swan in flight

Hawk / Northern Harrier? Neither, it's an Osprey

With the wings spread open, it is easy to see the beautiful stripes in the feathers. 1/640sec, f5.6, ISO800
With the wings spread open, it is easy to see the beautiful stripes in the feathers.
1/640sec, f5.6, ISO800
The lines of the wings and the neck are just beautiful. 1/800sec, f5.6, ISO800
The lines of the wings and the neck are just beautiful.
1/800sec, f5.6, ISO800

I had some lovely photo opportunities yesterday while out walking with the dog, both of the heron that I posted earlier, and of this beautiful bird.  I have tried to determine what type it is, and think that it could be one of several different types of hawks.  But while looking through birding websites and photos, I realized that photos I posted earlier, of what I thought to be a cooper’s hawk, may in fact have been a juvenile northern harrier.  Regardless of what we call them, they are wonderful to watch.  Maybe one of these days, I will see them under blue skies rather than the stark grey we had yesterday.  At least it waited to rain until after I got in the car!

Update: I ran into a lovely couple from the Alouette Field Naturalists group, and they took a look at these photos and told me this is an Osprey.  They had been watching an Osprey rebuilding a nest that had been taken over by a Canada goose.

Things happened quite quickly, and I am not sure if the hawk went towards the tree to tae a branch, or mistimed a landing and ending up breaking the branch off. 1/500sec, f5.6, ISO1100
Things happened quite quickly, and I am not sure if the hawk went towards the tree to tae a branch, or mistimed a landing and ending up breaking the branch off.
1/500sec, f5.6, ISO1100
After gathering up a smaller clump of branches, the hawk landed on the top of a power pole. 1/500sec, f5.6, ISO1100
After gathering up a smaller clump of branches, the hawk landed on the top of a power pole.
1/500sec, f5.6, ISO1100
As we got closer, the hawk got ready to take off again. 1/500sec, f5.6, ISO800
As we got closer, the hawk got ready to take off again.
1/500sec, f5.6, ISO800
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO800
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO800
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO800
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO800
The angle of the light was just right for a silhouette photo.  Right after this, the hawk was gone. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO450
The angle of the light was just right for a silhouette photo. Right after this, the hawk was gone.
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO450

 

Cooper's Hawk

I was lucky enough to have my camera while out on a walk early yesterday morning along the dikes.  It was quite foggy, and I was hoping to capture a few shots for a project I am working on.  I saw some moment in the tall grasses along the edge of the river, and managed to capture a sequence of a Cooper’s Hawk hunting.  I didn’t manage to see in the end if he or she was success in the hunt, but it was still a great thing to witness.  The thick fog adds a bit of a vintage feel to the pictures.

Cooper's Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk-6 Cooper's Hawk-5 Cooper's Hawk-4 Cooper's Hawk-3 Cooper's Hawk-2

Autumn Days

Each year, the transition into autumn hits me harder and harder.  I find the grey skies and rain day after day a bit much to handle (the colder temperatures don’t impress me that much either).  However, we have recently had some gorgeous weather, and I’m glad I had my camera with me to capture a little bit of it.

Flock of Geese Sunny Afternoon Mountains Fun at the river

I had my “photo assistant” along to enjoy the lovely weather.  While I took photos of the river, he dug in the sand 🙂

Autumn Reflection

This young deer was not far from where I saw several bears a few days earlier.  I'm glad I was prepared this time with the correct lens.
This young deer was not far from where I saw several bears a few days earlier. I’m glad I was prepared this time with the correct lens.

Autumn Sunrise Foggy Tree Autumn Days Foggy Mountains Foggy Tree 2 Foggy Branches

 

The Unexpected Great Blue Heron Photo Shoot

Pitt River Bridge, June 2013 1/30, f22, ISO100, 65mm
Pitt River Bridge, June 2013
1/30, f22, ISO100, 65mm

I headed out at 6am on Saturday, armed with a travel mug of coffee, my camera, tripod and ND filter, in the hopes of practicing some long exposure landscape photos at the Pitt River. My intention was to work on techniques that when converted to monochrome, renders the water looking misty and any clouds in the sky ethereal. But the BC weather foiled me again – it was TOO NICE. I won’t complain about that, ever, I just couldn’t photograph what I had hoped to.

Coquitlam in the distance, June 2013 1/10, f22, ISO100, 55mm
Coquitlam in the distance, June 2013
1/10, f22, ISO100, 55mm

I’ve noted the settings that I have used and some of the combinations may seem a bit odd.  I was playing around in manual mode and while it was bright, I was in the shade.  Since I had my tripod, I went with the one thing my instructor repeated a good half dozen times in class “If you have access to a tripod, you have no reason to use anything other than ISO 100.”

Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows, BC, June 2013 1/350, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows, BC, June 2013
1/350, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Mirror Images, June 2013 1.0sec, f38, ISO100, 48mm
Mirror Images, June 2013
1.0sec, f38, ISO100, 48mm

The river was smooth like glass and a lovely Great Blue Heron sat on a pillar in the water the entire time I was out, giving me the opportunity for some lovely shots of both the hills and the water, and the heron. I’m sure I’ll be back to African animals later in the week, but I was pretty happy with these shots, taken so close to home.

Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows, BC, June 2013 1/30, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows, BC, June 2013
1/30, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Great Blue Heron, June 2013 1/30, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Great Blue Heron, June 2013
1/30, f5.6, ISO 100, 300mm
Mirror image Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows BC, June 2013 1/125, f11, ISO 100, 120mm
Mirror image Great Blue Heron, Pitt Meadows BC, June 2013
1/125, f11, ISO 100, 120mm
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