Oyster River Enhancement Society, Old Men of the Hatchery

We are just regular, mainly retired, men and women who want to give something back to the world that we may have used during our working years. Some of us were loggers, fishermen, salespeople, mill workers or military people. Some enjoyed hunting and fishing as pastimes who took our fair share and maybe even more, never worrying that we ought to leave some for our grand kids. Now we understand the damage we may have caused and work towards righting some of the environmental woes we were part of. I am one of these people; semi retired, exlogger who did more than my share of damage to Mother Earth. I am now trying to raise awareness of the damages we humans continue to do to the world and attempt to demonstrate by doing, how we all might be able to assure that our grand kids have a salmon to catch some day. The Oyster River Enhancement Society has a membership of over 300 and an active volunteer group of over 50 members who show up every Tuesday to do what needs to be done. We have been led by Frank and Jitka Petrezuelka for about 18 years. They are now leaving to live a quieter lifestyle, get some rest and enjoy some new freedom. This has been a full time job for these "retired" managers. They will be tough people to replace when we think of what they have accomplished these past many years. With the help of many volunteers Frank has overseen tremendous growth of natural spawning channels that the fish use naturally. Working with limited budgets and grants from Pacific Salmon Foundation as well as donations from local businesses and private individuals, priority infrastructure has been added where needed. Much of the success of the hatchery has been due to Frank's easy management style. Most years the hatchery has released more than 2 million salmon fry to the river. This is not counting many times more than that that have spawned naturally in the river and side channels. It is more difficult to manage volunteers than a paid work force. Employees can be told what to do where volunteers have to be coaxed. Jitka never forgets a birthday and always has a smile and a hug of support for all. She has been Frank's right hand man for years and is dedicated to the fish and volunteers. She has filed many of the grant applications for specific projects.
I know it will not be easy to replace Frank and Jitka. I looked at the wood carving of the "Old Man of the Sea" and think we ought to have one for the fish. If we could design a memorial, I believe it could be a carving of Frank and Jitka and be titled "The Keepers of the Salmon".
I look forward to the next few years volunteering at ORES and know that there are still many other members who have been devoted to the Oyster River Salmon for a long time that will help our new manager as he comes up to speed. Lyle has big boots to fill and there will always be the ghost of Frank looking over his shoulder.
Thanks for all you have accomplished, Frank and Jitka. The Oyster River is alive and well because of your able direction. We hope you come for a visit once in a while. We are going to miss you.

Bob Scriba
Dec.13/2011

http://www.seasonsofthegrizzly.com/

Freedom to Float

I was walking the beech yesterday enjoying the sunrise and the calm strait. Out on the water sat several different species of birds, mainly ducks. Today the Cormorants seemed most numerous so I sat and watched them for a while. The largest ones we have living

on the west coast is the "Double Crested Cormorant" and the smallest is the "Pelagic Cormorant." Most often we see them sitting on the rocks digesting their meals or drying their feathers. They don't have any oil in their feathers which reduces their water buoyancy, allowing them to dive down as low as 160 feet to catch their small fishy meal. I have seen them sitting out there trying to dry feathers in a rainstorm too.

Often, I enjoy watching Cormorants and Gulls riding the tidal currents on a piece of driftwood. What freedom that is and it reminds me of the days we used to have floating down the Smokey or Wapiti Rivers in our canoe or raft. Just sit on your raft and let the winds or the current carry you someplace. Where, who cares? We used to worry about getting back to the confines of jobs and homes, preferably on time. Now days we all have to be equipped with GPS, Spot, and cell phones, just in case somebody wants to get a hold of us. The old freedom is rare these days. I wondered if Mother Cormorant was concerned about her young ones, floating off on the ebb tide? Were they worried about getting back to the big rock to dry out? Could they fish for their supper wherever that driftwood took them? Would they just ride their raft back on the flood tide?

I think more of us should just get on our "raft" and go wherever the winds, tides or trails take us. Lets not be too concerned about if we get back today or by dark or even by tomorrow. Is the world going to stop spinning because we aren't exactly where we are "supposed" to be? There would be a lot less stress, at least on ourselves.

www.seasonsofthegrizzly.com

The rules

Occupy Agreement

I have been wondering about all these Occupy Activists lately, thinking that they are a bunch of dope smoking, crack eating pot heads, which some of them probably are, but there are some with very real concerns.

I went down to the post office today to mail a book off, 1 book. I have always sent these same books in a package, supplied by the post office, for $11.00. These packages were designed to fill up and mail, no matter what the weight. Today they wouldn't let me mail even 1 book in that package, I had to buy the next bigger one, for an extra $3.00. This larger package is what I used to send 6 books in for $14.00. Maybe I am one of the people who took advantage of the post office's former generosity, but it was their own policy. Price of shipping is going to go up folks, so my book sales will no doubt suffer.

Another big corporation example of public gouging is the price of gasoline at the pumps. $1.29/l at the pumps here in Campbell River. Now the price of oil has been down several dollars below the summer high, but the price per litre keeps climbing! What is going on? What is their new excuse? What a bunch of shysters we have to contend with and we have no choice but to pay, pay, pay! I hope there is a big raise coming soon!

It won't be long and I will have no choice but to join the pot heads in their tents on the grounds of the Legislature grounds. At least the government will pay for my room and board if I refuse to move.

2011 Season of Grizzly Bear Viewing

The 2011 season was one of our busiest with lots of bears, a decent salmon run and lots of great guests. As always there are some we never want to see leave because we do have a lot in common and need more time to get to know each other. I always watch the guests as they climb out of the plane and wonder who they are, what are they like, why are they here, what is their story and most of all who are we not going to want to see leave? Some of the most difficult looking first impressions often turn out to be favorite guests as they become more comfortable with us. I always have to remind myself that our common bond to begin with is wilderness and wildlife, especially grizzly bears. From there we can begin. I am not long on words so tend to let the wilderness explain itself, with some explanations from my perspective. I do introduce our new guests to the cove and inlet with some history and background of the logging, cannery and the lodge itself. With a bit of luck we can often show our new guests a bear within an hour or so of landing and getting on the water. My payment is the joy that many of them express when they see their first grizzly bear. For many guests, this is one more tick off their personal bucket list. Many people have travelled the world to experience wildlife and the grizzly bear is considered one of the top of the world wildlife trophies to see in the natural world. I am very lucky to work in a place where we have excellent assurance of seeing one everyday.

There are some very good reasons why the bears are here and why our guests can be assured of seeing one. Guests spend hours of their time planning their trip and spend al lot of money in hopes of a close encounter with a grizzly bear.

The big motivation for bears to hang around the cove are the food resources. In the spring, sedge provides immediate nutrients and helps to maintain their body weight over the summer. As the tide ebbs daily, the bears move down the exposed beach to roll rocks over and slurp up intertidal life such as gunnels, insects, arthropods, shore crabs as well as mussells and barnacles.

Berries grow in the forest beginning in late June with Salmon berries and progressing through summer and fall with many others such as huckleberries, currants, elderberries and ending up with salal and Pacific crab apples.

Mating season begins in late May and through June so the bears know that there is a good chance of finding a mate here. It is always the most exciting season with many encounters with large males interacting with the females as well as the possibility of bear fights for dominance and the right to be with a favorite mate. This season we watched our favorite young bear get chased away from his mom so she could go off with Clyde. Peanut was a hesitant bachelor but caught on by salmon time. Next year we may get to see Bella chase her cubs off to begin the baby cycle over again. Hopefully Lenore will come home with a pair of cubs to see too.

Around this time of the season, the females bring their new born cubs down to the beach to forage as well. There are always plenty of oohs and aahs when guests see the little cubs. We run "name the cubs" contests at the lodge, (no cheesy names please) and it is always interesting to see the names that our international guests come up with.

Salmon season begins at the end of July and early August. Now is when the bears begin to pack on the weight they need to make it through another winter. The river mouth and the tree stand are favorite hangouts for the bears looking for the first salmon returns. As salmon become more numerous the bears move up river toward the spawning channel where they will become more concentrated.

Many other reasons help keep bears in the Glendale area. A small but safe no hunting zone keeps trophy hunters away from our bears. We continue to strive towards a hunting ban of coastal grizzly bears, but our government is very attached to the dollars these hunts bring in.

The forest and healthy river provide great food, safety, mating, hibernation and diversity of life habitat that the bears need for a fruitful, healthy life.

We continue to weigh the costs and benefits to the bears of being too habitualized to bear watchers. We strive to maintain safe observation distances, keep time schedules, and to stay on regular paths so none of the bears are shocked or surprised when we meet. We do not carry food or dump garbage that the bears may pick up and begin to associate us as a food source. We travel in groups, make a bit of noise and carry pepper spray as a deterrent if ever approached too closely by a menacing bear. We have never had to resort to that.

This season my guests and I have had many experiences with bears that we will all remember for years to come. From the comments in the guest book, we continue to be one of the highlights of most of our guests holidays. On Trip Advisor, Knight Inlet Lodge was voted #5 in the world as a destination. This is a designation voted on by our guests and one that we are all very proud of. It shows how hard we work for our guests and how successful we continue to be at giving our worldwide travellers a quality grizzly experience.

Franks Day Off

Here is a link to a post that one of our guests wrote about one of my tours. It is his perspective of a great day on the water at Knight Inlet Lodge.
Hope you enjoy.



http://www.knightinletlodge.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Whales-Franks-day-off3.pdf

Its Really all About the Salmon

Once again this year, we are watching and wondering about the salmon returns to the Glendale River in Knight Inlet. According to the DFO weekly counts, the return is far below what the 2010 out migration of 20 million salmon fry should produce. Last count I heard was about 80 thousand adult pinks have returned to spawn. Early estimates hoped for up to a million returning pinks, even half that would be possible in good ocean conditions. That count may go up, but normally by this time of year all the fish are lying in the deep river pools. At the same time we are listening to reports from the Cohen Commission on the sockeye collapse of 2009 and wonder if anything will actually come out of spending millions of dollars on another exercise in futility. One company pointing blame fingers at the other, the environmentalists pointing at industry and the government pleading innocence, confusion, lack of funding, low staff numbers and muzzling of key scientists. One scientist disagrees with others, doctors of this and doctors of that who cannot or do not want to cooperate with each other for fear of tumbling their own house of cards in the gamble to appear to correct the apparent demise of wild salmon.

In the meantime, the time honoured struggle by the salmon to propagate their species continues in innumerable rivers along the west coast of North America. Everyday the salmon face more obstacles than we can count, both man made and natural. It is these challenges that make me pause to wonder at their unselfish determination. Everyday I stand along side the river observing salmon waiting patiently in the deep pools for their body's hormones to complete the metamorphosis from powerful, sleek, silver ocean fish to the dark, ragged and torn specimen, determined to spawn in the river of their birth. The females grow dark green with pink highlights as their eggs ripen once they hit the fresh river water. The males also grow dark green with yellow and pink highlights; their backs grow into a large hump and their jaws become more hooked with large canine teeth. These transformations happen relatively quickly, over about 6 weeks. I watched the first salmon female digging her redd the other day until she was chased off temporarily by an eagle looking for a fishy meal.

Some of our guests wonder why these fish turn so ugly as they prepare to spawn. I often equate our own pregnant female with the spawning salmon. I have never found them to be beautiful either. I do admire the dedication and the beauty that the salmon have for their mates, even though they are "ugly!" Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I continue to understand and appreciate the beauty of the natural world.

I watch as the salmon finally leave the security of the deep, tannin stained pools, in a rush through the shallows to get to their final spawning site. Sometimes they go as a mob, rushing, splashing, scurrying through shallow riffles, hoping to confuse a waiting, predatory bear or eagle. It seems that there may be safety in numbers as the odds of getting "me" lessen, may motivate this rush, like a beach head attack on D-day. Occasionally they sneak up, one at a time, hoping nobody will notice their strategic advance.

Of course, every once in a while the bear wins. As cheerleaders, watching this age old contest, we often have mixed feelings about which team to cheer for. We know how crucial it is for the bear to get the maximum calories that it needs to have a fat cushion for the coming 5 months of fasting hibernation. On years when there is a large enough salmon return, it is not so difficult to cheer for the bears. During the bear feast, when they need 50 thousand or more calories per day, we know that it requires a lot of fish to satisfy this hyperphagia. ( I figure about 2000 calories per fish).

On years when there are few salmon our loyalties are challenged, understanding how important it is to the long term health of the environment that each salmon makes it to spawn, before getting eaten.

In the meantime, all we can do as interested spectators is to raise awareness and understanding of the plight of the salmon and bears. As the salmon are a "keystone" species and the bears are "top of the food chain" species, both of their secure, strong numbers will ensure that the whole environment around them will also be healthy. Irregardless of what Justice Cohen decides next year, the healthy wilderness still comes down to the courage, the determination and the wisdom of each animal to survive and continue the struggle to propagate their own species.

www.seasonsofthegrizzly.com

One WOW Day

As I begin each day I wonder; "what is going to happen today? Is this going to be a Wow day? Can I make it into a Wow day for my guests?"

A Wow day that just occurred last week began as I prepared for a marine tour from Knight Inlet Lodge. I packed the lunch and drinks then my personal gear such as my "oh crap, we're sinking bag" rubber boots, sunglasses and camera bag. I made sure my 7 guests had all the stuff they needed to make their day comfortable and that we all had a final pee.

I had in hand a picture of a native pictograph that I wanted to try to find and thought that Billy Proctor would be able to help me.

The day was bright and clear with no wind. The inlet water was a mirror, reflecting high clouds, snow capped mountains and forests. The first highlight was the sighting of a monstrous eagle nest, perched high above the forest canopy in the dead top of a cedar tree. It must have been used for decades, rather than years. We wondered how many trips it took for the eagles to build this mansion on the hill?

After about an hour we arrived at Lagoon Cove, a marina with a permanent population of 4. Boats and yachts plying the waters of the inside passage often stop here for fuel, safe anchorage and news. It is a scenic setting in the sheltered waters of East Cracroft Island where you can set out your crab and prawn traps for a taste of delicious west coast sea food. Pat gave our guests a lesson on the life cycle of prawns and dungeness crabs. Off we headed after a pee and chocolate bar refill, down Clio channel, pausing for a chat at the Bennett Point fish farm.

I accidentally found the pictograph that I was searching for on the point of land just outside the abandoned native village of Karlekwees. Interesting what you can see when you pause for a look once in a while instead of rushing, willy nilly, here and there. After passing through Wilson Pass into Baronette passage we paused tor tea at Cracroft Point. We were monitoring the radio, listening to professional whale watching companies for any news of elusive orcas. They are big animals, but the ocean is bigger. There were no orca reports but there were humpbacks in Blackfish Sound. The waters of Johnstone Strait were flat, there were commercial fishing boats moving about and plenty of sea birds to watch. We paused for a few seals hauled out on some partially exposed rocks, then a postcard photo of a trawler coming toward us. We spent a few minutes marvelling at a seiner as it was bringing in it's net full of salmon, only 1 scoop, so not too productive. We had lunch with a pair of humpback whales who were feeding nearby, making sure that Rose got her cup of tea.

We observed at least 8 different whales in the vicinity so after lunch was packed away I began following a pair, any pair would do. All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, a humpback breached, right beside the boat. I saw the splash and heard the exclamations of surprise from my guests and stopped the boat to let the whales move off a bit. In the next minute and 35 seconds, according to Frank's video, we saw them breech 7 times. Unbelievable power and strength, mighty splashes accompanied by great grunts and whistles from the whales too. Other boats began to crowd around us as we watched, in awe of Mother Nature's power. What was happening here? Are they mating or just enjoying life? We looked at one another in wonder, filled with emotions, bubbling over with enthusiasm and excitement. After a few more minutes, we all knew that nothing more could be better than this so we headed for Billy Proctor's Museum, near Echo Bay.

Rose wanted to buy a book. She has become enamoured by Billy and his story. We enjoyed Billy's philosophical and humorous stories as he toured us through his junk and his newly built hand loggers or trappers shack. His shack was made from one cedar log, hand split and sawn with about 20 pounds of nails."It ain't much, but it's a damn sight better than sleeping under an overturned rowboat or leaky tarp on the beach!" he exclaims, knowing from personal experience, all three shelters. He described to me where there are 3 more sets of pictographs to be found along our route home.

With Rose's books in hand, we bid our goodbyes and left on that search.

True to his description, we found 2 of them, right where he said they would be, "on the bluff just before the gravel beach about a mile and a half beyond that new log dump. Look behind you and up a bit." We did not have time for the others, so they will be for another trip.

By the time supper was served, my guests were the envy of all the guests at the lodge. This was their Wow day and they felt like stars, which is my job to make them feel!

It's Often the Little Things

More and more often I am finding that the little creatures are making many of my tours memorable. We tout our trips to see whales, grizzly bears and scenery, but often times these top of the food chain creatures have their own agenda which may not agree with ours. Tide levels, food availability, timing and weather can all conspire against our best efforts to show our guests the highlight predators we all hope to see and cross off our bucket lists. Last week I had two tours out to Johnston Strait to hopefully see Orcas and Humpback whales. The weather worked with us, albeit quite heavy waves coming up the inlet with the inflow winds in the afternoons for our rides home. The tides were favorable to see some black bears grazing on the beaches and Johnston Straight flat as glass and sunny. Finally we spotted the Orca fins, inside the Robson Bight Nature reserve so we sat on the invisible border, guided by the GPS, and watched distant fins and vapor blows as the small Orca pod slowly swam up strait about 200 to 300 meters away. These sightings can try the patience of Job, so after about an hour of that, a bobbing lunch on the boat and a washroom break badly needed we headed for Telegraph Cove. No encouraging news blared out over the radio so we decided to head towards Billy Proctor's museum. Just across the strait lies Stubbs Island and the Plumper Islands. which is the mouth of Knight Inlet, where we spotted a Humpback Whale. We followed it at a respectful distance for half an hour or so then off we were again. A large flock of gulls were busily diving on the water so I decided to investigate that. Hundreds of gulls, scores of Rhinoceros Auklets and Common Murres were diving into a Herring Ball, feeding and screaming frantically over this bounty. I parked the boat about 50 feet away and shut down the big engines so we could all take in this spectacle. Soon the Bald Eagles joined in, scattering the gulls. The eagles lined up like at a busy airport, one after the other, gliding in and picking herring out of the water. None of us had ever seen such a feeding frenzy, such spectacular flying abilities or such numbers of birds all working to pick up an easy meal. For 10 minutes we watched , as the birds combined with the beautiful flat water and spectacular scenery held us spell bound. Suddenly from the dark depths rose a dark Leviathan, like an island emerging from the deep, a humpback whale spouted amongst the frantic birds. Another quickly followed, then a third whale rose to take in a mouthful of herring and just as quickly sink back into the depths. None of us could believe what we had just witnessed. Over and over the whales emerged to blow and eat, scattering the protesting flocks to the safety of the skies above. Even a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins joined in to feed. For half an hour we sat there quietly, taking in one of Mother Natures great events, a sight I am sure will stay with us all for a long time. We headed home, knowing that the little creatures of the strait had provided us, once again, memories for a highlight reel on our holiday and job. I get paid to do this!

Dramatic Season of Babies

The spring has been particularly cool and that cold, wet weather has carried on into the first month of summer 2011. Even so, life goes on for us and the wildlife. Mating season is over for the bears and for us it was amazing to witness. We saw black bears mating and it was not so easy for either mate. The boar had a huge gash below his eye and another chunk out of his cheek, but he had the sow. They argued quite often as they wandered around for three or four days together. At the same time we watched one of our regular female grizzlies, first chase her son, "Peanut" away and take up with a male named "Pretty Boy." a few days later she was with "Bruno." After a few days with him there was a big bear fight between Bruno and and new male we called "Clyde." Talk about a furious scrap on the beach, but then we saw Lenore with Clyde. After about a week or so another male showed up and took over from where Clyde left off. Lenore was making sure she was well fertilized and the last I saw her, she was by herself, once again the solitary bear, as she is meant to be. For now, she will carry her fertilized eggs called "blastocysts", floating around her womb until she begins hibernation. At that time, her body will decide if she is carrying enough fat reserves to feed her and nurse her new cubs. If she is healthy enough the blastocysts will attach to the uterine wall and become a foetus.

The most important and always most dramatic for all of us is when the bears present us with their new cubs. Both black and grizzly bears have brought their shy new babies down to the shoreline to be introduced to the people who watch respectfully from boats nearby. The black bear brings her babies past the lodge regularly, scraping barnacles and mussels from the rocks and foraging for berries overhanging the slippery, rock weed covered rocks. They seem never tempted by the delicious odors of baking or barbecuing, emanating from the kitchen. As they are first exposed to humans, the bear cubs are very worried and we can often hear them muttering excitedly to their mom about the dangers coming closer from the water. Mother bear is, in turn, soothing their fears with quiet whispers as she carries on grazing on the sedge or turning rocks over for the succulent inter-tidal life hidden beneath. She must weigh her family safety with a calculated risk of trust she has built over the past seasons with the humans who live in her home range. So far they have done nothing to hurt or disturb her and she feels a certain comfort by their presence. She has also learned that the large male bears are not so sure about the people, so they tend to hang back in the safety of the deep, dark forest lining the shore. A couple days ago, one of those male grizzles decided to risk all and attacked the mother grizzly with two cubs. It only took a few seconds and the fury of a mother bear protecting her babies was demonstrated. She had him by the throat and flipped onto his back about as quickly as I can type this. The cubs hid quickly under a stump while their mother dealt with the threat to their young lives. There was a whole lot of chuffing and snuffing and posturing until dominance was established and the male bear headed for safer territory. I do not want to see the bears hurt, but I do admire how they deal with their problems. The situation is dealt with immediately, with no waffling or discussion. The problem is solved, one way or the other and life then goes on. There do not seem to be any grudges held, just memories and their hierarchy is established. Life goes on by comforting and reassuring her cubs, sedge grazing, nursing and a nap.

The bears are so very dramatic but no more important than all the other creatures living in the forest around us. I watched the other day as a river otter was startled by our sudden appearance and warned her new kits to hide in the forest above the rocky shoreline. They had trouble scrabbling over the slippery rocks and could not move fast enough to suit mother, so she bravely risked her own safety to grab each kit by the scruff of the neck and drag them, one by one, to the securety of the bush. This immediately brought my question to mind for my amazed guest: "which one of your kids would you have grbbed first, the closest one or the favored one?" When danger threatens us, how would we react, is there a favored one or does instinct just kick in to do the best we can at the time?

Around the eaves of the lodge and in the bird houses are scores of baby barn and tree swallows, all squabbling over the food the parents gather by swooping through the air after insects. Frantically, they fly, over the water, high in the air above the forest, from first light to can't see evening, they flutter hurriedly, noisily, trying to satisfy the always agaped bills facing them as they settle onto the rim of their nest.

Hummingbirds buzz, eagles scream the osprey cries, the loons yodel and the crows and ravens squawk from the distance. Everyone is trying to raise their families while protecting them from the maurading predators. Daily, we witness cooperating little birds gang up on larger, more dangerous predatory ones.

Up in the heights of the forest, I watched a couple weeks ago a Pacific-sloped flycatcher build her nest under an overhanging rock ledge. Last week I saw her incubating it. The same day I saw a roughed grouse with her little chicks, pecking grit along the roadside.

A couple days later I found the first glaucous winged gull baby that I have ever seen. "Ugly cute" is how I describe that thing. How can such a beginning result in such beauty. The baby gull doesn't wander far from the protective wing of it's devoted mom. Good thing for mothers and we now know where the saying comes from: "Something only a mother could love."

The flowers are blooming, turning to seeds and fruit already. The leaders of new growth on the conifer trees has already beagan to darken and the salmon berries are ripe. Huckleberries and elderberries are turning color, soon ready to feed the birds and bears of the forest.

There is also sadness on the water. I found several dolphins and one seal that had died, most I think were youngsters who did not survive birth. The seal still had it's umbilicle cord attached. Sharp eyed eagles had found these carcasses before I did and were taking advantage of this bounty to feed their youngsters. Life goes on!

How can anyone be bored when such miracles take place before our very eyes as we sit quietly in our boats or on our butts in the forest. Slow down and enjoy Mother Nature's miracles as they progress through the seasons.

http://www.seasonsofthegrizzly.com/

Mating Grizzly Bears

I have been watching the grizzly bear sow named "Lenore" for 5 years now. The year I met her she had a new cub we soon dubbed "Burnt Peanut." (they illustrate the front cover of my book Seasons of the Grizzly) This was a cute little bundle of bristly dark fur, whining and complaining about her lot in life continuously. Lenore was a patient, to a point, mother who was also a very strong disciplinarian. Many times we watched her smack her cub to bring it into grizzly bear line. Many of us think that this was the cause of the cubs demise in July 2007. We all felt the sorrow of losing our first cub and could sense Lenore's sadness. The following spring she was bred by one of the males in the cove and in the spring 2009, she presented us with a new cub we soon named BPll. (Burnt Peanut the second.) This cub was much more independent and willingly searched for his own food, mimicking mother's actions. He learned all of Lenore's methods of finding food; eating sedge, rolling rocks to get the at gunnels, shore crabs and sea creepy crawlies, where the best berries were found, chewing mussels off the rocks and pilings, digging roots and fishing for slippery salmon. Lenore was a good mom and BP was a good student. Peanut grew big and strong under her capable tutelage. He learned about bear behavior, denning, hibernation, eating, rub tree etiquette, fishing, bear hierarchy, big male threat and dominance, other animals such as wolves and cougar, good berries, muddy oily wallows, swimming, birds, humans, vehicles, boats, kayaks and what else we don't know. This past week we watched as Peanut was set free on his own by Lenore and the new man in her life, a bear we named "Pretty Boy." This has been a few days of high tension and stress for all the bears around the cove, especially BP. Peanut has already settled down to eating after just a few days of his new solitary existence. He will be a solitary bear for most of the rest of his life, only during mating season if he is lucky, will he hang around other bears. He now has to utilize the tools his mother gave him to survive.

Lenore has now begun a new cycle of bear life. We estimate her to be about 10 years old and has so far raised one bear cub to the best of her ability and influence. Her time to breed has come and she took up with a very handsome male bear. She went with the smooth good looks rather than the more powerful and rugged type like Bruno. Perhaps in a later session, Bruno or another male will get the opportunity to mate with Lenore. Grizzly Bear mating is certainly not for the faint of heart. This is a very rough game of coy flirtation, making eyes, soft moaning discussion and powerful arguments. Sheer determination, bluff calling, loud roaring, threats of violence, defense and a will to endure the vagaries of the hormone overloaded female in estrus finally get PB his reward. PB finally called Lenore's bluff and wandered off down the low tide estuary and swam the river to cool off. It only took a few minutes and Lenore was in hot pursuit, chasing after his disappearing backside. He waited on the other side of the river for her to catch up, then with a few tender words was able to breed. The actual breeding took about 4 or 5 minutes followed by an intense argument and more threats of physical violence. The estuary inhabitants all heard their discussions and watched as they crossed the river to the bush line where they mated once more. All day long the bears were observed together or apart, depending upon their moods.

Peanut was one of the most confused as he watched and heard his mother's antics. She was not acting like his mom normally did. Peanut wandered close and was chased away, he watched from a safer distance, from a log, from the forest or from the mud flat. He finally gave up trying to figure all these new antics out and went down to fill his ever empty belly with a great meal of salad, gunnels and mussels, topped off with a nice nap.

It is difficult not to anthropomorphize the wildlife we observe. We can easily compare their lifestyles to our own. It is not a great stretch to see BP as one of our own teenagers as they leave home to begin a new career, out of the protective gaze of their mother. We all have known people with a volatile relationship with the other sex and the passions that go with it. We have all know the confusion of children who are pushed to the side when their parents take up with a new mate, and are not the center of attention any longer.

We silently cheer for Burnt Peanut ll when we see him on the beach, doing what all bears are supposed to do; eat.

We wish Lenore all the success that she deserves as she tries to raise a new bear family. Hers is not an easy job.

There I go, once again comparing a bear mom to any mom.

Please help to stop the bear hunt in B.C.

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Kiight Inlet Lodge First Week of the Season

The weather was pretty good, the lodge had a few kinks to work out, the water was flat and the guests were great for the first week. What more can you ask for? Wildlife! Every tour had good, even great wildlife encounters that our guests will remember for years. Gary and Rita have been here 6 times I think and they finally saw a whale. The humpback whale spent a whole afternoon in and around the cove, entertaining all of us, the guests and staff. Pacific white sided dolphins were everywhere, scooping up baitfish up and down the inlet. I hazard a guess to estimate several hundred dolphins in the inlet. Perhaps this is not good for the environment and for small fish, including salmon.

We visited Billy Proctor and his museum and he told us that just a few years ago we would have very rarely seen these dolphins at all. They were considered to be an "off shore" critter, feeding out in the deep ocean. What has changed to bring them inside? Must be food or their predators, the transient orcas. Connie and her son Kyle had a special visit by a pair of dolphins. We were motoring across the mouth of the cove on a calm morning when suddenly one of them jumped right in front of the boat. Monty was hanging over the gunwale and was so surprised he flung himself backwards and fell onto the floor, blessed by the dolphin's snotty splash. Amongst the peels of laughter, everyone crowded the front of the pontoon boat to watch the dolphin antics. They seemed to be as curious about us as we were of them. Connie laid on the floor with the door open, reaching out to touch them. Eye to eye they watched each other, the dolphins swimming easily with the front of the boat. Kyle was busy trying to get photos to take home to show his dad. There are no dolphins in Montana.

If you ever get the chance, visit Billy's museum in Simoom Sound, next door to Echo Bay in the Broughton Archepelego at the mouth of Knight Inlet. Billy was raised here and was a logger and fisherman for most of his 80 years. The museum is made up of, in his words; "a pile of junk collected off the beaches and old settlements." It includes old bottles of all descriptions, including opium bottles that were filled and doled out to Chinese workers for part of their wages in fish cannery's. Hand logging equipment, fishing gear, photographs, a cedar trappers cabin, fully stocked and ready to go and his gift shop full of local books and art work.

"Come and see my fish pond, the damm mink are eating my coy, the frogs have moved in and they make a hellofa racket." Billy is chattering away as we stroll along the boardwalk. "We had a hellofa wind this winter, north easters, damm near blew me away. I was log salvaging all winter and had to hide out a few times cause of the big wind. I remember one time at the head of Knights the wind blew 80 miles an hour, waves 12 feet and I was trying to hang on in the Anhuati but my hook wouldn't hold. I was scare to round the point to the sheltered bay. I probably would have tipped over, so I rode her out there. In the winter of 1951 there was 51 feet of snow piled up on the flats at the head. The deer were trapped on the beach between the high snow banks and the tide. Hundreds of them died right there." Historical anecdotes flow from Billy in an interesting and easy manner. He has written 3 books about life along his part of the world and I am sure there could be many more stored away. "Just a bunch of useless bullshit," he says, "but people seem to like it."

Lenore and Peanut have emerged from their den. I first spotted them over in Siwash bay and they wandered across the hump into Glendale within a couple days. Peanut does not know it yet but pretty soon his mom is going to chase him away and take up with a boyfriend.
Here is mother and son taking a siesta on the old driftwood log on the beach. Any place is a good place to snooze a warm afternoon away.


Bruno is back for the fifth straight year that I have seen him. We estimate him to be at least 20 years old, so Lenore will be cozying up to him soon. Look out for Bruno, Peanut. Here is my first Bruno photo of this year. He stays well back from the river and shyly retreats to the forest as soon as he sees us. There is always a bit of a blood pressure rise whenever we see such a magnificent animal. It is Bruno that keeps us all on our toes as we wander in the forest around the estuary. An encounter with him is the wild in wildnerness.

We had a bird watching course last week, a refresher by a renowned birder, Art Martell and our friend Charlie Vaughn. Now we are all excited whenever we see a new bird. I have added at least 6 new birds to my list and feel a lot more confident in naming many others. More to follow about birds after we do the bird point count in June.

All these experiences are what make the trips to the lodge so special for our guests. They go home with memories of their unexpected experiences with the wildlife, even little things like the birds and otters. Every encounter leaves an impression and raises awareness of the wilderness plight. Guys like Billy, industrialists like Connie and even myself, all people who made a living, taking resources like fish and logs from the wilderness are slowly spreading the word to whomever will listen,"we can't continue to take from Mother Nature and not put something back!" Please don't strip her bare, leave something wild for my grandson to see."

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Wolves of Yellowstone and Jackson Hole

We took off looking for wolves, and we found them! I have always believed that gray wolves are the top predators on this North American continent. I often argue about this status to myself as well as smarter people and it often ends up as a tug of war between the grizzly, polar bears, cougars and wolves. There are of course many smaller predators who are efficient and deadly predators also such as any members of the weasel (Mustelids), shrews, lynx, predatory birds and vicious insects of all types, most of whom we discount because of their lack of size or perceived threat to ourselves. There is a mysticism about wolves, a great misunderstanding and fear, even, because of what we don't really understand about their values and way of life. Everyone who wanders around the wildness of this great continent does so with a heightened awareness and keener senses in the hopes of, or of not, encountering wolves, bears or wild cats, and escaping with life and limb intact. I believe it is because of the presence of the great predators that makes our wilderness experiences most satisfying. If there was no chance of an encounter with an apex predator, our senses would not be challenged and the wilds would no longer be wild and we would be forever civilized.

Last week I took some very civilized people, from one of the worlds largest most densely populated cities, to try to find wolves. The wolves were their main reason for travelling for hours by plane and car. All the other stuff you see while travelling is nice, but just give us wolves. We spent time watching pronghorn antelope, herds of bison and elk, birds, spectacular scenery, culture, history, beautiful hotels and great food, but it became a successful trip after we spotted our first timber wolf. The wolf we first spotted was half a mile away, gnawing away upon an old worn out carcass. It was recognizable as a wolf, silhouetted against the snowy background in the distance, but the excitement of the moment was infectious as camera shutters began clicking away. Mission was accomplished, we have seen a wolf, now lets relax and see if we can get a better look. The next day was better. Early in the morning we headed for the spot we had chosen to have a good chance to get a closer encounter with the elusive pack. Other wolf spotters had already spotted our quarry so we pulled up to see them too. With the help of one of their spotting scopes we were able to determine that there was a wolf lying under a dead tree behind some shrubbery about 300 yards away. We will hang around for a while to see if it emerges from it's secure hiding spot. Finally it began to move, then another joined it. They came right out into plain view and trotted closer to us where a kill was hidden in a small wash. Over the next hour or so we enjoyed a very good visit with 8 different wolves of the Lamar Wolf Pack. Along with the wolf pack we watched the mountain sheep grazing on the exposed mountain slope above us, a mountain bluebird flitted about, a young moose calf grazing in the thin willows and bison calmly chewing their cud while monitoring the wolves.

What a great day so we decided that it was time to head down to see the geysers of Yellowstone. We did see a black bear grazing on very short grass emerging from between the snowdrifts, a grizzly bear searching for winter killed carcasses preserved by the deep snow and freshly dropped bison calves guarded closely by protective mothers. The atmosphere in the car was calm, serene with polite chatter and observances as we drove away from the wolf pack. It was as if everything from here on for the next few days was an anti-climax, a time filler to be endured until finally getting on the plane home. The geysers were fine, the scenery spectacular the drive beautiful as we made our way to Jackson, Wy. The Lexington Hotel was beautiful and luxurious with very reasonable rates during this off season. The weather was dreary so we scouted a few locations and did some shopping and general sightseeing. The National Elk Refuge at Jackson Hole was loaded with an estimated 4000 to 5000 elk. This is a wondrous sight to see. We decided to leave early in the morning to see if the sun would highlight the Grand Teton Mountains and give us a great photo of the iconic barn we always see pictured.

As we left the hotel in the chilly, dark, overcast morning we had little hope to see the mountains shrouded by the low hanging clouds, but lets go take a look anyways.

In the early light I spotted something familiar as I drove along. Can it be? A wolf? Here, so close to civilization? Yes! "There are two wolves!" I blurted out to my dozy companions as I guided the car to the shoulder of the highway. We got out quietly with binoculars in shaking hand and carefully confirmed my sighting. There were 8 wolves in total, strung out in a long line with destination in mind. As we watched quietly another vehicle pulled up to see what we were watching. A local fellow could not believe it when I told him. "We never see them here, we can hear them and will maybe see 1 or 2, but never a pack!" His excitement was gripping as he phoned his wife to get out of bed and, "get over here with the spotting scope!" The wolves laid down for a couple minutes waiting for a limping member to catch up. Suddenly, a couple of them began running, then the whole pack. I was frustrated that we had chased them off as more vehicles joined us to watch these ghosts of the gloom. As I watched I could suddenly see a coyote dodging and darting, trying to out maneuver the chasing wolves. There was no competition and the wolves caught and mobbed this hapless coyote. In seconds it was dead, the wolf pack all huddled over the coyote corpse. They howled their victory into the gloom of the lightening morning. As quiet, patient observers, we silently rejoiced in what had just transpired before our eyes. There was no time to get the camera but I enjoyed the moment anyways. We have just witnessed one of Mother Natures cruel realities of competition, dominance and strength. We have just watched an event that happens everyday in the civilized and uncivilized world. The strong take over the weak, competition for food resources is powerful, the weaker members can survive, but only by the good graces of the more powerful. Even the Wiley coyote can survive, but he should not have let his guard down. Can you imagine his thoughts this cold dark morning; I have found a kill, I have a free and easy meal, my belly is full and now I need a nap. All was good in his day as the sun began to poke through the clouds, but he forgot to watch for the wolves. "Oh crap!" were his final thoughts.

Needless to say, this was the highlight of our trip. We had seen what we had come to see. Thousands of elk and bison, herds of deer and antelope, a few bears and birds, 5000 kilometers of beautiful scenery, but nothing to compare to 20 minutes of time watching one of Mother Nature's great predators defend their space.

www.seasonsofthegrizzly.com

Photography for Fun

In the last post, I put in a lot of technical stuff that you need to know a bit about to get the photos you want. I don't like to stay bogged down with all that technical jargon, so I will continue on with how to get a great picture and have fun doing it.

We don't normally have to go very far to find interesting subjects in the neighborhood. I have sat in the comfort of my home and taken great photos of birds around the feeders. I do recommend that you put up some natural looking perches for them to sit on. The perch is often what makes a so so picture of a bird into a great photo. A good perch can be something like your used Christmas tree, a stump or a dead tree snag with a natural looking back ground that can be focused out in your camera settings. I don't particularly care for a bird feeder as the backdrop, unless you are selling bird feeders.

Look for some scenery in your area also. Don't get lulled by complacency into thinking that nobody wants to see any thing around here, just because you are used to it. There is beauty wherever we live. I can get used to seeing the boats in the harbor and walk right past them without a second look, but someone from a different town or province will be enamoured by this sight. One advantage you have to your own neighborhood is that you are there in all different kinds of weather and light conditions. If you see a great sunset coming, it just takes a minute to get to the marina for a very interesting photo opportunity.Get to know the area you are in so you can find the best viewpoints. Once you have scouted a scene, you will be able to get there quickly when storms or light conditions are changing.

It took me about 2 hours to get this Great Blue Heron to trust me enough that it would carry on fishing while I crept close enough to get a decent picture. His body language warned me every time it seemed to get nervous and when it finally got comfortable enough that I could creep closer. This heron has caught a gunnell for supper.

Scouting wildlife is also essential so you begin to see their patterns and get to understand their body language. Body language of animals is a universal language that we all have the ability to recognize with practice. You can learn by watching you own dog or cat. Watch for the subtle differences in posture as you meet another dog while you are walking your own. Most wildlife act very similar to our own domesticated pets. Body language is the universal, inter-species lingo that announces if you are to become prey, mated, or if you are within someones safety zone. With wildlife photography, I believe it is unethical to enter into that "personal space zone" that we all feel comfortable with. This is the zone where we figure we can run away from the danger encroaching upon us. If you get much closer we may have to fight to protect ourselves or our families. Over time, certain critters will allow you closer than others and we each have our own comfort space requirements.

Use camera gear that is appropriate for the kind of shooting you want to do. If you want to get a full frame photo of a friendly dog, you don't need as large a lens as if you want a picture of a wild bear. You might want a long telegraphic lens to photograph a bee hive but a single bee in a flower will require a macro lens. These different equipment requirements also allow you to be comfortable;e with your subject. Not everyone is comfortable having bees humming around your head as you try to picture them with a macro lens.

I would start clicking the shutter as soon as I would see the large transient orca fins periscope out of the water and hope that the whale would swim into my shots. It is too late to wait until you see the whale, then find it in the viewfinder and start shooting.

When you do get an opportunity to get your picture, take lots of photos. Keep that shutter clicking. It is not costing you anything but a bit of time on the computer later. It is very difficult to get just the right expression on a bears face. It is very tough to get all the puppies to look at you at the same time. What does it take sometimes to get everything standing still, facing the same direction with every body's eyes open.

Play with different camera settings if you have the chance. Try opening the aperture to get a different depth of field. Change the shutter speed to try stopping action, or blurring it if you want to emphasize speed. In the foxtail photo you can see the background blurred out by opening the camera aperture to something like f-8

Foxtail is a weed where I come from. It can cause damage to grazing animals digestive tract and plug up radiators on equipment. For a short time of the year it is very beautiful and colorful.

Check the background behind your subject often. Is there a distracting rock or a bright spot? Often you can just move over a few feet to make a much more interesting result. Look around to make sure danger is not encroaching into your own personal safety zone while you are concentrating on your subject. Most of the time your subject will be more aware of their enemies than you will be so pay attention to what they are doing.

Try to get down to the same eye level as your subject. The subject is then on even terms with the viewer of the post making it much more interesting and intimate.

Don't forget to take your eye from the viewfinder. Look around, enjoy the place, the critter, and the overall feel of your surroundings. Get a sense of your emotions and what other people around you are feeling. These senses are what will make your pictures special for you years down the trail. Photo albums are full of memories even if the pictures are not technically correct. Just by opening one of the old albums, I can be transported back years in time to remember great places, adventures and friends. All the photos in this article are taken within 5 minutes of where I have lived.

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To Photograph Wildlife 2

We have made our way to the magical place and found the most rare of birds, the biggest bear and the most spectacular sunrise poking its glorious light over yonder peak. Our favorite camera is ready to shoot, batteries charged, a new storage card and the right lens is on with the cap off. Click you go and nothing happens. "Format card" blinks in your viewfinder. "Oh crap! how do I do that? where is my book? crap, crap, crap!" or worse, you cry in frustration.

Before you go out on a shoot, fire a few test shots at home. We are using digital equipment and it doesn't cost anything to waste a few shots to make sure everything is working properly. Delete what you shoot and begin your trip. Even before the trip, I will preset the camera's settings such as "white balance, aperture, ISO," then, put the long lens on the camera. While wildlife shots are what I am looking for, I am also looking for pleasing environmental and scenic photos. Generally with the latter shots, you have time to change your lens before the light gets away on you, unlike most wildlife. If you have the short lens on the camera and the otter pops out of the water beside you, it would be rare if you had the time to dig your long lens out of the bag, change and be ready to shoot before the critter is gone. Of course, if money is no object, you may have a camera with a long lens and a second body with the shorter lens with you.

White Balance is one of the settings that you can program into most cameras by pushing a couple buttons in your camera's shooting menu. This setting is telling the camera photo processor what kind of light you are shooting in. Cloudy, Sunny, Flash illumination, Artificial neon lights or automatic settings all help achieve different photographic results. These settings may need to be adjusted through the day as light changes, but start your day with what you are going to be doing. On my camera, I have the ability to take a photo and then change the white balance setting to get an idea of what each setting looks like. You can become very "artsy" with this if that is what you want to do. Until you feel comfortable with the various settings, most cameras can be set to "automatic" and you will get fairly decent results. If you are shooting in your "Raw" format, some post processing programs will also adjust your white balance.

Set your "ISO" setting as the ambient light changes through the day. The higher the ISO is set, the more light will get into your camera processor and so the faster shutter speed you can shoot your picture. The faster the shutter speed is, the more likely you will get less blurry photos due to your shaky body or quick movements of the critters in front of you. Generally, the higher ISO you shoot, the more likely you will get some degradation of photos because of "Noise," or colored dots and undesirable grainy pictures. Shoot at the lowest ISO you can to get great quality photos, even in big enlargements.

I shoot most shots in a setting called "Aperture Priority." This setting allows me to get the depth of field I want; that is what is in focus in your photograph. The wider you open your shutter, say F-5, a smaller area will be in focus. At F-22, you will have almost all of your picture in focus. The camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed to compensate for the light coming in to get a properly exposed picture. The wider your aperture is set, then your shutter will fire quicker thereby stopping speed and body shake helping to make a clearer photo. The smaller your aperture is the slower will then be your shutter, making some shots impossible. If you want that shot, the only option is then to use an external flash or raise the ISO to the point where you are satisfied with your results, but you may have too much noise to end up with a contest winning shot.

If there is plenty of light, I will set the camera to "Shutter Priority" where I can adjust how quickly I want the shutter to fire. If you are taking a picture of a Hummingbird flying, you need to get that shutter up to around 1/1500 of a second to stop the wings. That requires you to open your aperture as much as possible to get the proper depth of field, possibly raise the ISO to something like 800 or more, or use a flash, even in daylight.

There are many other settings you may want to use in the more expensive cameras. Camera manufacturers have all advanced way beyond the old brown Brownie box we used to use. We are really carrying around mini computers that have the amazing ability to record what we are seeing in front of us. Most camera allow you to shoot in an "Automatic" mode if you want to and get some great photos. When you start playing around with the settings, you increase the likely hood of getting better photos more consistently. You do need to practise and play with your machinery, read your manual and shoot with people who have similar equipment. There are some good courses to take through colleges and some camera shops. I also enjoy reading many of the camera magazines available at the grocery store or the books in the photo department of your bookstore and library. Some great tour companies also put on great photography only tours where you go to a very exotic location to take pictures under the guidance and instruction of a photo professional. Join an active camera club in your town if you are interested in socializing with like minded people and critiquing photos.

Photography is a great hobby that can be enjoyed by all people. Get out there and record what is happening in the world around you. You are recording history. Who knows, you may even be able to sell a picture one day.

If anyone has any tips, please pass them on in the comments section.

To be continued...

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To Photograph Wildlife 1

Once we have found an interesting wildlife subject, many of us are interested in preserving our memory of this moment with a photograph. We all have different reasons for making pictures.We may want to have a reminder of when we saw our first bear, we may want to remember a magical moment with friends, prove that we actually saw a certain creature, some of us use the picture as a model for a future painting or myriad other ideas or reasons. I do understand some of the reasons for getting a photograph but I always remind my guests to take their eye from the viewfinder to better understand the ambiance around them. I often catch people who are so excited to see a beautiful bird that they will finally get a picture of that they miss the environment, the song, and the pure beauty of this subject that they are so excited to see. If you get a sense of the weather, the song, the smell or the forest, lake or light and the actions, inter-actions and the total space both you and your subject are in, at this magical moment, your photos will have much more meaning. Even if the picture does not come out as you remember, you can keep it as a treasured keepsake of a wonderful experience long ago.

What kind of camera should you buy, is a question we have all asked. These days, there are so many choices to make that it is difficult to choose just one model. Do you want something light and compact or are you willing to carry a huge monstrosity wherever you go? Do you want to take video or stills, or both? When my wife and I take a trip, we each carry our own choice. I carry a DSLR with a couple of lenses while Fay carries her little compact digital. Both cameras take very good pictures, if you use them properly. For flighty birds, jumpy animals and kids you need a DSLR. These cameras use inter-changeable lenses that have the ability to focus very quickly and continuously. Many of the compact cameras need time to focus, so it is almost impossible to get a clear picture of moving critters. There is nothing more annoying than clicking the trigger and the bird flies away before the camera can focus and trigger the shutter.

Brand names are people's own choice just like people's choice of vehicles they buy. Do a bit of research on the Internet and you will find the equipment that will do a good job for the right price. I enjoy many discussions with fellow photo enthusiasts about Nikon, Canon, Sony or Pentax. I have taken great pictures with two of that list and of course seen great pictures from all of them. I think the key is to get to know your own camera, play with it in different situations, practise with it before you go on your first holiday and carry the manual with you. These cameras are getting very complicated with more settings than many of us will ever use, so read and practise before you need it.

Some of my best photos are in my mind; fleeting times that I did not have time to get the camera out. I have missed many photos in the past because I did not have my camera with me or did not have it ready to shoot. Last summer, I left the lodge in the boat, early in a beautiful morning, with my camera snuggled securely into it's protective case. I had not yet arrived at a place I was expecting to see anything worthwhile to photograph, when just a few meters away, out of the ocean depths, popped a River Otter with a Dungeness Crab meal in it's paws. It paused for about 8 or 10 seconds to see if I was a threat, plenty of time for me to get off a few shots, if my camera had been out and ready to go. Helplessly, I had to enjoy the moment with the otter, which I enjoyed anyway, but was sorry that I had missed such a valuable shot.

How many times have we all gone out, taken 2 pictures and the battery goes dead? I always carry 2 or 3 batteries with me. I always try to keep them charged right up. The batteries that come with modern cameras are very good; they can be charged up without running them right down. They will take many pictures between charges, I think mine can do several hundred. If you go to another country, make sure to carry a electrical power converter. They are cheap but invaluable.

Carry extra memory cards with you. These cards hold many pictures and are good storage units, so carry a few along. Airport x-rays don't hurt them. It is always a good idea to download your cards onto your computer or other storage device after a great day of super pictures, so don't forget the downloading cord or a card reader.

I use a water resistant, padded backpack to carry my equipment in. It has room enough for a couple lenses, a couple camera bodies, laptop, spare batteries, cards, tissues, cleaning kits and identification. All my gear has my name printed onto it in case of theft or loss as well as business cards inside the bag with my contact info. My backpack is the size approved as carry on luggage for the airplane, so I am carrying all my valuable electronic gear with me. Don't forget to insure your gear with an insurance rider on your household insurance plan. It helped me pay for an expensive repair to my large lens after I dropped it and broke it in half. It did not pay for an expensive camera that got wet in a rainstorm.

I do have a monopod and a tripod, which I confess, I rarely use. I find that with most of the situations I am in, there is little room or time to set up and use them. Boats don't bob still enough to provide a stable support, even if there was room. Birds are very quick as they flit through the underbrush or scurry about for worms. I compensate for my shakiness with camera settings that I will explain later.

To be continued...

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Seeing and Photographing Wildlife (How to Spot Wildlife)

I want to do a series of articles about finding, seeing and photographing wildlife. I hope these articles will help you better enjoy the beautiful wilderness and wildlife in our backyards and countryside.

How to Spot Wildlife

I was raised on a small farm in Northern Alberta and we hunted for our table fare. Without moose, deer or grouse, our large family would have gone hungry more often than not. Our ability to feed our family depended upon our knowledge of the woods and our ability to see our prey. I enjoyed many experiences in the forests and hills looking for animals to eat and to photograph. I have taught my kids and my wife to become very proficient at finding animals as we drive around the countryside on day trips or holidays. The ability to spot animals has added a new dimension and broadened our enjoyment of any outing. I now spend my summers as a wildlife guide showing people from around the world all the fantastic critters we enjoy in B.C.

Some of the easiest and most common things to see here are birds. My incomplete bird species list has over 120 different species that I have seen around the Campbell River area. Birds are easy to spot, they are on every street, in every garden and lining the beach wherever you walk. I don't think you can go for a walk anywhere in town, along the sea walk, the Quinsome River or in Beaverlodge Lands in any season without seeing several different species of birds.

Camouflage helps to conceal this robin in the crab apple tree until it moves.

Get yourself a good pair of binoculars to help increase your pleasure. Binoculars are one tool that is worth whatever you pay for them. The more money you spend, the better quality you will have. Better quality glass will allow you to look through them without any eye strain, once they are adjusted to your eyes. Get a set that are light enough to carry around your neck. Waterproof glasses are a necessity here on the west coast. You may not need a powerful glass such as 10x or 12x, as a quality pair of 8x will do very well as the shake from your body will not be as magnified as much as the higher power. As important as the power, you need to be able to gather as much light as you can. For example, a pair of 8 x 50 will be brighter than a pair of 8 x 42, especially in shadows or at dawn and dusk. Binoculars can be used to find birds and animals as well as isolating smaller parts of a big scene. You can get a good sense and feel of a snow capped mountain from down here on the dry road with good glasses. They will last you many years and provide hours of free entertainment as you try to identify a bird species list of your own.

You do have to practice in order to be able to spot birds and animals as you wander the wilderness. The more time you are out there, the easier it will be to see animals. The quicker you spot an animal, the safer you will be as you are walking down a trail along the river. Imagine you have to get out of a boat along a forest trail and you are unable to spot a bear and her cub. You will get to know the places that animals like to feed, walk or sleep. Get used to watching edges. Edges are the borders between different habitats such as a field and the bush, Animals use edges as security. They can wander into a field to eat where they are exposed to many eyes but can quickly step into the forest if they feel threatened. Another edge is the beach. Bears often come down to the beach to feed on inter-tidal life but with a few steps can be into the security of the dark woods if they feel insecure.

Can you see the mother and the cub in this picture?

Birds are famous for utilizing edges of all sorts for their favorite hangouts. Most bird species are found very close to the habitat edges that they are designed for. Smaller birds such as a winter wren will flit about in the lower brush. Shore birds are most often found at the edge of the water picking through the mud for insects and seeds. You will hardly ever see an Oyster catcher from from the waters edge as the tide drops.

You will also get to observe many different types of textures as you spend more time in the outdoors. Animals and birds have a different texture to their fur and feathers than trees or rocks and stumps. Even though camouflaged, there is a subtle difference when you are used to seeing it.

Your eyes will notice movements, especially out of your peripheral vision. Quick movements are more noticeable than slow movement. Watch for ripples in the water, tree or branch movements and the actions of other animals or birds around you.

The ripples in the water forewarned me that something was wading in the river toward our group. Get ready! Do you see the bear emerging?

You also need to look for parts of animals. Not often does an animal show it's whole body. Most often you will see the ears or horns sticking up out of the grass. Sometimes it will just be the silhouette of it's back or head that you see. Many of us expect to see some preconceived notion of, say a bear; this huge raging beast running all out toward you, rather than a benign solitary animal grazing grass.

I spend a lot of time every year showing people from around the world our plentiful wildlife. It can be most exasperating when someone can't see the animal that is grazing right in front of us. Most people are amazed that a large bear can hide on the beach right in front of us just by standing still. It just takes practice to better enjoy the gifts of the wilderness.