PRIVATE GUIDING & PHOTOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION

 Highlight Species & Experiences: WINTER

Below you’ll find a selection of recommended photography opportunities for the winter season in southwestern British Columbia.
Should you have any specific targets or an interest in subjects/environments not found here, please contact me to begin planning an outing tailored specifically to you.

Owls & Other Raptors
Late October - Late March

Here in southwestern BC, we’re fortunate to have some of the best raptor photography opportunities in the world, right on our doorstep. Not only are there seven regularly occurring species of owls, but the world’s largest congregations of Bald Eagles can also be found here during late fall and early winter. Add to that list abundant Northern Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks. You’d be hard-pressed to find many other winter photo opportunities in Canada that rival this.

Owls are one of my strongest focuses for my own photography. As a result, I’ve spent an enormous amount of time searching for and learning about them. Most of the sites I visit and share during my workshops are unique and isolated away from popular areas.

Anna’s Hummingbirds
Year Round (best from mid winter - mid spring)

Many people are surprised to learn that hummingbirds can be found year-round here along BC’s south coast. In fact, during late winter and early spring, Anna’s Hummingbirds can often be one of the most numerous and conspicuous birds throughout the city. Once only a resident of the Baja Peninsula and California north to the San Francisco Bay area, the advent of ornamental gardens and hummingbird feeders is responsible for a dramatic range expansion; and amazingly, this hardy species is now seen regularly as far north as Southeast Alaska.

The dazzling displays of males, as they flash their vibrant iridescent gorget feathers to rivals and nearby females, is something that I’ll never tire of seeing, and one of the local bird experiences I love sharing most. Though abundant, their often frenetic behaviour and penchant for perching up high can make them a challenge to photograph. That’s where local knowledge and the right approach really makes the difference.

Waterfowl
Late October - Late April

With the majority of Canada strongly in winter’s icy grasp, our mild corner of the country provides a haven for huge numbers of waterfowl. An impressive diversity can be found throughout the many urban ponds, estuaries, salt marshes, agricultural lands, and rocky coastlines.

While we aren’t wrong to associate wildlife photography with wilderness areas far from the pervasive influence of people, when it comes to waterfowl (a particularly skittish group of birds), there’s much to be said about habituation to human activity. To me, much of the appeal of waterfowl is in their beautiful iridescent plumage - something best viewed up close. Fortunately, there are many sites in and around the City of Vancouver where a number of typically hard to approach species have become accustomed to people, providing excellent photo opportunities.

Scenery and Birds of the Coast Mountains
Year Round (winter conditions particularly photogenic)

Flanking the city are the impressive North Shore Mountains. To me, one of the most desirable things about living in Vancouver is having vast areas of rugged wilderness within arm’s reach. One can enjoy springlike weather along the waterfront, within a 20 minute drive of winter. Three ski hills provide access to networks of snowshoe and nordic ski trails, in addition to immeasurable areas of backcountry, where quite literally metres upon metres of snow cover the forest floor until the late spring melt.

We can expect to see Canada Jays, Steller’s Jays, and Common Ravens - a few of the cold-hardy species that eek out a living here throughout the winter months.