Wilma McKenzie
Surrey, CA
Member since May 2, 2020
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Sleeping Vigilance
A tiny local spit near my home is a resting spot for migratory birds. I found this lone sleeping Dunlin (Calidris alpina) as it kept one eye open for scanning the sky for predators. Soon thousands of its fellow travellers would join it on the spit.
Brave New World
During the summer of 2020, while exploring local parks, I came across a Barred Owl nest one day. The next day I headed out at daybreak hoping to catch mom delivering food to the nest. To my surprise the two babies had fledged to the nearby trail. This little owlet clung to the mossy tree trunk as mom and dad hovered nearby. Soon the fledgling owlets would crawl up to higher spots in the trees where they would stay for weeks safe from predators. It's not unusual for baby owls to be on the forest floor when they first fledge but it's a vulnerable time for them. It's very important to give them space and let mom and dad call them up the trees.
Shades of Gray
The Great Gray Owl's camouflage is well suited to the myriad of tree species in the boreal forest. The shades of gray and the owl seem to be a part of this tree. I was happy to catch a pose without a branch in the way, in front of the dark background early morning.
Food Caching
The snow was falling as the Great Gray Owl hunted in the dim light. I spied the owl as it flew off into the distance and hurried out of the car. I was unprepared without a longer focal length on my camera lens, but in the end I was pleased with the habitat shot. I only realised when I saw the photos that the owl did not eat the vole but was caching the prey in the tall tree stumps.
Anna's Hummingbird at the Butterfly Bush
After many weeks and many attempts at my local community gardens, I finally photographed a hummingbird with a clean background at this Butterfly Bush. The light, position, and flowers met with the very fast Anna's Hummingbird at the right moment.