Images West Photography

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Loughborough Inlet and Stafford Estuary Conservancy

Loughborough Inlet is a deep fjord in the Coast Mountain Range of mainland British Columbia, situated midway between Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet north of the Discovery Islands. The scenic inlet is approximately 35 kilometres long, and the Stafford River estuary is located at the head of the inlet.

During the 20th century, the head of the Loughborough Inlet was subjected to intensive resource extraction, including clear-cut logging and salmon fishing, which lead to the degradation of the Stafford River estuary and a serious decline in salmon runs.

The Stafford Estuary Conservancy was created in 2007 to protect the estuary and 742 hectares of upland and foreshore immediately surrounding the mouth of the Stafford River, and promote recovery of the ecosystem. The grasses and sedges of the estuary now provide a valuable food source for black and grizzly bears in the spring.

The following images were made while on a tour with Wild Waterways Adventures out of Campbell River.

Loughborough Inlet, British Columbia

Stafford River Conservancy, British Columbia

Waterfalls, Stafford River Conservancy

Grasses and Sedges, Stafford River Estuary

Waterfalls, Stafford Estuary Conservancy

More images from Loughborough Inlet and the Stafford Estuary Conservancy can be found on my web site: Loughborough Inlet and Stafford Estuary

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Wildflowers on Observation Mountain, Grand Forks, BC

We recently returned from a trip to Grand Forks in the southern interior of British Columbia. During our stay there, we took some time one afternoon to hike up one of the scenic trails on Observation Mountain, which overlooks Grand Forks. Fortunately, our visit coincided with the blooming of large numbers of Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) flowers.

These images were captured with the Canon EOS R5 and RF 14-35mm f4L IS lens.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot Flowers on Observation Mountain, Grand Forks

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) and Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) and Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)

Friday, March 8, 2024

Salish Sea Herring Spawn and Marine Mammals

On March 5 of this year, we braved the unseasonably cold weather and headed up to Comox, BC for a four-hour boat tour with Wild Waterways Adventures, in search of Biggs orcas and other marine mammals. Our trip took us south to the Seal Islets north of Hornby Island, where we found a group of harbour seals hauled out on a small sand bar.

Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina)

We then headed south through Lambert Channel between Denman and Hornby Islands, where we stopped for a few minutes to observe the seiner MV Nita Maria conducting a sample catch for the Pacific Herring Test Fishery near the south end of the channel.

MV Nita Maria

MV Nita Maria, Herring Test Fishery

After watching the gulls flocking around the boat for a few minutes, we turned and headed east towards the south end of Hornby Island, where we found a large colony of California Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks at Toby Island.

California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) and Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus)

After a brief stop at Ford's Cove on Hornby Island for hot chocolate and snacks, we headed west past the Chrome Island lighthouse and turned north up the west side of Denman Island, but by then the weather had started to deteriorate and we didn't find much in the way of wildlife aside from a number of seabirds. We headed back to Comox, cold but smiling, without having sighted any orcas but the trip was very enjoyable and informative all the same.

If you're looking to get out and see some of the fascinating marine life of the Salish Sea, I highly recommend Jen and Reuben at Wild Waterways Adventures.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve

In October 2023, we stopped to visit the beautiful Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve near Duncan, BC. The Preserve was created in 1999 when the Nature Conservancy of Canada purchased land that was slated for development in order to protect one of the few remaining intact Garry oak meadow ecosystems on Vancouver Island.

Once common throughout southeastern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands, the spread of urban and agricultural development and introduction of invasive plant species has reduced the Garry oak meadow ecosystem to less than five percent of their original extent. More than a hundred insect, reptile, bird, and plant species at risk depend on the remaining fragments of Garry oak meadow ecosystem.

Public access to the conservation area is limited, but there is an accessible boardwalk and viewing platform along Maple Bay Road a few minutes east of Duncan.

Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve

Garry Oak Meadow Walkway

Garry Oak Meadow Viewing Platform

Garry Oak Meadow

Cowichan Garry Oak Meadow

For more information, please visit the Nature Conservancy of Canada web site, and consider making a donation to this very worthwhile organization:

Nature Conservancy of Canada - Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Top 20 Images of 2023

While reviewing the images I captured over the course of the past year, I wanted to publish my top 10 favourites, but I had a hard time picking only ten - so here are my favourite 20 images from 2023, in no particular order:

(click on the image to see a larger version)