Mushroom Season on the West Coast

When the rains arrive in the autumn, mushroom season erupts on the west coast and Vancouver Island.  The following is a collection of my recent mushroom images from Vancouver Island and Gabriola Island, captured with the Canon EOS R3 and R5 cameras and the Canon RF 100mm f2.8L IS macro lens.  

Most of these images consist of anywhere from 5 to 30 individual photos stacked together using PhotoShop or Helicon Focus software in order to capture as much detail as possible.

More mushroom and other fungi images can be found on my web site:  Mushrooms and Fungi Gallery

Brown Bonnet Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Waxy Laccaria Mushrooms, Roberts Memorial Park

Witch's Hat Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Banana Slug and Stropharia Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushrooms, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Witch's Hat Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushrooms, Gabriola Island

Brown Bonnet Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Short-Stemmed Russula Mushroom, Roberts Memorial Park

Waxy Laccaria Mushroom, Roberts Memorial Park

Elfin Saddle Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Questionable Strophoria Mushroom, Gabriola Island

Mushroom Emerging from Moss, Gabriola Island

Questionable Strophoria Mushroom Emerging, Gabriola Island

Black Bears of Quinsam River

During the month of October we made several visits to the Quinsam River near Campbell River on Vancouver Island.  Thanks to friends Blair, Ralf, and Takao, I learned that black bears congregated along this river during the autumn salmon run, and that the area was reasonably accessible to photograph the bears. 

Due to some unforeseen events, we weren't able to get up to Campbell River until after the beginning of October, after salmon fishing season had opened, so there were a lot more people than bears along the river.  On our first visit, the only bear we saw was near our campsite in Elk Falls Provincial Park, which borders the Quinsam River.  On two subsequent visits we finally ventured upstream from the Quinsam River Hatchery, beyond where fishing was allowed, and finally got to see a few black bears.

Here are a few photos from our second and third visits to the area - I hope you enjoy them.  

Black Bear with Salmon
Sony A1, FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens

Black Bear with Salmon
Sony A1, FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens

Black Bear with Salmon
Sony A1, FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Sony A1, FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Canon EOS R3, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Canon EOS R3, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Canon EOS R3, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Canon EOS R3, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS Lens

Black Bear, Quinsam River
Canon EOS R3, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS Lens

These and other bear photos can be found on my web site: www.imageswest.ca/gallery/Bears