KTWild Wildlife Photography

01/09/2024

On a recent family Christmas walk we were treated to a close encounter with a family of river otters at sunset at Island View Beach, near Victoria BC.

River otters are fast, agile swimmers and excellent hunters. They use their long whiskers to locate prey in murky water. They feed primarily on aquatic creatures.such as fish and crabs. While they may consume smaller fish and prey at the water’s surface, they will bring larger fish to shore to eat - just like shown in the images shared here.

River Otters are equipped with 36 large, impressive teeth. Once they catch their prey, they use their powerful jaws and sharp teeth to rip, grind and crush their meal. It is quite a sight to behold.

12/21/2023

Brewer's Blackbird at Esquimalt Lagoon.
I don't know that I've ever slowed down to fully take this species of bird in. I was struck by the beauty of this male. The evening sun helped to show off its glossy dark feathers and startling yellow eyes, and the purple sheen on the head grading to greenish and blue iridescence on the body. Their long legs and careful movement give them a halting walk. Quite stunning really.

12/02/2023

Northern Pintail. I was struck by the beauty of these elegant, long-necked ducks.
They are Intricately patterned and the males are fashioned with a striking white stripe down their chocolate-colored necks.

According to Ducks Unlimited, Northern Pintails range over more of the earth than any other waterfowl. They aren't restricted to North America; they also occur in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia.

11/25/2023

BC South Coast Mushrooms/Fungi - part 2 of a series with images I captured on an afternoon hike in October through temperate rainforest on Cortes Island on the BC south coast.

11/21/2023

As many others have noted, this fall's wet weather and warm temperatures after a long summer drought has created perfect conditions for mushrooms on B.C.’s South Coast.

This series of posts are some of the images I captured on an afternoon hike in October through temperate rainforest on Cortes Island on the B.C. south coast.

11/17/2023

Check out our mother- daughter photography collaboration! Our west coast 2024 wildlife calendar is available for order until November 30 - just 2 weeks left!

This 12 month calendar is printed on high quality, heavy-weight white paper with a smooth finish, and spiral binding (metal) so it is easy to hang/display. It is 8.5" x 11".

$30 each with free shipping!

2 ways to order:
DM or .goodyear
or
Visit our Etsy shop at https://ktwildphotography.etsy.com

11/06/2023

A surprise encounter with a humpback whale, Desolation Sound. The power of magical, unpredictable, moments like this in the proximity of other living creatures need no words.

11/02/2023

Bald Eagle Portraits, West Saanich, BC. These birds of prey never cease to capture my interest and imagination. Here are a couple of my favourite images that aim to capture their intensity and majesty.

The Bald Eagle population in North America has undergone dramatic fluctuations over the past two centuries. Once abundant, it declined during the 1900s due to hunting and pesticides (primarily DDT). Today, populations have recovered across the continent and the Bald Eagle is considered one of the great conservation success stories. It is believed that their recovery may in part be due to how flexible and versatile the Bald Eagle is in its food choice. They hunt and eat a wide range of fish, birds, mammals and reptiles, and also scavenge prey or take food from other species.

10/29/2023

10/29/2023

Pigeon Guillemot, Desolation Sound. Don't you love the bright red legs and feet of this small and beautiful North Pacific seabird. I was very lucky to capture this one surfacing right after a successful hunt. They usually dive 30-60 feet (though can dive over 150 feet) to pursue and catch their prey by using their long, slender tongues to press the fish or other creature into sharp serrations (called palatal denticles) in the upper jaw. Guillemots are unique in that they usually bring just one fish at a time back to their young. Parents are reported to bring young an average of 16 food loads a day.

10/25/2023

Short-billed Gull. I enjoyed several days watching large groups of these beautiful short-billed gulls in Desolation Sound in mid-October.

They were very active hunting and feeding on the water, due to particularly extensive schools of small prey fish and very calm and clear seas.

They were so much fun to watch, flying low above the water in twists and turns and either dip down with their bill, or very acrobatically dive into the water. I liked how this image captured one taking off from the ocean surface. It appears to be walking on the water.

Short-billed gulls are common on the Pacific coast.

I was surprised to learn that the oldest recorded short-billed gull was at least 20 years, 8 months old when it was found in British Columbia in 2007. It was banded in Alaska in 1986.

10/21/2023

Harbour Seal. Captured this seal following me on an evening kayak. I have found photographing seals very challenging, but was pleased with this image.

Ever wonder why seals have such large eyes and whiskers? Their large eyes help them see in dark, deep water. A seal's whiskers help it hunt and navigate by sensing pressure waves from fish and underwater objects. They also have long necks, which they can shoot out quickly to catch fish while swimming.

The good news is that Harbour Seals are very common on our coast and their populations are healthy.