Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

British Columbia Sport & Outdoor Lounge => Outdoor Photography => Topic started by: speyghillie on April 30, 2015, 10:45:42 PM

Title: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on April 30, 2015, 10:45:42 PM
Hi All,
I normally visit Vancouver on fishing trips, this year I have few friends that want to have a couple of days around Vancouver to photograph Raptors in November, we are planning a few days in Chilliwack to get some Bald Eagle images, just wondered how good anywhere around Vancouver is at that time of year, and lens size ect, they have all the gear and more as wildlife photography is their passion and we will have transport to get around.
Any help would be gratefully appreciated .
Thanks Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: aquaholic on May 04, 2015, 06:55:52 AM
Right now is tough for raptors, A lot of birds are still nesting, Sumas flats in Abbotsford has had some juvenile bald eagles showing up more recently, Got some great pics yesterda. Turkey Vultures are out along Keith Wilson road. Heron reserve on the dyke has some ospreys as well

Check my facebook page out, I add lots on there and its all recent photos
A.Bucci Photography

Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 04, 2015, 09:34:26 AM
Hi aquaholic,
Thanks for the advise, I know Keith Wilson rd as I used to fish at the railway bridge when I visit from Scotland, been in the wack lots of times.
I am not over with the Photographers until November this year, we are going out with a guide on a jet boat for a couple of days to photograph Bald Eagles on the Harrison, its a buddy who I fish with each year.
I would really appreciate any good places around Vancouver or Chilliwack for mid November, I had a look at your facebook page and you have some brilliant images, will have a look again in a minute to see the new images, I get Ospreys by the dozen ever morning at my hide, so any other raptors would be better, my facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aviemore-Ospreys/443194042407751

Any info would be great as I hope to have a look around while fishing this year, I was thinking boundary bay or somewhere like that, but not sure for November.
Cheers Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: aquaholic on May 04, 2015, 09:50:26 AM
Yes Boundary Bay, I forgot to mention that. 64th and 72nd and Roberts Bank has Owls and lots of eagles right now mainly Juvenile. Look into the Sandpiper in the fall for the Eagle fest

I only got a few pics yesterday but its kinda slow right now
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: aquaholic on May 04, 2015, 09:51:45 AM
whats your email ? I will give you some ideas through email tonight
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 04, 2015, 12:16:28 PM
Hi aquaholic,
can't see a PM option, but it would be great if you could send any info help to speyghilliebc@yahoo.co.uk
I used to teach speycasting in Canada and the US many years ago and guided on the River Spey here in Scotland, thats the reason for the weird e mail addy.
Thanks Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: SPEYMAN on May 04, 2015, 12:31:00 PM
Driving the highway from Abbotsford to Chilliwack will provide e few species of hawks. They eat road kill. Can be a bit of an issue blocking a four lane highway for some pictures. Good luck.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 04, 2015, 01:22:43 PM
Hi Speyman,
My driving in Canada has been good so far, 40 trips and not a scratch on a hire car, well not many,
 I know a couple of places in the Okanagan to photograph some species, but really don't fancy the drive from Chilliwack in November in case the roads are bad, probably best to stick around the Vancouver area as we only have six days, i will be over with a fishing party before these photography guys, so it will give me a chance to get my bearings before i am over again.
Cheers for the tip, i watch a programme here called highway through hell, filmed on the coke so will be trying to do less driving than i normally do.
Thanks Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: aquaholic on May 04, 2015, 08:47:12 PM
Go down the parallel roads along the highway. Lots around but they are a photo from your car. As soon as you stop by one they take off all the time. Best is to have your camera ready drive past them a bit and slowly get out of your car and start shooting. They don't hang around.

Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 04, 2015, 10:47:41 PM
 Thanks Speyman and got your e mail aquaholic, thanks.
I am over with a group of fishermen in September to fish around Chilliwack before heading to the Island, will put them on the jet boat and go check out a few places you have suggested, I hope to do a few trips over the next couple of years when my wildlife guiding here in Scotland is between seasons, so November is a great time for me to get away.
Thanks for all your help.
Cheers Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on May 05, 2015, 12:51:55 AM
November - Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Boundary Bay. All around Boundary Bay from the south side park with the beach and the paths to the North side where you will often find Short Eared Owls and some Long Eared owls.

Common sights are Northern Harrier and Red Tailed Hawk as well as bald eagles and sometimes the odd peregrine.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 05, 2015, 06:51:57 AM
Thanks DragonSpeed,
Sounds really good, I am just sending out a few details to some of the guys and girls, so we can get flights booked while its cheaper, should be a good fun trip, just one last question, and what size of lens is best for the places you mention, can you tell I do more fishing than photography.  ;D
Thanks Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on May 06, 2015, 06:57:21 AM
It's NEVER big enough :)

I shoot with a cropped sensor and 100-400. I know a guy that takes amazing shots with a  500 F/4 and 1.4 on a regular body... Do I wish I had a longer lens?  Yes.  Always?  No.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on May 06, 2015, 09:17:48 AM
Thanks DragonSpeed,
I hope to do a few trips around BC next year for wildlife photographers, the guys coming over this Nov have more lenses than I could carry.
I hope this will become a regular trip and hope to add a few other trips to BC for wildlife photography over the next couple of years, that way I can get some fishing done while they are busy doing their thing.
Thanks Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: VAGAbond on June 11, 2015, 01:57:16 PM
An excellent reference for finding birds in BC is Birdfinding in British Columbia by Russell and Richard Canning. Greystone Books
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on June 12, 2015, 06:07:41 AM
Thanks VAGAbond,
I will pick up a copy of the book before I head over to tour around the Okanagan/Vancouver and Vancouver Island for three weeks, will be fishing a lot of the time but will make time to look around for some birds and other wildlife for 2016.
Thanks Guys.
Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: Bavarian Raven on June 21, 2015, 08:09:49 AM
A bit of a late reply, but Grant Narrows Park in Northern Pitt Meadows is a good place for raptors, and other birds, if you go early (aka get there around 6:30 to 7:00 before the dog walkers appear).  :-\
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on June 22, 2015, 09:09:36 AM
Thanks Bavarian Raven,
I will have a look around as soon as I am finished guiding wildlife photographers here in Scotland, I will be spending sometime around Vancouver when I travel through from Vernon in August, my first guided trip to BC will not be until June next year, so I have plenty of time to find these places around the city, I hate city driving especially as the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car and everybody is driving on the wrong side of the road.  ;D
Thanks for the info.
Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: SPEYMAN on June 22, 2015, 12:58:04 PM
There will be no "cackhanded driving"
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on June 23, 2015, 07:25:12 AM
Hey SPEYMAN,
There will be no "cackhanded driving"  ;D ,  in more than 40 trips to BC I have not even scratched a hire car.... did a little off roading in one and it didn't look that great underneath but it was hard to get to the river and a long walk, that the beauty of a hire car and full insurance cover.
Will be getting another one in August for a few weeks of fishing and to visit some fly stores and maybe a little dirt track stuff.
Cheers Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on June 23, 2015, 07:36:56 AM
Hey SPEYMAN,
There will be no "cackhanded driving"  ;D ,  in more than 40 trips to BC I have not even scratched a hire car.... did a little off roading in one and it didn't look that great underneath but it was hard to get to the river and a long walk, that the beauty of a hire car and full insurance cover.
Will be getting another one in August for a few weeks of fishing and to visit some fly stores and maybe a little dirt track stuff.
Cheers Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.
I just about took the passenger side mirror off of a hire car near Bath about 5 year ago - Thank God for Visa Gold Card insurance :D
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on June 23, 2015, 09:36:36 AM
I must confess to once hiring a brand new car at Vancouver airport with the guy handing me the keys as I got in the car, ..... and sat in the passenger seat, before getting out and getting into the drivers seat, was worth it to see the look on his face as I drove away.
Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on October 24, 2015, 08:53:48 AM
So - it's almost November - do you have your plans?
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on October 25, 2015, 04:10:17 AM
Hi Dragonspeed,
I was over at the end of August and toured a few places around the Okanagan and then on to Van Island, going to do a couple of trips next year during the summer and then sort out a trip for November when all the Bald Eagles are on the Fraser, one of the whale watching companies runs trips in November if the weather is playing ball so that's a possible option.
I found quite a few species of birds around Vernon but to late for the Humming birds, mountain blue birds ect, I guess they arrive around the end of May, saw very few Bald Eagles on Vancouver Island in late August, but everything else was fine.
Going to send out the tour details today to everybody on my mailing list, which I could get over in November but work is getting in the way.
Thanks Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on October 25, 2015, 05:17:10 PM
That's cool - yeah August in the Interior can be tough - weather is so hot.  Hummers start to show up around March at my feeder in Vancouver and then get pretty thin in numbers into August.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: speyghillie on October 27, 2015, 10:15:12 AM
Hi Dragonspeed,
I wish I had more time to look around all the places I should have visited, never made it to Boundary Bay, which was on my list, I have sent out some detail of trips to Vancouver Island just as the sad news of the whale watching boat that sank off Tofino made the news on TV here, and it was big news as the five people drowned where from the UK I believe, i watched the same boat going out when i was in Tofino, very sad news that is all over the press and TV in the UK.
Gordon.
Title: Re: Best place to photograph Raptors around Vancouver
Post by: DragonSpeed on October 27, 2015, 11:56:39 AM
Yeah - tragedy.  I look forward to hearing the cause of the sinking.  Sad about the loss of life :(