Easter in British Columbia

Go get yourself a cup of coffee or a beverage of your liking, as there are lots of photos here and you may be dehydrated by the time you get to the end. If you do.

Had a great weekend with family in Kamloops, BC and took a couple of opportunities to take photos.

First, this is what greeted us on Friday morning just before we set out west:

Next is my brother-in-laws Stafforshire Terrier - yes a pit bull - but Sugar is the gentlest dog I have come across. Very well trained and just a sweetheart. Didn't know this breed could be that way.

Saturday morning it was out to the eagle nest that I have photographed for two years now. There is a resident pair - Gertrude and Heathcliff - and my luck was with me as they were there. Unfortunately, they took off and I had to bushwack to get closer, but I was never as close as last year. I don't think they have eggs in the nest yet, otherwise they would have hung about the nest and swooped down at me, as they have done before. So these shots are heavy crops. However, I was pleasantly surprised with my Sigma 170-500 lens. I thought they would be crap, but when I brought them into the computer for processing, they didn't take too much work to get them somewhat acceptable.

 

 

There was a Yellow Shafted Flicker that didn't like my being there and made a tremendous racket.

 I went down to the river shore to see if anything was interesting there, and was greeted by this muskrat swimming by:

I thought at first it was a beaver, but was told that that would be rare in a flowing river. Anybody good at identifying?

Then a Great Blue Heron cruised in. I couldn't get a shot of him (?) but as I was leaving the area, he rose up out of a small stream and flew off. I managed to get one shot!

All these bird photos were taken with the long lens, quasi hand-held - I had it on a tripod but just used the tripod with the legs together as a monopod.

Before leaving, I took this shot of the South Thompson River for atmosphere.

So after using the long lens, I went close at a garden where my in-laws live.

You may be past the crocus season, but remember where I live. When we left the Calgary area, there was still over a foot of snow on the ground. (It is mostly gone now as it has been hot and sunny, but snow forecast for later this week).

Yesterday, Sunday, we went to a friend's farm where they raise sheep. Lots of little lambs. They were great fun. Not at all shy.

Being fed:

That is my knee:

Curiosity:

I liked the back lit ears

 Here too:

Resting:

Mother and child:

Then home April 1 through the Rockies, stopping at Rogers Pass for a break.

Looking east from the summit of the pass:

Looking west and a detail of some of the peaks:

And finally, looking down the road towards the  Illecillewaet Glacier, with the Maple Leaf proudly surveying the scene.

Thanks for taking the time and looking. I had a great time shooting and fun with family, too! 

Garth