White tailed Deer

I was hiking back toward my car  when I noticed few white tailed deer in the area.  They were various obstacles between us, so I was not spotted by them right away. I wanted to get close enough to get a picture, but not scare them off.  I had to keep looking through my camera to see if I had a clear shot of them. Once I was close enough, I moved from side to side looking for that perfect picture. Okay, just a good picture. I found a spot where I could see at least two deer and then waited for them to spot me. I waited and waited as they ate. My arm was getting tired of holding the camera up to my eye, but I was soon rewarded when one looked in my direction and then the other as well. I took several pictures before I proceeded toward my automobile, and they went back to eating.

Until next moment,

Amar

Grizzly Bear

It was a young adult grizzly, looking for grain on the railway tracks. It took a quick look at me and went about its business, while I looked around making sure I had my exit planned. There was good amount of space between us, I settled down and snapped few pictures of the grizzly until I heard the west bound train whistle.  Train, grain and grizzly are not a good combination. Hoped the bear would be off the tracks soon, train got closer and the bear not even taking a look in the direction of the coming train. I move back in case the bear makes a run for it in my direction, but the bear still looking for grain. I had walked that section of the track, not much grain to find, but this bear was finding what it needed. Train is getting closer, ripples in the water from the vibration, geese can't be heard, I stop looking at the bear through the camera and now the bear looks toward the train. Then it turns away from the coming train, takes few quick steps on the tracks before getting off. Within few seconds of getting of the tracks, the train comes through.

I called dispatch regarding the bear, before taking more pictures of the birds.. About ten minutes later the bear was back, bottom half of it wet from where it ran to. It went back looking for food as it walked along the tracks, I started to walking toward my car after I lost site of it behind bushes.

This bear survived another day, hope it has a long life. Sadly we lost one of these beautiful creature to the train just few days ago.  Work continues making park safe for bears and other animals that call the mountains their home.

Until next moment,

Amar

Northern Shoveler

In the wild the birds will always have the final say as to how close they will get to me. Best thing for me to do is to find a place and wait, bird are always in control. You have to keep going out  to improve your chances getting close. I had already gone several times to the lake to see the Common Loons, they staying far away from me. But one day all that changed, as I saw them go under water and come closer to me each time they came up. I kept taking pictures and hoping they would get even closer. Before I knew it they were too close for me to frame the whole bird, so I started to frame the head of the loons. It's a beautiful bird when calling in the distance, but that beauty only increases when you see the bird close up.

Until next moment,

Amar

Common Loon

In the wild the birds will always have the final say as to how close they will get to me. Best thing for me to do is to find a place and wait, bird are always in control. You have to keep going out  to improve your chances getting close. I had already gone several times to the lake to see the Common Loons, they staying far away from me. But one day all that changed, as I saw them go under water and come closer to me each time they came up. I kept taking pictures and hoping they would get even closer. Before I knew it they were too close for me to frame the whole bird, so I started to frame the head of the loons. It's a beautiful bird when calling in the distance, but that beauty only increases when you see the bird close up.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Rundle

Watching a sunrise in the mountain, great.

Watching a sunrise with beautiful clouds covering the sky and being reflected in the still lake, wonderful.

Taking a picture of all this while the Common Loon calling nearby, priceless.

Nature, inspiring us one day at a time.

Until next moment,

Amar

Common Mergansers

Morning sunlight had come in contact with the Bow River, as some of the birds started to gather middle of a wide section of the river. Mallard couple on the far end, having a loud conversation among themselves as they passed by pair of American Wigeon. In the middle were pair of Barrow's Goldeneye, female standing on top of a dead tree sticking out of water and the male floating nearby with its head resting on its back. 

Then highlighted by the sunlight, along came the Common Mergansers, swimming by in their lovely colours. The male with an iridescent, greenish head, with white neck, under parts, and secondaries against black upper wings, gray black and tail. Its better half looking quite smart with a rusty-brown head, with a long crest and distinct white chin patch, gray breast, back, wings and tail, white flanks and belly. Of course both having a long narrow serrated orange bill thats used to grasp one of the mergansers favorite food, small fishes. The mergansers were too busy to stop, but I was able to capture a keeper as they made their way.

Until next moment,

Amar

Golden crowned Kinglet

Was walking along the Bow River when I heard the calling of a Golden crowned Kinglet. After a quick search I located  it going from a branch to branch among the group of five spruce trees. I stood  on the sunlit side, hoping the kinglet would make my way for a better focused picture. It would come near me but then quickly fly away before I was able to take the picture, but not leaving the area. This small bird, weighing just little more than a quarter, kept me entertained for a while. Never going to far, but also never giving enough time to get a clear picture. As time passed, more and more light covered the trees, starting to improve my chances. Patient was rewarded as everything started to come together and I started to get the pictures I waited for, soon after the kinglet moved on.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Rundle

I did not have lot of time, decided to head to the Vermilion Lakes. It was windy that morning but the three lakes always come through. I often look for calm open water to catch the reflection of the sunrise in the picture. I had an area in mind, where the westerly wind gets blocked and water tend to be calm most of the times. But that morning two other photographers were set up there already. No problem, change is good; photographers forced me to find a place that I would otherwise not have noticed. No water, but melting packed snow and ice had a look as if it was reflecting the patterns of the clouds. How do I handle change? I take picture of it.

Until next moment,

Amar

Red winged Blackbird

There are many indicators of season changing, weather just being one of them. The one I been having fun noticing and taking pictures of, are the birds coming back. With each week there are more and more bird sounds in mountains. Slowly the melting ice and snow on land and water is being replaced with these wonderful creatures. There never seems to be enough time to hear and see them all, but perhaps that's the way it should be. For nature to reveal itself, requires time and patience form those who want to see its wonders. Each season I spend more and more time on the trails, gaining knowledge that will lead me to the birds I want to learn about, and birds I want to take pictures of.

Always looking for birds I have not seen before, but also happy to see the ones I have. Even the birds I have hundreds of pictures, have lot to teach. There is great amount of fun to watch as they react with they're surrounding and with each other.

I was spending the morning taking pictures of the sunrise near the Vermilion Lakes, with the intention of taking pictures of Red winged Blackbirds afterward. Knowing from previous years where they would be and where I needed to be for the picture I wanted. After spending about thirty minutes near two males, I left with more knowledge and the pictures I wanted. But I hope to see them again, still lot of curiosity to satisfy and to find more ways to capture their beauty.

Until next moment,

Amar

Howse Peak

It was early in the morning, saw few vehicles on the road as I made my way to the Waterfowl Lakes Campground. The campground was closed for the winter, but I was there to hike to Chephren Lake and take pictures. It had been a while since the trees last held snow but the ground was heavily covered. When I stepped off the packed snow that was on the trail, I was met with snow up to my thighs.

I was few minutes away from the next main turn, when I decided to follow tracks which went away from trial,  I hopped it connected later with the trail. Took the early turn not  to save time but to have fun in deep snow. But I got more then I bargained for, after about 200 meters the tracks stopped, leaving it for me to connect with the main trail. I did not have the ideal snowshoes for the snow, after 15 minutes of good workout I joined up with the trail and made my way to the lake. Where I was met by a Gray Jay, otherwise a quite pleasant visit to glacier fed lake. Complete opposite to what I encountered when I was at the same lake end of last August.

It was warm muggy day then, walked along the the shore for a place to eat and to enjoy the view before heading home. Just as I sat down, I started hearing loud yells, various random yells. They kept getting louder and louder, with very little pause between. Even though I was few hundred meters away from were the trail first comes in contact with the lake, I knew the one doing the yelling had reached the lake as four grebes were scared off. The person did not stay long, he left just as fast as he had arrived, within few minutes it was quite again. I stayed seated and enjoyed food in the shade.

Afterwards I headed back, but not before taking pictures of a mountains surrounding Chephren Lake. Half way along the trail I came across  a lady who looked to me to be in her seventies, had that look of a person who had seen and hiked these trails many a times. She looked comfortable and content, smile on her face, pack on her back and water bottle in her hand. I smiled and said hello. She greeted back and asked if I was staying far back as possible behind the man who was making all that noise. I told her not on purpose, it just how it worked out. She said she wanted to speak to him but was afraid to. I asked why was she afraid. She said as she got near to him on the trail, she read what was on his t-shirt, “I’m smart and you’re stupid”.  

Until next moment,

Amar

White breasted Nuthatch

I was surrounded by trees as I listened to the calls of White breasted Nuthatches somewhere above me. I moved around as I tried to pin point their location. Noticed a Downy Woodpecker but too high and branches in the way, I continued searching for the nuthatches. I spotted one high above, snapped few pictures but waited to see if it would come closer. There was a Raven on one of the tree, kept calling out, but I kept focused on the nuthatches.

Saw an another Raven flying toward our direction, holding food in its bill. Wondered if it would see the first Raven before it was too late and would be chased by the resting Raven for its food. The second Raven noticed the first Raven and changed direction, but not before the first Raven noticed the food and the air chase was on.

Neither one of the nuthatches were getting closer, but I still waited, camera ready in hand. Two chickadees came into the area, took few pictures but were bit blurry as they were in the shade and moving fast.

I started to move toward a tree, something was moving at eye level on the shaded part of the trunk. I looked through the camera and it was one of the White breasted Nuthatch. With the camera to my eye I positioned myself to take the picture as soon as it would come into the light. There was no certainty it would, but I needed to be ready. Patience was rewarded for few seconds, as half of it came into the light with the classic nuthatch poise. Was happy to get the picture I wanted and even happier to get the light spot in its eye.

Until next moment,

Amar

Still Standing

It was early in the morning and the sunlight was starting to make its presence as I explored along the Vermilion River area in Kootenay National Park. There were clearly visible few days old bear tracks in the area, felt safe having my bear spray. Took few pictures as the light was coming down on Mount Verendrye. The river was starting to open up in the area with the several days of  above freezing temperature, stayed closed to the edge.

I was making my way toward Honeymoon Pass Trail as I enjoyed nature's ice sculptures along the river. Shortly after leaving the trailhead to head up the trail, I was surrounded by some of the 12.6% burned Kootenay National Park, caused by the fire that took place in the summer of 2003. I can still clearly remember driving through the area with a friend days after the fire had subsided by hard work from many and the changing weather. The once dominate forest green had given way to the grey colour everywhere we looked.

But fire is an important natural process of the ecosystem, takes life on one hand, giving back on the other.  Even on this day walking on knee to thigh high deep snow, among the standing dead trees, I could hear the sounds of wildlife and see tops of young pines that rely on fire to regenerate. Sun was starting to make an impact on the trail, I stopped to remove a layer before continuing my journey. On the trails my eyes were free to wander, taking in the visual images created by the light coming in contact with shapes and curves created by fire some seven years ago. I reached the location where I want to take my pictures I was hoping for. After taking in food and water, I went to work.

Until next moment,

Amar

White tailed Ptarmigan

Roger Deakin wrote in his book "Wildwood" about the forest. "It is where you travel to find yourself, often paradoxically, by getting lost”. If I can extend forest to mean nature, nature that takes you away from the everyday world. It's not magic, it's not an illusion, it is a real feeling that comes about when being surrounded by nature. I'm walking along the beautiful frozen Mistaya River, watching the mist rise as I hear the clear water moving north. Camera in hand taking pictures every few steps.

 I come into an open area when I hear birds take flight, eight beautiful White tailed Ptarmigans only few meters above the snow that's laying on the ground. The sunlight hits their wings, creating a surreal visual with the surrounding white background. I watch them fly away and land some 80 meters from where they took to air, making a mental note of their landing location. I turn around toward the river to take couple of more pictures before I headed toward the ptarmigans. Just then a Dipper floats to an open area on the river front of me, calls out two notes before flying a safe distance.

 This where it hits me, this feeling brought about by the snow, the mountains, the forest, the river, the ptarmigans, the dipper, the sunlight and every other part of nature that I was part of that day. A feeling of piece, a feeling of being connected to nature. Its as if the park decided to opened several door at once to see and feel what makes it special. This is what our national parks, and no amount of chocolate can produce it. If there is a evergreen tree for every person who visits the parks, then the needles on each tree represent the moments the parks hold for us.

 When I was done taking pictures of the landscape, I changed my lens and headed in the direction of the eight White tailed Ptarmigans. If I had not startled them, I don't think I would have heard them as I walked along the river. I took my time as I got closer to where they were, keeping small trees between them and I. They looked beautiful in their winter white feathers, except for one that still had some summer colours. There were to many obstacles in the way and between them as well for me to get a picture of them all together.  I focused on them one at a time, in particular on those that were in the open. Taking my time, moving only when I had to, taking pictures after pictures. Watching them foraging for food, while keeping an eye on me as they went about their business. After spending twenty minutes, I decided to move on, feeling refreshed and recharged by nature.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Chephren

I started the days adventure at upper Waterfowl Lake, with the goal to snowshoe to Mistaya Lake. Snowfall in the mountains has been below average this winter, but here along the Waputik Mountains below average is still enough to play with. But first thing first, need to capture the morning light. Standing on the east side o the lake, I started to take pictures of the mountains across the lake, as the light made its way toward the bottom of the valley.

It was a cool morning, I wanted to start moving and to get back some of the heat I lost taking the picture of the sunrise. Was hopping to head for the other side of the lake where the sunlight would be hitting soon, but was having way too much fun exploring the side of the lake I was on. Exploring places I wanted to come back to take pictures in winter and during the summer. 

I made my way toward the small section of the Mistaya River that connects Waterfowl Lake to the Mistaya Lake. Due to low temperature mist was rising from the open running water, visible from a distance as the the sunlight came in contact with it. Being careful to stay on solid surface as I walked along the running water, open in some area and covered by ice and snow in others. Water was cool and clear as the surrounding landscape reflected off the water. Walking with snowshoes, made it easier to walk on the snow and at the same time carry the camera on the tripod.

So many place to take pictures, would be great to return and capture the early light on the mountains being reflected in the water. I was seeing so many possibilities for pictures, every few steps produced a unique opportunity for pictures. I was so involved taking pictures of the landscape , did not the mountains were holding a surprise for around the corner. A surprise that heard me coming. To be contuined... .

Until next moment,

Amar

Pine Grosbeak

I was walking on a trail when I heard a call of a bird. The week before I heard the same call, it was that of a Blue Jay. I stood and listened to see which direction it was coming from, and at the same time taking my camera out from the backpack.  The calls were coming from some 80 meters ahead, above the trees.  I made my way in that direction and started to locate the Blue Jay. There were number of Magpies in the area, which made sure their voice was heard as well. Soon spotted the Blue Jay, its calls were now drowned by the Magpies. The Blue Jay quickly moved on but not after I was able to get few images. I snapped few pictures of the magpies as well to keep them happy. After walking some more, I was hearing the calls of other Magpies, and sounds from the stream I was next to. Hidden among the sounds were calls of smaller birds. I stopped again and listened, the calls were competing for my ears with all the other sounds of nature and it was not even spring yet. After a minute or so I realized I was hearing Pine Grosbeaks, but locating them was another matter.  A lady and a man were making their way toward me on the trail as I kept looking for the grosbeaks. The sounds of the water and the Magpies were making it difficult.

Just as the couple got few steps from me, one of the grosbeak came out in the open and flew across the trail and landed on a dead branch. Perfect setting with clear sight of the bird, I quickly had my camera pointing at the bird and the couple stopped in their tracks. I snapped away several images before stopping to let the folks walk through. The bird soon flew away, but left questions marks on the faces of the couple. I thanked them for stopping and then explained about the Pine Grosbeak, as we together looked at the images I had taken, including the one with this email.

Until next moment,

Amar

Clark's Nutcracker

I started working in the Banff Park Museum NHSC August 2005, and it did not take long for visitors to ask me questions about birds.  It was easier answering questions about the common birds spotted in town, but beyond that I needed help. Having few hundred mounted birds in the museum was going to bring up lot of questions.  So I decided to learn about these feathered friends, read books and web pages and as well getting knowledge from those around me. The more I learned, the more interested I became. But it was mid September 2006 when I first tried to take a picture of a bird, which was of a Great Blue Heron standing in the middle of a marsh, with rain coming down. Took the picture with a compact camera with a three time zoom, the GBH was a small but important part of the overall picture.

I took few pictures of birds here and there, but in 2008 birds started to become one of my main subjects for photography.  I started to go for walks or hike just to find and take pictures of birds. Have to have lot of patience when taking pictures of birds, it helps if you find your photography subject interesting.  For the Great Blue Heron, I had to wait until April of 2009 to get good close up pictures. Most of the pictures I take are of birds not used to being near people, so I have to learn to adapt to their environment in order to get the pictures I want.

Attached is a picture of a Clark’s Nutcracker, which has this amazing relationship with Whitebark Pines. Nutcrackers feed on the Whitebark Pine seeds, eating some right away and storing many more at a time as cache. They can have up to 10s of thousands of these caches, food stored in the ground for those winter months. They like to store the seeds in an open windswept area, making it easy to find.  Those they don’t find, get a chance to become future Whitebark Pines.  This bird was comfortable with people, and was hoping for food, I instead offered to share its image with friends.

Until next moment,

Amar

The Boys

What does it mean when one says I like living in the mountains. I imagine there are just as many meaning as there are mountains. For me it's the whole thing, the mountains, the flora, fauna and more. Together they create something special, that something special occurred few weeks back. I had been seeing few bull elk hanging out together as I would be going from point A to B to C and back to A.

One late morning as I was making my way home, few cars were parked along the road as the passengers were taking pictures of two bull elk near the road. As I slowed down and passed them, I saw nine more elk not yet spotted just beyond the two. Quickly an image ran through my head of mountains, forest and elk. Not one to be part of the crowd, I drove on to a spot half a kilometer ahead where space was created to park my vehicle. Took my pack and started to walk toward the elk through the forest. Followed a faint trail and tracks left by the elk I was going to photograph. Shortly I was in the open, got a look by some of the elk before they went about their business. I took several pictures before leaning on a tree and watching the wilderness before me. After twenty minutes other visitors got out of their car and spotted the nine elk I was looking at. As they got their camera out, I went back into the forest back to my car.

Until next moment,

Amar

Cascade River

I'm alway looking for new places to take pictures of the same mountain. Spend lot of time with maps, looking for spots along trails, rivers, lakes. etc.. I'll always be taking pictures form the well known locations, but when I find that not so well know location to take pictures from. I not only get a picture with a unique view, but learn how diverse and unique the mountains are. Each mountain, each valley, each river, each lake has many stories to tell. You just need to spend the time exploring.

I was exploring the  Cascade River below Minnewanka Lake, river's power was greatly reduced with the three dams built since 1895 along Minnewanka. But it still plays an important role to it's surrounding and the many life forms that rely on it. I came across the Cascade Power Plant that was built in 1912 and closed in 1941. Saw the beautiful fall that friends had told me about.  But also another spot to capture the beauty of Cascade Mountain. 

Until next moment,

Amar

Pilot Mountain

Malcolm Gladwell writes in his book "Outliers", about the "10,000 Hour Rule", to achieve success in any subject one needs to practice the task for around 10,000 hours. There are other factors involved, but practice, practice and more practice makes perfect. I'm not quite sure where I fall on the "10,000 Hour Rule" scale, but with every hour I spend on photography I increasing my chance of coming home with image or images I'm looking for. I'm at the stage in photography where I can focus and enjoy the subject I'm taking picture of and not think about what to do with the technology in my hands.

My photography subject are landscape, birds and flowers, they are all outside where I have little or no control. When the opportunity present its self, I have to be react as quick as possible and not be thinking about what's the best setting for that opportunity. If I want to take a picture of Pilot Mtn in the morning light, I just have to make sure I'm there ahead of time and be ready when nature puts on a show. But this morning I was headed elsewhere when I looked to my left and saw the light touching the tip of Pilot Mtn. My plains changed, I quickly started to set up my equipment as I watched the sunlight light up the mountain. Then moving in the snow to find a location that would produce image I wanted to have. Easy part was taking the picture.

Until next moment,

Amar

Common Goldeneye

I was heading home when I noticed couple of water fowls on Two Jack Canal. The week before the canal was covered with thin ice, but warm weather changed that.  I parked the car and went to investigate, within two hundred meters there were 5 Common Goldeneyes.   It was bit cloudy and the sun was too low to provide enough light to get the images I was hoping for.  None the less I made several attempts and watched as they kept diving for food. It’s been a quite winter for bird watching, so it was fun watching them through my camera as I snapped few pictures. I decided to return the following day, the weather was going to be similar and hoped to catch them under better light. About twenty hours later I was back and after 10 minutes or so walking along the canal I came across one male and two female Common Goldeneyes.  They had moved somewhat away from me, I decided to set my tripod and the camera and then wait. One of the female started to move closer to me and I started to take its pictures. I would have been happier with little more light, but nature had other plans that day and I went with it.

Until next moment,

Amar