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Doomrider74

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What is your strategy for finding good wildlife photography locations? I don't know if it's a post covid thing but recently I've been finding it increasingly difficult to get away from crowds. For example, I went for a walk on Monday evening and the trail was absolutely deserted. I spied a Kingfisher and was stealthily moving into position. At the last minute, two cyclists appear out of nowhere and scare the little guy off.

Later on, I was watching a bald eagle up in a tree, waiting for him to do something. Whilst I was there, a boat full of people motored over and started shouting at the eagle, which flew off.

I also find one of my favourite nature preserves overrun with people fishing. No wonder I haven't seen any otters there in over a year.

Of course, the outdoors is not our private photography studio, so I'm not against people being outdoorsy and enjoying it (its one of the great things about living in BC), unless people are abusing the wildlife and/or leaving litter or causing damage (tangles of fishing line? I'm looking at you, fishing people).

My point is: for those who live in this area, what is your strategy for finding wildlife and organizing your days out/trips? Any tips?

I've tried asking on forums and local FB groups, making sure I spend time posting photos and chatting, so they see I'm genuine, but get absolute silence when I ask for local knowledge and/or tips.

My interests are primarily bears, raptors, beavers, otters, deer, and other mammals.
 
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Member's gallery
Short of discussing very popular and well known destinations, I suspect that you will not find a lot of folks sharing their "off the beaten trail" locations for fear of what you just described. I often feel that there must be local places that I just do not know about that others do, so I do search the web for articles and posts that might give me some hints. With time you may discover some new places, and chatting with any photographers you encounter might also yield some good results.

Good luck,

--Ken
 
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Replytoken said:
Short of discussing very popular and well known destinations, I suspect that you will not find a lot of folks sharing their "off the beaten trail" locations for fear of what you just described. I often feel that there must be local places that I just do not know about that others do, so I do search the web for articles and posts that might give me some hints. With time you may discover some new places, and chatting with any photographers you encounter might also yield some good results.

Good luck,

--Ken
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Fair point, although I don’t generally ask for specific locations, more about general areas and times of day/year.
 
Member's gallery
We have a similar issue here in southern Ontario. What some of the local photographers have recommended is getting out on a kayak. They end up in locations that are too difficult to get to for regular folks, and get to see much more wildlife.
 
Member's gallery
Ironically, I tend to find that some of the best places for bird photography can be in popular, sometimes crowded areas. The birds have gone to the crowds.
Kingfishers? Try the area immediately around Science World or a BC Ferries terminal (Swartz Bay, Departure Bay)
Pelagic Cormorants? The docks of Granville Island, North of the Public Market. (Quite a few of them roost under the Granville Street bridge.)
Red-winged Blackbirds? Try Iona Regional Park, just North of YVR.
Tree Swallows? Iona, Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
Great Blue Herons? Stanley Park, Iona, Tsawwassen, Reifel.
Ducks? Reifel, Stanley Park
Eagles? Reifel, Stanley Park, Iona
This might not be a list of places you are looking for. But, where there are people, there is food. (Leftover scraps, edible plants, etc.) And animals will go to where food is.
 
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Doomrider74 said:
What is your strategy for finding good wildlife photography locations? I don't know if it's a post covid thing but recently I've been finding it increasingly difficult to get away from crowds. For example, I went for a walk on Monday evening and the trail was absolutely deserted. I spied a Kingfisher and was stealthily moving into position. At the last minute, two cyclists appear out of nowhere and scare the little guy off.

Later on, I was watching a bald eagle up in a tree, waiting for him to do something. Whilst I was there, a boat full of people motored over and started shouting at the eagle, which flew off.

I also find one of my favourite nature preserves overrun with people fishing. No wonder I haven't seen any otters there in over a year.

Of course, the outdoors is not our private photography studio, so I'm not against people being outdoorsy and enjoying it (its one of the great things about living in BC), unless people are abusing the wildlife and/or leaving litter or causing damage (tangles of fishing line? I'm looking at you, fishing people).

My point is: for those who live in this area, what is your strategy for finding wildlife and organizing your days out/trips? Any tips?

I've tried asking on forums and local FB groups, making sure I spend time posting photos and chatting, so they see I'm genuine, but get absolute silence when I ask for local knowledge and/or tips.

My interests are primarily bears, raptors, beavers, otters, deer, and other mammals.
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Critters encountered during my morning walks on the West Van Sea Walk: racoon, skunk, grey whale, harbour porpoise, harbour seal, river otter, squirrel, garter snake, blue heron, bald eagle & numerous other birds
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Member's gallery
Craig Yuill said:
Ironically, I tend to find that some of the best places for bird photography can be in popular, sometimes crowded areas. The birds have gone to the crowds.
Kingfishers? Try the area immediately around Science World or a BC Ferries terminal (Swartz Bay, Departure Bay)
Pelagic Cormorants? The docks of Granville Island, North of the Public Market. (Quite a few of them roost under the Granville Street bridge.)
Red-winged Blackbirds? Try Iona Regional Park, just North of YVR.
Tree Swallows? Iona, Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
Great Blue Herons? Stanley Park, Iona, Tsawwassen, Reifel.
Ducks? Reifel, Stanley Park
Eagles? Reifel, Stanley Park, Iona
This might not be a list of places you are looking for. But, where there are people, there is food. (Leftover scraps, edible plants, etc.) And animals will go to where food is.
Click to expand...
One more place to check out is the Boundary Bay Trial, Delta. At one time it was the cream of the crop for Owls and raptors.
 
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Feiertag said:
One more place to check out is the Boundary Bay Trial, Delta. At one time it was the cream of the crop for Owls and raptors.
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Boundary Bay is a place I'm very familiar with: However, it is also a perfect example of what I'm talking about as you often get large groups of photographers there.

I remember one trip to BB where there was a Bald Eagle sat on one of the fence posts around the substation, quite close to the dyke trail: there must have been 25-30 photographers focused on this poor bird. It was like the paparazzi on Oscar night, and that is about as far away from what I want from wildlife photography as you can get.
 
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Member's gallery
Doomrider74 said:
Boundary Bay is a place I'm very familiar with: However, it is also a perfect example of what I'm talking about as you often get large groups of photographers there.

I remember one trip to BB where there was a Bald Eagle sat on one of the fence posts around the substation, quite close to the dyke trail: there must have been 25-30 photographers focused on this poor bird. It was like the paparazzi on Oscar night, and that is about as far away from what I want from wildlife photography as you can get.
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Boundary Bay is a place to stay away from on the weekends and holidays. I have been there many times in the middle of the week with virtually no one around. Go in the morning while people are at work or school.
 
Member's gallery
Boundary bay has become pretty dead over the last 4 years for shorties. It is almost a waste of time to try and get them in the estuary area between the dike path and the ocean. You will have a better chance shooting them over the Kings Links Golf course in the afternoon as they fly close there still. Northern Harriers can still be productive at BB. Because of this, photographer numbers are way down at BB and you really don't get big groups anymore. Although there were groups standing around where the Long Eared Owls were roosting this past winter.

Brunswick Point however has been flush with Shorties in winter of 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 (2021/2022 was dead). Nov/Dec especially. Number of photogs varies a lot. I've had Friday mornings where I'm the only person out in the estuary (other than all the hunters) and other days (Sat/Sun) where there were 30 other photogs spread out over the estuary. I'm hoping that now that they've built the new parking lot that adds 15mins+ to the walk out and put no parking signs with actively ticketing where everyone used to park that maybe the lazy people will stay away next winter....we shall see.

Reifel is good in winter as less people and later sunrise (since it only opens at 9). Lots of birds there in summer but 9AM opening kills it as heat haze is there and sun is too high. Overcast or rainy days would be best as less people and shootable light.

I don't live on the mainland so don't know much else...I'm sure there are lots of hidden gems but people probably try to keep them close to their chests as there are just so many people into bird photography over there these days that location become overwhelmed quickly and ruin it.
 
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