Landscape and Nature Photography Photoblog • Page 2 of 85 • Michael Russell Photography

My Top 10 Photographs from 2022

December 30, 2022December 12, 2022

It is again time to look back and see what my favourite images are from what I’ve published this year. With a long and wet spring, a long hot drought summer, and an almost non-existent fall before the cold came… it has been an “interesting” year to work with!

Working on my 2023 Nature Calendar every year helps get this list started, though there are usually a few differences as I have a more limited scope of themes for the calendar. If you click on a photo below you’ll be taken to my Image Library. I’ve also linked to corresponding blog posts that contain these images (if available) to provide more information about the location or to see other photos from that area. As usual, choosing 10 images is rather difficult (and I cheated this year), even though these should be considered my favourites and not the “best” necessarily. These aren’t in any order really as that would be just too hard!

I hope you enjoy this years selections and am curious to hear if you have any particular favourites!

My Favourite Photos of 2022:

1. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Goslings Taking Shelter Under Mom’s Wing (Mission, British Columbia)
Blog post: Miscellaneous Photos Collection #5

2. Sailboat on English Bay near the West End of Vancouver (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blog post: Views from Jericho Pier and Locarno Beach

3. Sailboat Crossing English Bay
(Vancouver, British Columbia)

4. Fairy Slipper Orchid (Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis) (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia)
Blog post: Wildflowers on Salt Spring Island

5. Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Chick
(Salt Spring Island, British Columbia)

6. Thunderstorm Clouds Darken the Sky Over South Surrey Farmland (Surrey, British Columbia)
Blog post: Storm Clouds Over South Surrey

7. A Jersey Cow Named Alison Grazes in a field at Ruckle Heritage Farm (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia)
Blog post: Ruckle Heritage Farm on Salt Spring Island

8. Snow Outlines the Branches in a Deciduous Forest (Langley, British Columbia)
Blog post: A Snowy Walk at Derby Reach Regional Park

9. Sailboat Anchored in Burgoyne Bay
(Salt Spring Island, British Columbia)

10. Round-Leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) at Camosun Bog (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blog post: Bog Plants in Vancouver’s Camosun Bog

Bonus Image

Okay, here is a “bonus” image as I just liked the evening light around this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) too much to not include it:

11. Great Blue Heron Resting in a Grassy Field (Tsawwassen, British Columbia)
Blog post: Bird Photography at Tsawwassen’s Beach Grove Lagoon

For many years Jim Goldstein maintained a list of photographer’s top 10 posts but he seems to have given that up. For the past few years Tracy Schultze has created his own list which you can ask to be part of. You can find his list here: https://tmschultze.com/pages/photography/best-of-2022-blog-posts/. I always discover some interesting photographers on these lists.

You can view my favourite photographs from 2021 here: My Top 10 Photos of 2021.

2023 Nature Calendar Now Available!

January 1, 2023November 21, 2022

My 2023 calendars are now available! I have put together some of my favourite recent photographs into a 11″x17″ (28cm x 43cm) calendar. Included are 12 photographs of landscape, wildlife, and nature scenes from British Columbia. As the purchase website no longer has a preview available, take a look at the index below for a small preview of the images contained in the calendar.

cover for 2023 british columbia nature calendar

2023 Nature Calendar Cover

index for 2023 british columbia nature calendar

2023 Calendar Index

A Walk through Lynn Canyon Park

November 17, 2022

Lynn Canyon Park is a popular area in North Vancouver for tourists and locals alike. I had visited briefly a few years ago but hadn’t got onto the trails to walk around since 2013 when I photographed Twin Falls. I intend to go back soon, and visit trails I’ve never seen before, a few other bridges, and likely Rice Lake. Hopefully this will be part I of a pair of posts soon.

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Lynn Canyon Falls (Purchase)

The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is the main attraction in Lynn Canyon Park which opened to the public in 1912. The bridge is in a very scenic canyon, next to a waterfall, nearby parking, and is free (compared to the nearby Capilano Suspension Bridge). The suspension bridge hangs about 50 meters (160 feet) over Lynn Creek, and offers a nice view of Lynn Canyon Falls. The bridge was recently closed for a period of time so the “deck” could be replaced, and you can tell the difference between 1) an older photograph I made in 2013 and 2) the current surface of the bridge. The new surface is very “grippy” on ones feet and doesn’t feel like you are in danger of sliding on it which is comforting in this location. The bridge doesn’t bounce very much either, though those uneasy with looking down that great of a distance to a rocky canyon below may not wish to linger and complete the crossing quickly.

As you can see from the first photograph here showing the bridge and Lynn Canyon Falls (photo), this isn’t an easy spot to photograph a waterfall! Even though the park wasn’t busy, the bridge vibrates a bit after someone walks on it, so finding a steady perch for a longer exposure wasn’t going to happen. I combined two exposures to get this wide of a view, and you can see some effects of that in the poor overlap in the walking surface tiles. Someday I may be able to do a long exposure of the waterfall on this bridge, but that wasn’t possible on my last visit.

Twin Falls

After photographing the suspension bridge I hiked down a number of stairs on the trail to Twin Falls. Like the bridge above, I’d photographed Twin Falls before. I had somewhat forgotten the rather precarious position one has to get in to shoot over the fence there. I remembered the fence, I didn’t remember the yoga position required! Most of the foliage here is provided by evergreens, but I appreciate that one small Vine Maple that is hanging onto the rock on the left and has turned a nice yellow. You can barely make it out in this photo, but there is a bridge just above the falls that crosses Lynn Creek. I saw a few photographs and videos online that showed this location less than 24 hours after this photograph was taken, and after an atmospheric river had passed through. Southwestern BC had a drought this summer and fall, and apparently the new rain couldn’t soak into the ground as easily as it might usually. As a consequence, the water coming over Twin Falls the next day looked more like a canyon wide fire hose! This version is certainly more photogenic.

Twin Falls in Lynn Canyon Park (Purchase)

Baden Powell Trail

The Baden Powell Trail was opened in 1971 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of British Columbia’s entry into Canada. The Baden Powell Trail is a 48km (30 mile) trail that runs from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Along the way, it cuts through Lynn Canyon Park, and I made a few photographs along the trail within the park.

Stairs and boardwalk along the Baden Powell Trail in Fall (Purchase)

While the trail itself is many kilometers long, this small section between the suspension bridge and “30 foot pool” is familiar to many who venture here with less ambitious hiking goals. The first of these photographs above comes from a spot on the trail just north of the suspension bridge. The drought and other challenges have made fall foliage a bit scarce this year, but I did find some nice displays from the Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) trees along the way. These were creating a nice canopy while overhanging the boardwalk and stairs along the trail.

Moss Covered Trees on Baden Powell Trail (Purchase)

These conifer trees are heavily covered in moss which is relatively common here in the temperate rainforest of North Vancouver. Some nearby Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees have shed their leaves and created this orange and brown carpet amoung the rocks along the trail. The ferns on much of the forest floor are mostly Sword Ferns (Polystichum munitum) in this location.

Vine Maple Fall Leaves at Lynn Creek (Purchase)

On the way out to 30 foot pool I noticed this Vine Maple with some of the more unusual fall foliage colors in this part of the world – deeper reds. On my way back I photographed it with Lynn Creek providing a nice foreground.

For more photographs of North Vancouver visit my North Vancouver Gallery.

Fresh Goji Berries (Lycium barbarum)

October 28, 2022

Ripe Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) in a Fraser Valley garden.

Ripe Goji Berries (Purchase)

I’ve managed to keep this Goji Berry plant alive through several bad winters but have never really managed to get much in the way of fruit from it. This year some regular watering (and a hot summer) seemed to make a difference and most of the branches were covered in berries. I had never tried them fresh, and they are quite different tasting than anything I’ve had before. Good, but different.

Goji’s other English names are Wolfberry, Matrimony Vine, and Box Thorn. While considered a “Superfood” and often accompanying exaggerated health claims, they nonetheless have high levels of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and Vitamin B and C. The berries are used in a wide variety of food products, teas, juices, or eaten fresh. Dried Goji Berries are eaten as snacks. Native to Asia, they are an important commercial crop in China where they are know as Ningxia gǒuqi.

Miscellaneous Photos Collection #6

September 30, 2022

Another post with a mix of recent photographs of various subjects:

Red Langley Barn

I’ve driven past this restored “hip roofed” barn in Langley, BC for years. I decided to photograph it this spring when there was a nice bloom of Buttercups in the field nearby. Naturally we had a few immediate downpours and windy days but happily the Buttercups were still intact and upright when I drove here one evening. A nice scene in the snow as well, which is also on my list.

Buttercups blooming in front of a Langley Barn (Purchase)

A Dragonfly at Golden Ears Provincial Park

Dragonflies aren’t my usual subject when I visit Golden Ears Provincial Park! I had not visited the park in a while, and so I did my usual hike up to Lower Falls, and then out to North Beach. I had never really visited on a warm summer day before, and the amount of people at North Beach was significant. I did find a quiet place to relax for a while, but didn’t make any photos of note at either location. This was my first trip during the need for parking reservations, which I’d made for the lower falls parking lot. Imagine my surprise when there was nowhere to park, as they don’t actually check this stuff! This was early in the summer, so hopefully they worked out a better system (like actually checking passes on the way in) as the summer progressed. On the way out of the park I visited the Spirea Nature Trail which is one of those really short trails around something educationally interesting (a bog/marsh area in this case) with informative signs. A number of different Dragonfly species caught my eye near the ponds, and I photographed this one resting on a Cedar branch. I’ll (very) tentatively identify it as a Spiny Baskettail (Epitheca spinigera) but I am not certain of that. Any Dragonfly experts wish to correct my ID?

A Dragonfly on a cedar branch in Golden Ears Provincial Park (Purchase)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Fledgling

I photographed this fledgling American Robin in the backyard in between feedings from its parents. Some bird babies look rather cute. Robin babies tend to look like this one, a bit angry, a bit confused, a bit sullen teenager. I might feel the same if someone kept stuffing worms into my mouth all day, actually.

American Robin Fledgling (Purchase)

Bigleaf Maple Flowers

We don’t often think of Bigleaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum) as having flowers in the spring, but that is what these are, hanging just below some emerging leaves. Early in the spring these look like young leaves from a distance and aren’t bright and colourful like some flowering trees (Magnolias, for example). I made a photograph earlier this year on Salt Spring Island that also showed the Maple flowers which were the only foliage visible on any of the large deciduous trees in the area. While the Maple flowers aren’t colourful, I have seen the bees enjoying them quite often. I photographed the flowers below at Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley, BC.

Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) Flowering in Campbell Valley Park (Purchase)

Soapwort Flower

I photographed this Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) flower in bloom in my Mom’s backyard. This flower is a bit atypical as the majority of Soapwort flowers are found in large clusters at the top of the stalk, though this one is by itself, part way down. Soapwort is a perennial herb grown in many herb gardens and is used to make detergent and soaps, as well as an ornamental plant. The saponins in the roots and leaves of Soapwort create bubbles when agitated in water. Soapwort is also known as common soapwort, bouncing-bet, crow soap, wild sweet William, and Soapweed.

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) Flower (Purchase)

For more of my newer images visit my New Images Gallery.

Miscellaneous Photos Collection #5

August 23, 2022August 18, 2022

Another in a series of blog posts where I publish a small group of photos that don’t quite fit into the regular posts. Most of these were made this year but the Coyote photograph was made in the summer of 2021.

Canada Geese Goslings Under Mother’s Wing

Canada Goose Goslings Taking Shelter Under Mom’s Wing (Purchase)

Earlier this spring I visited Rolley Lake Provincial Park primarily for a quick lap on the perimeter trail. Having completed the loop, I saw this family of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) walking towards the beach area. There were a few human families sitting on the edge of the water fishing, but the geese didn’t seem to care. They pretty much just “elbowed” their way through the group, and at one point an adult just hopped through a lunch box and kept going. I guess we know who owns that beach! After poking around the shoreline for a bit the goslings crowded under Mom’s wing for some shelter. With the size they were getting to at that point, it looks a bit crowded in there!

Finn Slough in Richmond

Historic Finn Slough in Richmond, BC (Purchase)

These two buildings are part of the Finn Slough community in Richmond, British Columbia. Finn Slough was founded by Finnish settlers in the 1880’s and became the hub for fishing in the area. The buildings in Finn Slough were built between the late 1800’s and the 1950’s. The short bridge to the community had some warnings posted on it. I’ve heard a lot about some current residents being annoyed with the actions of photographers and visitors, so I kept to the road for this photograph. I have no doubt people who live there have had their privacy invaded more than once, it is a popular photo location.

Golden Ears (Mount Blanshard) Panorama

A band of cloud lingering over the Golden Ears (Purchase)

-click to enlarge-

I have quite a few photographs of the Golden Ears in Maple Ridge, BC. Many of those are panoramas like this one, but not many have clouds in them. I’ve sold a number of really large canvas prints of these images, so I made this photograph with the idea of having a few more options to present when a client is making their choice. Someday I’d like to get one with a colourful sky above the peaks, but as it lies directly north of here that is going to have to rely on some higher clouds picking up that light. One more thing for my long list of photos I hope to make in the future!

Red-Breasted Sapsucker at Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park

Red-Breasted Sapsucker on Maple Tree Trunk (Purchase)

During a trip to Salt Spring Island in April of this year, I made a photograph of some ferns growing along a trail in Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park. Ultimately that photo didn’t work out, but as I walked further I noticed this Red-Breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) perched on a Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) trunk. I approached carefully, making a few photographs as I moved forward. As this was right next to the trail, I couldn’t give the bird all that much space, but it seems I needn’t have been concerned. As we passed it stayed still and didn’t seem to concerned about our presence. Note in this photograph some of the small holes drilled into the bark where the Sapsucker, a species of Woodpecker, feeds on the trees sap. I made this second photograph while directly behind the Red-Breasted Sapsucker as it kept an eye on me.

Bonus photo: I found this character along the trail at Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park during the same trip to Salt Spring Island.

Coyote Hunting in Sumas Prairie

coyote in hay field sumas prairie abbotsford

(Canis latrans) Hunting in Sumas Prairie (Purchase)

-click to enlarge-

Almost exactly a year ago (before the Sumas Prairie flooded from the Atmospheric Rivers) I was driving through the Fraser Valley and passed this Coyote (Canis latrans) trotting through a freshly cut hay field on Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford. I turned around and pulled over on the rural road and made this photo from the car. Clearly my car was spotted by the Coyote as it stopped and looked at me briefly, then continued on. Occasionally it would grab something from the grass, and I presume it was hunting small rodents that were disturbed by the hay cutting. After a while it turned around and disappeared in the corn field in the background.

You can see more of my newly published images in the New Images and other galleries in my Image Library.

Birds at Richmond’s Iona Beach Regional Park

August 23, 2022August 2, 2022

A male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) singing in the marsh at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.

song spread display red-winged blackbird male at iona beach

“Song Spread” display by male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) (Purchase)

In early June I visited Camosun Bog in Vancouver’s Pacific Spirit Park but found myself with enough of the evening available to visit another location. I chose to visit Iona Beach Regional Park, in order to take a look at getting some better bird photographs than the last time I visited in the Winter (photographing Snow Geese). Iona Beach Regional Park is well known for the 4km long Iona Jetty that includes a walking/hiking trail. There are also two ponds that are popular with bird watchers and photographers. A lot of long lenses at this park!

The primary bird species I was expecting here in large numbers were the Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and I was not disappointed. I’d not seen “tame” individuals before, but I guess enough people visit Iona and feed them next to the parking lot, that some resort to begging when new people show up. One male Red-winged Blackbird even got so close to me on a boardwalk railing I had to back up in order to photograph it. There was a possibility of seeing a Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) at Iona Beach, but I didn’t manage to spot it. What I did see was a display by the male Red-winged Blackbird shown above. This posture of hunching forward and spreading the tail (while singing) is called a “Song Spread” display. As with a lot of other bird displays, this one is largely for territory defense and to attract females.

red-winged blackbird male in mountain ash tree

Male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) in Mountain Ash Tree (Purchase)

While walking around the various ponds at Iona Beach, I photographed this singing male in a Mountain Ash tree. The marsh/pond area there is not a quiet place, with a lot of different species singing and calling. There was also periods of quiet when a Bald Eagle would fly over. The birds here didn’t seem as concerned with the Osprey that kept showing up, fishing in the ponds. I saw it drop down and pick out a fish at one point, and heard it hit the water a few more time after that. It likely had a nest with hungry mouths nearby.

perched tree swallow calling out at iona beach

A Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) calls at a passing swallow while perched on a Blackberry branch (Purchase)

There are a lot of Swallows at Iona Beach Regional Park darting around catching insects. The park also has quite a number of nesting boxes available the Swallows use, so that likely adds to its popularity. The photograph above shows a Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) perched in some Blackberry bushes, calling to another Tree Swallow that periodically joined it. At the time I was unaware we were standing right next to one of the nest boxes and once we backed up, these two went back to tend to their nest inside. Ooops!

An immature Tree Swallow has a rough landing (Purchase)

At another nesting box further up the trail I noticed this juvenile attempt a landing on top of the box a number of times. It would land on the top edge, then slide off the back on its initial attempts. The photo above shows the first successful, if a bit shaky, landing on the top of the box. I presume the other adult swallow present is one of the parents supervising flying and landing lessons soon after this one has fledged.

Group of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) Perched in the Blackberries (Purchase)

I have photographed Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) before, but never this many in one frame. These birds were fairly elusive when I visited, preferring to stick to the top of some nearby Cottonwood trees versus anywhere I could photograph them. Then I noticed one in the blackberry bushes in front of me. Then another, and another. Can you spot all 5 Waxwings in this photo?

For more of my bird photography visit my Bird Photos Gallery in the Image Library.

London Heritage Farm in Richmond, BC

July 25, 2022

The London Farmhouse at London Heritage Farm in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.

London Farmhouse (1898) at London Heritage Farm in Richmond (Purchase)

On the first full day of Summer in 2022 I found myself in Richmond, BC after a quick visit with Peter West Carey at Garry Point Park. It was a bit early for good light at Garry Point, and so I did what I usually do in such situations, drive around and explore. I first came across Finn Slough which I had never photographed before. I’d heard of London Heritage Farm, but only had a vague idea of its location. When I drove past just by luck I stopped for a visit. I do like heritage buildings, especially on farms.

The London Farmhouse was completed in 1898 by Charles Edwin London. In 1921 London’s eldest daughter, Lucy, purchased the farm and owned it until 1948. The farm primarily produced milk and various produce items. The city of Richmond purchased the London Farmhouse and land in 1978 before converting the site to a park and heritage site. The London Farmhouse has been fully restored with furnishings and other items from that era of farming and living in Richmond. The photograph above shows the front door of the London Farmhouse as seen from the Gazebo in the nearby picnic area. The grounds around the house also contain gardens and a restored barn with a display of old farm equipment.

English Gardens at London Heritage Farm in Richmond (Purchase)

Walking to the east side of the farmhouse, there is an old style English garden with many flowers in bloom (in June, at least). The photo above shows Peonies in full bloom, as well as some other plants including Pinks, Iris, Astrantia, and a Japanese Maple. I also noticed Lady’s Mantle, Foxglove, Calla Lilies, Iris, Snapdragons, and Roses in bloom at the gardens. In the background of the above photo is a small garden shed which holds tools that the volunteers use in the gardens and a small greenhouse.

Peony in the English Gardens at London Heritage Farm (Purchase)

Some of the brighter coloured flowers in the London Farm gardens were these Peony flowers. This photo also shows the Lady’s Mantle (bottom left) and Astrantia, middle right. The building in the background is referred to as “The Workshop” on the farm maps.

Restored Spragg Family Barn at London Heritage Farm (Purchase)

This small barn is referred to as the restored “Spragg Family Barn” in most of the information I’ve found about London Heritage Farm. I couldn’t find any other details about it, but I presume it was built after the London Family no longer owned the property. A display of old farm equipment and tools including a Fordson Tractor are housed on the side of the Spragg Family Barn.

Ripening Red Currants at London Heritage Farm (Purchase)

These Red Currant berries were ripening on the vine along the edge of the English gardens with some other small fruit bushes. Initially I confused these Currants with Gooseberries. You can tell a Currant bush from a Gooseberry bush as there are no thorns on Currants. Also, the fruit on a Gooseberry is individually attached along the main stem, not in groups as seen in these Red Currants.

For more photographs of the City of Richmond visit my Richmond Gallery.