spring

A Few Spring and Summer Wildflowers

Spring and Summer Wildflowers – this Siberian Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia sibirica) was found blooming at Williams Park in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.

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Siberian Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia sibirica) Flowering (Purchase)

I’ve photographed a few species of wildflowers in parks near where I live this spring and summer, and I thought I’d put them all in one post. The above photograph is a Siberian Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia sibirica) plant I found blooming this spring at Williams Park in Langley, BC. I photographed the Miner’s Lettuce during one of my first tentative trips out to photograph after being mostly at home due to the pandemic. I’ve usually seen Siberian Miner’s Lettuce in closer proximity to each other, but this one was standing almost alone so I could isolate it in the photograph.

Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)

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Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris) Flowers (Purchase)

I photographed these Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris) flowers this summer in a field at Campbell Valley Regional Park. I hadn’t explored this particular part of the park before, so I didn’t have any expectations. I had a close encounter with a very healthy looking Coyote while it was hunting in the field, but this came as I had a wide angle lens on my camera (of course). It stayed around long enough for me to switch to a 100-400 but when I slowly stood up again to see if it was there it ran off. However, I kept the 100-400 on for the remaining time I had in the field and photographed these Hawksbeard flowers using that lens. I stay on trails, so the longer focal length (318mm) I was able to use here came in handy. While I bought it for wildlife this lens can make a small subject like wildflowers feel pretty close even though I’m many feet away.

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)

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Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) Flowers Visited by Bumblebees (Purchase)

I photographed this Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) in the same Campbell Valley Park field this spring while it was being visited by a few bumblebees. This was from 2.45 meters (8 feet) away – so I was glad to have the longer lens. I made a few photographs of various Vetch plants in the field, but the bumblebees really seemed to love this one, so I stuck with it and was happy to get some photos with multiple bees at once.

Tiger Lilies (Lilium columbianum)

I have only seen Tiger Lilies (Lilium columbianum) blooming in the wild once before – and that was on Vancouver Island near Port Alberni (Stamp River Falls) in 2013. So when I found these flowers in the forest next to a trail early this summer in Aldergrove Regional Park I was glad I had my camera with me. Also known as the Columbia Lily or Oregon Lily – Tiger Lilies were eaten by the Coast Salish people usually as a flavouring or condiment. The very green maple leaves mixed in appear to belong to a young Vine Maple tree.

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Tiger Lilies (Lilium columbianum) in Aldergrove Regional Park (Purchase)

Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum)

I photographed these Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum) flowers and leaves on the forest floor at Campbell Valley Regional Park while photographing the Barred Owl owlets a few weeks ago. I usually notice Avens when the velcro like hooks on the seeds grab onto my clothing and come home for a ride. This method of seed distribution seems quite effective though I am probably not the target animal for that kind of distribution. This time, however, they were flowering right next to the trail where I was photographing the owls, so I took a break from recording owl screeching sounds to photograph a few flowers near the trail.

large leaved avens flowers geum macrophyllum

Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum) flowers and leaves (Purchase)

You can see these and more photographs of spring and summer wildflowers in my Wildflower Photos Gallery.

Pasque Flowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris) Blooming in Spring

Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) blooming in a backyard garden after a spring rain.

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Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) (Purchase)

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   One of the first (interesting) spring flowers that come up in the backyard garden are these Pasque Flowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris – formerly Anemone pulsatilla). I’ve photographed this plant a few times in the past, but it often flowers when we have a lot of rain and the flowers aren’t always this photogenic. I first became familiar with Pasque flowers by photographing the White Pasqueflower in Mount Rainer National Park. Pulsatilla vulgaris (native to Europe) are much smaller with similar seed heads but not nearly as tall as those seen in the mountains.

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Pasque Flowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris) (Purchase)

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More photographs from the garden can be found in my Garden Plants Gallery.

Rolley Falls in Rolley Lake Provincial Park

Rolley Creek Falls in Rolley Lake Provincial Park near Mission, British Columbia, Canada

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Rolley Falls on Rolley Creek

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   Last Fall I visited Rolley Lake Provincial Park. I parked in the day use area and hiked around part of the lake to photograph Rolley Creek and Rolley Falls. This was an easy (mostly flat) hike that was only about 2 kilometers. A few weeks ago I hiked there again from a different starting point – Burma Street near Stave Lake. On the map, if you ignore one obvious aspect, this seems like it should be a 500-600 meter hike. As all I was interested in was a spring photograph of the waterfall, this looked like a good idea, and I would also be able to check out the lower falls which is right next to the road. It was, but I wasn’t able to get close enough to it without wading across the creek, which I wasn’t prepared to do. My “shortcut” was indeed short. I believe the distance actually wound up being as expected – about 600 meters. This did involve about 200m (650 feet) in elevation gain, however. Seems I overlooked my usual step of checking a topographical map before I decide which way is the “easy” way. I completed the climb anyway, and made the above photograph – this time with lush spring foliage surrounding the falls.

For more images from the Fraser Valley please visit my Fraser Valley Gallery.

Silver Lake Reflections Redux

Hope Mountain reflected in Silver Lake after a storm at Silver Lake Provincial Park near Hope, British Columbia, Canada

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Hope Mountain/Wells Peak Reflecting in Silver Lake

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   I posted an earlier version of this photograph almost 4 years ago. Since then my perspective and skills with post processing (and making photographs) has changed quite a bit. With most of my older images I look at them and see potential that alternate processing may release. In the case of this one, my reaction was more along the lines of “what was I thinking!?”. So I’ve reprocessed this photograph of Hope Mountain/Wells Peak reflected in the waters of Silver Lake and I think it is a much improved representation of this scene than my original processing.

For more images from this location please visit my Silver Lake Provincial Park gallery.

Skutz Falls on the Cowichan River

Skutz Falls along the Cowichan River at Cowichan River Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada

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The Cowichan River’s Skutz Falls in Cowichan River Provincial Park (Purchase)

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   A panorama photograph of Skutz Falls I made last spring during a visit to Cowichan River Provincial Park. Judging from other photographs I have seen it would appear this day had rather high water levels in the Cowichan River. I suspect a return trip some fall when there is nice autumn colours will be in order. I bet the water levels will be about right at that time of year.

You can view more photographs from Vancouver Island in my Vancouver Island Gallery.

Englishman River Falls Provincial Park – Spring

Waterfalls at Englishman River Falls Provincial Park in Errington, British Columbia, Canada

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Englishman River Falls (Purchase)

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   Last spring I again visited Englishman River Falls Provincial Park on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. Previously I had been to the Englishman River during a nice display of fall colours. Each season brings different opportunities, so I enjoyed the greener surroundings at the falls last spring.

   I really enjoy the main falls despite how challenging they can be to photograph, but the first time I visited on the last trip I just took them in and didn’t make any photos. I wasn’t seeing quite what I wanted, and just enjoyed the place instead. On my second trip I photographed these smaller cascades on the Englishman River near the main falls. Not as spectacular as the main falls, but I found these to be rather interesting too.

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Smaller Falls on the Englishman River (Purchase)

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Visit my image library for more photos of Englishman River Falls Provincial Park.

North Vancouver and the Northshore Mountains

The City of North Vancouver below the Coast Mountains in the early evening from Stanley Park in British Columbia, Canada

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The City of North Vancouver (Purchase)

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   While I am usually looking at downtown Vancouver when I photograph in this part of Stanley Park, I usually point my camera towards North Vancouver as well. On this evening in April there was still some snow on the North Shore Mountains, which made for a great backdrop to North Vancouver’s lights in the early evening. Crown Mountains is the peak in the background above the lights of North Vancouver.

   You can view more photographs of Cities and Buildings in my Image Library.

Little Qualicum Falls in Spring

Spring runoff at Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada

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Upper Little Qualicum Falls at Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park (Purchase)

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   Earlier this year I visited Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. The falls and area surrounding the river were much greener than they were the previous autumn which gives these photos a much different look. You can see the difference between the photo above and the Little Qualicum Falls photos I made last year. This time there were people at a wedding scrambling up the trail in light coloured, long dresses (not good on a muddy trail), suits and ties, and high heels. None of these seemed to have worked out very well for them – I saw lots of fancy, muddy shoes and at least one muddy dress. Not ideal clothing if you are intending to visit the falls btw. 😉

You can see other photos from Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park in my image library.