Personalized Gifts

A White-Crowned Sparrow welcomes the day (and enchants its rapt listeners) with a simple but sweet song. As spring turns into summer, we see more and more of this beautiful songbird, who often forages solo, too.

A White-Crowned Sparrow Sings to the Sun

The lone representative of its species (a recently recognized and separate species of the black geese family), a Cackling Goose (once considered a Canada Goose subspecies), plies the waters of an inner pond at Jericho Park on a sunny and surprisingly warm-for-winter afternoon. A much shorter bill and smaller body size set this goose apart from its larger Canada Goose cousin.

Profile of a Cackling Goose

Feeling a little blue? A little blue, thanks to this accommodating male Mountain Bluebird, might actually do the trick and cheer you up! The perfect notecards for bird lovers! 

My second encounter with a male Mountain Bluebird. We are gifted, albeit very briefly, with the presence of these beautiful songbirds at the start of the spring season before they head to higher ground to breed. Those stunning cerulean colors stand out on a dreary landscape, even from a distance. When he wasn't busy diving for insects on the local beach, he was highpointing it on driftwood and stalks of dessicated tansy. Photographed at Boundary Bay Regional Park in early spring 2017.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Beautiful Mountain Bluebird

The newest faces at the local wildlife habitat--namely, week old Canada Goose goslings--were parading their absolute adorability for the human visitors to oooh and aww over.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Cuteness on Parade: Canada Goose Goslings

We had our first trio of Rufous hummingbirds arrive in the backyard in early April 2017. This adult male was uncharacteristically taken with the early-blooming flowering currant bush and the sextet of hummingbird feeders scattered throughout the area, and stayed for a week--a real treat, considering most of the adult males usually only stay a day, passing through to more northern climes (Alaska) for the breeding season. Getting a decent shot of him has been a cat-and-mouse game, however, and this pose of him on the cherry tree (with his flashing reddish gorget and rufous feathers) was only possible because my subject did not know that he was being photographed.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Stunning Rufous Hummingbird on Cherry Branch

The perfect greeting cards for bird lovers!  One of two Hooded Merganser drakes who was practising his courtship rituals (without benefit of a female audience). He must have been pretty surprised to see his maneuvers recorded!

A Surprised Hooded Merganser

By far, Columbian Ground Squirrels are the most entertaining wildlife at Manning Park, and the first ones to greet us in the parking lot of Manning Park Resort. These Prairie Dogs of the West were positioned near their network of holes in the ground (or in rotted tree stumps) and often calling in an upright position like meerkats or groundhogs (when they weren't chasing each other around or kissing). We found plenty at Manning Park Resort and Lightning Lake (particularly near the picnic tables). Columbian Ground Squirrels spend the short summer bulking up on fat reserves for their hibernation period, which lasts for seven months!

A Twitchy-Nosed Columbian Ground Squirrel

The perfect notecards for hummingbird lovers! This female Anna's hummingbird adds a bit of colour and personality to the backyard on a rainy day. She is quiet and stealthy--and can often materialize without making a sound. Contrast this behaviour with that of the male, who makes himself heard well before I see him. Photographed perching on the Scarlet Trumpet vine after furtively having several long sips from the new nectar feeder--which has also drawn the attention and interest of at least one Black-Capped Chickadee, too.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Anna's Hummingbird on the Scarlet Trumpetvine

Add a touch of nature to the living room with this wildlife-themed lampshade cover.  

A young sub-adult male Anna's hummingbird was taking five in the scarlet firethorn next to its pommes on an unseasonably prolonged cold snap. Unlike most other birds who frequent this bush in the fall and winter, he didn't seem to mind that I wrestled the window open (however softly I did it), and took a few shots of him next to the bunch of berries that's almost as big as he is. Photographed in mid-December 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Anna's Hummingbird Poses with the Pyracantha Pendant Lamp

Springtime is a time of green ... and blues and other beautiful hues! Nothing sets the honeybees abuzz like the huge California Lilac that's blooming with hundreds of bluish-purple clusters on the front lawn not once, but twice in a year. In fact, this bush resembles a giant purple beehive from late spring through early summer. Photographed in the spring of 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Save the Honeybees Pollinating California Lilac Magnet

Add a touch of nature and personality to your coffee, tea, or favourite hot drink with this floral-themed mug!

These royal blue Cineraria flowers provide a dazzling (and welcome) burst of color for early spring gardens. Although these African natives and members of the daisy family are self-seeding perennials, I call them "Goldilocks flowers", because they require a very specific amount of rain, sunshine, and temperature to thrive.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Beautiful Royal Blue Cineraria Flowers Mug

Add an even more festive touch to year-end holidays and make Christmas-themed pjs, bedroom decor, bags, and so much more with this fabric that features Shimmer Surprise Poinsettias! 

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Festive Red White Floral Poinsettias Fabric

Cute Canada Jay / Grey Jay / Whiskeyjack Jigsaw Puzzle

Cute Canada Gray / Grey Jay / Whiskeyjack Golf Head Cover

Profile of a Cute Grey Jay / Whiskeyjack Hip Flask

Cute Grey Jay Whiskeyjack Songbird Metal Ornament

Profile of a Cute Grey Jay / Whiskeyjack Pillar Candle

If someone combined the adorably big head and black eyes of a Black-Capped Chickadee with the colours and bill of a Kookaburra in a Jay-sized body, they'd have the whimsically-named Whiskeyjack. Also known by its less colourful aliases of Canada Jay and Gray Jay, we saw no fewer than six of Canada's official national birds at Manning Park's Lightning Lake, where they would boldly descend on picnic tables in the hopes of free handouts.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

WWN Saucy Grey Jay in the Fir

Add a touch of nature to any room in the home or office with this floral-themed wall hanging! 

Looking very much like sunflowers--no surprise, since they belong to the same family--Rudbeckias are some of my favourite summertime flowers, especially when they bloom en masse.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Rudbeckias / A Bed of Black-Eyed Susans Canvas Print

Add a touch of nature and festive to your favorite drink with this floral-themed tall latte mug, which features red and white lobster plants, softly feathered onto a white background. Poinsettias are most often associated with Christmas, and, surrounded here by cream coloured Yellow Snow poinsettias, the speckled leaves of this particular variety -- known as Shimmer Surprise Poinsettia -- add an even more festive touch to year-end holidays and entertaining as a popular centerpiece.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

A White-Crowned Sparrow Sings to the Sun

A White-Crowned Sparrow Sings to the Sun

More from Walks with Nature

Other personalized gifts from various stores