Personalized Gifts

On its way to raid the backyard suet feeder, a young, very curious Chestnut-Backed Chickadee pauses to stare at my lens from the grapevine.

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

Cute Curious Chestnut-Backed Chickadee Songbird

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

Mid-autumn brings the return of Buffleheads to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. While one or two of these diminutive ducks will partake of the birdseed thrown in the water, the rest generally keep their distance from humans and the other duck species.
 
Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Male Bufflehead in the Afternoon Sun

Meet Ela, Teddy's high-maintenance girlfriend. Unlike him, she is an attention-seeking sweetie, and her fur is the picture of perfection. Meeting you at the gates isn't enough; this dainty, but seldom still Pomeranian will make sure that you dole out scratches and cuddles to her as often as possible, which is all the time. 

She is the happiest when she's the center of everyone's attention, which is also all the time. This has made her My Little Shadow on many occasions, but she is nimble enough to not actually get underfoot and become a speed bump.

Every time I tried to get closer to her or crouch down to take a photo at her level, she would start walking towards me (to the amusement of all her human cohorts).

Ela, Pom Queen of the Lawn

I was privileged to see a Saker Falcon in the feathers a couple of years ago. This female was so well-mannered with the large (and often noisy) crowds in attendance, as a matter of fact, that her handler rarely needed to be present to tend to her feathered charge! Chosen for thousands of years as a popular falconry bird for its exceptional trainability, this large, pale Eurasian beauty is sadly--despite being endowed with great hunting prowess, power, and speed--an endangered hierofalcon species thanks to loss and destruction of its habitat. 

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

Vignetted Portrait of an Inquisitive Saker Falcon

My first (and closest) encounter with a Sooty Grouse at Burnaby Mountain. This handsome fellow was hardly shy around the photographers, but kept largely to the base of the trees and the shadows. When the other photographers had left,  he came out for a little one-on-one time, "treating" me to dances around the remaining photographer and softly modulated hoots -- even following me partway down to the playground!

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

Beautiful Sooty Grouse in the Grass

Tulips come in many colours, but these white-and-purple ones really broke the mold. Photographed in one of the flower beds at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park, the site of an extinct volcano.

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

Elegant White Purple Flaming Flag Triumph Tulips

Beautiful Dunlin Sandpiper Goes Solo on the Beach Jigsaw Puzzle

Stunning Dunlin Sandpiper Shorebird at the Beach Clock

Beautiful Dunlin Shorebird at the Beach Mini Binder

A Beautiful Dunlin Goes Solo Kitchen Towel

Beautiful Dunlin Sandpiper Goes Solo on the Beach Tote Bag

It's hard not to be amazed by such beauty! I am so used to seeing Dunlins in flocks of hundreds and thousands in their non-breeding/winter plumage, that to encounter a solitary member of this sandpiper species is a bit puzzling. S/he was in full breeding regalia, and in no particular hurry to fly north for the summer. 

Based on the portfolio of Pacific Northwest nature photographer W.H. Sim, the WALKSWITHNATURE™ DUNLIN ON THE SHORE COLLECTION showcases a diverse range of wildlife- and outdoors- themed gift ideas to add character and personality to the spaces where you live, work, and play. Choose from an extensive range of home decor, office art, kitchen/dining, leisure, and personal organization items.

WWN Dunlin on the Shore

Beautiful Northern Harrier Hawk in the Marshes Jigsaw Puzzle

Beautiful Northern Harrier Hawk in the Marshes Magnet

Beautiful Female Northern Harrier in the Marsh Canvas Print

An unexpectedly close encounter with a female Northern Harrier--who is a stunning study in brown--while walking the paths of the local wildlife area in early Spring 2017. This beautiful, owl-faced bird of prey, so often seen soaring the skies, was hunkered down in the marshes -- probably waiting out her next meal, a duck who had gone to ground.

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

WWN Beautiful Northern Harrier in the Marsh

Add a touch of nature to the kitchen or dining room with this wildlife-themed serving tray! 

One of 7 Killdeer frequenting the mudflats near the pumphouse at Boundary Bay Regional Park / Centennial Beach after the first snowfall blanketed the Metro Vancouver region and turned normally flowing watercourses into frozen lakes of ice and snow. In my 2 years of birding, I have never encountered Killdeer at this time of the year (winter is a week away), let alone under the current weather conditions. Photographed in mid-December 2016 during an unseasonably prolonged cold snap.

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

Killdeer in the Freezing Mudflats Serving Tray

Our first (and only) attempt (so far) to grow these tart but tasty heirloom tomatoes. So named Green Zebra on account of its exotic and striking dark green stripes on its bright lime green flesh, a two-tone color palette that remains, even when ripe.

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

Tasty Green Zebra Heirloom Tomatoes on Vine Postcard

Add a touch of nature to every room in your home with this wildlife-themed switchplate cover! The perfect choice for bird lovers! 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!

Funny Cute Saucy Columbian Ground Squirrel Light Switch Cover

A Cheeky and Colorful Eastern Rosella Holiday Card

A Cheeky and Colorful Eastern Rosella Parrot Metal Lunch Box

His expression seems to say "Leaving so soon?" Let's face it, those cheek patches make this curious intrepid Eastern Rosella look sooo adorable, and when you're this vividly coloured, even mundane tasks like eating are anything but.

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

WWN Cheeky Eastern Rosella

A member of the sunflower family, the sunny disposition of gazanias is well deserved, thanks to their striped patterns and bright, vivid colors. A popular choice for summer gardens, these hardy flowers bloom all summer long. Photographed in mid-June 2016.

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

Red Orange Kiss Golden Flame Gazanias Photo Print

Part brainteaser, part assemble-it-yourself art, this challenging, wildlife-themed puzzle is great for improving muscle memory.

Lesser Scaups are common wintering ducks in Metro Vancouver. Like the Ring-Necked Ducks that they resemble, they are never present in large flocks of their own species, but mingle with the much more abundant Mallards and American Wigeons. I have never seen them out of water, but they are quite accustomed to the presence of humans, especially at the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and Piper Spit/Burnaby Lake.

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

Cute Curious Chestnut-Backed Chickadee Songbird

Cute Curious Chestnut-Backed Chickadee Songbird

More from Walks with Nature

Other personalized gifts from various stores