Personalized Gifts

I was privy to a very special moment in late May 2016 when I saw this Greater Sandhill Crane father, a veteran parent, searching for wood bugs with his 3-day-old colt. It's hard to believe that such a small creature could grow up into one of the largest bird species found in Metro Vancouver!

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

Greater Sandhill Crane Father and Child

Easily recognizable from far away by their enormous bills, Northern Shovelers, although generally not skittish around humans, do keep themselves at a fair distance from spotting scopes and cameras, and frequent nearby bodies of water or sandbars. This fellow, on the other hand, was just inches from me, feeding just inches from the shore at the local wildlife habitat for quite a few moments before moving on.

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

Closeup of a Handsome Northern Shoveler Duck

An adorable flock of very young Canada Goose goslings--perhaps hatched just a few days ago--from the first crop of feathered babies at Burnaby Lake / Piper Spit forages on the grass on a sunny spring day. Despite the human traffic in the area, its parents were, surprisingly, very uncharacteristically relaxed and unprotective of their small brood. Photographed in late April 2017.

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

Adorable Baby Canada Geese on the Grass

An unusual bird to see in Metro Vancouver during the fall migratory bird season, this Buff-Breasted Sandpiper was one of two I had the opportunity to photograph up close, and one of five spotted here in 2016. Like the Sanderling, the BBSA is exceedingly comfortable around humans. 

The BBSA is special for another reason: fewer than 80,000 individuals are estimated worldwide (per data from migration sites and its allaboutbirds.org/guide/Buff-breasted_Sandpiper/id profile; actual figures are difficult to obtain, as it does not always exhibit nest fidelity), making it a Near Threatened species. Its dainty, dove-like head, short bill, and buff coloration make it one of the easier peeps to identify. It is a transcontinental bird, flying northwards to breed in the arctic, and wintering in South America.

Rather comically, this one spent some time chasing the other one off. Apparently, it wanted the attention of the photographers all to itself! When it wasn't hogging the limelight, it made sure every lens was trained on it -- regardless of what it was doing -- foraging, resting on the grass, or grooming its feathers.  Photographed in late August 2016.

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

Profile of a Buff-Breasted Sandpiper at the Beach

Cute Hopeful Black-Capped Chickadee Songbird

Cute Black-Capped Chickadee Songbird Christmas

An adorable Black-Capped Chickadee looks longingly at the food presented in two different hands, and wonders if it should go for sunflower seeds from hand A or hand B. Decisions, decisions. 

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

WWN Hopeful Black-Capped Chickadee in the Tree

Nothing heralds spring like Tree Swallows. These small and very approachable birds amaze me with their astonishing aerial maneuvers and beautiful iridescent blue plumage.

Handsome Tree Swallow Songbird on a Wire

The second time I've seen Dunlins since first spotting a small flock huddled together in their breeding plumage (with their trademark black belly patches), on a cold spring day on the Iona Jetty spit in 2010. Three were part of a larger group of 10-12, who were fraternizing with a larger flock of Sanderlings (60) and a single out-of-season Semipalmated Plover (not pictured here).

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

Cute Dunlins Sanderlings Sandpipers at Beach

About 4 of the 10 Horned Grebes we spotted at Blackie Spit were swimming and diving uncharacteristically close to the main walking path of Crescent Beach -- close for Horned Grebes, that is (about 20-30 feet away). The fishing was obviously quite good near shore. My closest encounter with these birds. They are exhibiting neither the flamboyant yellow horns nor red-and-black breeding plumage during this season, but those red eyes and dapper tux are nonetheless mesmerizing!

Profile of a Horned Grebe

Add color and a touch of nature to the half-pipe with this floral-inspired skateboard, which features the crimson leaves of a large Japanese maple tree in late spring.

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

Elegant Red Japanese Maple Leaves Skateboard

A juvenile Double-Crested Cormorant swims by and gives me a cursory once over at Ladner Harbour Park. One of three juveniles swimming in the marina (fairly close to the wharf), and one of five such individuals in the general area. The youngsters have much lighter plumage than the adults, but by the time the former have matured, they're also less likely to be so close to humans. Even from a distance, this species of cormorant is readily identifiable, thanks to its bright yellow face patch.

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

Profile of a Double-Crested Cormorant Photo Print

Add a touch of nature to treasured memories and moments with this wildlife-themed binder!

This Long-Eared Owl, unlike the others of its kind, was sleeping in the surprising warmth of a mid-winter sunset. Completely at ease with the trio of photographers enthralled by the wonder of its presence, this nocturnal hunter napped the afternoon away, rarely opening those golden eyes to stare briefly past our lenses, and perhaps, into the souls of its observers. 

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

Beautiful Long-Eared Owl at Sunset Mini Binder

When Bushtits come calling, it's a sudden avalanche of cuteness in the backyard -- because these social songbirds often show up in flocks of 10-30, feed briefly (and co-operatively) on the suet or whatever else they fancy (calling to each other constantly as they do so), and leave as quickly as they came. Once in a while, though, they will stay for 15-30 minutes. I photographed this damp fellow--who was caught in the morning rain--taking a moment to pause on the laurel bush. Some of his fellow Bushtits were actually bathing on the laurel leaves, like hummingbirds do. Photographed in early July 2016.

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

Cute Wet Young Bushtit Songbird on the Laurel Photo Print

Add a touch of nature to the kitchen with this wildlife-themed kitchen towel! 

It's not a Pacific Northwest winter unless you see the Varied Thrush. One of my favorite backyard birds to see (and a highly elusive one at that), this songbird has a stunning beauty to match the hauntingly beautiful timbre of its song. This handsome fellow was foraging in the backyard with several other wintering birds when I photographed him from the second floor--giving me a rare bird's eye view of t him. We almost never see them during the summer when they spend that season northwards in Alaska, but the call of the colder seasons of the year brings them back to us. Photographed in mid-January 2017.

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

Stunning Varied Thrush Songbird in the Grass Kitchen Towel

Keep notes, reminders, and more in this whimsical, wildlife-themed journal. The perfect choice 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 at the Beach Notebook

Up to 20 of these diminutive but fearless sandpipers were braving choppy waters and 14-foot morning high tides on a sunny and unseasonably warm New Year's Day 2020, to pluck the anchovies that the pounding surf was constantly washing up on the shore just off the White Rock Pier. With their dark eyes, round heads, dainty bills, and plump bodies, Black Turnstones are fascinating creatures to watch.

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

Greater Sandhill Crane Father and Child

Greater Sandhill Crane Father and Child

More from Walks with Nature

Other personalized gifts from various stores