By Barry Cottam
On January 18th at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden (FWG) interpretive centre, at least a couple dozen people came out for the OFNC members’ photography night, hosted by Hume Douglas and Barry Cottam. Eleven presenters took us to locations near and far in a nice mix of exotic and local that proved to be a perfect photographic pot luck.
Photo by: Victor Rakmil
We were treated to terrific views of the birds of New Zealand and Australia by Barbara Chouinard and several national parks in Tanzania by Fan Song. Claire Elliott unveiled the flora and fauna of the Barren Lands in the Northwest Territories with photos taken on a research trip. Rick Cavasin took us around the Gaspé in search of butterflies.
The Club’s 50-km catchment area and beyond was well represented, with Joshua McCullough featuring scenic shots from various places within it as well as from the Barron Canyon in Algonquin Park (see Joshua McCullough Fine Art). Moth expert Diane Lepage and other presenters focused on more local spots, including Larose Forest, Alfred Bog, and Purdon Fen. The hours Victor Rakmil spends in the FWG’s Backyard Garden resulted in photos of insects (see Rakmil Photography), and Barry showed photos of several of the many insects he is recording in his backyard.
Topics ranged from the scenic to megafauna, caribou especially, to birds, insects, trees – thanks to tree enthusiast Owen Clarkin – and small, rare, hard-to-find flowers, Eden Bromfield’s preferred subjects, which he catalogues by their appearance through the seasons. Natalie Sopinka had a change of plans and couldn’t make the event, but we enjoyed her fascinating photos of Pacific salmon, the subjects of her PhD research at the University of British Columbia.
Photo by: Barbara Robertson
Presentations were well received, with frequent questions and comments and much friendly buzz among the presenters and audience members throughout the evening. We learned about the natural world and the many ways and places it can be seen and appreciated. The evening ended with close-up views of individual snowflakes, taken outdoors by Barbara Robertson – an unusual challenge well-met and an appropriate send-off for us all on a winter’s eve.
A special thanks to the organizing host team and to Barbara Chouinard (OFNC Events Committee) who pleasantly surprised the group with drinks and snacks. Given the enthusiastic response, no doubt the club will be hosting this event again – watch for it!
In the meantime, check out a sample of the photographs presented at the photography night in the gallery below.
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- Eden Bromfield – Black Capped Night Heron and Cormorants amidst a full moon
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- Eden Bromfield – Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
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- Roughstem Goldenrod. We like this species as it holds its own against DSV.
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- The silky hairs act as little parachutes, enabling the seed to travel further on the wind or latch onto hair and clothing.
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- Barbara Robertson
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- Barbara Robertson
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- Owen Clarkin
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- Owen Clarkin
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- Owen Clarkin
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- Despite the drought, there is an excellent crop on this native plum.
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- Blue Flag Iris seed almost resemble dry kernels of corn.
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- Blue Flag Iris. As the pod dries it cracks open. This is a sure sign that the seed are ready!
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- Sometimes we need to experimentally open a pod to determine whether or not it is yet ripe. In this case, still another week or so to go – the seed is not dark brown.
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- Bottle Gentian. The blue flower fades and dries.
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- Rick Cavasin – Northern Blue in Talus Slopes of Mont-Albert in Gaspésie National Park, Quebec
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- Rick Cavasin – Salt Marsh Copper in Coastal Salt Marshes near Beresford, New Brunswick
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- Barbara Chouinard – Kea, a hardy and bold alpine parrot that was seen at Arthur’s Pass on the south island of New Zealand
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- Barbara Chouinard – Two Shy Mollymawks (or Albatross) on a pelagic trip to a trench from Kaikoura, a town on the east coast of the south island of New Zealand
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- Natalie Sopinka – Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) eggs
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- Natalie Sopinka – Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) eyed eggs and alevin
