Steve Large Photography

Specializing in Avian Images

My Photo Stream – (Please click thumbnails to enlarge)

Unexpected Visit (Northern Harrier)
While I was chatting with Dave Pley, a female northern harrier popped through the hedgerow and landed about 30 feet away on an old post. An unexpected pleasure!

Helicopter Mode (Northern Shrike)
A northern shrike hovers momentarily while hunting for insects in the brown fall grass.

Dreaming of Snowy Owls
Other than a one day sighting on someone's roof down island I have not seen a snowy owl in the wild for over a decade. Sure would be nice to get a few shots of one or more of them out in the field this year. This particular image was taken during the great snowy owl eruption of 2012. We did pretty good with our 16MP DSLR cameras back in those days.

Close Encounter #2 (Bald Eagle)
A similar shot to the one I posted a few days ago. Really liked the head position on this particular image though for some reason. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

First Northern Shrike
Saw my first northern shrike of the fall out at the local estuary this afternoon. This looked to be a young one as it was mostly brown in colour and did not have the usual grey with black and white accents.

Close Encounter (Bald Eagle)
My consolation prize today for not finding any short-eared owls out at the local estuary. Got fairly close to this immature bald eagle. Wondered if he may have been a rehabilitated bird that had been released as he did not seem to have any natural fear of man. His tail still has a way to go as regards being totally white so I would guess he is probably about 3-4 years old.

Unexpected Flight Shot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
I have been holding on to this one for a few weeks now and wondering if I should post it. I was set up for portrait photography at the time and the bird suddenly jumped towards the cliff. The motion blur does give a sense of how fast these little guys can move though.

Smile For The Camera! (Short-Eared Owl)
Another image that was never posted from last year. Taken hand-held with the 400mm and 2X teleconverter. Enjoy!

Winter Raptor Season Approaches! (Short-Eared Owl)
Winter raptor season should be starting in the next month or so. Can't wait! Here is a short eared owl shot from last year that was never posted. The 2X teleconverter performed quite well on the 400 F/2.8.

Pygmy On The Rocks #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Landed very close to us in order to snatch up a grasshopper.

Fall Colour Background (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another great performance by the northern pygmy owl. I was concentrating more on static shots today and still managed to have a great time! Background is fall maple leaves and arbutus trees. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

Sideview Wings Down (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is a wings down version of the same owl after he launched. Wings down is my favorite.

Sideview Wings Up (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Had a lot of fun at the venue yesterday. Plenty of happy photographers.

Might as Well Jump! (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry, the light was a bit harsh at the venue yesterday.

Looking Back (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another pic from "The Money Tree". Flickr folks please left click for better detail.

On The Down Stroke (Northern Pygmy Owl)
This image taken from a few days ago. The background is a bit busy but I liked the detail on the bird so decided to post it anyway.

Pygmies Love Grasshoppers (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Pygmies have been known to drop down right at a photographer's feet to snatch up one of these guys.

Yearly Gathering 2024
Photo friends gather near Nanaimo to shoot the elusive northern pygmy owl.

Pygmy Projectile #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
People seemed to like the first one so here is another bullet shot with both eyes towards the camera. Enjoy!

Cliffside Closeup (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A quiet moment at the edge of the cliff while hunting for grasshoppers. Flickr folks please left click for better detail.

After Another Grasshopper (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A bit of a crop on this one but still not too bad. In this image the pygmy owl dives to the cliffside after spying another grasshopper. Managed to get this image just a little while before the rain started.

Wings Straight Out (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Oops! Found one more in the sequence I thought you might like.

Towards The Camera Wings Down (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Here is another one in the same sequence with wings down. Don't know what it is about my A1 but I always get more wing down shots than anything else.

Better Eye Contact (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Managed to get a few more straight on shots today as the pygmy owl burst off of an old dead tree top to dive into the valley.

GIving Me The Stink Eye (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sometimes these guys look like they are really staring me down or are ticked off for some reason. Can't imagine why?

Pygmy Projectile (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another one for the "Bullet Bird" album.

Pygmy Environmental #2 (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another environmental image. This time with the pygmy in flight. Hope you like it. Did not think that I had managed to get this image as these guys are like the lazuli bunting and can be wicked fast and unpredictable.

My Favorite (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Couldn't believe I got this image as for some reason the focus was off and on again today. Here is one of the more successful photos in the series.

A Bit Closer (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Got a closer wings up shot as the pygmy owl flew a short distance to reposition himself on another tree.

Pygmy Environmental 2024
The bird only hung around for a few minutes this morning before flying up higher in a position with a white background. Too bad as down low there were no shadows until the afternoon when the sun burnt the low cloud away.

Pygmy Sky Shot (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Phew! at first I thought I had blown out the eye brows! Here is something you don't see every day. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

Coming in For a Landing (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Lots of flight shots to be had this year for some reason.

Eye on The Prize (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A northern pygmy owl dives down from an arbutus tree to scoop up an unsuspecting grasshopper on the edge of the cliff. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

Grasshopper! Where? (Northern Pygmy Owl)
A northern pygmy owl hunts insects close to the ground on an old dead tree branch.

Curious Expression (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The pygmy owl cocks his head to one side trying to figure out what all the people with the big camera lenses are staring at.

Money Tree Shot 2024 (Northern Pygmy Owl))
What a pleasure! Have not shot the pygmy owl on the Money Tree in good light for a couple of years now. A very cooperative bird with fun being had by everyone at the venue today. Flickr folks please left click for better detail.

Top Down View (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Another photo taken from the edge of the cliff a couple of days ago.

Pygmy on The Rocks (Northern Pygmy Owl)
You won't see this every day. Normally the pygmies like to be in a tree or a small bush but you rarely get them on open ground. This photo taken right at the edge of a 200 foot cliff just before he dove into the valley.

Wings Down Version (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Sorry, bit of a heavy crop on this one. These guys looking a bit frowsy. Not sure what is going on. Possibly in the molting stage?

Pygmy Owl in Flight (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Went out on the edge of a cliff for this image. Managed to catch a few stray frames as the owl flew a short distance from one tree to another. Like photographing lazuli buntings only faster and more unpredictable.

Rainy Day Pygmy (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Rainy day pygmies always seem to know when it's time to call. At times a little chilly at the venue today with a bit of rain coming down.

Close Up Portrait (Northern Pygmy Owl)
The northern pygmy owl came quite close today. Haven't seen or heard him since May. Nice to have him visiting the local venue once again.

First of The Season (Northern Pygmy Owl)
Nice to see our little buddy back at the usual venue.

Belted Kingfisher Side View
Another nice one from yesterday's shoot at French Creek.

Screamin' Kingfisher (Belted Kingfisher)
Had some fun today with Dave and Pius at French Creek photographing a belted kingfisher.

Wings Down in The Sage (Lazuli Bunting)
Last lazuli shot for this year, I promise! A better background on this shot with more of the typical vegetation found around the Tranquille River.

Zipping Through The Scrub (Lazuli Bunting)
Found one last flight shot of the lazuli bunting flying at high speed through the scrub in the desert. They are whippy fast and somewhat unpredictable. This shot taken near the Tranquille River just outside of Kamloops. Better late than never I guess.

Golden Light Snack (Common Nighthawk)
During the time of golden light as the sun sets a common nighthawk snatches a fly out of the air

A Splash of Colour (Swallowtail Butterfly)
Taken on our butterfly bush in the front yard a couple of summers ago. They aren't showing up as regularly as they used to. Thanks for the Explore Flickr! I was not expecting that for this image! A big thanks to everyone who faved or left a positive comment. It is most appreciated.

Owl in The Headlights (Great Grey Owl)
Here is one last image of the great grey owl we encountered in the B.C. interior this spring. Turning his head for a couple of seconds to check us out while he hunted from his evening perch.

Little Mountain Red Crossbill
An environmental shot from a couple of days ago.

Tough Light (Common Nighthawk)
Here is another photo of one of the nighthawks that was flying in our neighborhood last night. A bit harsh because of the light but probably the best bug shot of the evening. Night hawks are a type of Nightjar similar to Whip-poor-wills. They spend most of their life on the wing traveling or feeding on insects.

Nighttime Feeding Frenzy (Common Nighthawk)
The nighthawks were going crazy in our neighborhood last night with a couple of hundred birds feeding on a sudden evening hatch of flies. Night hawks are a type of Nightjar similar to Whip-poor-wills. They spend most of their life on the wing traveling or feeding on insects.

Little Mountain Sooty Grouse
Managed to get a couple of quick shots of a sooty grouse just below the cliff resting in a fir tree today on Little Mountain.

Last Shot of The Day (Great Grey Owl)
This one cooperative adult great grey owl perched for us for several minutes on our first night in the BC interior. We got lots of great portrait shots and a much better background last thing in the evening. In the end, we thanked the owl leaving it perched on that branch. Although we made several visits to the area after that, there were no owls to be found. One day can make all the difference.

Coming in Hot! (Lazuli Bunting)
You may wonder why a lot of my perching shots are taken at such a high shutter speed. I am always hoping for flight shots like this one and these guys can be wicked fast and unpredictable. Desert and sage brush background.

Trailhead Guardian (Lazuli Bunting)
This male Lazuli bunting seemed to always be there to greet us at the beginning of the Tranquille River Trail near Kamloops.

Bunting Bullet 2024 (Lazuli Bunting)
A lazuli bunting zooms through the leaves on the Tranquille River near Kamloops.

American Three-Toed Woodpecker
A female American three-toed woodpecker chows down on a bug that she has dug out of an old burnt tree in the mountains of the BC interior.

Yellow Head Fly By (Yellow-Headed Blackbird)
A male yellow-headed blackbird flies by the camera at Python Lake in Kamloops. Wings down, my favorite. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

Look of Satisfaction (Ruddy Duck)
A male ruddy duck has a human-like expression of pleasure and satisfaction after blowing some bubbles to attract a mate. Taken at Python lake in Kamloops.

Singing in The Storm (Lazuli Bunting)
Here is an image with a more natural perch. You can't tell by this photo but there was a big wind storm going on at the time I took this shot. Felt sorry for this little guy as he could barely hold on to the branch.

Great Grey Environmental (Great Grey Owl)
Probably the cleanest background we were able to get with this bird. Had to scale a bit of a hill opposite to it to get at eye level. Although this image is probably better represented as another portrait shot I decided to go landscape to show some of the environment as well. Flickr folks please left click for better detail.

Love in The Marsh (Red-Necked Grebes)
We were lucky enough to witness a couple of pairs of red-necked grebes doing their mating ritual on the edge of the lake. No sign of chicks yet though. Everything seems later this year. Flickr folks please left click for more detail.

Parking Lot Attendant (Checkerspot Butterfly)
We didn't see any burrowing owls on our trip but on the way back at the parking lot we found this lovely checkerspot butterfly. We used to see them as kids up in the Comox Valley on a regular basis but they are pretty much Extirpated on the island now.

Bird on a Wire 2024 (Lazuli Bunting)
Found this little beauty at one of my favorite birding spots at Cinnamon Ridge near the Kamloops Airport.

Different Angle (Calliope Hummingbird)
Here is a portrait version with a better background and light angle on the gorget.

Flying Over The Marsh (Yellow-Headed Blackbird)
A yellow-headed blackbird flies over the marsh at the edge of Tunkwa lake near Kamloops BC.

On The Hunt (Great Grey Owl)
A great grey owl hunts in the partial concealment of a burnt conifer. Flickr folks please left click for better detail.

Hidden in The Scrub (Great Grey Owl)
We were only able to find one great grey owl this year. A low year for sightings in general and no nesting to our knowledge at the regular venue. Flicker folks please left click for better detail.

First Encounter (Calliope Hummingbird)
My first time ever seeing one of these guys! Photographed in the BC interior up in the mountains. Maybe two or three times the size of a bumblebee. Went looking for great grey owls and found him instead. Who knew?

Old Tanager Gold (Western Tanager)
They had nice red heads that year. This image taken in Linley Valley with the Canon 1-DX Mark2 a few years back and re-filtered with new software.

Jump! (Western Tanager)
A male western tanager makes a sudden jump from a fig tree after spotting an insect in the grass.

Tanager in Flight (Wings Up)
The cooperative western tanager put on a good show again today at my friends farm up in Errington.

Tanager in Flight (Wings Down)
Made another visit today to my friends up in Errington. The light was much better and not so harsh.

Resting in The Shade (Western Tanager)
Not a "Super Tanager" but still nice.

Tanager in Fig Tree (Western Tanager)
Found a rather cooperative western tanager in my friends garden up in Errington today.

Attack From Behind (Barred Owl & American Robin)
An angry robin attacks a barred owl as it flies through a clearing in Linley Valley.

Little Brother (Great Horned Owlet)
Don't think this guy was quite as experienced as his other sibling. He just stayed in one spot and stared me down. I was still about 100 feet away when I took this shot. The adult owls were not concerned. Not sure what all of the powdery stuff was around his face. Pollen perhaps?

Hang in There! (Great Horned Owlet)
Great horned owlets go through several stages of development. This owlet is new to flying and probably not out of the nest tree for very long. After attempting to land on this branch he has toppled over, ending upside down holding on by only one foot. He hung in this precarious position for a few minutes and then managed to fall and land right side up on another branch below. Hopefully his last experience with something like this and a good lesson learned.

Out on a Limb (Great Horned Owlet)
Sorry to have missed the show a couple of weeks back. It took me a while to find my own family of great horned owls in Linley Valley this year. Saw two adults and two owlets today. The owlets were just new to branching and balance. Very entertaining. Please left click for more detail.

Watching From The Shadows (Great Horned Owl)
A mother horned owl keeps a close watch on her owlets from a near by fir tee branch.

Grosbeak in Shade (Black-Headed Grosbeak)
Nice to see the grosbeaks back at Buttertubs Marsh again.

Barred Owl in Flight (Side View)
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Coming Straight at Me! (Barred Owl)
Managed to get a few frames off as this barred owl dive bombed me today in Linley Valley.

Mirror, Mirror #2 (Violet-Green Swallow)
Just went through my images from the other day and realized that I had another one of a violet-green swallow catching a bug as well. Who knew? Not as close but still nice.

Tree Top Jamboree (Townsend's Warbler)
A male Townsend's warbler belts out a tune from a fir tree branch just off of the cliff at Little Mountain.

Townsend's Warbler Environmental
Another one of my springtime favorites.

Full Back Shot (Violet-Green Swallow)
The image that I wanted a few weeks back when the swallows were first showing up. Taken down at Oliver Woods Marsh here in Nanaimo. Sorry, no bug this time. Please left click for extra detail.

Mirror, Mirror (Northern Rough Wing Swallow)
In this image, a northern rough wing swallow prepares to pluck a mayfly off the top of the water.

Food on The Wing (Purple Martin)
A male purple martin snatches a bug out of the air during high speed flight at Morning Star Ponds in Parksville.

Cliff Swallow in Flight
A first for me although I have seen them around every now and then in the spring time. Quite unique markings and out of the ordinary for sure.

Cliff Swallow Banking
Sorry about this one. It was a bit of a crop and like the last one was taken during a downpour of rain with splashes coming up from the water below. Swallows like this kind of weather strangely enough as it drives the flying insects down closer to the water where they are easier to catch.

Back View (Purple Martin)
I am on the fence about this image. Could be a female martin or possibly a first year juvenile male bird. Thought the mix of colours was nice though so I posted it anyway.

Purple Martin in Flight
Lots of purple martins hawking bugs at Morningstar Ponds in Parksville today.

Hoodie in Flight (Hooded Merganser)
Another "Hoodie" flight shot from Enos Marsh.

Coming in For a Landing (Hooded Merganser)
A male hooded merganser comes in for a landing at Enos Marsh.

Banking Shot #2 (Violet-Green Swallow)
Here is another nice banking shot from the other day at Buttertubs Marsh here in Nanaimo. I spent over half an hour hand-holding with no strap to get this one. A good arm workout with the 400 F/2.8.