Michael Wigle Photography: Recently Added Galleries and Collections

Wrens & Thrushes

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:23:25 GMT

The Wren and Thrush families of the Central Coast of British Columbia.

Salmon & Dependents

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:04:24 GMT

Salmon Trappers

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:33:02 GMT

Every year, in late July, the salmon hatchery crews of the Snootli Creek facility, Bella Coola set up their fence traps in 4 of the Valley creeks to capture Chum Salmon, take the eggs of the females (does) and sperm from the males (bucks), transport these elements back to the Hatchery, mix sperm and eggs and allow them to incubate and hatch at the facility. The photos in this gallery illustrate the field portion of this operation on the Salloompt River in 2009 and continues on in the hatchery facility over the proceding months to record their development. Hopefully, the captions will aid in telling the story in the images.

Bald Eagles

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:01:47 GMT

An Eagles life on the Central Coast of British Columbia

Shore & Water Birds

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:24:51 GMT

Some of the shore and water birds indigenous to and migratory thru the Bella Coola Valley, British Columbia.

Bears of BC

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:16:05 GMT

Mostly Grizzlies and some Black Bears of the Central Coast of the province.

Central Coast 'Scapes

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:16:13 GMT

This gallery contains images of the Central Coast region of British Columbia - the landscapes and some of the activities people are drawn to this area to do and view.

Temperate RainForest

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:53:11 GMT

The entire coastline of British Columbia can easily be considered as temperate rainforest. Living on the central portion of this area in BC, as I do, I know this intimately. The lush, the tangle, slippery slopes, mystic, spirit, water, peace, plenty and hardship. As a photographer and resident of Bella Coola for many years, the following images are photo-real or photo-impressions of what I've come to feel of this world.

Aquatic Insects-Mayflies

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:35:14 GMT

Mayfly nymphs and adults from streams of the Central Coast of BC.

Aquatic Insects-Stoneflies

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:54:12 GMT

Stonefly nymphs and adults from the Central Coast streams of British Columbia. Of interest to entomologists, fly fishermen and the curious. The sizes of these creatures range between 5 to 30 mm.

Bella Coola Bears-2009

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:45:22 GMT

It's now the first week of Sept. and the salmon have made it back to the Atnarko River in pretty good numbers (compared to last year, anyway) and the Pinks and Chinook are beginning to spawn. The bears are back to the river also to hunt and scavenge for this most vital of food sources. This is their story with some of the bear families being recognizable to me over the years. One family, Y-Back and her young ones, I've seen together now since her cubs were in their first year. They are now in their fourth year and still patrol the river with their mom. Somebody gave her the name Y-Back for some reason and it will be used here. She has a distinctive white blotch on her shoulders which dribbles down her sides like someone poured white paint on her. One of her young has a similar (but neater) white band on its shoulders while the other young one is fairly blonde. After image#16, other bears in my encounters are shown.

Recreation-Bella Coola Valley

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:10:27 GMT

This gallery is a collection of photos depicting some of the outdoor activities in the Bella Coola area.

Other Birds

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:35:54 GMT

Pond Creatures

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:27:56 GMT

Macrophotos of aquatic insects and other creatures which inhabit the ponds and sloughs of the Central Coast of BC, many of whom are prey species for overwintering salmonid juveniles such as Coho, Cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden char.
Also included are some mammals associated with ponds and wetlands.

Julia & Lawrence-Wedding

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:28:41 GMT

On Aug.22/09, Julia and Lawrence were married on their property in the Bella Coola Valley near Hagensborg. I was priveleged to have free-rein to photograph the proceedings. The majority of these photos are presented sequentially of the event. More to follow.....

A beautiful Central Coast day - overcast to rain to sun and repeat. Great setting, great event, great food and company.

Ocean Day Trip

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:58:38 GMT

A few days ago (Sept.15,2009), I had the opportunity to take a day trip on the ocean from the Bella Coola wharf and down North Bentinck Arm towards South Bentinck Arm (both Arms confluence to become Burke Channel). I was invited by Tweedsmuir Park Lodge to take still photos of the trip as Christian Begin took video footage. Boats were supplied and operated by Leonard Ellis (owner of Bella Coola Outfitting Co.) and his daughter Shannon. A beautiful, calm sea presented itself to us as we explored the inlet, fished for crabs and prawns and, later, feasted on our harvest aboard the Pacific Grizzly (Leonard's boat) back at the Bella Coola harbour.

Chinook "Egg Take" part 2

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:32:53 GMT

These days, there are 2 different methods used by the Snootli Creek Salmon Hatchery facility, Bella Coola, to capture the necessary Chinook Salmon spawning adults to attain their quota of 2 million viable eggs. The first method was described (I hope) in the first Chinook "EggTake" gallery on this website. This second method (with a "tangle" net) is what I'm most familiar with as I once did this work on this river for 6 years or so.

These photos describe a day on the Atnarko River tangle-net fishing for "ripe" Chinook Salmon on their redd sites in the deeper runs of the river.

Chinook "Egg Take"

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:14:44 GMT

For those who may not know, a salmon "egg take" is an expression used when referring to the capture of adult salmon in their natal streams, "taking" the eggs from females and sperm from males and incubating the eggs at a hatchery facility. This gallery is a photo essay of the process in the Atnarko River, Bella Coola as the Snootli Hatchery crew does the annual stream portion of their work to capture and transport the adult Chinook Salmon back to the hatchery facility. These images are presented in relative order during the process. I hope the captions help.

Nusq'lst Memorial Ceremony

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:08:01 GMT

On Aug.30, 2009, a memorial pole (stwin) was raised at the old Nuxalk village site at Nusq'lst in the Bella Coola Valley to honour Dayton C. Mack, father of Jacinda Mack - the organizer of this memorial ceremony. The following photos will, hopefully, describe the events of this great day.

Forest Fires-Bella Coola

mjwigle@belco.bc.ca (Michael Wigle Photography) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:30:55 GMT

Photos from the Snootli-Nuxalk fire and the Salloompt fire, Bella Coola Valley. Photos from Aug.2 to Aug.8, 2009.