Ecomuseum
found myself a place by the shoreline with good cover and began my day. Seven hours later all I had to show for my patience was a decent photo of a Kingfisher! So I can understand why many photographers become discouraged but hey, it’s all part of the game. I keep telling myself if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Luckily there is an alternative for those who haven’t had a great deal of luck in the field. My preferred place is the Ecomuseum in Saint-annede-bellevue. It showcases Quebec’s wildlife in a natural setting. It’s a great way to spend the day alone, or with the family. On your walk through the forest, you’ll see Red and Arctic Fox, Canada Lynx, Gray Wolves, Eastern Coyotes, River Otters, Black Bear and dozens of other mammals. They also feature birds of prey, namely four species of owls (Great Horned, Barred, Snowy and Northern Hawk) Bald eagles etc. For the beginning photographer, it’s a place to really hone your skills. You can shoot your subject in a natural setting, the trick is to capture your mammal or bird without background objects such as fences or even other visitors. Equipment-wise the magic here is you can use virtually any decent lens as your subject is relatively close. I suggest bringing a monopod or tripod to assist in getting a clearer photo. I prefer monopods as they are much easier and lighter to carry. I’ve visited this nature reserve many times over the past fifteen years. When I started doing wildlife photography, it really helped me understand the inner workings of my camera. I quickly understood the importance of depth of field, shooting parameters, shutter speed and bracketing. I was able to take a pic, check it in my viewfinder, then make the necessary adjustments. I can’t begin to emphasize how much easier it was when I was back out in the field now that I understood my camera much better. The Ecomuseum is roughly and hour and fifteen minutes from Lac Brome and well worth the trip for both photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.
For those willing to travel even further, there’s also Parc Omega in Montebello Quebec. Much like the Ecomuseum, this is a walk-through zoo as well only much larger. Some really great photo opportunities here, especially the artic and grey wolves. I can pretty much guarantee you will not be disappointed with either outdoor zoo, both are well managed with the security and well-being of the animals is at the forefront. These are just a couple of examples, go online and you’ll find many more in both Quebec and Ontario. Finally, I received a private message earlier this week asking me where to find Red Foxes to photograph. Personally, I’ve seen them everywhere. On back country roads, on my property, in the city as well strolling down the street. When I lived in Robinson’s Bay, we had a family of foxes that would walk though our property early in the morning and return at dusk. I went out during the day when I knew they wouldn’t be there searching for their den. At the very bottom of our property I discovered a huge boulder with a large entrance hole underneath. I was pretty sure I’d found the den, so I returned home and got a few things I needed to set up a blind roughly forty feet away. A perfect spot hidden by a large brush. There I waited, sure enough around 7 p.m. that night they returned. I was only able to score a couple of pics as they scurried into the den when they heard the shudder of my camera in the otherwise quiet forest. Look for these large openings in the ground, hollowed out bases of large trees and preferably near a water source. Most Red Foxes build their dens close to a steam or pond.