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Along the Somenos Marsh Boardwalk
Driving through Duncan one day, on my way home to Nanaimo, I was looking for a nice spot to stretch my legs and take some photos. The sun was casting a beautiful glow over the valley as it started dipping behind Mount Prevost.
They say just before sunset is one of the best times to get out and take amazing photographs, so I kept my eyes open for a nice location. Some interesting trees and landscapes or maybe some different kinds of wildlife would have all made for some great shots in the fading light.
I was passing Somenos Marsh at the north end of Duncan when I realized it would be a perfect place to wander the beautiful, recently-installed boardwalk out into the marsh and maybe even get some photos of a few of the 200+ bird species that frequent the area. There is a helpful map on SomenosMarsh.com, the digital home of the conservation project.
The Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society has spent considerable time and effort since 1989 bringing to the life their dream of seeing the marsh and the surrounding area protected and turned into a flagship area for conservation education. The recent three-phase boardwalk project is a prime example of that.
In three phases, the society fundraised and built a beautiful boardwalk and outdoor classroom in the marsh area. It’s now called Watts Walk, named after the builders of the original boardwalk, Syd and Emily Watts. The boardwalk leads to a large platform, which is perfect for birdwatching and enjoying the scenery. The groups will also use the platform as an outdoor classroom in the near future -- not a bad way to learn about the environment!
The gorgeous scenery and warm light from the fading sun resulted in some impressive photographs. If the sun hadn’t set behind Mount Prevost, I would have spent much longer in the marsh. While the landscape photos turned out well, I discovered that I have much to learn to help sharpen my bird photography skills!
More information about Somenos Marsh and the surrounding area is available on its website.
- Photos & text by Ross Collicutt©
