A Summer of Birds on the Mountain

Lori LarsenUpdated: Mar. 20, 2019

Our Vacation feature in the June/July issue of Our Canada had some fabulous photos and artwork from Lori Larsen of Port Coquitlam, B.C. She spent a summer working with the organization “Birds in Motion” in Vancouver, showing visitors different species of birds of prey and demonstrating their traits and flight abilities.

1 / 10

Clarence’s Expressions

Clarence, the great horned owl, was one of Lori’s favourite birds to work with.

2 / 10

Co-worker with Eagle

The eagle was the species of bird that made Lori a little nervous but she was in awe of their power and beauty.

3 / 10

Demonstration

Many visitors enjoyed learning about the different birds of prey, though perhaps not as much as Lori did!

4 / 10

Ferruginous Hawk

Lori loved “listening to the haunting cries of the hawks.”

5 / 10

Grouse Mountain

For five months during the summer of 2010, Lori travelled daily to work up on Vancouver’s famous Grouse Mountain.

6 / 10

Lori and Zak

“I spent many years working in retail for various pet related stores, and so I jumped at the chance to live a dream, if only for the summer, to work with birds of prey,” writes Lori.

7 / 10

Goshawk Colour Pencil Study

Lori not only loved working with the birds but studying them for her artwork. “As an artist, I enjoyed being able to study the way they moved, their colors, and their plumage,” she writes.

8 / 10

Gry Falcon Oil Painting

“By the end of that summer I had a new respect for all the birds I worked with, and how perfectly they were all adapted to the places they live and the prey they hunt. I was also grateful for the opportunity to take many photos of the birds, as raptors are a main subject in my artwork.”

9 / 10

Merlin Sketch in Charcoal

“Every day I would leave the mountain refreshed and inspired, full of new ideas for possible paintings,” says Lori.

10 / 10

Diving Falcon

“The birds were truly amazing, and to watch them fly was a lesson in how different they all were from each other,” shares Lori. “I remember how lucky I thought I was, not only to be able to work in such a beautiful setting, but to be able to experience daily, the peregrine falcon performing her breathtaking dives.”

Originally Published: May 17, 2011