Upon my relocation to Victoria in early January 2022, I encountered the heaviest snowfall for that year. Fortunately, unlike my hometown of Calgary, the snow disappeared within days and did not reappear throughout the rest of the winter. After settling into my new apartment, I embarked on exploring the city.
Coming from Alberta, one of the first striking features of Victoria to me was its lush greenery, even in the heart of winter. Additionally, the abundance of hummingbirds caught my attention. Surprisingly, these tiny birds were present everywhere, even in the midst of winter.
In Alberta, hummingbirds are typically only seen during a few summer months and are not as easily spotted as in Victoria. This led me to develop a fascination with these creatures, prompting me to photograph them whenever possible and even set up a feeder on my balcony.
A colleague noticed my interest in hummingbirds and introduced me to her neighbor, Eric Pittman, who had been filming hummingbirds for over a decade. I had the privilege of witnessing an Anna’s hummingbird feeding her newborn chicks in Eric’s backyard, a sight that was truly remarkable.
Eric, with his 14 years of experience in following hummingbirds and documenting over 120 nests, was still enthusiastic about capturing another nest on film. As I spent more time with him in his yard, I discovered his background as a former helicopter pilot, Guinness World Record holder for the largest underwater press conference, and recipient of a Medal of Bravery for a heroic rescue.
Following the decision to create a film about Eric and his hummingbirds, I spent around 40 days filming them between January and April 2024. Utilizing a high-speed camera for slow-motion footage, I amassed over 11 terabytes of film, focusing on two nests for the final production.
Sharing some of the incredible shots I captured led to a significant increase in my Instagram followers, from about 7,000 to over 130,000 within a couple of months. The journey has been exhilarating, and I am excited to share more behind-the-scenes moments that did not make it to the final edit.
“The Bird in My Backyard” documentary is now available for streaming on CBC Gem and The Nature of Things YouTube channel. The film received the 2024 Jackson Wild Media Award for best short in the wildlife and entertainment category and was honored as the best short film at the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Competition.