From reading The Splash or The Current, you would think that Mike Hassett's biggest passion is photography. But he is quick to say that it's actually bicycling, followed closely by living in the northwest.

"I'm like a kid in a candy store living here," Hassett said of Liberty Lake and the surrounding area.

Hassett is the man behind many of the pictures published in the "Local Lens" section of this paper. From woodpeckers to otters, elk to moose, and many other birds, mammals and sunsets, Hassett has photographed it if it's in nature and close enough to get a good shot.  Being extremely humble though, Hassett will be the first to tell you he's no professional photographer. 

"I never thought they were all that neat," he said of his photos. "But then someone wrote a letter to The Splash saying they liked my pictures, and it was great to hear that."

Luckily for him, Hassett's hobbies - bicycling, bird watching and photography - all work together. Foremost, he considers himself a bicyclist. While working for AT&T in southern California, Hassett commuted by bike to work every day for 40 years. When he retired six years ago, he was ready for new scenery. Hassett's daughter and her family were moving to Liberty Lake from Montana, so he and his wife came up to check out the area. They liked it so much they moved here, as did their other two adult children and grandchildren.

After retirement and the move, Hassett didn't quit his bicycling habit. With more time and freedom on his hands, he heads out every day to explore his community. Hassett particularly likes to ride in the Saltese Flats, Newman Lake and Hauser Lake areas. He isn't the type to put his bike in the car and drive to those destinations. One of his favorite things about the area is that connections to everything are nearby. He's close to the Centennial Trail trailhead, the Saltese Flats area and the trails in the hills above Liberty Lake.

Because he sees so much wildlife on his explorations, Hassett started carrying a small camera with him on his rides several years ago. He has since upgraded to a nicer camera but is limited in what he can carry on a bike. He wears the camera around his neck so as to be ready anytime he sees something photo-worthy. This helps him catch some of those amazing shots - which are even more amazing when you consider that he doesn't use zoom lenses or other photography equipment. 

Being on a bike, Hassett says he doesn't necessarily need fancy equipment. A photo of an elk that hangs in his living room was taken from about 50 feet away. He initially saw it in the distance and quietly worked his way toward it on his bike while the animal ate.

"That's the advantage of a bike," Hassett said. "They're quiet and you can sneak right up on wildlife." 

He also points out that people are less aware when driving versus riding. 

"If you're in a car, you don't notice these things," he said. 

Some of Hassett's favor photo subjects are birds. He's always been a bird watcher and is discovering all kinds of birds in our area he wasn't familiar with in California. For three years, he's been watching a nest of great horned owls in the Saltese area that he first spotted while riding his bike. Each year he's been there to photograph the baby owls when they come along. He also likes taking pictures of the hooded mergansers on area lakes. One of his favorite pictures, though, is a moose he and a friend spotted while canoeing on the Little Spokane River. That photo was taken on a camera he had dropped in the water the previous weekend, then dried out, so he wasn't too sure how the picture would turn out.

If you're interested in seeing more of Hassett's photos, continue to read The Splash and The Current. Most months, he submits at least one picture. And Hassett says he will continue to do so because he's found a treasure trove of photo topics in our area.

"In southern California, there's nothing to take pictures of," he said. "I see things every day here I'd never see there. I'm so happy to live here."