Critters and birds for Eileen's meme - Post #92

Time to post to the Saturday's Critters meme.  This is Eileen's 92nd post, and she has some stunning Egrets, Black-Crowned Night Herons and even a Catbird to show this week.  The meme participants have a wonderful assortment of wildlife and pet stories to share as well.  Many thanks, Eileen, for hosting!

Here are my photos for the week, all taken during our afternoon outings.

Monday, September 14th - Crab Park
I think Black Jack caught air here :)

She still runs all-out at insane speeds. Bill picked her up to give her heart and joints a chance to settle down.  (We figure she is well into her 10th year.)  That was fine.  Running and Bill-cuddles rank equally high in her estimation.

Oh my, ain't life grand!

Oh, wait..  what's happening over there?

Not to worry.. Bill will take care of it.

Now, what are YOU looking at?

Tuesday, September 15th - English Bay - Sunset Beach
I was taking pictures of a beached sailboat.

It seemed seconds later that Bill and Black Jack were all the way over to the point.  See that teeny little speck?

That's Bill waving.  Black Jack is exploring the rocks somewhere behind him.

I caught up with them just as they were leaving the point.

Black Jack was grinning happily.

Thursday, September 17th - Coal Harbour
This was the first time to see a fish skeleton on the beach.  We weren't sure if was a salmon.  I'd guess it to be about two feet long.

The geese flew overhead..

as they do every time we go.

Stanley Park's horse team was receiving a pedicure.

They appeared to be enjoying their rest and spa treatment.

Friday, September 18th - In and around David Lam Park
Some finches were high in the tree and I ended up with a silhouette that hadn't been my goal, but it had (as Bill would say) a certain charm. 

With the help of iphoto (shadow reduction), you can see a bit of their colour. They were enjoying the fruit of a Handkerchief Tree, a dark green nut that turns purple when it ripens.

We walked along False Creek in front of the park and were followed by this crow.

I have a few crow friends in the area.

There were Cormorants on Buster Simpson's "Brush with Illumination" sculpture.  You can see the other side of False Creek in this shot.  We ride around it so frequently, I feel like I know every inch of it personally.  Yet it is never the same, yielding a sense of discovery and familiarity every time we go.

Ya put your right wing out..

and then ya sing all about..

until your friends tell you that will do :)

There were only two Mallards to be seen in the creek.

I think they were juveniles.

We liked watching the way they manoeuvre with their feet.

Little rudders that work very efficiently for propelling, turning and braking.

We came across this seagull hiding her head.

Her teenager was going through the "I can't believe you're not feeding me" stage.  The piteous cries finally ceased when Mom..

engrossed herself in what looked like a delightful bath.

As said, the sights..

are comfortingly..

familiar..

and breathtakingly new every visit.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you are enjoying your day, wherever you are and whatever you are doing.