Some new and some old critter photos

Posting to Eileen's Saturday's Critters today.  Thanks, Eileen!  I appreciate seeing your backyard birds, your travel photos and the critters of loyal followers from all over the world.  Your blog/meme is a gift to critter-lovers for sure.  If I am mistaken in any of my identifications, do please let me know.

I am catching up so this first set of photos comes from an outing on October 29th.  We took the bike path along English Bay and Sunset Beach (Vancouver) where we saw two mystery geese.

I would love some help identifying them.

They were hanging out with the Canada Geese.

We went as far as Stanley Park, enjoying the fall colours..

and beautiful trees.

We parked the bikes and walked with Black Jack around Beaver Lake.  A black squirrel accepted a few seeds from us.

A Black-capped Chickadee,

a Chestnut-backed Chickadee..

and a Towhee also posed for photos.

We love this trail around Beaver Lake (though it is a pond and not a lake).

I thought these branch reflections looked like a giant pair of glasses.  Black Jack isn't interested in reflections, but found lots to entertain her, nevertheless.

A Wood Duck came so close to my lens, I had trouble..

getting the photo.  Always love the colours and details in these ducks.

I missed the tail of this Douglas Squirrel but still thought s/he was very cute.

There were a few Fox Sparrows around as well.

We left the pond and walked up to the Rose Gardens.  At the end of October, the gardens are not in their prime, but we found a few roses..

as well as some other plants.  This branch had broken off a bush and was lying, neglected on the ground.  Bill thought it deserved some attention..

and though he wasn't in the market for a new hat, we agreed this certainly had possibilities.  I finally suggested we leave it for the gardener to replant, as it didn't match his jacket :)  (Some sort of butterfly plant, perhaps?)

I'll jump ahead to January sightings now.  Black Jack had a lovely run under the Cambie Bridge when the sun again burst through a mostly overcast sky.

Jan 2

I'm still enjoying the Anna's Hummingbirds at our window feeder. This one posed for a moment in the tree beside the balcony.

Jan 6

Jan 7

On Thursday, we saw a large flock of Barrow's Goldeneyes in False Creek.  It was overcast and they were too far away to get much of a shot, but here are a few of them.  I've never seen so many of them appearing to lie on their sides.

Jan 8

Yesterday, after our trip to the post office to mail some very late presents, we walked along False Creek in Spring-like weather.  Bill always admires this bush with yellow flowers. 

There was one pair of Hooded Mergansers in the creek.

Black Jack was in fine form and made me..

laugh with her begging-for-treats balancing tactics.

She has a big chest for such a little dog.

We heard the unmistakeable sound of angry hummers, and Bill caught sight of one, though I wasn't able to get a photo.  This Dark-eyed Junco was making.. 

a strange clicking sound that continued relentlessly.  At first, I thought that sound came from the hummer, but watching the Junco, it seemed certain I was wrong.

I wonder if s/he was trying to raid a hummer nest.

One thing for sure, there was a disagreement of some sort in progress.

December 25

Whoops, one more set of catch-up photos, these taken on Christmas Day.  It was another of those overcast days when the sun suddenly burst through the clouds as we were riding along the False Creek bike path.  A kind gentleman took this photo of the three of us.  I'm still using an old bike jacket over two other coats as a way to keep Black Jack cozy in her basket.  That's working really well, as is the hat we bought recently for colder days (shown in this post).

Many of you will know that we love to go to Jazz Vespers concerts on Sunday afternoons.  A lovely lady named Jane always welcomes Black Jack, and on the Sunday before Christmas, she brought her a bag of treats (that were clearly delicious) with a suggestion to save them for Christmas Day.  Well, that gift was so, so appreciated,

as you can see!

Bill took this photo of me after I had taken the two little videos of Black Jack that you can watch below if you have the time.  Sometimes, if he gets the light just right, you can barely see the wrinkles.  It's an illusion, but one I rather enjoy :)

This one is just 6 seconds long, showing Black Jack dancing for her treats.

This one is 21 seconds long.  Bill gives her the treat and we say a "thank you" to Jane.  It is such a delight to not only hear wonderful music at these concerts, but to visit with warm-hearted critter-loving friends!  That's the post for today.  Many thanks, as always, for stopping by!