Saturday, January 14, 2017

Critters, past and present, for Eileen's "Saturday's Critters"

Because there was a gap between March 18, 2015 and January 4, 2016 when I didn't blog, I have a ton of critter (and other) photos waiting around in my iphoto to share with Eileen for her Saturday's Critters meme.  (Thank you so much, Eileen!) These are from March 21st, 2015, when Bill and I bundled Black Jack into the bicycle basket and rode to Jericho Beach.

There is an eagle pair (Ethel and Bert) that has been around that park for many years.  That day, we were excited to see that one of them had gathered some..
 nesting material and was taking it to the..
 platform that wildlife people built because Ethel and Bert..
have had nest upon nest fall to the ground.  Rescuing their young after these falls has had some success but still, it was deemed a good idea to try out the platform idea, and that has worked out well.  You can read more about these eagles here.
 While we were there, we enjoyed watching seagulls..
 flying around the fishing dock in the hopes of catching some leftover crabs.
 We laughed..
 at this happy dog..
 digging a hole..
 ever deeper into the sand.
 Bill, laden down with everything we had brought along for the ride, still had energy to smile as he followed Black Jack over the rocks and along the beach.
 We saw some Barrow's Goldeneyes by the dock..
 and then we walked our bikes to the little bridge over a nearby pond.  Black Jack watched the action from her basket.
 There were some Ring-necked Ducks in the pond..
 and also some turtles.
 I was happy that the sun caught the "ring" in this male..
and his mate's colours showed up nicely in the light as well.
 Here's a close up of Mrs. Ring-Neck..
 and also one of the turtle.  S/he looked up because of our shadows as we leaned over the railing.
Many people throw food in the pond for the ducks and turtles There are signs asking them not to do this, and the bread offered most frequently is the last thing turtles and ducks need, but sadly, they believe they are educating their children about wildlife.
 I have to admit that the side benefit for me is the opportunity to get close-ups.
A post without a recent photo of Black Jack wouldn't feel right..
 so here are a couple taken this morning.  She stretched for me, and then suddenly looked up at a bird in the tree outside the balcony window.
Bill isn't officially a critter :) but I like to have a recent photo of him in most of my posts, so here is one taken at our favourite cafĂ©/art gallery yesterday.  We were working on a Sudoku while Black Jack sat on Bill's knee.  She kept an eye under the table, just in case there might be a crumb or other food item dropped.  
We still do crosswords almost every day and we both get a lot of pleasure out of Sudokus.  I think that shows in Bill's face. Black Jack has almost disappeared, but Bill makes sure to keep her safe.  He multitasks well. :)
I loved the way her paw draped over the bed that we bring along to keep her comfortable.
That's the critter post for today.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I know you would love Eileen's meme, so head on over there to see many more critters from around the world.

24 comments:

  1. Hello Carol, I am sure you have lots of great photos from over the past year. I love the Eagle photos, I hope their nesting is a success. Great shots of the gulls, ducks and the turtles. Awesome closeups. I always enjoy seeing your sweet Black Jack and Bill. I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks so much for linking up and sharing this post.

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    1. Thank you, Eileen! We follow two eagle pairs, one at Vanier Park (two chicks fledged last summer), and this one at Jericho Beach. Last year three hatched from that next but two fell from the platform and died. The third also fell but was rehabilitated at OWL (Orphaned Wildlife - amazing place) and released successfully. David Hancock and his crew recently built a branch structure to create a sort of low fence around the platform. Here's a video about that story. Those eagles are quite old, so every successful fledge is celebrated. Bert and Ethel have quite the following. I'll keep you posted. :)

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  2. Great eagle shots and I am enjoying the gulls, ducks and turtles.

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  3. I really appreciate those pictures of Ring-necked Ducks. You got real detail in the plumage of both male and female. It's a species that finds its way across the Atlantic to the UK in some years following storms. Yes, I agree, our bread isn't good for wild creatures and can do real harm. Love those turtles, especially since we have none in the UK.

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    1. Thanks, Phil. Lots of interesting info in your comment. I didn't know that Ring-necked Ducks sometimes make it to the UK. I also had no idea you didn't have turtles in the UK. Just investigated a bit and see that there is a "turtle code" - fascinating.

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  4. I enjoy the eagle photos building their nest. It is fun watching the dog digging into the sand. Great photos of seagulls, ducks, turtle and Black Jack. I too enjoy sudoku.

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  5. Wonderful shots. I like the shots of birds in flight.

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    1. Thanks, Rajesh. Love trying for flight shots. You win some, you lose some. :)

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  6. Hi Carol, critters galore I'd say...wonderful. Thanks for visiting my blog!

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    1. Thanks, Tom. Quite a number of critters around here. I enjoyed visiting your blog.

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  7. Critters are great fun to photograph...critters and husbands! heehee! Love those eagles and your dog! I took a few pics of turtles this morning...they pose better than birds sometimes. Enjoy your afternoon!

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    1. Thanks, LD! I look forward to seeing your turtle pics!

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  8. Hi there! I enjoyed the birds and loved the turtle, too.
    Great photos!

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  9. you have shared so many wonderful critters today but the eagles are my favorites. my heart always skips a beat when i see them and you captured them beautifully. what an exciting sighting!!!

    a very cute puppy too!!!

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    1. Thanks, Debbie! There is something about eagles for sure! :)

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  10. The Eagles are amazing, but you know what, so is Black Jack (and really so is your 'not officially a critter, your Bill. I love thinking of you two (or no three) sitting in the coffee shop as you work your sudoku. ("My" Bill and I read and work crosswords together while we eat and drink coffee, but it is usually at our own table at home.)

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    1. What a lovely comment, Sallie! Now, when "my" Bill and I are doing puzzles, I'll think of you and "your" Bill! :)

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  11. so many great animals you share. Loved to see the eagle nest and the ducks. :) It is not common to my country. You sere wondering if I traveled to see the Papuan Frogmoth. Answer is yes, I live in Sweden :)

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  12. Thank you for your kind comment and for answering my question, NatureFootstep. That must have been an amazing trip!

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  13. Wonderful, marvelous, made me smile shares~

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  14. Your posts always make me smile, Carol!

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