bikesbirdsnbeasts

Rainy Saturday with Bill

2009-11-07T22:19:00.001-08:00

Before I get to my day with Bill, there is only one bird in this post, and it was taken near my school on Friday. You guessed it. A crow. I think the crows in that area are beginning to know me. They don't seem to fly away from my camera as quickly as they used to.

And, this picture, taken Saturday morning, in a lane on the way to Jericho Park, before Bill and I got together. Wet leaves, shiny and red and beautiful against the green.

I took a few pictures in the park, but the steady drizzle posed quite a challenge to keep my camera dry. I had a white "doggy bag" around it, but it was tricky getting it off, focusing quickly, and putting it back on again. None of my pictures were postable, but I did see some fascinating little birds with white tails. It struck me that there's at least as much wildlife action on rainy days as there is on clear ones.

Three photographers were by the bridge, and I could tell immediately that they were enjoying the day. One took a picture of me. I tried to be gracious, thinking of all the times I have wanted to photograph strangers, but didn't dare ask. The man said he was doing a "Vancouver in the Rain" story. He had a beautifully designed rain cover on his camera, and I decided on an afternoon trip to Broadway Camera to see if I could find something similar.

I took this picture of a Flamingo Plant when Black Jack and I arrived home from our walk. Bill gave it to me over two years ago. I'm not particularly talented with plants, but this one has flourished in many different light conditions. It spent the summer on my balcony, and is now brightening a corner of my sunlight-starved living room. I love it all the time, but especially on rainy days.

I called Bill and we tried, rather aimlessly, to come up with a plan for the rest of the day. I mentioned the camera cover, and also that I was thinking about a new pair of glasses, and we thought a bit about movies, but neither of us were feeling very decisive. Finally, we came to the conclusion that the best plan of action would be lattes at The Wicked Cafe before moving on to a more definite plan of action. Those lattes were particularly good. I rated mine a 10.2.

When we left the cafe, perfect leaves on the ground and on the sidewalks seemed to say, "Look at us." I picked up one, and then another, and then Bill picked up a few, and before we knew it, we were looking for a place with a bit of shelter from the rain, so that I could photograph them. We found a spot nearby, and Bill began to arrange our selection for the photo shoot.
He wasn't quite satisfied with the arrangement, and here, tried a casual approach, gathering the leaves, and dropping them in a pile.
That didn't quite work. We liked this one, but thought it needed something in the centre.
We moved just a bit to the side, for a cement tile background, and decided to tuck the stems under.
A solo shot..
A duet..
And, a trio.
With each arrangement, I felt my energy picking up. We were laughing like two kids, and it felt good. Bill has so many sides to him - the artist, the comedienne, the guy's guy and the sensitive soul. More too, but those were the ones that came forward on Saturday.
As we finished our leaf project, he said, "I'm going to give these leaves a proper rest spot." He laid them gently at the base of a tree.
Black Jack was waiting in the truck, all curled up in her bed, with a towel over her. She posed for a picture. She had no worries about looking funny with the purple towel around her head. Maintaining her body warmth is serious business to her, as is her love for Bill.
But then she yawned, and we laughed some more.

That's it for the day's photos, but it went on to be one that I know will stay with me. Bill held Black Jack, waited while I had my eyes checked (the right one, as I suspected, needed a stronger prescription) at Image Optometry Broadway, picked out new frames, talked to the guys at Broadway Camera, helped me choose a rain cover, encouraged more picture-taking, raved over my Caper's deli supper, walked to Limelight Video, held Black Jack who goes nuts waiting for the biscuit the clerks always give her, and watched a slow-paced, quirky, and somewhat interesting movie (Medicine for Melancholy) with me. Just a perfect rainy Saturday. Thank you, Bill!

Windy ride on Thursday

2009-11-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

I watched the wind through the school windows in North Vancouver on Thursday, and fretted just a bit that the ride home would be one of those when I have to dismount and push my bike across the bridge. The gusts felt strong enough for that, but as it turned out, the wind direction made all the difference, and the ride was a good one after all. I took a couple of pictures from the road below the bridge, trying to capture something of the dramatic sky.

This crow has snuck into the post. I think I saw it on Wednesday. It was sitting on the school fence.
Back to the ride. I stopped on the Lions Gate, and looked a long way down to see these birds. I had to brace myself to take the pictures. It is amazing how much force the wind can pick up over open water. I'm going with Double-Crested Cormorants, after quite a search through my bird book. They did seem like larger birds than cormorants, and I was surprised to see so much white in the one bird. I think, after doing some reading, that it may be a juvenile. I wondered at one point if they could be a kind of albatross, but came back, finally, to my first choice.
This one struggled when it left the rock.
It smashed into the water, I think caught in a wind gust. I worried for it..
..but it finally righted itself and flew under the bridge.
I continued on my way, making my next stop at Stanley Park. The gulls were incredibly entertaining to watch. They do appear to love windy days.

Just a tree blowin' in the wind.

The mallards were sticking close together.

The last stop was my favorite bicycle shop, Ride on Again, mentioned at great length in my last post. On Sunday, we had agreed that my chain and back cogs needed to be replaced sooner than later. I rode home, feeling absolutely spiffy with shiny new workings. Once home, they gleamed from my balcony, the perfect touch to conclude an exhilarating ride.

Park walks and Bike tune-up on Sunday

2009-11-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

I took pictures pretty much all day long on Sunday, so here is a run-down of the day. Black Jack and I were at Jericho Park by seven, on a day when the extra hour of sleep evaded both of us. We were in time to feel the warmth of the sun as it rose in the sky, and to catch its magic light.

There wasn't much warmth for the first half hour or so, and 100's of crows were having quite a conference. Here are three of them.

A little bit later, the difference in temperature was dramatic. The crows continued to be very active, and I took a lot of pictures, but continue to struggle to find a way to catch what I see as their great beauty. This was my best flying shot, but as you can see, there isn't much definition in the crow.

I think this was my favorite shot of the day, although I would have liked it even better with wing tips included. As you will see, it was a day of missed wing tips. My friend, Jock, and I talked about the lack of respect most people afford seagulls, simply, we are convinced, because of their abundance. I see the finest and most exquisitely patterned lace in this one.

This Blue Heron came along just as the sun was at its most golden.
It took off beautifully and silently. I wasn't quite ready for it, but here is what I caught.
Over by the rabbit bushes, I couldn't resist the light on these leaves.Birds were singing up a storm all around me. This little one obligingly perched on the same bush I was photographing. l have really tried to identify it, but my best guess is just that - a guess. Maybe a Lark Bunting? Always looking for help here, so any other suggestions welcomed.
I'm going with Rufous-Sided Towhee for this one - maybe a juvenile?
Heading along the trail to return home, I heard a happy voice behind me. It was Roxanne, with Merry Lou. I have known Roxanne for quite some time now. I would like to do a post dedicated to her, and her much loved dogs over the years. Merry Lou came to her from the Pitbull Rescue, although it's not certain that she is indeed a pitbull. She was found on the street, either on Christmas Day or around Christmas (thus the spelling of Merry), mother to several pups, one of which died. The others were adopted, and only Mom was left needing a home. She and Roxanne really lucked out in finding each other. She is a sweet, gentle dog and I absolutely love her. I feel honored that she likes me well enough to approach my camera so closely, I didn't do that well with the pictures. I'm looking forward to another opportunity to photograph her, and to tell you more of her story.
Walking home along side streets, Autumn colors were still catching my eye, even in November.
After a short break at home, Bill came over, and drove me, with my bike to my favorite of all bike shops, Ride on Again. We dropped off the bike to receive some new brakes and a little much needed TLC.
I headed back to the truck, but looked back to take a picture from across the street, trying to capture something of the colorful personality of this shop. I believe that there are no bad bike shops. The very nature of selling and repairing bicycles has to be good, but there is something about this place that makes it the best, in my opinion. I'll come back to this topic shortly.
We headed off to Vanier Park. Just as we arrived at the bottom of Cypress street, a Bald Eagle flew in and landed on the totem pole. I missed its fly-in, and hoped to catch it when it took off from the pole, but that was not to be.
I waited a long time, willing it to leave. Bill tried to help me, checking out views of the eagle, and keeping Black Jack entertained.
The eagle sat, and sat and sat. It managed to outstay my patience, and I finally walked away. We had gone to the other side of the park, when I looked back and saw it heading towards us. I managed to get this shot, without a wing tip, but with lovely light on the other.
It settled in this tree, and there it stayed. It was still there when we left.
Black Jack was much more interested in squirrels than eagles. She had an absolutely wonderful time at the park.

When we returned to pick up the bike, I took a few more pictures. This is Don. He owns Ride on Again. He is a big part of what makes this shop the best. Don is honest. I mean, dead honest. I would trust him with my life. In fact, I do, every time I take my bike there. My advice to anyone who ever does business with him is not to haggle over price. Ever! He will give you the fairest price he can right from the beginning. End of story. Do not question it.
This is Clint, one of the mechanics at Ride on Again. I trust him totally as well. If he says my bike needs a part, then it needs a part. If he says a product is good, he passionately believes that to be the truth. I admire passion. It is what makes life good. Don and Clint are passionate about bicycles. I haven't gotten to know the other staff at the shop, but I can tell you that it is the place to go if you want great service. They are not paying me to say this. They didn't even ask me to say this. But, I must say it, because if you have a bike, I can't imagine a better place to take it. If you don't have one and want one, I can't imagine a better place to find the perfect one.
Here is Don one more time, this time in his shop.
Another shot from the side of the shop. It is a shop that has the same spirit my father's garage had in our small town. It's real. It's enjoyable to be in it. It feels right.
Just one shot of a dog waiting outside the coffee shop near Ride on Again. His name is Rory.
And a couple of shots taken on Tuesday lunch hour in North Van. Killdeer (I think) by the river.
Green-Winged Teal - my best guess - a male and a female.
Two more Killdeer. My goal is to get a little closer to them, one of these days.
Thanks again for taking time to share in my days.

When the forecast is wrong..

2009-11-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Not a drop of rain in Vancouver over the weekend. Who knows when a wet forecast would be wrong again. We took full advantage of the meteorologists' mistake.

On the way to Jericho park Saturday morning with Black Jack, I stopped to look at what I think are a type of Hydrangea. This particular bush bloomed in the spring, but seems now to be on its second wind.

Just past the flowers were birds singing up a storm in a tree. They were American Robins, the one bird that I thought I knew absolutely, but identifying them for some reason was difficult. Perhaps the confusing aspect was that they were in the tree, rather than on the lawn, hunting for worms. This one, I think, is a male...
...and this one, the female.
By the time we arrived at Jericho, the light was magnificent. This female mallard approached, I guess looking for a handout. I see people, often with their children or grandchildren in tow, feeding the ducks, almost every time I go to Jericho. The usual fare offered is stale-looking white bread. There are "do not feed the wildlife" signs all around. I know it is tempting, but I always feel sad for the lesson the kids learn and the poor nutrition the ducks receive. At the same time, I have to admit I reap the benefit in close-up shots.
I thought last year's Autumn couldn't be matched, but Vancouver has again offered up a winner. The colors have been rich, and amazingly, have lasted right into November.
Mallards are very photogenic. Add water reflections, and walking by is impossible. I couldn't choose between the next four pictures, all of the same duck, but each with slightly different color combinations in the background. If you have time and feel so inclined, I would love feedback as to whether any one of these stand out more than the others for you.

Black Jack and I headed home, had some lunch, and then joined Bill for a trip to the Brunette River, on the border between Burnaby and Coquitlam. We were hoping to see the Chum Salmon that Ship Rock had kindly taken time to tell me about in a comment a couple of posts ago. Along the way, I took this shot of a seagull through the truck window. I know it's a poor photo, but still, I can see no trace of this seagull's eyes. As always, the flexibility of birds impresses me. I mean, imagine standing on one foot on a light post, and raising the other foot to your mouth.
When Bill parked the truck, he saw a man just coming back to his own vehicle, young son in tow, and a fishing rod in his hand. They talked, and the man said that indeed, Ship Rock had guided us to the perfect spot to watch the salmon run. We were excited, and so was Black Jack. What a beautiful walk along the river. Bill offered me 10 cents to walk across this makeshift bridge, but for some reason, I declined.
Tree patterns,
and the bends in the river, as well as some camera-evading but stunning birds (Blue Heron, King Fisher) made for a truly enjoyable time. But, we either missed the salmon run for this year, or they are holding out, to make us truly appreciate the moment when it finally comes. We looked and looked, but not a salmon did we see.
However, Bill, Black Jack and I really want to thank Ship Rock for the lead. Especially Black Jack! She always loves our excursions, but this one was special. We found the best dog run ever! With a double fence around a playing field, the space between the two fences has been beautifully set up for a safe area to let your pooch run free. There is a running path, greenery, and space to either join other dogs at the watering area, or go around the perimeter of the field for a flat out run.
Bill and I both loved this tree, standing at one end of the run. I know I should take time to identify it, but for now, learning the names of a few of the birds I see is taking up all available space in my brain.
We decided to do a little work on Black Jack's recall, each of us calling to her, treats in hand. Other dogs thought the training session was a good idea as well.
Sorry the photos are so out of focus. One excuse is that I was laughing helplessly at the facial expressions of Black Jack and her follower.
Black Jack is very fast, but was no match for this kind of enthusiasm. Have no fear. Both dogs were well rewarded for their recall efforts. The golden dog's humans were more than happy for any extra motivation to take the edge of its limitless store of energy.
To see Black Jack running free did my heart good. Thanks so much, Ship Rock! We didn't see salmon but we sure had fun.
We retraced our steps back to the truck, light fading quickly. We took a minute to set Black Jack up with her own reflective wear. She was oblivious, still psyched at the sounds and smells around her.
I think this is called a fish ladder? No fish, though (that we could see).
My flash picked up a few of the textures at the water's edge.
Thank you, Bill, for another great day!
I took this shot of the moon as we arrived home.
Sunday's photos include a blue heron, a bald eagle, and my favorite bike shop. Those to follow soon. As always, thanks for reading.

Some catch-up photos and time by the river

2009-10-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

This first catch-up photo is of the Boston Terrier, Seville, featured in my previous post. Somehow, I forgot to post my favorite picture of her. It's the victory attitude in her pose that stays with me and makes me smile.

The second is a photograph taken by my friend, Jock. His keen eye and skill with the camera caught one of nature's little gifts, and portrayed it beautifully.

And now, a few moments recorded by the river next to the school where I teach in North Vancouver.

Wednesday, a cloudy day.

The exciting thing about the picture below is not its photographic merit, but rather, that I think I've identified the bird correctly. To my inexperienced eye, so many of the little birds look similar. It takes time and self-discipline to look them up in my book. As I've enjoyed looking at the sites of a few experienced birders and photographers (Ship Rock, IPutts, Nilsson), I've realized they never post a picture without an identification. I've promised myself to try to do this a little bit more.

Song Sparrow

Hooded Mergansers

Although I've seen quite a few Common Mergansers (In my opinion, no bird should be labeled "common"), I don't think I've ever seen hooded ones before yesterday. They dart around, sometimes skimming on top of the water, and sometimes diving. I'm not sure if I interpreted their behaviour correctly, but they seemed to be aggressive about their territory, chasing the mallards away when they could. That didn't seem quite fair, since the mallards have been around that river for quite some time. I wasn't able to distinguish males from females. In the above picture, it appeared to me to be an adult pair with three young ones (There's a little one way over on the right). However, according to my book, the females are supposed to have a brown head and crest. I hope I will have some more opportunities to observe them, and to figure out the family relationships. Below, the same "family", but missing the third young one. That one always seemed to keep a distance.
They have an amusing habit of stretching their necks up.
I'm sorry I couldn't get closer to them, but they stayed on the far side of the river. This picture shows one adult leaning back, perhaps preparing for a dive? Or maybe, expressing concern that the little one is heading away? Lots of questions.

Tuesday, a sunny day.

On the left, I think, is a Green-winged Teal. It was too far away to be sure, but the green flash under the wing was really eye-catching. On the right, my guess is an American Wigeon.

American Wigeon?

Mallards

They came up to my side of the river. I always find them striking, but they were especially so against the clear reflection of a very blue sky.

While I was watching the ducks, a crow perched about two feet away from me. I always feel honored when any wild animal or bird is willing to spend a moment or two near me. From Ship Rock, I have learned that there are two kinds of crows, American and Northwestern. Apparently, the American is larger, while the Northwestern has a slightly purplish tinge. My guess for this one might be American, but without seeing them side by side, I can't be at all sure. I was certain, though, that this one was taking a good look at me. I wonder what it was thinking.
I also watched two crows at the edge of the river. Like the mallards, I found them striking against the blue background. They interacted in a most entertaining way.

First, a close-up of one of them. Could that be a purplish tinge? No, I think not.

The one on the left checks out the other.

Then, I think it decides to join in the feast.
Then, the one on the right perhaps thinks it is missing something? Maybe a "grass is greener" reaction?
I think, here, they both hear what I guessed to be a Kingfisher off to their left.
And there it was. A lucky shot for me - I just happened to catch it as it flew toward the crows. It's not perfectly in focus, but I think it was possibly a Belted Kingfisher. Whatever it was, it was the perfect conclusion to a relaxing few minutes by the river.

Salmon Run, American Dipper and Seville

2009-10-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Bill, Black Jack and I checked out Capilano River Regional Park, at the suggestion of Jean, who has been writing wonderful posts describing both the positive and the less positive aspects of observing the salmon run at this time of year. Since I have somehow managed to reach my 60's without ever seeing a live salmon, it seemed the perfect outing.

The light in the morning was poor for photo taking, but the scenery was dramatic and awe inspiring. Bill commented, as we both have before, on our good fortune to have wilderness so close to the big city. We looked and looked for the salmon, but as Jean had warned us, they are not easy to see. Still, an experienced fisherman standing on the bridge told us there were thousands in the river, so we kept our eyes peeled.

We finally took a short trail called the Coho Loop. Black Jack was absolutely psyched at the smells and sounds, and the moisture in the air, moss-lined branches and faery-tale forest setting made for a magical atmosphere.

We kept wondering how all those fishermen managed to get down to the water, and finally found some stone ledges that made steps to the shore. You can see them a bit of in this photo. Bill, patient and ever thoughtful for Black Jack's safety, carried her down, leaving me free to try to capture something of the magnificence around us.
Like the salmon, the wildlife we sensed everywhere seemed to have no difficulty staying out of the reach of my camera lens. When I did get fleeting chances to take pictures, I was usually too slow to get much of a capture. We did see this heron watching us from the top of a very tall tree.
A brave and athletic couple tackled the white water with what I could see later were grins of exhilaration on their faces. I've chosen photos that don't identify them, but if by any chance they should come by this post, I do think they would enjoy some of my captures of their impressive performance.
The girl having gone ahead, her companion prepares to follow her. Yikes!
As we climbed back up to the trail, Bill noticed this mushroom growing from a tree. I did a bit of investigating at this site, but did not find any that I thought perfectly match the one in this picture. I did get the feeling that fungi growing from trees is not a great thing for the tree.
Before we left the park, we stood at a lookout and watched the anglers. I have to admit that I was hoping they wouldn't catch any fish. As a Newfoundland fisherman's granddaughter, I think I have told this story before about crying the first time I saw my mother catch a fish. A fellow yesterday proudly showed his catch to his young daughter, and her tears brought back that memory. I know in the sensible side of my brain (it is there, if a little camouflaged:) that they will die anyway, and they make one of the healthiest and tastiest sources of nutrition one can find, but when Bill spotted this salmon, I was happy to photograph it alive rather than deceased.
Here is the same salmon again. I have no idea what those little white splashes are. The photo is poor, but perhaps someone can tell me.
We left the park and headed for Bridgman Park, also in North Vancouver. I believe it is spelled without "e" although the link I've chosen has included it.

The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds now, and we enjoyed standing by Lynn Creek. Neither of us were sure if the salmon would ever run in it, but we took a look just in case. No - no salmon, but we did see this wonderful shorebird. I am proud to say that I think I've positively identified it as an American Dipper.
I have no idea if it is commonly seen in the area, but it was definitely a first for me. They are amazing birds, choosing to be around fast moving water and diving into it to find insects. This fellow appeared to be enthusiastic about the entire process.
Several of my photographs had what I thought were defects, as the eyes appeared to be white. I found out later that these birds have white feathers on their eyelids. Unfortunately, I deleted the photos showing that, but perhaps you can see them a little bit in this one (if you click to enlarge it).
Bill and I both enjoyed the entertaining performance of this lively little bird.
Back in Vancouver, Bill drove along West Broadway so that I could do some errands. We parked in front of the school board office, and enjoyed this sculpture. The more I looked at it, the more it grew on me - one of those sculptures one wants to touch. The day, by now, was warm and sunny. Absolutely beautiful!
I took this photo of Black Jack near the statue. She looks good surrounded by green, I think.
A bit further down the block, we saw a girl throwing a frisbee for Seville, her very athletic Boston Terrier. The girl gave me permission to take pictures, and told me she is starting up a dog walking business, and is in the process of creating her own blog. I will look forward to that, for sure.

My goodness, Seville was enthusiastic about the game and so talented!
I am pressed for time, but these pictures beg captions. Any come to mind?

Seville didn't make many mistakes, but when she did, her expression was truly hilarious.

We were home quite early. There was time for a nap, some schoolwork, and even a short walk at Jericho later in the evening. This seagull was calling in a voice so piteous, I felt concerned, even though I know they sometimes appear to be drama queens. I think it was okay, although there was a red lining around the mouth that I wondered about.
And to close, just a few autumn colours as I left Jericho and headed home. They are coming to the end now, but there is still much beauty to admire.

That was our Saturday. My thanks, as always, to Bill, for planning his weekends around my pleasures, and to you, the reader, for taking time to share in our day.

Commutes last week

2009-10-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

I've been uploading pictures throughout the past week, and waiting for some free moments to come along when I could add some commentary. The time rushed on, and now, it's early Saturday morning. I'll be leaving shortly to check out Jean's suggestion (see comments to last post) - Capilano River Regional Park with Bill. That will mean more pictures, so it seems these commute pictures from last week should have their moment, commentary or not. Here they are, in random order.

From the Lions Gate Bridge on Wednesday, the 21st.

Stanley Park, also on Wednesday, right after crossing the Lions Gate.

This swan swam up, took a look at me, and then continued on its search for dinner.

The Burrard Bridge, after leaving Stanley Park.

Lately, whenever I cross the Burrard Bridge, the bird songs (my guess would be starlings or maybe grackles) are almost frantic. Like pigeons, these birds fly short distances back and forth, always turning as a unit. Bill noted that they look like little fighter planes. This Burrard flock then takes a few moments to sit on the bridge rafters/beams before continuing their, to me, very strange flight.

This was on Tuesday, the 20th, on the bike path to the Lions Gate, heading South.

Monday, the 19th, again from the Lions Gate.

The Sylvia Hotel by Stanley Park, on Monday, the 19th. I am about half way home at this point.
Zoomed in..
Zoomed in more.
These pigeons were doing a similar fly-by routine (over The Sylvia) to that of the starlings over The Burrard.
This one goes back to Tuesday. I stopped on 1st Avenue near Cypress to take some orange flowers, and instead, was taken with the long grasses against the traffic sign.

And just a parting shot of Black Jack taken during a walk at Jericho.
The object of Black Jack's interest. All for now, but will be back soon with an account of the Capilano adventure.

The sun came out

2009-10-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

The forecast for Saturday was rain, and I decided to take advantage of that to get some work done. Black Jack isn't a big fan of showers, and was happy to get her exercise chasing a ball inside. One of the benefits of being only 12 pounds.

Around one o'clock, the sun made a surprise appearance, even managing to sneak into my light-starved apartment. It was compelling and irresistible. We headed over to Jericho, patches of blue sky growing as we walked.

The pond soaked up the red-orange-gold colors.
The Canada Geese came over to take a look.

Across the pond, I was happy to see this heron. I wonder if a few of them will stay around for the winter. A second one flew in as well, but only stayed a few seconds, and I didn't manage to catch it. They didn't seem particularly friendly with each other.

I was amusing myself with the antics of the geese as they skidded in for landings,

and almost missed the snow geese.

I wonder if they were stragglers on their way to Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
Small numbers of them, maybe ten or twelve at a time, flew by every few minutes. They didn't come down to land.

Black Jack urged me to leave the pond area for a little walk around the rabbit bushes.

On the way back, I admired the trees, but Black Jack found other entertainment. Our "leave it" command has not been successful, and I finally..

..put her on this bench, with the command to stay. She obeyed, but the quizzical look on her face told me she was mystified at my behaviour. Poor Black Jack.

I was checking out these raindrops on branches, when..

..a flash of orange caught my camera's eye - a lucky glimpse under a Northern Flicker's wing.

On the way home, I took my last picture of two unidentifiable objects on the other side of the pond. Only later, looking at the photos, did I see these two turtles. We arrived home just as the rain began again. Perfect!

Last evening, Bill and I saw Julie and Julia, a movie that is still with me this morning. The lobster scene nearly did me in, but I found myself soul searching about vegetarianism, blogging, relationships and the characteristics I see in common between Bill and the two male protagonists. I even found Julie's blog, and did some googling about Julia's life. If the mark of a good movie is stimulating thought, then this one rated fairly high.

That was Saturday. Time to get on with Sunday. Have a good one.

Riverside and Sarah

2009-10-16T06:06:00.001-07:00

In the daily get up, go to work, come home, fall into bed existence, taking note of life beyond the job is good. It is not only good, it is necessary. Riding my bike, playing with Black Jack, some time and a glass of wine with Bill.. these things replenish in a way that even sleep doesn't.

And yesterday, a few minutes by the riverside in the middle of the day. No momentous happenings, but the splashes of color in the Sumac leaves,

the berries along the path,
and a mallard, brought energy.
The softer shades of a mystery duck that I haven't identified,
and water ripples stimulated curiosity and imagination. The skinny orange leg reflections brought a smile,
as did the expressions of crow and duck communication.
Heading back along the path to school, I stopped for one more color shot,
and came across 14-year-old Sarah. I was honored that she took a moment to look up,
when what was really important was gathering the smell of the land.
"She's lost her hearing," said Sarah's human, "but her sense of smell has taken right over."
"She's lovely," I said. "Yes, she's pretty special to me," was the reply.
Back in school, preparing a midterm for today, the warmth lingered. It hung around as I cycled home. Sharing the photos with Bill last evening, and doing a post this morning, brings it back, and starts this work day off just right. As they say, "Have a good one!"

Boundary Bay Day

2009-10-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Day, and there is a long list of things and people I am grateful for. I think Jean has said it beautifully and eloquently. I hope she'll forgive me for taking the lazy way out, and suggesting you take a minute to check out the link to her post. I echo her thoughts and add some photos of yesterday's many highlights, each inspiring enormous gratitude and humbling awe.

Bill, Black Jack and I rose very early, and were in the truck by 6:00 a.m. (I still can't believe we did it:) The sky was turning soft pinks, mauves and tangerines by the time we reached Boundary Bay. Mount Baker was magnificent in the distance. I played a bit with this picture, so the colors aren't quite true, but I like the way they bring the mountain closer.

It was co-o-o-old. Honestly! My shutter finger was numb, and all three of us were shivering. The moon, icily white, seemed to say, "Why on earth didn't you dress for the weather?"
The ducks must have had very chilly feet and beaks.

This is the first sunrise Bill and I have ever watched together.
Close to an hour after we arrived. Bill manages to smile through chattering teeth as he and Black Jack gratefully soak up the sun's warmth. Their faces reach through the lens and create a glow around my heart.
Golden driftwood.
An eagle flies by.
Cooper's Hawk?
A crow. Last night, I watched an amazing documentary about crows on "The Nature of Things." I love crows and am thankful to have so many opportunities to photograph them. I feel sure I will get it right one day.
This eagle sat high in a tree in the parking lot.
Bird photography takes patience, persistence and a strong neck. I hoped for the photo of the century if I could capture the eagle flying out of the tree. It sat, virtually motionless, for a very long time. Sometimes, my camera strayed to other subjects.

After all that time, I managed to miss when the eagle flew out of the tree. Bill and Black Jack were watching me from the truck. I joined them, and we prepared to leave. The eagle came back with a catch! I think I took this shot through the window.
The mate showed up. I guess it had been watching from nearby, and wanted a share of whatever it was. (I'm not venturing a guess.)
I jumped out of the truck, and caught the eagle leaving. I don't think sharing was encouraged.
You can just see the first eagle between the branches as it chows down.
Zoomed in too far, I miss the left wing as the eagle takes off. For some reason, I love its toes/talons, all tucked up.
We head out of Boundary Bay, but Bill stops on the road so we can watch this hawk. Two cyclists stop and watch it with me. There is a different kind of energy in the people one meets early in the morning.
We hoped to see some Snow Geese in the nearby fields. There was a wonderful photo of them at IPutts' site, taken just the day before at Reifel Bird Sanctuary, but as it turned out, no Snow Geese crossed our path. The temperatures, though, were by now, perfect, and lovely scenes appeared wherever we went.
We stopped on a bridge and saw this Blue Heron to our right. It was quite small, and I wondered at first if it was a Green Heron, but on checking out the photos later, saw that wasn't the case.
Above us, and to the left, were at first two eagles. I missed the one flying away, but this one stayed around for some photos.
There was a lot to see from that bridge.
I took countless pictures of birds and ducks on logs, but only realized when I got home, that I may have captured my very first Yellow-Headed Blackbird. It's hard to see, but if you click on the photo, it will enlarge. I first saw one on Ship Rock's site, but he deletes older pictures as he uploads new ones, and that one is no longer there.
One more view of what I think may be the Yellow-Headed Blackbird. One of the things I love about my camera is that it has better eyesight than I do.
There were a few swans too.
It's always my hope to capture photos of birds in flight. Bill tried to help me watch the heron at my right, and the eagle at my left, but in the end, the eagle outstayed our patience, and the heron got away in a momentary lapse of attention. Both were entertaining though. The eagle went through several poses, and it was interesting to see the smaller birds' daring.
The heron was also entertaining. I don't know if this was a yawn. I do know it was silent.
A silent call to the powers that be for a fish?
I've always thought herons could teach us a bit about Yoga.
It scratched at its face for several minutes.
The eagle finally turned its back on us, showing its beautiful tail feathers.
We left the bridge, and stopped by at Westham Island Herb Farm for a quick visit. We found that they either update the decorations continually, or there were many scarecrow characters that we had missed during our visit there last weekend.
I hope you won't find the picture rude, but it was this image that made us laugh, and encouraged our second visit.
I had completely missed seeing this lady's arms until I got home. It's the details that make Westham so much fun.
I think she enjoys her work.
Another stop and a lovely walk along the dyke. Some gymnast shorebirds.
Looks like the town meeting place.
This fellow seemed a bit lost, but finally made it to the edge of the grass.
Bill helped me locate this little fellow in my lens.
As always, if anyone has the time or inclination to identify the birds I post, the help is much appreciated. My respect for true birders has really grown. I now understand that the initial learning curve is very, very steep, even with the aid of excellent books and internet sites.
Bill was attune to the tiniest gasp of interest, and would stop the truck whenever he guessed I might want to take photographs. This stop was at a small park, after I spotted a couple of eagles in the sky. They were too far off to see very well, but this heron came in for a fun landing.
I love the feet first, body following stance, as they land.
I did it, and I think I'm beautiful. (You are, indeed.)
Again, we stood on a little bridge and observed. This cormorant flew by.
I think pigeons' have great beauty and it shines best away from downtown city streets.
Even the dark ones have lovely colors. This one drinks what we guessed to be diluted salt water.
Are you looking at me?
Well, indeed you should.
As we left the park, Bill told me to watch for a photo op around the corner. He had seen a pair of what he guessed to be feral cats.
There were several little shelters set up and I am hoping it may be part of a spay-neuter-release program.
Black Jack was in Bill's arms, and though she tried to remain quiet, finally had to let out a little yip. The second cat stared at her, and seemed to be protecting the first one. I thought again of Jean. I am thankful for her hard work, over a period of several months, to stop the use of the gas box to euthanize homeless cats. Her efforts have not succeeded yet, but I believe this story is not over. You can read about the decision (in my opinion, a heartless one) that was made here. The cats in my pictures, if they are indeed feral, are at least fed and sheltered, and I am very thankful to the people who are taking care of them.
One final stop in Ladner for a delicious lunch at Sharkey's Seafood Bar and Grill. It also had some excellent vegetarian options, and very friendly service. This was one of several beautiful scenes just outside the restaurant.
This flower was just outside the window by our table.
Back in Vancouver, a latte at The Wicked Cafe summed up a perfectly wonderful day. Thank you, Bill! Happy Thanksgiving all!

Barred Owl, Cooper's Hawk(?), and good-fail shots.

2009-10-10T20:51:00.001-07:00

I came upon an owl this morning at Jericho Park, and was elated. No other word for it. Later, a man told me it was a Barred Owl. I've looked in my book and think he was correct. It's my very first sighting ever!

The walk began with little birds singing all around me, but it seemed, the trees were empty. I just couldn't locate the source of the songs. I was happy, finally, to spot this little one in the tall grasses, even though I couldn't identify it.
Black Jack and I checked out the rabbit bushes, and walked the trails at the back of the park for quite some time, and finally took the wooded trail to 4th Avenue, heading homeward. A very persistent and loud bird call, one that I hadn't noticed before, slowed us down. (I'm convinced Black Jack enjoys tiptoeing along with me, when I go into hunt mode.) I looked up, and up, and up, until my neck ached. The call came every few seconds, and each time, I felt sure I would see the bird. Eventually, we were off the path, stepping into a mess of thickets and roots and sometimes grasses, still trying to locate the source of the call. Finally, I stepped on a fallen branch, and the loud crack caused the bird to fly to a tree along the path. I was never able to get a clear photograph, but it was in my effort to get its picture, that I came across the owl. Thank you to that bird! I've looked in my book, and have a feeling it may be a Cooper's Hawk. It never came out of the shadows, and I had to lighten this shot to post it, but could it be that I've identified it correctly? If so, then there were two firsts in one day.
A failed photograph, but the only one that shows its eye, and I count it as a good-fail shot.
Another failed shot. I was trying to get the yellow flowers, but instead, got a fun color mix.
I missed the bird's head in this one, but love the veins in the leaf at the centre.
This tree is on the North-West corner of Alma Street and 4th Avenue. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm going to try and identify it when I get a chance. In the meantime, it will become another one of my little projects to try and do its beauty justice.
Thanksgiving Weekend and I am thankful.

A Walk Around the school in North Vancouver on Thursday

2009-10-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, my friend Dianne visited me at school. We went for little walk; it was amazing how many things there were to see, and how much action there was in such a short time.

There were lots of flowers. This one caught the sunlight and my eye.

Then we met a man carrying a snake. We learned that it was a corn snake, and had been found in someone's garden, probably let go when its human either lost it or decided it wasn't that much fun to take care of. The man had named her Queenie.
Here, Dianne is holding it. I also had the opportunity to hold it (although no pics to prove it) and was very taken with what seemed to be such a gentle personality. It stretched its head up and looked at me quite curiously, I thought. Its eyes were mauve (it seemed to me) and I was told it is partly Albino. It was only the second time in my life that I've held a snake. The last time was a very large one, also a pet, that we met during a band trip to Boston. If you have never tried it, their skin is not at all slimy. In fact, it has a smooth, silky feel to it.
A lady came along and gave me permission to post her picture with Queenie. She seemed to know quite a bit about reptiles, and was thrilled to make Queenie's acquaintance.
It was a wonderful experience meeting Queenie. Isn't she beautiful? Thank you to the man for rescuing her, and for volunteering with the reptile rescue.

As we continued on our walk, we came across many happy dogs playing. It turned out to be a regular play group that meets every afternoon. I didn't get the names of the dogs, but took a few pictures.
Dogs and children understand play. They just do, and I savor every opportunity to learn from them. There was joy in all of the dogs, and it was definitely communicable.

There are many bird houses in the area, each one a creative and artistic feat. This is the latest one to go up.
Dianne and I parted, both of us the better for our outing. Here's to fun walks on beautiful days!

Westham Island Herb Farm

2009-10-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my last post, a trip on Sunday to Reifel Bird Sanctuary led us (Bill, Kitty&Jock, Lucy, Black Jack, and me) by Westham Island Herb Farm, as we were heading home. My friend Kitty loves vegetables like no one else I know, and to pass by such an inviting place would have come close to breaking her heart. In fact, we did pass by it, but something made me ask Bill to turn back the truck, and ever obliging, that is exactly what he did. Here is Bill, posing with Black Jack in front of a wagon that rests invitingly on the front of the property.

I thought of Neville (a friend and very talented photographer and artist. Check out his site.) and his love of all things connected to the Hallowe'en season. I think he would have enjoyed this fellow, standing guard on the back of the wagon.
A close-up of his face. What I loved about Westham was the care and attention given to every decorative detail.
Along with pumpkins, and every variety of squash imaginable, were fields of flowers.

There were also donkeys.
I don't think Black Jack had ever seen a donkey before. She placed herself in a bulldog stance that gave her a completely new persona.
Lucy was much more inclined to take things in her stride. She sniffed and investigated, and although generally anxious in strange places, seemed quite at home at Westham.
There were lots of visitors on such a beautiful day, many of them with pets. This is Tess, a young Great Dane pup. I think she is only about six months old. Here, Black Jack seems aware even her bulldog stance will fall flat.
Lucy and Tess investigated each other so gently. This is one of my favorite photos of the day.
Tess, you are one beautiful, sweet dog. It sure was fun meeting you!
Jock and the donkey enjoying an investigative moment.
Here, the donkey was staring at Black Jack, who had gained elevation in Bill's arms. Another favorite shot.
Checking to see if any of us had treats. We didn't, as a sign on the pen warned against feeding.
Kitty was a happy, happy camper. I love this picture of her. There are others with her hair beautifully arranged, but this one is my favorite.
Yum! And, so beautiful to look at!
As I said, Kitty was happy! Here, she points out a goose neck squash. (I think that is what it's called.)
As I tried to capture some other produce photos, this foot kept appearing in front of my lens.
I followed the foot upwards, to discover this fellow on the ceiling. Actually, I guess the hat and braids might indicate a lady rather than a fellow. Not what I'd call a beauty, but full of color and life. There were so many things to see at Westham, one had to be careful to look in all directions.
Now that's a face you have to love!
What a perfectly wonderful day we had! I've barely touched the surface of all there was to see at Westham. Both the farm and the bird sanctuary would make great destinations for anyone looking for a fun plan for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Reifel

2009-10-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

Two posts to record a great day last Sunday, this one about Reifel Bird Sanctuary and the other about Westham Island Herb Farm.

It was a picture-perfect Fall day, and we were, as my students would say, stoked. We (BIll, Jock, Kitty, me, Lucy (Jock & Kitty's Sheltie) and Black Jack) drove to Ladner, where Jock and I were dropped off so we could have a little cycling time. Bill continued on, with Kitty and the two dogs. They arrived first, and took the dogs for a walk, as they would have to stay in the truck later. Reifel is a dog-free zone.

It was an easy ride, and I was just plain happy. It doesn't get much better than time with good friends, beautiful weather, and anticipation of visiting Reifel, a place I have been hearing and thinking about for quite some time.

Jock took this picture of me while cycling. I was impressed with his athletic ability. It takes all my concentration to ride. Taking pictures at the same time would be foolhardy, to say the least.w

When we arrived, Kitty had already talked with the people at Reifel, and she told us there was the possibility of seeing a great-horned owl. We looked for nests, but although I'm sure they were around, I imagine it would take several visits and lots of patience to spot one. Still, the very idea that they were in the area was exciting.

One of my photography goals (along with getting a truly magnificent crow shot) is to capture a quality shot of a duck flying. It seemed as though it might be realized at Reifel. There were ducks everywhere. It is one of the few places where feeding ducks is permitted, and appropriate food is sold in the shop. However, again, it wasn't to be. This is the best shot I was able to manage, and although it is nice that the color of the car goes well with the mallard's markings, getting the short in focus was another matter.

That is Bill's hand you see there. Bill drove us, looked after Black Jack, and tried to help in any way he could think of to make it easier for me to get pictures. Thank you, Bill!
Duck "bottom up" shots are easy to capture, and I have quite a few. However, what interested me on Sunday was how much power there is in the webbed feet as they churn up water.
That's Jock. He's a talented photographer, and I'm looking forward to seeing his pictures for the day. Maybe he'll even let me post a few. One great thing about three of us taking pictures (Kitty got a few that she was happy with as well) is seeing how each of us saw what was around us.
I felt really fortunate to see some Wood Ducks for the first time. I had seen pictures posted by Ship Rock and was awed by the patterns and colors. Check out a recent photograph by Ship Rock. I don't see him as much lately, now that the ospreys have left the nest, but I still check out his site whenever I get the chance. I wasn't able to match the quality of his photo, but was pretty happy to get these, especially given that the ducks mostly chose to swim in spots with poor light.
This one was perhaps the clearest. I'm curious to learn more about Wood Ducks. The red eyes seem quite unusual to me. I wonder how many other birds have red eyes.
I was never able to fully catch the back of the head, with the colors sort of draping over the neck, but you can see a little of that in the duck at the front. Jock and Kitty have gone back to Reifel today, a fact which makes me just the tiniest bit envious (okay, that may be a tad understated). I can't wait to go back and try again.
I love it that Autumn is such a colorful time. Kitty particularly liked these mushrooms.
Mallards may be common in this area, but I never get over the males' constantly changing shades of blue and green.
Reifel has beautiful scenery, no matter where one looks.
I liked the branch and reflections in this one.
There was a kind of a lookout building, and it had openings which accessed various views of the river. If one looked down, there was just enough space to get the camera focused on some surprisingly (to me) large fish. I don't know what they were, but they were very active, and had huge mouths.
Just a little bird with beautiful markings. My guess is a female Red-Winged Blackbird.
After a wonderful few hours, we loaded everyone back into the truck, took a picture of the bikes (with resident turtle) and headed home (we thought).
Here's a close-up of the little turtle on Jock's bike. It has a name, and I'm kicking myself, because I don't remember it.
As it turned out, we ended up stopping at a wonderful farm, and the post about that is coming very soon. As always, thanks for reading!

Low Key Saturday

2009-10-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

It is earlyish on Sunday morning, and here I am blogging again. Strange how sometimes the urge is there, and other times, it sort of fades away. In an hour or so, we will leave for a trip to Reifel, a migratory bird sanctuary. I'm looking forward to seeing it for the first time. The only tiny drawback is that Black Jack cannot go in the sanctuary with us, but she will stay in the truck where she always seems to be very comfortable in her soft bed (she has a brand new extra luxurious one that Bill bought her at the Saints Silent Auction), and I've promised myself not to leave her alone for more than about an hour.

All the pictures for this post were taken yesterday. They are in order of taking, except for this first one. It's very similar to one I took exactly a week ago. I think it even comes from the same tree at Jericho Park.

A new art teacher at my school has started a photography club for our students. I would love to join it, but have to think carefully about time commitments. I saw her telling the students to get right up to the tree trunk for shots looking up. I tried that yesterday during a walk through the military grounds.
Black Jack and I crossed over 4th Avenue from the military grounds into Jericho Park. I looked up and saw an osprey flying with a crow. It was very, very high up in the sky. I'm surprised the camera picked it up at all. I wonder if it could be Rose and her crow friend.
Another view way up high in the sky. Just little specs. But when I got home and checked out the picture, I saw they were geese. Usually, I see them flying much lower.
Black Jack insisted that we do our mandatory walk by the rabbit bushes. This cutie was sitting up as straight and as still as could be.
A mallard, with its beautiful navy patch showing.
Military exercise. I thought the soldiers blended into the Fall day rather nicely. Bill said that from a distance, we could call it the Zombie walk.
Just a sweet puppy having a great day. I didn't get its name, nor did I talk with its humans very much, but was given permission to take pics.
This was about a three-second rest break before it sprung to action again.
On the way home, I was struck by the contrast in leaf colors.
Later in the afternoon, Bill drove me around town so I could do some errands. These dogs were tied up outside London Drugs on West Broadway. I took the shot from the truck window. I was going to crop out the bicycle but then thought better of it. I mean, this blog is supposed to be about bikes as well as birds and beasts.
There are some bushes outside the Safeway grocery store, and as I walked by, bird singing was un-missable. It's amazing how much happy (to me) sound these little finches(?) can produce. I had to work a bit to get the photo. Most of them (I would guess there to be a very large number of them) stayed hidden inside the bushes. This little one finally did me the honor of an appearance.
Aw...
Home for a nap, supper, more Duchess episodes, and then fairly early to bed. That was my low key and very enjoyable Saturday.

Interactions

2009-10-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining and I'm blogging. As much as a couple of days of rain were okay, maybe even a bit better than okay, I want to get out and enjoy a beautiful day while I can. So, I will try to be brief (not my strongest asset:)

Last night, after an exhausting work week, I stopped by the lookout in North Van. No ospreys, and no eagles, but the seals were out in full numbers. This one, I believe, is "my" seal, the one with a cloudy left eye and compelling personality. It looked up at the seagull, in a half friendly, half curious sort of way.

Here, it soaks up the evening light as it prepares to lie back down.
A lady joined me at the lookout. She told me her name was Lynne. We talked about the seals and the ospreys and I gave her my blog address. She tried to count the seals. I liked this one at the front left, for its complete contentment.
Lynne decided it was impossible to count this gathering. I was told by a photographer that the most she has been able to count are 42 seals. I would guess all of them were in the area last evening.
I didn't linger. Bill and I had plans to watch two more episodes of "The Duchess of Duke Street" and I was looking forward to that. I am so happy that our friends, Kitty and Jock, recommended that series. Before I left, Lynne gave me this rose, picked, I think, from some nearby bushes. I wondered where to put it for its journey from North Vancouver to Point Grey, and she suggested in my v-neck top. "It will stay moist there, " she said, and you may even be able to smell it as you cycle." Well, she was right, and I smiled several times as the aroma wafted upward. It has faded this morning, but the memory of a lovely interaction has not.

When I arrived home, Bill had already fed and walked Black Jack, but we headed out for another walk, just so I could check out the beautiful evening light with my camera. In fact, the light was dying, but the skyline still had a glow on it.

It always makes me smile when Black Jack accepts as her due that Bill should transport her to views otherwise unaccessible. Last night, he referred to himself as, "Mr. Elevator Man."

There was a photographer taking pictures through the small openings in the fence, some of them cross shaped. He was getting beautiful results. I tried to do the same thing and wasn't at all successful. I did take a couple of leaves in the grass. I had never seen a black leaf before. Anyone able to tell me about black leaves?
Jocelyn lives in my building, and every morning, she takes her dog Philip, and cat, Charlotte, to the courtyard, where they seem to have a wonderful time exploring every nook and cranny. This is Philip. He was adopted at approximately 12 years of age and has been with Jocelyn for a year or so. Bless you, Jocelyn!And Charlotte! Black Jack always knows when she's around, and insists on access to the balcony so she can observe her antics.
Poor Black Jack. She quivers and yips a bit, but has mostly learned that all she can really do is observe. She does enjoy her visits with Jocelyn, as do I.

Charlotte comes when she is called, and is an absolutely fascinatingly beautiful cat. Here, she took a short trip up the tree to look around.
No "Mr. Elevator Man" required.
She turns..
..and heads back down.
Fun interactions to start what looks to be a beautiful weekend. Hope you enjoy it! Special thoughts to a blogger friend, Al, who I believe is in Manila! She survived the first typhoon (Ketsana) to hit the Philippines, and rescued a lost puppy (Bless you, Al!). I'm hoping the second typhoon (Parma) missed her completely. Let us know, Al, if you can.

Rain drops and birds

2009-10-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

I stole a few moments on Wednesday to wander with my camera along the trail by my school. This tiny chick-a-dee was busy gathering seeds (I think). I loved the way it hung upside down, swinging freely and confidently.

There have been a couple of wet rides to school this week. I didn't mind them as much as I thought I would. In fact, they were strangely enjoyable, although, discovering that the rain had stopped later in the afternoon was definitely worthy of celebration. Camera in hand, I headed out again today for another relaxing walk around the school. This heron was sitting on the school roof.
About a year or so ago, I remember doing a post about rain droplets on leaves. I found myself doing that again.
The sun barely managed a glimmer through the clouds, but Sumac leaves added brilliance to the surroundings.
More rain droplets.
They seemed to line themselves up on the blades of grass. Little spheres of light.
The crows gather a bit earlier each afternoon. Like the heron, they seemed to find the school roof attractive today.
I thought all the bald eagles had left the area, but heard the familiar call today, and spotted one on the ship, quite a distance from shore.
More Sumac leaves.

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn," says Elizabeth Lawrence. Seems like a good idea to me.

Zimbabwean Sculptures (+flowers, birds and beasts)

2009-09-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned dropping by VanDusen Botanical Gardens on Saturday. A lady had told me about the Zimbabwean Sculpture Exhibition, and as Bill and I pondered a plan for the day, I suddenly remembered her words. I was glad I did. The exhibition ends October 4th. If you are anywhere close to Vancouver, and have the time, I believe you will find it memorable, especially if you choose a day with beautiful weather to add to the pleasure.

There is quite a bit of information on line about the exhibit and the various artists. I even found a blog post on the subject!

Bill spent quite some time going through my photographs, and chose three for the blog post. I'm sorry to have missed the title and name of the artist for this one, but love the lines flowing skyward, and also the expressions.

This one is called "Mischievous Boys" and the artist is Jonathan Mhondorohuma.
"Deep in Thought" by Stoney Mutengwe
There are about 200 artists represented in the exhibit. Two of them can be seen working on site. I spent a few moments talking with Passmore Mupindiko. He was working on a beautiful sculpture of a Guinea Fowl. Those few moments had quite an impact. If ever I can find a little extra cash (okay, for me, quite a bit of extra cash), I will be looking him up. You can see a video with him and Patrick Sephani talking about their work and explaining the various types of stone used. I also enjoyed this article in the Vancouver Sun, highlighting the two artists.

VanDusen Gardens was magnificent on Saturday. Bill and I were mesmerized by this rainbow that appeared and disappeared and magically transformed, depending on the wind direction and sun filtering through the water fountain. I tried and tried to capture it in a photo; this was my best effort. I don't know if it would appear quite frequently, or if nature and man just happened to synchronize on Saturday for our pleasure.
Bill especially enjoyed the water lilies.
Here, Bill holds up a flower that would normally face down. I didn't capture its full essence, but caught Bill's quite well, I thought.
These red flowers are Amaranth. I thought they went beautifully with Bill's shirt, but he limited me to only one picture of him.
Whoops. This sunflower was not part of the exhibit. We saw it later the same day, all by itself, in a marshy area of Jericho Park.
Back to VanDusen. I did not catch the names of most of the flowers, but loved this one.
And now, back to Jericho. Just a little bird, unidentified.
A blue heron opened its wings for a short flight across the pond.
The landing.
With fall colors reflected in the water, the heron had the perfect background to highlight its elegance.
Last year, I had a lot of fun with autumn colors. This year, I have wondered if the dry summer would affect the leaf shades and/or the length of time the colors remain vibrant, so there's a feeling of wanting to capture the beauty while I can.
We met Shanti at Jericho. He was chasing a soft frisbee, and I took a zillion photos, struggling to capture the essence of "Peace" of this totally happy dog. His humans, recently moved to Vancouver from Calgary, were very friendly, and told me Shanti's diet is completely vegetarian, and very carefully hand-cooked for maximum nutrition.

I have come to the end of Bill's photo selections. These last ones are a few random ones, taken between the 23rd and the 26th. They come partly as a Rose update, and partly to represent a couple of highlights last week.

I haven't spent much time checking out the nest, and the lookout by my school. Mostly, just five or ten-minute visits before I head home in the afternoon. This is taken with my small camera, but gives a fairly good overview of the area, with the nest on the pylon at the right, front corner, and the barge at the far right. Often, it is completely deserted, with barely a seal in sight, and no sign of ospreys. I did see quite a few seals yesterday, though, so they haven't left yet. I have no idea where they go for the winter. Looking down at the rocks beneath the water at high tide.
The last time I saw Rose (at least I feel fairly sure this is Rose) was on Wednesday, the 23rd. She flew from the barge to this mast.
Here she is, at the right, on the barge. There is a heron at the left. I'm not sure what bird is in the center.
A rather beautiful crow, I think.
The seagulls have become quite bold, stealing old scraps from the osprey nest.
I spent some time on Friday evening watching the beavers. Here, one chews on a thick branch.
It was almost dark, and I was surprised my camera picked up some fairly clear shots with the flash.

As is often the case, we were being observed as well. There were three of us enjoying the beavers - a lady photographer, and a man named Greg, who stops by quite regularly.

The temperatures are getting much cooler in the evenings, and the ducks often hide their heads. I guess that's a way of keeping a bit warmer.

This last photo was taken Friday evening, the 25th, in Stanley Park, on my way home from school. I liked the shiny beads of water that showed up on the swan's head and neck.

Thanks to Bill for working tirelessly on Sunday to help with a very frustrating printer problem, and most especially, for taking time to go through my photos. His comments and suggestions are always so appreciated. And, as always, thanks to anyone who takes time to stop by and share in my days.

Back again

2009-09-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

As I begin this post, a voice in my head mumbles,"All work and no play is making Carol a dull old lady." Fortunately, the glow of this jellyfish, nestled among rocks at low tide, reminds me that there have been quite a few play moments. Just less time and energy at the end of the day to record them. That picture was taken on Monday, September 14th, almost two weeks ago. It was taken during a short, lunch-time stroll along the rocks by my school.

This starfish was nearby, and had a bit of a glow as well.
It makes me smile, sometimes, to suspect that the very beings I love to observe are themselves taking stock of the human watchers. These three seals popped up, one by one, and stared intently, when I found a few minutes the following day to get out on the sandbar at low tide. I imagine their conversation sometimes. I've heard people making comments about how lazy the seals are, sleeping in the sun for hours, and I always wonder what the seals might be saying to each other about the humans standing for hours, clicking black boxes in front of their faces.
Dad, the osprey, paid a rare visit just moments later. The pictures were taken into the sun, but iphoto worked fairly well to get some of his features to show up. He brought the fish dutifully to the nest, but I missed that shot. Since neither Mom nor Rose showed up, he took the fish to his usual pylon, and seemed to enjoy having it all to himself.

Dad's feathers scruffed up to make him look at least a size larger, as he shook himself dry.
I have convinced myself that the ospreys do not worry about me or my camera. Dad did give me a bit of a look here. Maybe, like the seals, more curious than concerned.
The reason I missed Dad's arrival at the nest, was this seagull on the other side of the sandbar. I continue to be a combination of fascinated, grossed out, and horrified for the starfish, whenever I see this act. The seagull actually ate two starfish, one about five minutes after the other. This shot exposes the underside of the starfish.
Rose didn't show up for her lunchtime meal, but made an appearance when I stopped by a few hours later, on the way home after school. She and this crow were having a bit of a tiff. The tide was in, and I couldn't get very close, but if you click on the picture, Rose's expression and posture show exactly what she thinks about dive-bombing crows.
Bill was away that week for a few days, and as always, was missed. Black Jack rode to school with me on Thursday and Friday, and enjoyed meeting my students. She slept through the more boring lessons, but was happy to join us for a beach walk on Friday, the 18th. I took this Turnstone during the walk, first on its own..
..and then, with its buddies.
My students found this starfish, and were intrigued with the way it clung to the rock.
I returned that same Friday, after school, and caught my last image of Dad bringing a fish to Rose. I'm sure I've missed quite a bit of Rose's life, but with just short stop-by's, the glimpses of her and her parents have been fleeting.
The next day (Saturday, the 19th), my friends, Jock and Kitty, biked over to North Vancouver with me. Jock took pictures from the shoreline.
I waded out on the sandbar, at a fairly deep low tide, hoping to get some osprey close-ups. Rose did turn up, but wasn't very active. Fortunately, Jock was willing to provide entertainment. As you can see, Black Jack was fascinated with the show.
Kitty enjoyed talking to some international students who stopped by the lookout. I don't remember the details of her conversation, but I know it stayed in her mind for a long time afterwards. She remarked that the interaction was one of the highlights of her day.

Rose figured that turning up was a more than sufficient contribution to the day's entertainment. For the most part, she remained on the nest or the nearest pylon.

Since Jock was only willing to do so much in the way of entertainment, I turned again to one bird that never fails me.

I caught one take-off, on the way to the pylon, and that was about it for Saturday's osprey photo-ops.

Jock, always quick to spot and enjoy the small perfect moments, pointed out this little boat, with the name "Just Enough" on it.

Finally time to move on, we decided to walk along the waterfront towards my school. Suddenly, a blurr raced past us.

It was Cocoa Chanel, one of my very favorite dogs. I first met her last January. She runs ahead of Josie, her human, and 'hides" with absolute enthusiasm and passion. As soon as Josie comes into view, Cocoa takes off again, looking for a new hiding spot. She hides under trees..
Under bushes..

Behind grass..

..and is just one of the most happy, active, chock-full-of-personality dogs you could ever hope to meet.
She also does a slow motion dance that is an impressive feat of concentrated poetry in motion. It may take some time, but my plan is to do a post devoted to that particular skill.
After meeting lots of dogs and people, and after a short rest, we biked over to Lonsdale Quay where the polar opposite of "Just Enough" was waiting for us. Someone told me that the yacht, complete with helicopter, is owned by the same person who bought the Fast Cat Ferries. However, the article in the link states that those ferries have just been sold again for use in the United Arab Emirates.

Back again in Kitsilano, I remarked on these flowers in front of the Starbucks Coffee Shop. I had noticed them a few days before that, and thought they really brightened up an otherwise busy street corner. Jock told me a great story about his neighbor, Alex, who goes around the area, planting flowers just for the pleasure and beauty they bring to the neighborhood. Thanks, Alex! People like you are a gift to people like me.

After some snacks and conversation at Kitty and Jock's, and a visit with their dog, Lucy, we went that evening for a great supper at The Naam. All in all, it was just plain fun to spend the day with them. They truly get what friendship is about, and boy, do I ever feel lucky to have bumped into them on one of my first walks after arriving in Vancouver, 10 years or so ago.

On Sunday, Black Jack and I played some ball in the park.

Then, we walked along the beach and met another of our favorite friends, Lucky, who's little head suddenly appeared over this rock. I posted some blurred pictures of Lucky before, although I can't find the link right now. One more blurred photo here. He moves very, very quickly.
He clambered up and played with Black Jack, who was more than willing to cooperate. Finally, we had to stop them, as those two dogs hold nothing back when they play, and there were a fair number of sharp rocks and stones to make things hazardous.
Handsome Lucky finally stopped for a posed shot.

The rock face, stones, seaweed and driftwood swirled and curved beautifully, it seemed to me.
I zoomed in, trying to articulate the power of rolling, fluid lines.
Black Jack also seemed fascinated. She climbed and sniffed and climbed some more.

Before we left, I spent some time watching the crows. It's an ongoing project, trying to get a successful crow shot. These, along with most of the others I've taken, do not work, except in the sense that when I look at them, I feel the exhilaration of the crows' athleticism.

One crow picked up what I thought was a pebble and dropped it over and over. I thought it was a game, but Bill reminded me later that it was probably cracking a shell to get at the meat inside. Of course! I did know that. Just a momentary lapse. Still, I'm convinced that crow was having fun while it worked!

I had more or less planned not to go to North Vancouver last Sunday, but after resting from our beach walk, and snoozing a little, Black Jack was ready for just about anything, and I couldn't stop wondering if Rose had caught a fish yet. We headed across the bridge. Though Rose honored us with a visit, she did not do any fish-catching demos.

My favorite seal made an appearance as well. I thought s/he looked particularly beautiful in the late afternoon sun.

My friend Dianne and her dog, Haley, met us and we had a happy visit, just sitting and talking by the water's edge. Here is a picture of dear, sweet Haley. She is another of the special dogs in my life.

Bill arrived home last Sunday evening, and a whole week has flown by again. We've had a couple of lattes, some great laughs, and a wonderful breakfast visit this morning with his sister, Phyllis, niece, Glenys, and great-nephew, Oscar. We even managed a stop-by visit on the way home today, to admire the trees and flowers, and see an amazing Zimbabwean Sculpture Exhibition at VanDusen Botanical Gardens. A few pictures to come in what I would like to be a short post, hopefully tomorrow.

As for Rose, we may be coming to the end of the updates. She almost never comes to the nest, and I never did get the chance to see her catch a fish. I did catch a glimpse of her last Wednesday evening, perched on a very tall mast, far off on the other side of the marina. I know it's just about time to wean myself from Rose, as she has, I believe, weaned herself from her parents. Still, I may do a teeny trip over the bridge tomorrow, just to check if there's any sign of her.

Tonight? A walk with Black Jack, and then, we'll watch "Duchess of Duke Street" Disc 1, lent to us by Kitty and Jock. All work and no play? Not at all, once I think about it.

Birds and Bills

2009-09-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, walk destinations are almost a surprise. They start out with little in mind except a desire to be outdoors, a "let's see what catches my eye" approach to the camera, and a vague goal of making sure Black Jack has some fun and some exercise. And sometimes, Black Jack seems to be in tune with that meandering, stop and start approach. Saturday was like that. The weather was beautiful, and we spent several happy hours at Jericho. Whenever I stopped to take pictures, Black Jack sat, calm but staring intently, almost as though she was the one taking the pictures.

We watched this duck for a while. I think it was a mallard, although the coloring seemed a bit different than usual.

On a little trail behind the rabbit bushes, we took some time to look at this spider web. Neville, who has started up his blog again, has been doing some amazing spider shots, and perhaps I had some of his photos in mind when I took the picture. It was rather fun, as well, to find that Shiprock had taken a photo of a web, I believe the same day. There is another young and extremely versatile photographer who calls himself iputts. A friend of Shiprock's, I met him one day taking pictures of the osprey family, and on another occasion, had the opportunity to talk with him when Shiprock arranged a meeting. I have come to the conclusion that photographer are really fun to get to know. I don't think iputts has focused on spiders recently, but there is a dragonfly shot that is amazing. He, like Neville, has an interest in the macabre, and his zombie walk photos are well worth a look. All this to say, check out Shiprock, Neville and iputts if you have the time.
But back to the walk. A chick-a-dee was singing up a storm, as it sat on this fence.
Then, we found ourselves back where we had started, watching the ducks on the pond. I wonder if this was the same duck I had photographed earlier.
This is the first shorebird I have seen with what I think of as the classic long beak of a sandpiper. I tried to identify it, and the best guess that I came up with is perhaps a Dunlin.
This is the same bird, only a few seconds later. Another of my never-fail surprises - how can light change so dramatically from one moment to the next?
On Sunday morning, I got up very early, put Black Jack in her carrier, and biked over to North Vancouver, hoping to see Rose (the osprey chick) catch a fish. That didn't happen. In fact, I arrived just moments after Mom had delivered a fish. I waited around a long time, but there were to be no fish-catching demos on Sunday. Instead, we watched the geese..
..a cormorant standing at the end of a line of geese..
..a goose eating seaweed. Do geese eat seaweed?
Black Jack enjoyed the ride, and the beach activity, and helped me keep an eye on..
..a curious seal. (I think it was "my" seal but am not absolutely certain.)
We also checked out this starfish. It had a strangely soft surface, not so pleasant to look at, but I thought it made an interesting photograph.
I always love to watch the cormorants..
..and lately, have really enjoyed watching the Turnstones (identified with Shiprock's help).

I love the way the white under their wings catches the light.
This is one of those pictures you do not want to click on to enlarge. It's very out of focus, but I love the foot action.
After our trip to North Van, Black Jack and I biked home, stopping at the dog bakery on Denman so that she could have a special treat. Once home, she lay in her bed on the balcony while I slept for several hours, trying to get the better of a cold that has been draining my energy. Then, Bill arrived, offering lots of sympathy, and some laughter to make me forget the cold. We went for a short walk together, stopping for a latte on 4th Avenue, and then heading down to Point Grey Road to check out Margaret Pigott Park and Volunteer Park. We returned home via Tatlow Park, where Bill patiently posed while I tried to figure out how to get pictures without shadows. Both of us commented on the small but lovely parks, all within a mile or two of where we live.

Here were the results of my photo shoot. Although I didn't solve the shadow challenge in this one, I love Bill's laughter and Black Jack's focus.
I thought I did quite well in this one, except that Bill has to work hard to keep from squinting in the bright sunlight. Black Jack is still focused on a mystery subject, perhaps a squirrel.
I really do think Bill has modeling potential.
Don't you agree?
As we were leaving the park, I noticed this tree. I've been in the park many times, but on Sunday, it caught my eye for the first time.
This morning (Monday), I left for work a bit earlier than usual, hoping again to see Rose catch a fish. As it happened, Rose did not make an appearance at all. Lots of geese though. My friend, Diane, was there, with her dog, Haley. I always love to see them. We talked about the fact that many people really don't like geese. I guess we are the exceptions. I know they make quite a mess, but I still love to see them.

I stopped by again after work, happy to see that Rose was still in the area. No fish catching, though. She was seeming quite hungry, and here is flying to her nest to eat a few scraps of leftover fish that had, I imagine, been delivered by one of her parents. I wonder if I will be lucky enough to see her make a successful catch in the near future.

I was really excited to see these four otters playing. I think that was only the third time I have seen otters, in several months of watching for them. They were a fair distance away, so the photos are poor, but I'm happy to have them as a memory of the otters' little show.

You may be wondering about the title for this post. Although there were a few non-birds, and there was only one Bill (albeit in several poses), I rather liked the ring of "Birds and Bills" so there you have it. More days in a good life.

Labour Day weekend walks and Tuesday osprey update.

2009-09-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I spent a few minutes at lunch time checking out the osprey nest. There was no sign of Rose, but I did meet Henry Wong, of Broadway Camera. I learned about him first from Shiprock. The first very kind and knowledgeable young man I talked to at the store recommended him as well, as soon as I mentioned birds. He sold me my new camera (Nikon D90) and if you check out the link, there is a comment at the top of the page from someone who has dealt with Henry for several years. The two things that impress me most are Henry's passion for wildlife photography (particularly birds) and his willingness to help his clients. He has one day a week off, and for the past seven weeks, has spent that day at the osprey nest. Just an amazing man!

Although I didn't see Rose, Henry told me that he had seen her catching fish. He thought she wasn't actually eating them. He said they looked more like practice sessions. I am still hoping I may be lucky enough to witness her catch a fish before she migrates. One osprey was there, and although the photo was taken from quite a distance, I am thinking it may be Dad. Note that the seagull seems relaxed, but is keeping a bit of an eye to the rear.

On the way home, later in the afternoon, I stopped by for another brief visit. At that time, Rose was there, and I was also fortunate to see Shiprock, passing by after a full day of photography elsewhere. I continue to love checking out Shiprock's photos, so will leave you with a link, in case you have time to treat yourself to a look. Among several beauties, is a Hudsonian Godwit, quite an unusual find. Another great thing about Shiprock is that he identifies his finds so thoroughly and accurately.

Here is the best picture I was able to capture of Rose. She wasn't very active, and in fact, took a little nap on that post. Last evening (Wednesday), I stopped again, but there wasn't an osprey in sight. Each time I take a photo, I wonder if it will be the last positive identification of her. I am still not absolutely sure that she will migrate. A few people have suggested that if the winter remains warm, the ospreys may decide to stay around. However, the nest, if everything I have read is true, will be used year after year by the parents to raise their new young. How they will handle the ousting of Rose is something I think about. If they do migrate, I also wonder a lot about whether they will accompany Rose, or whether instinct will take over, and she will make the trip on her own, or with other unrelated ospreys. So much to wonder and learn about!

I took these seagulls, near the osprey nest.
"My" seal was there, as well.

The next four pictures were taken during a walk on Sunday morning at Jericho Park with Black Jack.
I met the two ladies who feed the bunnies. I learned that they do this, not once, as I had thought, but twice a day, and have been doing this every day for two years. They told me that there are presently about 30 rabbits in the area, and at least one of them is about to have babies. They also said that only about eight survived last winter. They seem to feel that that is the way of nature, and they don't get too upset about the losses, unless they are caused by dogs allowed to run free in the area. As they said, coyotes, eagles, and other birds of prey need to eat too, and I know that is true. Still, I feel that people who set their pet rabbits free in that area don't really think that decision through very well.

The rest of the pictures in this post were taken on Monday evening, during a walk at Jericho with Bill and Black Jack. It had been a fairly dull day, but the sun peeked out and there were some unusual colors in the sky. I liked this duck (female Mallard, I think) because she stood up so very straight and alert.
And this one, because I admire that bit of purplish-navy under the wing. This is a female mallard, and although they are not as brilliantly colored as the males, they are still beautiful.
We didn't see any beavers, but Bill discovered this very tall tree. The beavers are doing a thorough job of eating away at its base. I wonder if the parks board people have noticed. I am thinking it won't be much longer before it falls.
The grasses were lovely in the light.
The sky over downtown had a hand-painted look to it.
A wise-looking crow at the fishing dock.
Black Jack is becoming more and more obsessed with rock climbing. She frenziedly checked out one crevasse after the other, with Bill rock-hopping after her. I was sitting on a nearby rock, taking pictures of the seagulls. When I looked over my shoulder at Black Jack and Bill, I had to laugh. It looked as though Bill had a line and was fishing as well. He was, but for a different catch!
Bill finally had enough of rock-hopping, and ever determined not to pull on Black Jack's neck, finally managed to get his hands on her, and lift her out of the crevasse.
I laughed a lot as I watched them. There is determination in both of their faces here. Bill's says, "Enough already. I need a break!) Black Jack's says, "You may lift me up but I can still look!"
Another seagull.
These next two are almost identical, but I couldn't choose between them for the post. I had never seen these particular patterns of blues and grays before in the water. I guess they were reflected from that hand-painted sky.

One tree, going out in a blaze of glory.

I took a few flowers on the way home, but this one was my favorite.As always, thanks for reading!

Catching Up

2009-09-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

Back to school, and almost a week since the last post. I've dropped by the osprey nest most days, sometimes with students, and sometimes, just for a minute-or-two stopover on the way home. Only 24 hours in a day, and sleep steals a few of those. How to fit all the other things I love to do into the remaining ones. Lucky for me that the cycling and dog-walking routes are bird, beast, and bloom friendly, my job keeps music and a youthful perspective at the forefront, a love for the outdoors brings me in contact with other nature observers who are usually happy to share ideas, and finally, my friend, Bill, gets that life is all good, even when, or maybe because, it does not always work out as expected. He quietly reminds me of that, and I am ever grateful for his friendship.

I loaded these pictures throughout the week, but am only now getting around to adding the commentary. Some of them go back as far as two weeks, but they highlight good times and learning times, so here they are, in somewhat mixed order.

Two nights ago, I walked at Jericho Park with Black Jack. We stopped at the little bridge to watch the beavers. The water level is very low, and the pond is not at its most attractive, but the beavers were working non-stop. I saw several adults and a few young as well. They didn't seem to mind the squeals of excited children, and the sound of footsteps above them. I could barely drag Black Jack away from her viewing spot between the railings of the bridge. She was mesmerized and totally silent.

The parks staff have put netting around the trees, but I guess the beavers are taller this year.

On Sunday, August 23rd, Bill and I decided to try out the new Canada Line, on the way to the airport to meet Lynn Berresford, Bill's friend from grade school days. We drove to a station, parked the truck, and looked forward to the adventure. I brought Black Jack's carrier, but no one stopped us, or expressed any concern about her presence. She, content in Bill's arms, took everything calmly in stride. The car we boarded was crowded, with very squished standing room only. Just as the train began to move, an announcement was made that, because of technical difficulties, we would not be going to the airport after all, but rather, to Richmond. We got off, boarded the equally crowded train for the one stop back to the truck, and drove to the airport. Quite the short-lived adventure.

While I was waiting for Bill to locate Lynn, I checked out the Bill Reid sculpture, The Jade Canoe. It is one that I have been looking at, on and off, for several years, and it holds as much fascination now as it did the first time I saw it. I particularly love the text poem, "The Spirit of Haida Gwaii" at the bottom of the page link. Bill Reid dictated it to his wife, explaining his interpretation of the beings in the canoe.
Lynn was on a stopover in Vancouver, on her way home to Auckland, New Zealand. She had visited with Bill's sister, Phyllis, in Winnipeg, and also given some talks about a program called I Can Do It. You can see a little video of her at that link. She is a psychologist, working with children in the school system, as well as with adults. It was great fun talking with her, and learning a little about her family and her life. Humans respond very differently to learning stimuli, and finding a way to bring out the best in each of us is a life process. While Lynn promotes one learning method on her website, it was obvious in talking to her that she is more than a system. Her eyes lit up several times with joy, as she described children and people who have come into her life, some so permanently that the relationships have developed into lifetime ones.
We walked for a little while in an outdoor garden at the airport. In spite of several trips to the airport, I had never seen this garden before, and found it to be a wonderfully tranquil spot. Lots of greenery, a walking path, and even some totem poles, magnificent against the blue sky.
We said good-bye to Lynn, and went to Jericho Sailing Club, one of our favorite haunts for an outdoor supper. Black Jack loves it because rabbits hang out under the yachts and boats, Bill loves the salmon salad, and I love the galley salad with goat cheese. We tried it out again last night, and may have to call that the last outdoor meal for this season, as we were driven almost insane by the mosquito-like creatures that attacked every bit of uncovered skin, including Bill's eyeballs! Still, on the day of our visit with Lynn, it was perfect. We even saw a Kingfisher and I was elated to get a fairly decent photo, given that it was dusk.
I took this picture a few days later. I believe the kingfisher may nest in the grass under the condemned wharf area at Jericho. Sometimes, when the tide is out, Black Jack and I can walk out far enough to see the water-facing side of the wharf, and the kingfisher seems to go from a spot under the ledge to the railings above, and then into the water. It moves so quickly that I have not been able to get an in-flight picture, and have never actually seen what it catches.
After supper, we walked along the beach. The setting sun caught this building of the skyline, creating a reflection so powerful, it was echoed across the water, and even in an artifact at the left of the photo.

This seal has been observing the photographers at the osprey-watching spot in North Vancouver with great interest. I think, here, it may be watching Black Jack dig holes in the sand. I have come to think of it as "my seal" and wonder if it could be a senior. Its picture keeps turning up when I go over the photographs for the day, and the cloudy eyes (especially the left) identify it as mine. Interesting that there was a news story recently about a seal that pulled a 5-year-old into the water. She was wearing a lifejacket, and that fact, along with an observant passer-by and her nearby father, probably saved her life. While the photographers in the osprey area are very respectful of wildlife, there are still those people who don't get that it is dangerous to treat wild animals and birds as we do our pets. The child and her father were not feeding the seal, but I wonder if it had had some previous encounters that encouraged it to act out of character. It is hard to resist. I mean, look at this adorable face. But, if ever I am tempted to feed a wild animal, I only need to remember that it, as well as other humans who meet it later, will probably pay dearly for my indulgence.

There is a small tree across the Mosquito Creek river that can be seen from the lookout at the east side of my school. Although it doesn't, at first glance, appear to be much of a tree, it is well used. Here, an osprey from the second nest (the one I haven't photographed very often because it is too high up and in an industrial area) perches in the tree, maybe watching for fish in the river.

One evening, Bill and I saw this heron in that same tree, during a stopover after a day trip to Squamish.
I took a picture of the moon shortly after seeing the heron.
Along with seals, ospreys, herons, and otters near my school, I often see shorebirds. I tried to identify this one, but the closest I am able to manage with any certainty is the term, "Sandpiper-like Birds" used in the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds.
I almost forgot to mention the Canada Geese. They are everywhere. I like them best in flight and over the water. They are magnificent, and I've even come to love their noisy honking, but they sure do leave a mess in the grassy areas!
One lady told me that she has counted up to 48 seals by the osprey nest. One day, I watched this seal, the 8th in line, trying to find a way to fit on the log. It slipped off several times, but was undaunted.
A picture of the second osprey nest, with an osprey perched, apparently comfortable in spite of the constant noise of people and machinery. (You can click on the picture for a closer view.)

This seal is the largest of the ones I have seen, and the only one to show a kind of copper, or maybe gold, coloring. It looked up for the photograph, and then went back to sleep.
One last seal photo. Look at the contentment in the young one as it rolls over on its back.
Seagulls! How could I forget. I love to watch them too, and again, they are especially beautiful in flight.

I have admired these flowers along Pacific Street for the past month or so. I pass by them almost every day, and finally stopped a week or so ago to take a picture.
Our day in Squamish at first didn't seem to have huge picture-taking potential. To be honest, there was more wildlife in North Vancouver. But, we had an absolutely memorable and enjoyable day together, and it is one of the summer's highlights. I've come to love truck time, with Black Jack on my knee, and Bill content in his home away from home. We stopped to admire Lily's Garden, a spot historically significant for several reasons, one being that it commemorates some of the first settlers in the area. Lily's family name was Carson, the same as mine, although as far as I know, there is no blood connection.
We walked along the estuary, Bill determined to give me my bird watching fix. In fact, a few crows and ducks were about the only "wild" encounters.
We did see this little tugboat, and Bill talked about how it would have been used, turning on a dime, pushing logs into their place for a trip along the river. It seems to be abandoned, and I found myself feeling a bit sorry for it.
We saw lots of these pink flowers.
Lots of seagulls too. We found a wonderful little restaurant along the river, and we sat at a picnic table, enjoying good food and observing the action. (I think it was called The Eagle's Nest Restaurant, but am not absolutely certain. It is listed at this site.) There was one seal, but it was much more active than the ones in North Van. I never did manage to photograph it. Here, a young seagull picked up something I'm fairly certain was inedible, but it appeared to be pleased with the catch.
I was only able to identify this turkey vulture after returning home and studying the photo. It was beautiful in flight, although everyone tells me they are ugly close up.
Impressive wingspan, for sure.
One more seagull, just because I like the patterns in the juveniles' coloring.
Bill is the champion of the nap. He can put his head back for five minutes, and emerge from wherever he goes, rested and ready for action. It is a quality I admire. If I did the same, I would sleep for several hours, and emerge grumpy and feeling like I missed the day. Here, he wasn't napping. I just happened to catch him with Black Jack in an eyes-closed moment. I love the picture. It makes me smile.
I can't remember whether I saw this shorebird in Squamish or North Van. It is beautiful in flight, with flashes of white catching the sun. Hard to show that in a photograph, but here is my best effort. Checking in the Audubon book again, I am guessing it to be another Sandpiper-like bird, perhaps a Turnstone?
The same bird, flying toward me.
This bird was beside my school, singing up a storm. A sparrow, I think. Loved the colors.
Bill and I attended a very enjoyable birthday celebration at The Naam, for my friend Jock. Brent and Ramona were there, friends I haven't mentioned before on this blog, but they added greatly to the fun, as did Kitty, Jock's partner. After the meal, we headed back to Jock and Kitty's place, to taste her absolutely divine dessert. On the way, a fireball sun was slipping below the horizon, and Bill managed to get me to a place where I could capture a bit of its magnificence. Thank you, Bill! It seemed the perfect symbol to honor the birthday of someone who is a fireball in his own right.

(I've pasted this picture of Jock above the one of the sunset. It's from a past post so probably will not enlarge.)

I ask you. Do you think he's going to enjoy his retirement?)

I titled my very first post ever, "The Herons Have Gone." At that time, I had no idea where they go, once the juveniles fledge. I have learned since that the herons around Vancouver don't actually go very far away. They spend about two years living near rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Then, the males will choose a nesting spot, and put on displays to attract a female. They generally, unlike the ospreys, choose a new mate each season. On a walk at Jericho last weekend, I saw four different herons. I am thinking they may be recently fledged juveniles, learning how to feed themselves and survive on their own

Here is heron #1. It was by the little bridge, but flew away seconds after I spotted it.
Heron #2 was high up in a tree. It seemed to be walking across the branches, darting forward to catch food, maybe bugs? It didn't fly away, but spread its wings a couple of times, I think to catch its balance, as it moved forward.
Heron #3 was in the little pond after the bridge.
I have included two pictures of heron #4. It was oblivious to my presence, and didn't seem worried about Black Jack either. Here, it seems to have captured weeds, but perhaps there is a fish or some other food enclosed.
A close up of its head and neck.

One day, when I was on the sandbar in North Vancouver watching the ospreys, Shiprock, a friend and outstanding photographer, saw a ball in the water, and kindly rescued it. He gave it to Black Jack, who has claimed it as her favorite ball. Thank you, Shiprock. (I think photographers must be a special breed. One lady took time away from her photography and actually waded out into the ocean to get a ball that Black Jack had lost. Thank you to that lady as well.)

On our heron-viewing walk at Jericho, Black Jack and I played some games with her ball. She was carrying it along with her, but suddenly, I realized the ball was nowhere to be found. I felt sorry, especially after Shiprock's effort. A couple of hours later, we were walking out of the park, and all of a sudden, Black Jack spotted her ball in the grass, probably right where she left it. She was absolutely delighted to have it back in her possession, and I was happy too.
I haven't seen Shiprock for a while, but he is out and about, continuing to capture some amazing bird shots. Check out his photostream. He continues to amaze me. His recent pictures of Bushtits are prize winners, and he also has some wonderful photos of Turnstones.

And finally, a small Rose update. She was still spending time around the nest, as of yesterday. I stopped by, on the way home from school, and she was sitting on the three-post pylon, with her mother sitting on the one just above her. She has been crying a lot lately. I can hear her from the classroom window, and imagine her parents are withholding food to urge her to begin hunting. A man did tell me he had seen Mom give her a fish the day before, so it is nice to know the supply hasn't been completely cut off.

This is Mom, about four days ago. She was calling and calling, perhaps to Dad! My goodness, those eyes are unforgettable!
Rose was sitting nearby. She was calling as well.
Again, from about four days ago. Mom finally brought her a fish, and Rose grabbed it from her talon. Mom didn't hang around, but left immediately.
This last photo shows Rose flying over the wall where I have spent many hours watching her. (I was down on the sandbar.) I watched her ride the thermal air currents, so far up in the sky, she was almost invisible. She looked like she was having a blast, and my heart soared with her.
And there, you have my catch-up post. It was a long one, and I am glad to have finished it. It is much easier to stay up to date than to go back and try to sort out past events, so I am hoping to keep more on track with future posts, As always, I am thankful for anyone who takes time to read the blog.

For anyone wondering, an easy way to post a comment is to click on "comments" at the bottom of the post, type the message in the box, then click the little square beside "name/URL". There will be a place to write your name (make up a "stage" name if you wish). You do not have to fill in the URL part at all. Just click "Publish" and your comment will be saved. Again, no pressure. Comments or not, you are appreciated:)