Critters, reflections and gardens yesterday

Black Jack was full of zip yesterday.  The heat has abated in Vancouver and conditions were perfect for a run. I'll share her and the other critters we saw with Eileen's Saturday's Critters.

 She really seems to smile so much of the time.

As I sat in the grass, calling her, photographing her, and thinking how she really seems to understand, "Go get Bill," I saw this above me.  With lots of critter-lovers here, I'm probably preaching to the converted, but I'll repeat once more that balloons and plastics, released into the sky, cause terrible critter suffering.  Surely, we can find a better way to amuse ourselves.

 I haven't seen many cormorant families flying together.  I imagine this to be a kind of..

 training session, with the two stragglers..

catching up here.  There are many juveniles around lately..  I was happy to see this family looking as though all are doing well.

 Camera up..  camera down..  just a lovely time sitting in the grass with birds above, Black Jack so happy, and Bill's sense of humour..

 alive..

 and well.

 Run time over, now a purposeful stride back to the bikes for a drink of water.

 Then, a good stroll around the Olympic Village gardens.  

 Vancouver's city planners have made green space a priority.

 Reflections in False Creek took on a glittery feel, 

 and it was fun to capture this upside-down image of a dog-walker on her cell phone.

 There were feasts for the birds..

 and the bees,

and even the small walkways with remnants of..

 the old railway added to a feeling that great respect.. 

 has gone into the preservation of both the environment and its history.

 A young sparrow (?) demonstrated the benefits of camouflage..

 and even the highrises seemed to have found a way to blend in.

 The community garden..

 was rich..

 with life..

 and I was happy to look up and record a (fuzzy) shot of a heron flying over our heads.

 The gardens had some protection against critters..

 and that seemed to be doing its job.

The tomatoes..

 and kale looked healthy, 

 and the colours..

and occasional touches of home warmed my heart.

 The fences not only protected the water inhabitants..

 but hosted their own set of critters as well.

 More cormorants, these in almost a perfect V-shape, flew overhead.

A tiny bushtit stayed still..

 just long enough..

 to catch a couple of shots..

 and the pretty patterns in this bird (identification?) were brought out by a shaft of sunlight. 

Biking to Granville Island, we had to stop here,

 one of the lushest and..

 most beautiful spots..

along the way.

I thought this plant was special,

 hidden just behind the tree on the left of this bridge, 

 but admit that the hummingbird spotted by Bill was the highlight..

of our critter sightings yesterday.

 The geese families are beginning to fly now, the young fledged and the adults finished their moult, and I thought how they are a bit confused, flying every evening and morning as though preparing for migration, but in fact, never leaving Vancouver's temperate climate. 

 Just before boarding the Aquabus ferry boat home, we watched the seagulls fight over..

 salmon scraps thrown by the gentleman who takes people out for..

 sport fishing excursions.  Definitely not something that would give me pleasure, but I know many love the experience of catching and eating their very own salmon.

 Getting our two bikes and Black Jack onto the aquabus is always a bit of a procedure.  Here's a photo that I took from this letsgobiking link that will show you the boat.

Bill likes to leave Black Jack in her basket as we do that.  I'm sort of neutral, but the girl asked me to take her out, and then she very kindly carried my bike onto the boat.  Here, Bill is wondering if we'll make it off okay.  I've taken my camera out (yet again!) even as the boat is about to land.

 It was the sky's fault :)

Its drifting watercolour patterns under the Burrard Bridge as we approached the Hornby Street landing were irresistible.  It was another good day made even better by my dear Bill and sweet Black Jack. I have lots of appreciation left over, though, for you the readers and for Eileen, who encourages us to share our critters.  Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!