I took the dogs to Jericho Beach today. It's Monday so I knew it wouldn't be crowded. We walked down to the beach so I could throw sticks for Sparrow, who was already in the water - Hawksley beside me near my ankle.
He lands and watches a few tosses of chase the stick.
We climbed over the last grassy bank to get onto the sand. I heard this guy before I saw him. A Great Blue Heron! My dad asked me if I have a picture of one in flight, so I keep trying. Today I got pretty lucky. As I said I heard him before I saw him, so I got my camera ready. He SQUAWKED a number of times, really loudly complaining that we were disturbing him. We were at least a hundred yards away - and only two other people on the entire beach! He probably thought my dogs would chase him, but they know better - besides this park is chalk full of coyotes, so if someone's dog did chase, I feel like the dog's just keeping whatever it's chasing on whatever it's chasing's toes. Most dogs are just into chasing, not catching. There's a German short haired Pointer and he just stands there, leg up like a statue- for twenty minutes at a time. It's so awesome, the first time you see it it looks a little alarming, the dog is so intently concentrating on the bunny- but then nothing happens and the bunny is just sitting there five feet from the dog, eating a discarded carrot. The Pointer- pointing.
So I stayed there on the beach right where we were so he could either fish or fly and he chose to fly to the east of us, complaining the whole way! I thought about running a moment or two of video to share the funny sound this big guy made, but I really wanted to get the photos of the Great Blue Heron in flight, like my dad requested. Here's a good one:
Complaining loudly, he flies a few hundred yards east.
You should be able to click on the photo to make it bigger- for a closer look. There are usually two or three of them here but it was getting warm already at 9:30AM. I noticed tracks all over the beach from dozens of different birds. They must have fished early. It rained pretty hard yesterday but the sunset sky ended with pink, so sailor's delight. This is the place to come if you really need to see a Great Blue Heron that day. It's a guarantee practically. I look for their feathers in a few spots and almost always find at least one. They groom in the trees above the duck pond. They fish in the pond all the time too.
I wondered if they would eat a baby duckling and watched one fishing for frogs. I decided it probably would, and decided to stop wondering before I actually saw it happen. The Herons you see here now are the adults and offspring of the colony that roosts in Stanley Park across the inlet. If you read my previous posting, I Did Not Know That, I won't have to repeat myself here and describe the huge colony...
We usually leave the beach area and walk towards the Blackberry brambles where the bunnies are. The berries are ripe and cover the vines. Sparrow eats them right off the vine, carefully avoiding the prickles. The pug waits for us to feed him his share. Both dogs love the berries. So do we! There are tons of birds and bunnies that fill this little area. a few weeks ago Eliza and I watched hummingbird fledglings getting flying lessons. Talk about adorable. I was unable to get any footage because it was the one and only day I didn't bring my camera on our walk.
Lately we have been going to this awesome dog beach. It isn't over used or over run, with about a hundred and fifty yards of shallow water that even Hawksley can play in. Check out this adorable video of him looking for his ball after it sank. He was able to find it again by using his feet, he communicated to me that he had it between his back feet by looking up at me and not moving them and then slowly looking back and into the water - then slowly back up to me. I felt between his back feet and there it was! Smartie! Cutie!
I have accumulated a number of Great Blue Heron pictures and here are a few. I hope you enjoy them. I don't mind if anyone* (*except for a company or corporation, or for profit or mass reproduction) uses my photos. (So if you are going to profit off of it or publish it please ask me first.) I don't watermark them. I would like the credit for taking them, and would love to hear how and why you used them if you do! I take pictures because I enjoy seeing these sights, and want to share the nature as far and wide as I can in the hopes that people who aren't aware of how important it is will become aware. We need to protect it and support it. BIG GREEDY OIL are currently doing something really bad in Alberta for profit. It's called the TAR SANDS. Basically it's a really messy and dirty way of getting oil out of the ground. It uses millions of gallons of fresh water and created huge environmental catastrophes.
This is happening and we need to stop it. There is a huge protest going on in Washington DC about stopping a pipeline from going all the way from Alberta Tar Sands to Texas refineries. This will be a major environmental disaster in more ways than one. This isn't just a treehugger (which I am, proudly) sounding off, this is the opinion of brilliant scientists and educated environmentalists alike.
If you enjoyed my blog, and the photos, please take a moment to look into this threat and spread the word that it is not the direction we all need to be taking. BP's oil spill has destroyed the Shrimp, Pelicans are STARVING to death. The Tar Sands project has had safety issues, and pipeline breaks or oil spills all the time. Thanks for reading. Enjoy the pictures.
When you are done, please take a moment to click on (if you haven't already) any and all of the coloured links above to better understand the importance of this information...
Last few photos of Mrs. Flicker, landing and feeding...
Friday was now history, and Saturday sunrise was met without the chirping of the Northern Flicker family of West Eleventh Avenue. We had a few things to organize before the trip to West Vancouver, and then across on a ferry to the sunshine coast to the Gibson's Wildlife Rescue Centre. We wanted to walk the dogs early so they would be comfortable for the trip. I loaded them into the car and walked around to the driver's side. There were some feathers swirling around on the grass beside the alley next to the parking spot. Feathers I missed when i gathered Mrs. Flicker from the alley. I picked them up now...
A small detail that comes only from a sort of intimate study of a Northern Flicker, like when they aren't alive anymore. I felt like I was let in on a kind of secret. The spotted chest or Mrs. Flicker isn't polka dots at all. Blowing across the grass near where I found her body were tiny cream coloured feathers, each one with a little black heart where I had expected to see a polka dot. I was glad to know it and sadder for knowing it at the same time. Somehow it made me even more determined to save these little nestlings from the unrelenting city.
Landing with a gullet full of food... second last time.
And- can I just say, that I understand that sometimes animals are struck by cars and it is completely unavoidable-save for never driving a car- but this rare woodpecker, with 8 babies, was hit in a back alley next to a curb. If the driver were paying attention, not speeding carelessly, Mrs. Flicker would still be with her offspring. The nestlings wouldn't be in a cage in a Vet clinic on West Broadway waiting for us to drive them a hundred miles away to give them a fighting chance at survival. And to the advice of those who don't think that people should interfere with nature that quickly or drastically, downtown Vancouver isn't nature. A city park, isn't nature - it's landscaping. Nature is where people don't come first, or second or even third. There are ways we can help nature succeed to include us so we can evolve with it, but it means Everyone putting effort towards controlling corporations and governments to force them into behaving the way we expect them to, and by NOT PUTTING PROFIT FIRST ANYMORE. If you are confused, or not convinced, go see a Michael Moore documentary, or watch The Corporation, check out the David Suzuki Foundation, talk to Leonardo Dicaprio or Ed Begley Jr. if you don't feel like figuring it out for yourself.
And folks, you can't expect a bunch of famous people to sing a song or hold a benefit and fix things. Each person has to make a little effort. Okay, no more lecture. I am just saying... wake UP, look around. Slow DOWN notice things. Pay attention to your surroundings... do SOMETHING!
Now, back to the Flickers...
We went to the Night Owl Bird Hospital and collected 6 baby Northern Flickers to deliver to GWRC. 2 of the nestlings did not survive the night. It seems that Mrs. Flicker was already having a hard time keeping up with all the babies as it was. 4 were really healthy, 2 noticeably smaller ones would require a little more attention but were doing really well, but the two that perished were an indication that she was just barely keeping up. The doctor mentioned she was surprised she even had enough food to feed all these little ones. Eliza mentioned our suet paddles and Dr. MacDonald thought that could have been what was keeping everyone alive.
6 nestlings packed up and ready for travel...
Night Owl had fed and readied the babies for the journey, so we didn't even have to lift the towel that covered their cages until we presented them to GWRC. The trip and ferry ride were uneventful and pleasant. The babies made weird noises that perked our dogs ears the entire ride...The kind folks who run GWRC were excited to have this cheeky species back in their folds, they had raised two before and successfully released them in back into nature. We were lucky to have rescued them so fast that they didn't really suffer a great deal of trauma. They didn't really need to recover from anything or be nursed back to health, they were lively and alert and HUNGRY!
This is the Northern Flicker's fresh nest at GWRC.
Immediately expert hands of the lady of the house went into action. She had each bird fed in mere moments, using a plastic coffee stirrer, and a special formula developed by the Ornithological Society of America.
Because the babies are eager to eat and open up for feedings, they won't require too much handling and won't become too trusting of humans. This makes their chances of survival so much higher. Being wary of people makes them nest further from poisons, urban encroachment, cats and of course, traffic.
We got the grand tour of the Rehab Centre. It's just a wonderful place operating out of the goodness of these people's hearts. Please donate generously through their website if you can contribute to the caring of some really wonderful creatures, including the Flickers!
off the front of the ferry to GRWC
Ferry to Sunshine Coast with Flickers.
looking out the side of the ferry
6 fed nestlings, ready to nap...
In my neighbourhood we would learn to adjust to the amputated Birch across the street, and now that the nestling Northern Flickers are in the right hands, they will live and be released back into nature! With any luck there is something in them that migrates them back to Gibson's or somewhere else safe on the Sunshine Coast, and not back here into downtown chaos.
I talk to GWRC every day. Progress is the only thing to report! the runt is the boldest, demanding food first, and last - most are perching on the lip of the cage and waiting to be fed, the other 2 are on a cloth still a little small to perch on their own. But no one needs to have their beak pried apart & held open for feeding! They are all eager eaters and that makes them even more likely to survive to adulthood! We are going to visit them tomorrow.
This could be a Flicker home...
... and look how remote!
Paradise for any woodpecker, right there in Gibson's on the Sunshine Coast.
When I was little and we lived in a small town called Ajax, my sister joined Brownies, and my mom became a Snowy Owl. I was too young to join, but played in the back of the gym while the group met. I loved that my mom was a Snowy Owl. In my mind this meant she actually was and would at some point transform into one when the time was right. My mama used to tell me grand stories about the forest where she grew up when her papa worked in the lumber camp near Burks Falls. There was magic in them and she knew about it, so it was no surprise to me that she would achieve owl status. I was under the impression that all I had to do was turn 7 and I would witness this secret transformation.
We moved from Ajax to the country just as I was about to turn legal Brownie joining age. Which came as a bit of a relief, because although I likes the little belt with all the leather pouches, and the sash and shirt with the crests of achievement, I really was not into wearing the leotard and the skirt. I was more of a jean jacket/jeans girl and still am.
There's a place in Delta near the Reifle Bird Sanctuary that takes in wounded birds of prey. Aptly named O.W.L., (Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society) is such a cool place because they save these specific animals, and you can go there and look at some of the birds that were too wounded to be released back into the wild.
I am lucky enough to know a wonderful person named Bri Fudge. She is a living Saint to Animals. She posted photos on her Facebook wall from one of the places where she's a volunteer/animal advocate. These pictures she posted of her volunteer work at O.W.L. got me an inside look at a really cool place. I was blown away. A few weeks later she took us & a few of her other friends, on a tour of this wonderful magical place that is in dire need of funding. As soon as you walk into the main office you are greeted by Sarah, the absolutely incredible looking Barn Owl. She is stunning. It's hard to take your eyes off of this beauty, and you wonder how you have gone a whole lifetime without making a point to see one in real life before.
Outside there are a few giant cages that house a few lucky birds that now have a new way of life other than the one they were born into. Most of these birds were hit by cars and brought in by folks that stopped to see what was lying in the road, so they are lucky to be alive. Others hit windows or get caught in extreme weather. Sometimes the Eagles come in with their talons locked together. The priority is to release the wounded birds, but sometimes, it's just not possible if the bird is to survive.
Two residents are a pair of Great Grey Owls that live in a cage together. Samson & Delilah are so beautiful and totally owl shaped owls. They were hard to get a good photo of because they were hanging out in the back of the cage on this cold January day. I asked Bri if she goes into that cage and she said only when she has to. These two owls have dedicated their lives to caring for ANY baby bird brought into the society. They are very loving and know just how to rear a baby that can be released into the wild. This ability causes them to be extra protective of their space, and they have been known to attack if you enter their cage. I say those scars are a badge of dedication to be worn with honour.
I asked all sorts of questions, like the hard one - they are birds of prey, do they get fed live stuff? The answer is yes they do. And the things they are fed are raised just for these birds. They are raised without medication, and live happy healthy lives until they are fed to the birds. They collect toilet paper rolls and stuff to put in the mouse cages so they have a nice life, before they have what the Buddhists would refer to as- a Sky burial... even though these wonderful birds in particular can't get to the sky I like to believe it still counts.
This pretty female Snowy Owl wanted to show me how stunning she looks with her wings all flexed up so when I was alone at her cage taking a few pictures, she posed for a nice shot. I had no idea that these birds burrow on the ground. All this time I have been wandering the forests looking for owls, and many of them spend a of of time on the forest floor!
I was working on a wonderful little island called Bowen, and returning from the landscape center around 5PM when I saw a Barred Owl on a Hydro wire. I stopped the car on the side of the road, jumped out, and took a few shots. I was standing right under him snapping away. He was eyeing something rustling in the grass about a foot from my boot. I left before I bothered him too much. I was so stoked to see him. I look for him each time I round that corner, but have not seen him since.
I love Canada. That's why I recently voted against the 'person responsible' for running my country right now. (That's in quotes, because I am not sure if he's actually human, and quite sure he is irresponsible.) I worship nature. I am inspired by it, and in awe of it. In Canadian nature, anyone can easily find beauty in it practically everywhere you look, without even trying. But like a lot of other places on the planet, Corporations are really compromising the natural state of everything and I am not sure that my elected officials are doing enough to protect this beautiful country, or planet.
Maybe you heard about it maybe not - but there is a catastrophic oil spill going on in Alberta. In April a major pipeline broke and made a huge industrial disaster. The company responsible 'apologized' & A$$hole running our country put a media gag on it until after the election. So as not to rile the constituants, and because he is down and dirty with off-shore drilling and digging deep to suck our planet dry for personal profit. An oil slick, right smack dab in the middle of wilderness, in a precious marsh, and in the middle of breeding time. Clean-up is not happening as fast as the locals who do worship their land need it to be happening. I won't go into a huge rant about the TAR SANDS, I am attempting to keep this light hearted - but I also want to be informative. Any words you see in my blog that are coloured differently than the usual text can be CLICKED on for further detail...
Now back to today:
Today was yet another day we loaded the dogs into Jill's car and went to Jerry's Cove, commonly known as Jericho Beach. This is the place where everyone in my family loves to come. The dogs can run, Sparrow can chase sticks, Hawksley is off leash most of the time, unless we see a Bald Eagle, then he's on leash. We come here a lot, it's glorious. There's a huge duck pond with a beaver family living in it and building dams all over the place. And right now, it's baby bird time!
You can go here and walk right past the ponds to the beach and spend your time looking at the water or walking the shores, that's what I've been doing for the past 19 years, anyway. Tossing tennis balls or sticks for Alice or- now for Sparrow. Or you can come during Folk Fest and not even recognize the place because of the stages, and food booths, and throngs of people/folk.
It is just recently that I have actually gone out of my way to see birds and watch and photograph them. Much to Sparrow's chagrin, the distraction from me playing with him is not something he is impressed by. I have always noticed birds - of course and watched them or whatever, but now we go specifically to watch the habits of the birds around the pond and get some good pictures. This is all because of Mr. & Mrs. & Mrs Flicker across the street probably. They demanded my attention and my camera, then it became like a challenge to get a decent shot of the birds I see. Then one day at Jericho a Red-Winged Blackbird landed on Eliza's hand and started eating seeds!
She walked up to the edge of the pond and held out her hand and this male RWBB just landed right on her fingers. He had followed her from back near the little wooden bridge and sung a few songs at her. She had the feeling he would eat from her hand, and so she tried - he didn't hesitate a second. We returned to this spot for few days taking their photos, attempting to feed them again. Might have been more successful without the truffling Pug & Frisbie focused Border Collie...
I got some nice shots though. Months later I was there alone and a female landed on my hand and had a few seeds. Her little feet were cold and soft, she held on tight to my thumb and forefinger and ate some seeds for about forty-five seconds before flying off into the rushes. They are delightful.
Today, we saw so many different birds. It was noisy with birds. Probably because we haven't seen the sun the way we should be so they are taking advantage of the warm light and getting out of the nest. We were particularly lucky to see a Belted Kingfisher! He was hunting, and first caught my eye when he plunged into the water and emerged with a giant frog in his beak. He darted out of the water and up into the Willow hanging over the water and quickly swallowed the entire morsel of whoever that was.
Eliza stayed back with the dogs an dI wandered up slowly. He was too busy hunting to even care about me taking his photo. I took these pictures, and left him to hunt. We watched a crow chase him back and forth across the pond a few times and then he took off fast. The crow thought he won that battle, but the Kingfisher came all the way around the forest a few minutes later and started hunting from the Willow all over again.
This day at Jerry's Cove was just another day at the beach for us. How lucky are we? Lucky enough to know I have to pay attention to nature, and what my impact is on it. I want to be able to continue to have these days. Even after the catastrophe in Japan. So for all these beautiful birds that need clean water, I say NO to off-shore drilling, and NO to endless consumption of fossil fuel. We have the capacity to make great change. Let's just get at it already... start by going out into nature. See all that you have to lose.
This is the place to come if you really need to see a Great Blue Heron that day. It's a guarantee practically. I look for their feathers in a few spots and almost always find at least one. They groom in the trees above the duck pond. They fish in the pond all the time too.
The pug waits for us to feed him his share. Both dogs love the berries. So do we! There are tons of birds and bunnies that fill this little area. a few weeks ago Eliza and I watched hummingbird fledglings getting flying lessons. Talk about adorable. I was unable to get any footage because it was the one and only day I didn't bring my camera on our walk.
