Squamish Eagles

When we arrived in Squamish (actually, Brackendale) on Friday afternoon, about eight eagles perched in a distant tree, on and off misty rain, and fast-fading light welcomed us. I put my camera rain cover on, hoping that Saturday's "cloudy with sunny periods" forecast would be accurate. The eight eagles were just specs on the tree, but I decided to walk along the riverside in search of others that might be closer. That wasn't to be, but this heron suddenly appeared at the bottom of the rocks. The camera caught it amazingly well, given the conditions.

I have been reading up on my camera through what I think is a very good site, and though I'm beginning to understand F stops, shutter speed, and even iso, changing them, especially when outdoors, is still mostly boggling my brain. My big breakthrough for the weekend (thanks to encouragement from Bill who spent time sitting with me, going over instructions, and explaining things as non-technically as he possibly could), was to stop using autofocus on the exposure selection dial. The camera was still giving me lots of help autofocusing most elements, but at least a tiny bit of input was my decision. I tried a couple of options. Now, my question is how to figure out the information on my pictures. I can see it if I put my pictures on Flickr, something I mostly do only if I think they are at least half decent, but in iphoto, I can't seem to find it. I can see the information on my camera, but I always delete pics as soon as they are downloaded. Anyhow, here is the same heron, with possibly a different iso setting.
Bill had been entertaining Black Jack by running back and forth along the rocks, and was ready for a nap when we checked into our motel room. Black Jack lay down on his stomach, one of her favorite places to be. Here, she is staring at the fridge, trying to let me know that she believes it is time for supper.
I was playing with the camera, and discovered a new setting called "vivid" so I tested it out by taking a picture of a picture on the wall. Bill and I agreed it turned out better than the original.
Bill is the champion of all nappers. He can nap for under ten minutes, and awake refreshed. When I nap, I sleep for way too long and emerge grouchy. When he woke, I fed Black Jack, and she snuggled into her bed while we went out for supper. A great supper that we both enjoyed, and for the life of me, I cannot remember, nor find, the name of the restaurant. I can tell you it is a two-minute walk (even hobbling on my still weak ankle) from the modest, but very comfortable and clean August Jack Motor Inn, where we stayed. An added note, we had taken along a rented dvd to watch Friday evening, and when we didn't see a dvd player, we asked about renting one from the motel owners. The lady was so kind, she was ready to give us her own personal one. Then, we remembered we could watch it on my laptop.

Saturday morning, we tried a different eagle viewing spot that had been recommended. It was alongside the golf course, but wasn't very successful. We did see this one - the only one in the area - at the top of a very tall tree.
Poor Bill. I was hobbling along the trail, grouchy because my fingers were cold (I had left my gloves and hat in the truck), my ankle was hurting and because photo ops seemed few and far between. He ran back to the truck for me, brought the hat and gloves, kept Black Jack safe and happy, and maintained his good humour in spite of me. Thank you, Bill!

Thinking eagles might not appear, I looked for other things to photograph. Just a branch with some lacy tendrils.
Black Jack got a lift over some icy terrain.
We finally gave up on the new trail, and went back to Brackendale. There were more eagles than either of the last two weekends, and the weather was cooperating. I used my monopod, and tried out that "vivid" setting. I didn't get any flying shots that I was happy with, but had lots of chances to see eagles sitting on logs and in the water. Here was the only flying shot I kept.
These two eagles had been sitting quietly on their log, but when they saw another land in the water, they called out a greeting. Or, was it a warning?
This eagle, perched on a tree root, looked to me like a nun saying her prayers.
I have yet to figure out how to photograph mountains. Here was one attempt, de-shadowed and definition added, with seagulls in formation flying over the top.
These three eagles lined up to bathe.
Then, two of them settled on a log to dry their wings. I thought they might be telling the third eagle to get out of the water before it caught its death of cold.
Wingspread and awesome patterns here. I was hoping for a glimpse of this eagle's face..
..and it obliged as it settled on the corner of the log.
I just caught this beautiful smile, as Bill rock-hopped with Black Jack, way down at the water's edge. That zoom lens is amazing, and so is Bill.
Eagles don't seem to hop as other birds do. This one took purposeful strides..
..as it made its way..
..to a step-up spot.
I think the eagles were enjoying the intermittent sun as much as we were. I know they were drying out their wings, but sometimes, they seemed to use them like cloaks.
I quite liked the vivid mode. I was using P on the exposure selection dial, and only realized after going through the photos, that there was no blurring behind my subjects. Sometimes, I guess the background almost outshone the eagles. This tree root is beautiful, but I wonder if the overall image has a bit of a "fake" feel to it. For now, I'm happy to see more detail, especially considering that all of the action was on the other side of the river. I guess time will tell whether "vivid" is a setting I'll be happy with over the longterm. If anyone is feeling like commenting, do not worry about hurting feelings. I really appreciate other opinions to guide this rather slow but most enjoyable learning process.
Just one un-zoomed shot at the other end of the dyke. We counted well over 20 eagles in that area.
This is a fully zoomed shot of a section of the above photo. That slanted log seemed to me like a seesaw. To get any closer, I would have had to clamber down on the rocks, something I'm not ready for yet, but I think my ankle is finally starting to feel stronger. It has seemed like a very slow and frustrating healing process, but I have great hope that another week will do it.
Today, we are really looking forward to a Pacific Baroque Orchestra concert. Bill's niece, Glenys, her husband, Paul, and his sister, Angela, are all performing. We also get to visit with Phyllis, Bill's sister, her husband, Barrie, and maybe even Oscar, their grandchild. A perfect weekend, with nature, music, friends and family.

No rain after all.

Today's forecast was for rain, and I'm happy to say, it was wrong. It had been almost relentless on Wednesday. Black Jack had been depressed most of the day. Honestly, depressed. She sat in her bed and stared out the balcony window. When I took her out, she turned back, her demeanour one of complete dejection.

I was so desperate to take a photo, I stood on the balcony, and took this spider on the ceiling.
The rain finally stopped late in the afternoon, and this bird (song sparrow?) sang its heart out, right beside my balcony.

I'm not so sure Black Jack would agree, but for me, it wasn't a lost day. The reports were finished except for proofreading, and Bill and I took in a very enjoyable movie, Invictus. Rainy days do have their advantages.

Still, today, when I woke up to overcast rather than raindrops, I headed out with Black Jack even before coffee, certain that if I waited, the forecast would prove itself right after all.

A man was standing on the little bridge, feeding the red-winged blackbirds. I was happy to see that he was giving out seeds instead of white bread. I took several pictures, but they were too poor to post. I did take a picture of tree reflections in the pond.

Just in front of the bridge, the starlings were going crazy. En masse, hitting the ground, and then, again as one, zooming up to the tree. Over and over, the same pattern. It seems that pigeons, starlings, and I think a few other small birds do that, and it never fails to mesmerize me.

Black Jack and I began to walk along the path toward the rabbit bushes, when we suddenly heard the crows cackling up a storm. I looked up to see this hawk (maybe the resident Goshawk, but impossible to identify with any certainty) coming toward me, several crows in hot pursuit. No time to set up any kind of shot. I just lifted the camera and clicked. Sometimes, it amazes me how this camera tries to accommodate my requests. I hope that was a fish, and not a small bird in the hawk's beak. Something stolen from the crows, I wonder?
Only one crow is shown in the two pictures, but at first there were several following, then three or four, then down to two, and finally, only this one. It soon gave up, and the hawk flew over the bridge to enjoy its morsel.
Someone in the park has been working on a Christmas theme. You can't really tell from this picture, but there is a snowman pattern in the ribbon and the gold criss-cross underneath is quite glitzy. I wonder if Bob Dohan, the man honoured by the plaque on the back of the bench, would approve. Somehow, I think he would.
Black Jack seemed indifferent to the decorations. She was far more interested in searching for rabbits behind the bench. Not a single one appeared, and she finally focused her search on squirrels. She seemed certain they were around, but not one showed its face for a photo.

My sprained ankle of more than two weeks ago seems to be taking its own sweet time to heal, so the rabbit bushes is about as far as it agrees to carry me. We turned back, and I finally managed to get a couple of red-winged blackbird pictures.
Beautiful birds. I love the patterns in their backs.
It was the first time I noticed them digging right into the bullrush. Food or nesting material? I'm not sure.

AFTERNOON WALK

The rest of the morning was spent proofreading report comments. When Bill arrived early in the afternoon, I was ready to celebrate. Now, the holiday could really begin. Where better to go than.. you guessed it.. The Wicked!

After just about the best latte ever (I always say that, and it's always true), we decided on a walk with Black Jack. Where to go? You guessed it again. Jericho! And, I had my monopod! Not much light, in fact, not much at all, but still fun to look around and try to catch some of the essence of the park. Bill took Black Jack for a rabbit bush inspection, and this time, she met with more success. The rabbits are still alive and well. No pictures of them, though, but the Christmas theme recurred. Someone has been quite busy at Jericho.
We walked by the pond, where the branches and this little bird complemented each other quite nicely. Maybe a fox sparrow?
The bullrushes were lovely.
There were more opportunities to observe red-winged blackbirds. The reeds appeared almost white in this picture, perhaps because of the fading light.
And again, the blackbirds' use of the bullrushes caught my curiosity.
We were heading back to the truck when I saw this heron.
I hoped to catch it in flight. It lifted off, and I begged the camera to focus, but with the light pretty much gone, it finally said no to me. By the time the focus worked, these dried flowers were all that remained of the heron's liftoff.
It didn't go far. I followed it to the other side of the bush, where it stood by the pond. It marched determinedly, convinced, I think, that it had food in sight. It definitely didn't appear to be worried about my presence.
It stepped off the grass into the reeds, and that was my last view of the heron.
Tomorrow? We're heading back to Squamish in the late afternoon, hoping that Saturday's forecast will be accurate. I do love holidays!

Saturday in Squamish & other sightings.

First, three catch-up photos from a week ago in Stanley Park. This merganser was under-exposed, but when I took out the shadows (thank you, iphoto), I discovered a fish, and thought it worth posting.

And this one. It seems as if one could be shadow, but was just the one at the side that the camera didn't focus on. The picture isn't clear enough for positive identification, but I think it was a bit bigger than a sparrow. Maybe a hermit thrush?
An American Wigeon couple (maybe). I liked their patterns against the stones.
Sunday's eagle watching was great fun, but I forgot my monopod, didn't deal with the grey light very well, and overall, was disappointed with the photo quality, although not with the lens, which did its best to compensate for my lack of self-discipline. So much good advice has been coming my way, but I seem unable to translate it into action. I believe I will.. soon.

There were not many eagles.. the highest count in one hour was 15, a far cry from a couple of years back, when I'm told there were 500.

This was the first eagle of the day, sitting in a tree.
Then, I spotted three swans. Tundra swans would be my guess, and I believe the trio consisted of parents and a juvenile. They were quite a distance from my camera.
They flew off, and did not return.
This next series of eight photos really had me smiling, but also kicking myself. With a tripod and the correct settings, it could have been phenomenal. Still, the dynamics between the two eagles were great fun to watch.

First, they head for the same log.
Coming in for touch down.
Uh oh. I think they could use some air traffic control.
Precarious landing.
The one on the right seems particularly annoyed. Insert your own dialogue here.
Now, the one on the left is really upset.
Apology, perhaps?
All forgiven, maybe.
Other sightings? Quite a few ducks. A Goldeneye I think, Barrow's or Common, I'm not sure.
This juvenile Bald Eagle surprised me, flying right overhead. I thought the picture was silhouette only, but Iphoto shadow removal helped me out again.
Black Jack was keen - really, really keen.
Bill, impressively nimble and agile, followed her around on the rocks for hours. Why is she so obsessed with rock climbing?
She is dead serious about rock climbing. Look at those eyes!
There was another flurry of eagle activity, with three or four flying close, I think in competition for the same food. Shadows under these two add to an already impressive ferocity all Bald Eagles seem to possess, in my view.
Just a few seconds, and they were gone.
I was about to delete this one, and suddenly noticed the blue heron over the eagle.
I'm pretty sure this is an American Dipper. Only my second sighting, ever. A second or two, and it was gone.

Final eagle shot of the day.
Yesterday, Sunday, yielded no photos, but a wonderful time with Bill's sister, Phyllis, her daughter, Glenys, husband, Paul, and one-year-old son, Oscar. My friends Jock and Kitty also came, with their dear Sheltie, Lucy. All braved my cooking, and Lucy accepted treats and some of Black Jack's Merick Buffalo canned food. Lucy was recently very, very ill, and I could hardly contain my joy to see her doing so well. With Bill, we were eight. I would (quite happily) describe myself as both entertainment and culinary challenged, and it is a credit to the warmth and just plain fun of these treasured friends, that preparing food for them was actually not so scary. And Oscar, oh my goodness, what a beautiful little boy. I'm hoping Glenys might send me a picture, so that I can show you for myself. On the verge of walking and talking, and with a sense of humour that just warms your heart.

Today was supposed to be "finish up reports" day, but I haven't done so well. I guess I will have to bite that bullet tomorrow. A cold and grey walk at Jericho this morning yielded a few sights I just had to post.

My first ever otter sighting at Jericho. Again, I'm paying for my lack of self-discipline with the camera, but here are my best efforts to capture him (or her?) He moved around very quickly, and I couldn't seem to find a satisfactory angle, but hope he will give me another opportunity soon.

He lay behind the reeds and rolled on his back, but unfortunately, was out of sight from the camera. Here he is just getting up from his lovely roll.
A lady told me he had caught two fish just before I arrived, and she had watched him eat them. It looks like it's resting here, but in fact, it was very much on the move, slithering across the frozen section of the pond.
If you click on this one, you can see its little tongue.
This shorebird flitted by, and I just caught a photo, although it had to be de-shadowed, and still isn't very clear. I'm wondering if it could possibly be a Short-billed Dowitcher.

These last three are of a blue heron. With the frozen background, I saw it like this:

walking-on-ice

walking-on-air

walking-on-a-cloud.

That's it for today, folks. As always, thanks for reading.

Nine days later

Nine days since my last post. Even with huge support from Bill, end of term musical performances, exams, marks, reports, and more energy than usual required to get around after a cycling accident almost two weeks ago, drained blogging energy. Now, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally in sight, and here I am again.

Last Saturday, Bill, Black Jack and I headed to Squamish where we met our friends, Jock and Kitty, for our first day of eagle counting. I think we actually saw a grand total of five eagles. High winds and cold temperatures kept the eagles hiding, my camera groaning, and all of us challenged to brave the elements.

Jock and I were both trying out our Sigma 150-500 lenses, and neither of us were totally happy with the results. I haven't seen Jock's results, but mine were downright disappointing. I now understand that more effort is going to be required to handle such a heavy lens with the same ease I did the 300mm.

Here is one of my poor results, but the spread-eagled pose of this Merganser made me smile.

Many of my pictures looked like this - little white specs amid a mess of branches.
This one was at quite a distance, and given that the heavy lens and crazy winds made hand-holding pretty much crazy, I thought it wasn't so bad.
A closer view.
This common merganser was maybe my best shot of the day.
My best seagull of the day.
At this point, the large lens quit working. On strike because of the cold? We were never sure, but Henry Wong of Broadway Camera replaced it with a brand new one, and we'll be trying again this weekend. I can't say enough good things about that shop. Just the best. Henry even took time to go through my photos with me, with both encouragement and lots of advice for improved results in the future.

With my 300mm lens, the fact that all of the action was across the river really became a challenge. But, here was the rest of the day's results.

The crows seemed rather foolhardy to me. I guess they know that it takes a lot of effort for an eagle to get off the ground, so they often fly very close to them. Here, the crow is carrying a bit of food.
Here is Jock with his new lens. Behind him, I read that the eagles have been observing the changes along that valley for 5000 years. Just one of the things I love about photography. I miss many things around me at the moment, but get a second chance to observe later.
I love this picture of Bill. A twinkle in his eye, even as he freezes. Bill looked after Black Jack and encouraged my obsession with never a murmur of complaint. Thank you once again, Bill!
From our seminar the week before, we learned that it takes an enormous number of calories for eagles to get off the ground. They have to eat about one tenth of their body weight each day, about half a kilogram. For juveniles, the caloric expenditure and need for food is even higher. Often, when eagle carcasses are found, the cause of death is starvation. That is why disturbing them, or forcing them to fly, can threaten their survival. They do sit for long periods in trees, and as photographers, we love to catch them in action. I was reluctant, before, to disturb them (or any bird) in an effort to promote activity, but now, I fully understand why that is so wrong.

Here, I was fortunate to catch an action shot, albeit, only with the 300mm.
Eagle conference. I wonder what they are saying to each other. Maybe, something like, "Do you see that crazy old lady huddled in the rocks on the other side of the river? Don't stare at her. Maybe she'll go away." Or maybe, more like, "Do you believe that wind?"
The seagulls, like the crows, seemed to lack respect. When I watched the eagle cam several years ago, I did see both crow and seagull carcasses in the nest. I guess, the abundance or lack of food changes the big picture considerably.
We spent the night in Squamish, and returned for eagle-counting duties on Sunday morning. The wind was so bad, eagle counting was cancelled, but I hunkered down in the rocks, and felt fortunate to see this juvenile. If you look carefully, you can see on adult on either side of it. Maybe, its parents?
The juvenile left. Only this photo was postable, but I took several of it flying gracefully and confidently, sometimes circling low, and sometimes, soaring very high in the sky.
One more mediocre shot of an adult flying.
And, a couple of mergansers in flight.

We left Squamish around noon, and headed back to Vancouver. Bill, ever aware of my picture-taking obsession, suggested a stop in Stanley Park. Here is yet another Mallard. I will never stop marvelling over their beautiful colours.
Whoops. An out of order picture. This was a truck shot, showing the road between Squamish and Vancouver. It is a very beautiful drive, one that lots of olympians will be making soon, as many of the winter sports will take place in Whistler, another 56 or so kilometres north of Squamish.
Back to Stanley Park. At the lookout, I took this shot of the Lions Gate Bridge girders. I liked the shot, except for that bush in the lower left corner. No way to get it to cooperate.
Another shot of the bridge, this time showing some of the upper portion.
This picture doesn't give you a proper perspective, but try to imagine the tiny little tree, trying gamely, and managing to stay alive, on top of a very, very tall (no estimate, but I was looking WAY up) dead-looking tree.
Bill and Black Jack, feeling a bit warmer in Vancouver than they were in Squamish, but still in unseasonably cold weather.
This heron sat for a very long time and seemed quite fine with the two or three people taking its picture. This was one of the shots Bill liked.
My favourite, for some reason, was this grumpy-old-man (I assumed it was a male) close-up.
This racoon gave me only one chance to snap a quick photo before hiding most of its face.

Left-over fall colours.
A couple of hooded merganser shots. Bill liked the second one because of the water colour. I think Henry (of Broadway Camera) preferred this one. It seemed to me like perfect light, but in fact, was a lot trickier than I realized.

Black Jack was having a great time. I have finally found a coat that both keeps her warm and doesn't seem to make her feel depressed, as the others did. Good price, too. I like this little pet shop for the around-the-corner convenience, quality products, and kind gentleman who always makes Black Jack's day by giving her a treat.
American Coots are among the most comical birds around. I always smile, watching them bob through the water. I've recently realized that they're not so easy to photograph. Their bright beaks and black bodies make front shots difficult. Here is my best of the not-very-good ones on Sunday.
This towhee was very cooperative, and not in the least bit shy.
I kept trying to capture the neat way the light shone through the mergansers', for want of a better word, topknots. I wasn't entirely successful, but here is my attempt.
Just as we were about to get in the truck to head home, this squirrel demanded a photo (and Black Jack's undivided interest.)
These last two photos were taken in North Vancouver, by the river near my school, on Wednesday, I believe. I was still using only the 300 mm lens, but what would a blog post be without a crow, and the heron, although frustratingly on the other side of the river, was doing its best to provide an interesting backdrop.

We're off tomorrow for our third stint of eagle counting. The forecast is cold with occasional flurries, but I'll be hoping to see more eagles. My new replacement lens will be with me, but whether I get to use it will depend on the weather. Wish us luck, and thanks for reading!

P.S. I know, Neville. Ottawa is world unto itself, and cold is a relative term:) Special note. For anyone liking photography and enjoying a quirky sense of humour, check out that link to Nev's blog. I love it!

Lens (and help with bird id)

My friend, Jock, is considering buying the same lens I purchased on Sunday (Sigma DG 150-500 mm). Ever since an e-mail change, I've had problems sending photos, so am posting today's pics to help Jock make his decision. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them.) They are all taken at Vanier Park, using autofocus, taken without tripod, and with a shaky hand. Those things considered, I feel the lens is doing its job the best it can. If anyone has thoughts about that lens, it would be great to hear them.

This first pic is probably the best one to judge by. It was taken from a very, very tall tree, and has been cropped drastically. Also, can anyone identify this bird? I've looked and looked in my book, and have searched on line, but nothing seems to match up. My best guess is some type of grackle, but it seems to have a sort of black beard. An artifact, perhaps?

Not a perfect shot, but it was my favourite one of the day. It's been cropped quite a bit.

Taken from the top of the steps, and maybe about 50 feet back.
Someone either had very poor throwing technic, or this Kong toy was placed high up in the tree by pranksters.
A beautiful branch.
This Barrow's Goldeneye was taken from near the top of the steps. It didn't work out very well.
I thought this robin worked out better. It was at the top of a medium-sized tree.
Taken at close range.
From a bit further back.
Another medium-size tree. I liked the branches, but the crow didn't show up that well.
This cat walked across the street with us as we left the park. Isn't it beautiful? It was almost dark, and the flash was used.

When Black Jack wants to see over a fence or other barrier, she asks Bill to pick her up, and he always obliges. Here, she is looking over a fence and into a pond that has goldfish. I love this shot of her, sitting confidently in Bill's hands. If she has ever asked me to lift her up, I've missed the cue. Bill is something else, but you know that. Again, an after dark shot.
This was the last one before we got into the truck. Then we were off to pick up my beautifully repaired bike. My appreciation for Ride on Again just grows stronger and stronger.
Hope this helps, Jock. I know you'll enjoy your visit with Henry Wong at Broadway Camera. Check out that link. It was written back in 1992, and I just found it by googling Henry's name. He's clearly been well thought of for quite some time.

Thoughts and some photos

Some serious thinking over the past three days, after a cycling accident Monday morning (the second in ten months) that has turned out, after a certain amount of worry, to be okay. What am I thinking about? Let's see.

First, when we do something that we know causes others concern, where does one draw the line? I haven't even told a few of the people closest to me about the accident. Embarrassment isn't the only reason. No one wants to hurt others, least of all because of selfish actions. On the other hand, cycling is the most convenient way for me to get around, and get around I must. I admit that I enjoy it, I admit that I value it for the stimulation and exercise that becomes part of my daily routine, I admit that I'm a little afraid to get back on the bike, and I admit that I'm fully aware a lot of people believe I should put that bike away forever. So, what to do? I suspect I'll be back on it as soon as my sprained left ankle and right wrist are stronger, and once the good fellows at Ride on Again (link takes you to a post with lots of info about my favourite bike shop) have repaired it. Is it okay for me to do that? I honestly don't know. I guess time will tell.

Second, I am full of appreciation for the miraculous powers of the human body to repair itself. Ten months ago, after some blackberry bushes ensnared me as I coasted downhill on the causeway, a craniotomy was necessary to relieve the pressure of a subdural hematoma. I thought then that another accident would be the end of me. In fact, CT scans on Monday and again on Tuesday confirmed that my brain is okay. My black eye looks serious, but the vision in both eyes hasn't changed and the bruise will fade. The right wrist, so painful on Monday that I thought the night would never end, is in fact only sprained, and now dramatically improved. The left ankle is already beginning to be able to bear weight. At 62, I am so grateful to my body for its efforts to get going again.

Third, the accident itself. Our society is big on placing blame, but sometimes, it feels as though things just happen, and though we learn from them, and will possibly change our actions in the future, they are just that - accidents. On Monday, I cycled along the bicycle lane on Tatlow Street in North Vancouver and through a small park at the end of the street. The cycling lane comes out at a T intersection. I stopped, in preparation to go straight across the intersection. The lady in the car at my left stopped too. I saw her stop, the people on my right were stopped, and I believed it was my turn to go. I looked but didn't actually see her face through the windshield, as it was early morning and raining. In fact, she had looked to her left to check for people coming from that road, but didn't check to her right where I was, since that is a cycling lane coming out of a park. My lights didn't help. There was a front one and there were two back ones (one on the helmet), but none to the side. I did have a cycling jacket with reflective strips on the sleeve, but I guess they didn't show up either. She never saw me. As I stepped down on my right pedal, I saw her coming toward my left side and couldn't believe she wasn't stopping. She just didn't see me. End of story. And, I could neither back up, nor get out of the way quickly enough to avoid the hit. The good thing? Someone else got out of his car and helped her load my bike, and she was off to the hospital with me in the blink of an eye. Another good thing. She waited around, and came to see me in the examination room after my x-rays. A kind, and very upset lady. Just an accident that made us both wish we had done things differently. After a stop sign, I will never move again without making eye contact, and she will look to the right and to the left, whether or not there is a road on both sides.

Fourth is Bill. Beautiful, kind, patient Bill, who understands friendship as I am only beginning to comprehend. To name the things he has done for me over the past two days would require several paragraphs. I'll keep it to a few highlights: he packed a (happily unneeded) bag for the hospital, looked after Black Jack and brought her to the hospital where the staff graciously welcomed her and allowed her to see me, picked up my bike and belongings (can you believe my camera and laptop were undamaged??), talked with doctors, got crutches (soon to be unneeded), wheeled me to various appointments, shopped, prepared food, did dishes, and through it all, smiled, comforted and encouraged. Thank you seems insufficient, but... Thank you, Bill!

Fifth, some other thank-you's: the staff at my school, many of whom were burdened with extra work due to my absence but had only words of comfort and concern for me, my principal who braved the hospital emergency room to check on and reassure me, and the hospital staff, most of whom carried out their duties in a caring and very competent manner.

I wasn't going to post about the accident but have changed my mind. Bikesbirdsnbeasts records my thoughts about significant events in my life, and to skip this post would make everything afterwards feel a bit dishonest.

Finally, some photos. Between appointments yesterday, Bill took me to the waterside, where I tried out my new lens. I'm not fully satisfied, but overall, given that my right hand was barely working, and the camera is made much heavier with the new lens, perhaps they aren't so bad.

I thought the brown heads indicated that these are Common Mergansers, but now I'm thinking they are three female Barrow's Goldeneyes with a male at the centre. I've done just a bit of reading, and came across some articles saying mergansers and goldeneyes have been known to mate, so lots more to check out. I'll leave the positive identification for now.

Barrow's Goldeneye
Poor picture and unsure identification, but just love the intense expression when they stand up and "wave" as they dry out their wings.
Another bad photo of this cormorant, but I like the sun sparkles and outstretched form.
Three shots of Canadian Geese. This first one makes me laugh. It seems like a new four-headed and many-winged species.


Bill ran up and down the path, keeping Black Jack entertained, and checking on me, while I at times sat, and at other times, balanced on crutches to take pictures.
The sky was a brilliant blue, and the seagulls majestic in flight.
A Spotted Towhee inspecting a fallen leaf.
Bill and Black Jack with sun in their eyes.
And, a final one of Black Jack because I love her face and body expression.
Thanks for reading and not to worry please. I am doing well!

Colours

There was sun on Friday, rain on Saturday, and thick clouds throughout Sunday. It should have been a letdown to go from clear to grey weather, but it struck me that colour sometimes emerges when least expected.

On Friday..

There were only a few minutes in the day for picture taking, but they were good ones. Sumac berries caught the sun along the riverside path in North Vancouver.

The ducks, geese and shore birds were very active. I happened to catch this bird flying towards me, but had no idea what it was at first. After cropping the picture to bring it closer, the stripes made the bird look like a giant bumble bee, and the sun glare across its eyes formed a silver mask. I'm thinking now the two dark stripes may be a clue that it was a Killdeer.
One Blue Heron made an appearance.

On Saturday..

Bill, Black Jack and I attended a seminar in Squamish about Bald Eagles. The steady rain should have been truly dismal, and I guess it was, but I was happy, and the day was coloured by a feeling of contentment as we drove along the Sea to Sky Highway, listened to the speakers, watched the slide shows, and finally spent time watching the eagles.

Bill was, as always, fun to be with, Black Jack was allowed to sit on my lap in the beautiful theatre at the Adventure Centre in Squamish, and the speakers were passionate about all things nature-related, and especially about their beloved eagles.

I (we) signed up for three sessions of eagle counting, the first two next weekend. I can hardly wait!

In the mean time, here are my very poor pictures, taken as we stood under a shelter by the eagle viewing dyke. The forecast for next weekend is sun, and I'm hoping to get some better photos then.

While I took pictures, Bill walked in the rain with Black Jack. So many things to appreciate about you, Bill. Thank you for another wonderful weekend!
This dog, named Spring, led us to a fascinating conversation with his human, Mark. Spring's father was a timber wolf, and his mother was an Alaskan Malamute. What a beautiful and very sweet-natured dog.
Mark spends many hours in the mountains, collecting all kinds of berries to make the most amazing organic products. He had stories of close encounters with a Silver-backed Grizzly as well as a cougar.
We sampled a pure berry kind of liqueur that was out of this world, and left with some jam, some honey and a berry nectar. If you ever decide to visit Squamish, I highly recommend looking up Mark and Spring. Make sure to ask about those wildlife encounters as well as the products.
The view across the river was many-layered, and stunning, even through the rain and mist.
I've encountered coyotes before, but this is my very first photograph of one. It was on the other side of the river, so quite a distance off, luckily for Black Jack.

On Sunday..

it seemed there was colour everywhere, as Black Jack and I did our morning walk at Jericho.



I'm fairly certain this is an American Wigeon male.
The wigeon couple are being watched by a female mallard.
The male again, with fanned feathers.
We met Roxanne with Merry Lou, in almost the same spot as a couple of weeks ago.
I was struck once more with Merry Lou's gentle nature.
Just a sweetheart!
I'm sorry this photo is not clear enough to positively identify the little bird, but again, the surrounding colours took the grey right out of the weather.
Black Jack's favorite part of the walk is at the far end of the park by the rabbit bushes. Somehow, I don't think colour was the first thing on her mind.
Perhaps a Goshawk? That's what a lady passing by thought it was, but again,the photo is not clear enough to make a positive identification. I had to remind myself that seeing it was a gift, and try not to feel too frustrated, as it flew right in front of me at about waist height, obviously looking for a rabbit meal. I know it has to eat, but I'm very grateful that it didn't catch anything while I watched. The colour patterns in its spread-out wings flashed by very quickly, and I wanted so much to slow down its flight and take a better look.
My eyes tend to scan the trees as I walk at Jericho. Black Jack saw this squirrel on the ground before I did. It escaped up the tree, framed by splashes of colour.
On Sunday afternoon, Bill drove me to Broadway Camera, where we met our friends, Jock and Kitty. We all enjoyed Henry Wong, a passionate photographer first, and a salesman second. I bought a new lens, and hope to practice using it this week. Perhaps, I will be able to bring the wildlife just a bit closer to you in next weekend's post.