Where : Reed Road, Gibsons
When : December 22nd, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Spotted Towhee
The Towhees are back, ticking and nervous about town, fleeting images of the birds as they raid the bird feeder. Here a wayside opportunity during a snowy walk today.
Where : Reed Road, Gibsons
When : December 22nd, 2008
Where : Reed Road, Gibsons
When : December 22nd, 2008
Red Breasted Sapsucker
This cheeky chappie, and a second, have been been boring holes in our main tree in the back yard. At first we thought they were woodpeckers, but they're actually Red Breasted Sapsuckers.
It is amazing to watch how brazen these guys can be, we stood and watched for a few minutes and they allowed us to get very close.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : December 19th, 2008
It is amazing to watch how brazen these guys can be, we stood and watched for a few minutes and they allowed us to get very close.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : December 19th, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Howe Sound Tugboat
This old example appeared around June this year, and is still anchored off the wharf in Howe Sound.
Where : Shoal Bay, Howe Sound
When : October 19th, 2008
Where : Shoal Bay, Howe Sound
When : October 19th, 2008
Seals
The tugboat was still there, four seals posing for the camera.
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : October 19th, 2008
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : October 19th, 2008
Nine Seal Day
At the weekend we had a nine seal day, the count being the number of seals visible, local to the wharf, at the same time. Howe Sound was full of seals this day, the weather had been wet for a few days.
Here is a seal watcher, caught in the act.
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : October 19th, 2008
Here is a seal watcher, caught in the act.
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : October 19th, 2008
Bigger Boat
Another female coho, closer for a portrait of that ugly mug.
Where : Chapman Creek
When : October 18th, 2008
Where : Chapman Creek
When : October 18th, 2008
Coho
The rains have started and the salmon are running, usually at night, so the best way of capturing a big coho is to drop in at the Chapman Creek fish Hatchery.
Saturday was a fine day, good weather, rain the night before. Here is an impressive example of a female coho salmon, over 100cm long. Note the missing aft fin, which indicates that it was a farm fish, probably around 18 months old.
Where : Chapman Creek
When : October 18th, 2008
Saturday was a fine day, good weather, rain the night before. Here is an impressive example of a female coho salmon, over 100cm long. Note the missing aft fin, which indicates that it was a farm fish, probably around 18 months old.
Where : Chapman Creek
When : October 18th, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Neighbours
They're here every day and I forgot to put them into the blog, we have crows and ravens here on the coast, they are very vocal and very social. These two are northwestern crows, sitting on the power lines.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Bark
Yes, Bark. I took an arty shot down near Soames Hill.
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Sunday Buffet
Seals out in full force today, lots of fish to eat. Each held it's own territory until these two surfaced close to each other, followed by displays of blowing water and slapping the surface with their fins.
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Police Line up
It was the guy in the middle, no wait, the guy at the end, this end. No, the other end. Three rather young gulls down at the Government Wharf.
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Steller's Jay
A garden visitor, hiding his nuts near our front flower beds. This individual spent some time hiding things, placing leaves and twigs above his hidden loot.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October 12th, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sea Life, Fish 2
And the same massing of small fish at the Gibsons marina pier.
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : Late September, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : Late September, 2008
Sea Life, Starfish
Continuing the sea life theme, here a shot from Gibsons Pier, several starfish sunning themselves on an autumn day.
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : Late September, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina, Gibsons
When : Late September, 2008
Sea Life, Fish
Another picture, same day at Davis Bay pier, I have never seen so many fish in one place, even at the local fish hatcheries. There were thousands of these 8cm long fish around the pier, in addition, larger 25 to 30cm fish.
Where : Davis Bay
When : October, 2008
Where : Davis Bay
When : October, 2008
Sea Life, Jellyfish
A couple of beautiful pictures of a large jellyfish (about 50cm in diameter) swimming near the Davis Bay pier.
Where : Davis Bay
When : October, 2008
Where : Davis Bay
When : October, 2008
Poop
The local bears have transitioned from eating berries to apples and local fruits, we had a bear leave a present for us, a delicious looking pile of apple pie filling dropped at the end of our driveway, good portion too.
I dropped a quarter nearby for scale.
Taste, well, it was predominantly apple-ish, could do with more sugar and perhaps a sprinkling of spice....
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October, 2008
I dropped a quarter nearby for scale.
Taste, well, it was predominantly apple-ish, could do with more sugar and perhaps a sprinkling of spice....
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : October, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Ben
This is one of the cats that thinks he is the top cat in our house.
Happy, smiling, probably thinking about fish....
Where : Ben's Basket, Creekside Crescent
When : September 1st, 2008
Happy, smiling, probably thinking about fish....
Where : Ben's Basket, Creekside Crescent
When : September 1st, 2008
Doctor Kildeer
Another little Kildeer, we think, actually strolled up to where we had a picnic on the shoreline of Davis Bay.
It was quite a small bird though, which sort of cast a doubt about it being a Kildeer or a small plover, although when he finally decided to fly off, he made the characteristic kildee dee dee noise.
Where : Davis Bay, near Sechelt.
When : August 31, 2008
It was quite a small bird though, which sort of cast a doubt about it being a Kildeer or a small plover, although when he finally decided to fly off, he made the characteristic kildee dee dee noise.
Where : Davis Bay, near Sechelt.
When : August 31, 2008
McStarfish
I don't know how they do it, and it is an odd phenomenon to watch as one of our gulls takes a starfish for breakfast.
This guy sat for quite a while before swallowing the entire thing, sideways.
Do you want fries with that?
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : August 30, 2008
This guy sat for quite a while before swallowing the entire thing, sideways.
Do you want fries with that?
Where : Government Wharf, Gibsons
When : August 30, 2008
Canada Geese
Its that time of the year again when the Canada Geese are starting to congregate in lower Gibsons.
I managed a decent flying photo of a pair on Monday, so here it is, of course, if I can take a decent flying vee formation, it'll be posted.
This can only mean one thing though, summer is almost over...
Where : Dougall Park, Gibsons
When : Labour Day Picnic
I managed a decent flying photo of a pair on Monday, so here it is, of course, if I can take a decent flying vee formation, it'll be posted.
This can only mean one thing though, summer is almost over...
Where : Dougall Park, Gibsons
When : Labour Day Picnic
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Soames Hill Trap
Karen does not like spiders, fact.
Today, during our walk on the less used lower blue trail on Soames Hill, Karen was leading the way and almost took this creation right in the face. An almost perfect spiders web, about dinner plate size. Luckily, she spotted it in time.
I think she would always prefer a custard pie to one of these.
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : August 5th, 2008
Today, during our walk on the less used lower blue trail on Soames Hill, Karen was leading the way and almost took this creation right in the face. An almost perfect spiders web, about dinner plate size. Luckily, she spotted it in time.
I think she would always prefer a custard pie to one of these.
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : August 5th, 2008
Hummingbird.
There are certain times here that you see, no feel, these little darting wonders around the trees and butterfly bushes, this humming bird landed and for once I was able to get my camera up and running in time before it vanished.
Where : Bals Lane, Gibsons
When : August 4th, 2008
Where : Bals Lane, Gibsons
When : August 4th, 2008
Another Heron
Monday, flew over the top of us when we where down at the wharf.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : August, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : August, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Great Blue Heron
No real need for a high powered zoom on this photograph, this handsome blue heron was down near the Coal Harbour Seawalk in Vancouver, we watched this skilled guy take two or three unfortunate snack fish out of the water.
Where : Coal Harbour, Vancouver
When : July 14th, 2008
Where : Coal Harbour, Vancouver
When : July 14th, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Butterfly
The size of a Monarch, but we're not sure what species this butterfly is, but it may be an admiral, we have this pattern, yellow and white types and little white ones (everyone has those). Anyway, regardless of species, this guy was happy to stretch his wings once or twice while I held the camera.
Where : Gower Point Road, Gibsons
When : July 11th, 2008
Where : Gower Point Road, Gibsons
When : July 11th, 2008
Spotted Towhee
Another of the elusive, yet common, birds in the area. We have a couple who drop into the back garden, usually when we're enjoying a beer on the deck, without a camera handy.
Here is my first photo of the bird, a little dark, but nevertheless, a reasonable snap.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : July, 2008
Here is my first photo of the bird, a little dark, but nevertheless, a reasonable snap.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : July, 2008
The buck stopped here
This buck was in the same area, I tried to approach him and he was off like a rabbit, fast. Luckily, Karen had said take a picture before moving.
The Gospel Rock area is another example of an animal corridor, where, more and more, wild animals encroach on human territory.
Or is it the other way around?
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
The Gospel Rock area is another example of an animal corridor, where, more and more, wild animals encroach on human territory.
Or is it the other way around?
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
Four deer day
The route we have been walking, down near Gospel Rock and a place called "Little Africa" is full of wildlife, some rather elusive to the camera. Friday was an official "four deer day" with a young buck and three young females.
No wonder these animals are elusive, they have excellent hearing, just look at the size of the ears on this young female :
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
No wonder these animals are elusive, they have excellent hearing, just look at the size of the ears on this young female :
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
Bump on a Log
We where out on a media boat, following the clipper canoe outrigger race on Saturday, lots of excitement and a glorious day out on the water. I saw some driftwood floating by and taking a ride was a sunbathing seal.
Where : Popham Island, BC
When : July 12th, 2008
Where : Popham Island, BC
When : July 12th, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Grasshopper
Something we walk past all the time, and don't take the time to look too closely, here, up on Gospel Rock, a little grasshopper that was quite happy to pose for a quick picture. Size, about 30mm long.
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
Where : Gospel Rock, "Little Africa", Gibsons, BC
When : July 11th, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Two Ferry Day
After we had walked around Soames Hill, we ended up devouring a beef and mustard sandwich on Hopkins Landing Wharf, close to Langdale ferry terminal, and for our viewing pleasure, a bi-product of the summer ferry schedule happened with the dance of the Queen of Coquitlam ferry and the "bonus" Langdale ferry the Queen of Surrey.
Where : Hopkins Landing, Howe Sound
When : July 7th, 2008
Where : Hopkins Landing, Howe Sound
When : July 7th, 2008
Foxglove
Native to BC and prolific, at first Karen thought that these were Mullein, but said that they could be like the British Foxglove, they are HUGE and usually around five feet tall at least.
This one on Chamberlin Road on our walk around Soames Hill.
Where : Chamberlin Road, Gibsons
When : July 7th, 2008
This one on Chamberlin Road on our walk around Soames Hill.
Where : Chamberlin Road, Gibsons
When : July 7th, 2008
Two Deer Day
It was a two deer day today, and we had the camera, and they cooperated with us, in fact I was about three feet away from this young male when I took his portrait. This was up around the Soames Hill area, near Twin Isles, I think on the corner of Bridgeman Road near someones front gate.
And here's his young friend, a female :
Where : Bridgeman Road, Hopkins Landing
When : July 7th, 2008
And here's his young friend, a female :
Where : Bridgeman Road, Hopkins Landing
When : July 7th, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
American Robin
The lead singer in the dawn chorus every day is this villain, an American Robin, cousin of the varied Thrush. Another of the group of garden birds that we want to photograph, including the Spotted Towhees and the insanely fast humming birds that we see flitting.
This guy was attracted by some fresh dug earth near our bird bath.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : 27th June, 2008
This guy was attracted by some fresh dug earth near our bird bath.
Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons
When : 27th June, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Californian Lilac
One of Karens favourites at the moment. This small bunch (about two metres in diameter) is on South Fletcher Road. A bushy, compact shrub with bright blue flowers during summer.
Where : South Fletcher Road, Gibsons
When : 22nd June, 2008
Where : South Fletcher Road, Gibsons
When : 22nd June, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Harbour
The bits of Gibsons, to the left is the Government Wharf, to the right is Gibsons Marina and behind the Marina are the bluffs. The first island is Keats and the lump behind is Bowen Island.
Where : South Fletcher Road, Gibsons
When : 22nd June, 2008
Where : South Fletcher Road, Gibsons
When : 22nd June, 2008
Snake
This guy, about 20 inches long was down at the shoreline, near the Gibsons Bluffs. It may be a garter snake, and looking at the web it could also be a night snake, although, they are supposed to be nocturnal. As I was photographing this guy, he looking to be setting up to pounce, not rushing away.
If it was a night snake, this is a rare find as they are on the endangered list. if it is a garter snake, well, that's two in a very short time.
Where : Gibsons Bluffs
When : 22nd June, 2008
If it was a night snake, this is a rare find as they are on the endangered list. if it is a garter snake, well, that's two in a very short time.
Where : Gibsons Bluffs
When : 22nd June, 2008
Crab
A walk along the bluffs beach gave us a few surprises, not that the following couple of pictures are of rare critters, just that we actually had the camera with us. This guy was caught outside of a rock pool, taking a stroll in the sun. A small crab, only about two inches long and probably happier to see us than a hungry gull.
Where : Gibsons Bluffs
When : June, 2008
Where : Gibsons Bluffs
When : June, 2008
Seagull versus Eagle
Today it was the turn of a young bald eagle to be chased off the Seagulls territory, it was a case of Tora, Tora, Tora as the Seagulls dive bombed the eagle, and today, the gulls appeared to be winning.
Where : Gibsons Landing
When : June, 2008
Where : Gibsons Landing
When : June, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Old friends
They're back, well, they probably never went away. The river otters are down by the sea wall by the Gibsons Marina. The pier on the Government Wharf was obviously too busy and noisy for them, so they just moved over to the sea wall.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : June, 2008
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : June, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Fungi
This spotted on a spring climb up Soames Hill near Gibsons. It was something absolutely huge, about 160mm diameter and stuck on a log. At first I didn't know what it was, then after giving it a slight squeeze, realised it was a very firm mushroom or fungal growth.
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : March, 2008
Where : Soames Hill, Gibsons
When : March, 2008
Steller's Jay
It was a good two days, simply because we did not take the camera on our walks. The river otters were back down at the government wharf yesterday, at least three of them over at the sea wall, happily chasing each other in and out of the water.
Today, started with some old favorites, three Steller's Jays being noisy up on Tricklebrook Way, then later a very young deer on Gower point road, quite close to Mollies Reach, thinking about dodging traffic.
We paused for a few minutes and watched a mischievious raccoon trying to climb into someones kitchen window near Beach Road, and then up by Gibsons Creek we stood about five feet from a stunning yearling deer, happily munching on assorted greenery. It kept a careful eye on us, but was not spooked in the least.
Where : Tricklebrook Way, Gibsons
When : 17th June, 2008
This photo from www.birdsource.org
Today, started with some old favorites, three Steller's Jays being noisy up on Tricklebrook Way, then later a very young deer on Gower point road, quite close to Mollies Reach, thinking about dodging traffic.
We paused for a few minutes and watched a mischievious raccoon trying to climb into someones kitchen window near Beach Road, and then up by Gibsons Creek we stood about five feet from a stunning yearling deer, happily munching on assorted greenery. It kept a careful eye on us, but was not spooked in the least.
Where : Tricklebrook Way, Gibsons
When : 17th June, 2008
This photo from www.birdsource.org
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Northwestern Garter Snake
We found this little guy on the shoreline, near quite a rocky area on the Sechelt Peninsula. We believe it's a Northwestern Garter Snake, and measured about two feet long. An exciting find on a Saturday afternoon walk, even more special as the batteries were dying in the camera.
Where : Sechelt, Sunshine Coast, BC
When : 14th June, 2008
Where : Sechelt, Sunshine Coast, BC
When : 14th June, 2008
Glaucous-winged Gull
Here is an adult Glaucous-winged Gull down at the Marina on Thursday. This guy is about three or four years old based on beak colour.
The species is very common here on the coast, they appear to be able to eat anything and are quite territorial. Last week I witnessed one steal an egg out of a crows nest near our house, it took off like a rocket, egg in beak, persued by a very angry crow.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : June 12th, 2008
The species is very common here on the coast, they appear to be able to eat anything and are quite territorial. Last week I witnessed one steal an egg out of a crows nest near our house, it took off like a rocket, egg in beak, persued by a very angry crow.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : June 12th, 2008
Killdeer
One of our common shorebirds down by the marina, the Killdeer is elusive to photograph though. I'm sure these little guys know exactly when the focus button is pushed because, as soon as you do, they're off.
This little guy was pretending to be a bump on a log and wasn't quick enough to escape.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : October, 2007
This little guy was pretending to be a bump on a log and wasn't quick enough to escape.
Where : Gibsons Marina
When : October, 2007
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