Official Bird & Nature Post

Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
2,130
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Vancouver Island
With Spring just around the corner intrepid photographers like my friend Karen Wasilenchuk start looking for the newly awakened critters around one of our local ponds.
Here's a couple of her recent finds.
KarenGartersnake2.jpg

She claimed the above snake was all hissy and pissy when she disturbed it, but knowing it is neither poisonous nor venomous she held her ground and got its portrait. Got a good shot of it checking her out, too.
KarenGartersnakeTongue.jpg
She's always complaining that Red Wing Blackbirds are hard to capture but she got a good one here.

KarenRedWingBlackbird2.jpg

And of course, no pond shots would be complete without a Frog or two, so here's a Northern Red Legged one.

KarenRedLegFrog.jpg





Take care.
 

Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
2,130
113
Vancouver Island
Here's a few more from Karen who recently discovered an Owls nest with three Owlets in it.
KarenThreeOwlets.jpg

Naturally, Ma and Pa Owl were hanging about and here they are.

KarenDaddyOwl.jpg

The above photo brought back a vivid memory for me as way back when I was a kid I climbed a second-growth Hemlock in the bush behind where I grew up and as I swung around to squirm up between closely spaced branches I came face to face with an Owl exactly like this one. Scared the crap out of me for a moment and then I quickly slid down and away from it. I thought for a moment it might tear my face off, being I was so close to it.


KarenMomOwl.jpg

Not really sure which one is the Mother and which is the Father, but there they are.

The Turkey Vultures have returned and here's a couple from some time back working on a carcass.

KarenTurkeyVulturePair.jpg


Lots happening these days.




Take care.
 

Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
2,130
113
Vancouver Island
I literally just copied this from my local Facebook group. Posted two hours ago.

"WARNING my dog was just attacked by a cougar in the Beaver Lodge Lands. We were on the Pony trail coming out to airport main. HUGE COUGAR BE CAREFUL. thankfully my dog escaped with her life."

This area is really popular as people can let their dogs off leash, being it's in the bush rather than anywhere civilized.

There have been a few dogs disappear when they've been let off leash there as they often run ahead and there are lots of Cougars around this area.

Sometimes one snags Fluffy and takes off before the owner even knows what's happened.

Here's one right now, checking you out.

CougarInTree.jpg








Take care.
 

ghostshaper

Phil Edwards status
Jan 22, 2005
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I cried my eyes out as a kid when I read where the red fern grows. Don't ever want to see a cougar in person (either kind bc I'm already old).
 

Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
2,130
113
Vancouver Island
Up here we have Hummingbirds all year round and already some have chicks.
Here's a young one calling for someone to come feed it.
KarenBabyHummerCalling.jpg

Naturally, the parents are usually hauling ass gathering nectar and stuff but they get back to feed the kid whenever they can.

KarenBabyHummerFeeding.jpg

Love their throat patches and how they flash them. Neat little birds.

KarenBabyHummerAndParent.jpg

Photos by Karen Wasilenchuck




Take care.