Wood Ducks !

first time 

spotted 

today 

in Whiskey Cove 

-- a pair of wood ducks

The tide is high
and rain 
drumming on the roof
a dismal day
made brighter
with the 
wood duck's visit

Osprey in the Cove

It's not often we see 
an osprey on the inlet
but today was 
a real bird day - 
loons in the morning,
a grouse in the afternoon
and an osprey before dinner
swooping over the island
scaring the geese
looking for a meal
of goose egg omelet
which he didn't get
...yet

Grouse Message

we hiked today

up Sugar Mountain

along the ridge trail

climbing 

talking

in the spring mist 

as rain threatened any moment

and stopped for lunch

at the lookout

as you do

above Sasamat Lake

Bedwell Bay and Indian Arm

and as we sat on the mossy forest floor

we heard a rustle 

in the underbrush

sat still

watched 

and along came a grouse

pecking at the huckleberry leaves

he looked at us

we looked at him

expecting him to take flight

but no, he came closer 

tipped his head 

wondering what we were 

I suppose

and then closer again

and within two feet of us

he circled

pecking and poking 
at the underbrush

peeking at us

listening it seemed 

as we talked

and then came 

around the front 

and stood 

and looked at us 

quite curiously

as if he had something to say

a message perhaps

or was listening for one

or both




Here's the link to the trail map: http://g.co/maps/2pn4p

four fat loons

four fat loons
swimming by...
today in Whiskey Cove

Duck Tail 2012

In Whiskey Cove today  

I saw one of the goldeneye ducks

with its transmitter tail.

He was in a large flock of goldeneyes

headed north at the end of our winter.

Can you spot the duck with the transmitter tail? Hint: front right center...

Diving for mussels under the dock

Male goldeneye duck with transmitter tail April 2012

Flock of goldeneye ducks - Indian Arm BC 2012

The goldeneyes are late leaving the coast this year...but should be gone any day now.
For more information on the ducks with transmitter tails, read previous post and also visit the Sea Duck Joint Venture.

River of Crows

photo by Barbara Beck 2012

there’s a river
of crows
streaming
from Vancouver
to Burnaby
silhouetted black
against
a twilight blue sky
every day
at four o’clock

day’s work is done
streets are cleaned
turf beetles found
garbage checked over
and sorted

they fly
and follow
each other
eastward

then pause 
and rest 

on treetops
wires
street lights
and traffic lights
along the way

heads bobbing
wings flapping
they lift
and continue
east
to their roosting spots
high in treetops
along Still Creek
near Grandview
at Boundary 

all night 
clustered
protected
chattering about the day
companions
a social group

and in the morning
a commute back
to the east end
the west end
shaughnessy
main street
kits

they poke
and prod
and clean
the city

and then…
again …
at four o’clock
lift off
and return
to their
nightly roost



Colleen MacDonald 2007