Check Out My Bird!: June 2014

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Witty's Lagoon

Osprey

Family Of Mergansers

Sandpipers

Dug in to the archive to grab these shots. We took a trip to Witty's last year and had a great time visiting the beach and walking the trails. We spotted an Osprey, family of Mergansers, and a couple of Sandpipers.

We will certainly be back to check out this gem of a spot some time soon!

Government House

Turkey Vulture

Cooper's Hawk

We took a walk over to Government House today. Lauren put it out to the universe that we would get a chance to see a Cooper's Hawk. Her strong intuition did indeed lead us to one. But before we got to it we ran in to two Turkey Vultures who had stumbled upon a dead rat.

The Cooper's Hawk chased the two Turkey Vultures away though which had us thinking it may have been protecting a nest close by or challenging the Vultures away from the food it was intending to claim.

Friday, 6 June 2014

Nice Way To End The Week

Juvenile Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Juvenile Barred Owl

Bald Eagle

We saw one of the Juvenile Barred Owl's hanging out near the middle of the SEW (South East Woods) in Beacon Hill Park. The father was fairly close by in a new spot he is frequenting.

To top things off, one of the Bald Eagles flew over top of us while we were in the woods and landed on the Totem Pole. We were able to make it out and get a few shots before leaving the park. Not a bad way to cap off the week!

Thursday, 5 June 2014

Mt. Arrowsmith

Morning Inside The Cabin (Note The Angel In The Lower Left)

Sunset On A Cliff

Tree Top Facing Port Alberni

Tree Tops Facing Port Alberni

Port Alberni And Mountains

Mountain Tops Over Port Alberni

Port Alberni

Campfire At The Cabin

The Cabin

Mt. Arrowsmith

Really, Really, Really, High

Old Rusted Bed Behind The Cabin

Mt. Arrowsmith

The River Below The Mountain

Mt. Arrowsmith

The River Below The Mountain

Mt. Arrowsmith

The River Below The Mountain

Holly's Truck Parked On The Side Of A Logging Road

View From The Logging Road

We took a trip to Port Alberni with our friends Holly and Nels. We camped out on Mt. Arrowsmith for a couple of nights in a cabin. The cabin was built in the 1960's and surprisingly remains in decent shape. People who have spent time there have signed books or left messages inside the cabin along the walls. It's quite a magical place.

While we were there we woke up to the sounds of a Great Horned Owl nearly every morning. We were also greeted by a couple of Grey Jay's and could hear some Varied Thrush calling throughout the forest.

Holly and Nels were the lone troopers to actually hike to the top of the mountain (I have a slight fear of heights so Lauren and I stayed at the cabin). Our friends though braved the steep slopes and even fed Grey Jay's out of there hands while embarking up to the top. Holly showed us a few photo's she took at the top when they got back and I have to say they are truly incredible.

During this trip I was able to challenge myself to get more comfortable at higher elevations. I have to say, driving up the mountain on the logging roads is quite the experience.