Testing, testing, testing

This week I bought a new pocket camera - a Sony DSC-HX99,  basically the same as my last three pocket cameras, just a newer model with a few more features.  With camera in hand, I headed to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre.

I chose this place to test out the camera because much of my photography involves dogs, birds and other moving targets, often some distance away. NIWRC would guarantee the presence of animals and birds to photograph, and for some the zoom and the 'continual shoot' mode would be needed. Plus it is one of my favourite local places and I wanted to renew my annual pass which had just expired.

Not all the residents at NIWRC are in enclosures.
I happened to notice this guy watching me from a tree on the grounds.

After stopping to say hello to Wobbles the owl and Dougal the blind raven, I took a number of shots of Casey, a bald eagle whose badly dislocated and irreparable wing (oh how I identify with that!) meant he could not be released to the wild.  Casey was feeling quite perky - hopping around his enclosure, curious about this person with the black box in front of her face.  He was quite willing to show off the lovely detail in his feathers:

Next, I visited Farley, who has a lovely new enclosure built in which he is quite at home.  Farley is one of my favourites (of course, I say that about all the permanent residents there!), as he always looks so wise and interested, as if he is thinking hard about the humans who come to visit.

I checked out King Alfred, the golden eagle, and Elvis, the Swainson's Hawk.  Elvis seemed to be doing a little dance for me, and I realized I need to figure out how to focus on something beyond the enclosure's wires - I obviously don't have the settings quite right yet!

It must have been a dancing day for the birds, because this raven (Loki or Thor, I'm not sure which) put on quite the show for me, bobbing and hopping and wiggling his/her booty while travelling back and forth along a 3-4 foot pole near the top of the enclosure. 

Next were the Indian runner ducks.  If I had acreage again, I would have runner ducks!  So amusing, so fun to watch, with their upright bodies and penguin-like fast-paced waddle.  And they always look to me like they are smiling 😀.

A new addition are some silkie chickens, most with their big hairdos and floofy feet that look like they are wearing giant fluffy bedroom slippers.  While I'm pretty sure they aren't wild birds, they are apparently providing eggs for the diets of other birds and animals at the centre.  

This one didn't have the big hairdo of the others (is this one maybe a rooster?),
but was willing to show me the floofy feet.

One of the silkies was incredibly curious about my camera, coming right up to the wire in front of me and sticking his/her beak through to investigate.  I  was careful not to get too close or I would have some chicken-pecked scratches on my brand new lens!

And then my 'zen' place - the turtle pond, where one can sit for hours entertained by the many turtles, both red-eared sliders and western painted turtles, as well as their co-residents, the ducks, and whatever other birds might choose to stop by on their way to wherever they are going.  

Such a beautiful blue on the wing!

We hit it at bath time - the ducks were splishing and splashing and having quite a time - making a very suitable challenge for me to capture a good shot.  They seemed determined to take turns bathing in such a way that whatever one I focused on would stop splashing and the ones out of my focal point would start.  When I moved to focus on that one, they stopped and another would start.  My reflexes need some work, I think!

Excuse me! Could I have some privacy here?!!!

And then the turtles....so fun to photograph as they laze about on logs, occasionally slipping into the water and clambering back up again, sometimes right on top of another turtle.

I love the little leg stretch! 

When the log isn't long enough, just clamber up on top of a buddy!

This next one isn't a great picture, but I laughed as I took it:

If people fret about getting all their ducks in a row,
do ducks fret about getting all their turtles in a row?

And this - from a photographer's point of view, this is my very favourite shot of the day:

I'm happy with the new camera, though I do wish they still came with print manuals - the 'downloadable' pdf one is 551 pages long! Who can print off that many pages and who wants to lug it around?  I suppose Sony assumes everyone has access to it online on their smartphone, but I have no smartphone.  There's still some of us old-school Luddites around, spending mega-bucks on cameras that we have to learn to use by trial and error. 

I'm on a fast learning curve on this one, because tomorrow I'm heading out on a two-week camping and hiking trip with my Monday hiking buddy (who, thankfully, has a self-contained camper van).  We'll be going up island and have a long list of trails to check out.  The fish are running, so we're sure to see bears, as well as many birds and other critters - I'm hoping for some great shots.

My sister-in-law is staying at my place with Maggie while I'm away.  Maggie has spent the last  few days teaching her everything she needs to know:  

Next,  ya gotta give me a treat!
Hurry up, will ya?

I'll be off the grid most of the time I'm away, so there will be no blog posts for at least two weeks and likely three or more - I expect to have lots of photos to edit when I return!

Stay safe. 

Enos Lake

Yesterday, my Monday hiking buddy and I hiked Enos Lake (Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island BC).  It was our second time there - the first time, about 18 months ago, was the one and only time we have become lost sufficiently to need our compasses to get back to the car.  The trails are still badly marked (and don't match the occasional map that shows only about 10% of the forks, side trails, etc.).  But this time we didn't get lost, though I won't say we always knew exactly where we were. We found the lake, and it was a beautiful as ever:

Enos Lake

Enos Lake is the private property of the Fairwinds community, but allows public access to the trails.  We began our hike from the parking lot on Powder Point Road, though there are other access points. Dogs are allows on leash  but I didn't take Maggie who isn't quite enough of a hiker for my Monday ramblings.  The trails go through forests, across bluffs, down to the shore of the lake, around ponds, and out to residential areas.  Varied terrain, some ups and downs, some rooty sections - I'd rate it easy to moderate as long as you have GPS or know how to use a compass.

While a sign at the entrance warned of the presence of bears and cougars, we saw only small critters - a snake, a squirrel, a bunny, frogs, woodpeckers, ducks, and several varieties of smaller birds.

Hairy woodpecker, I think, based on the length of his bill (much longer than a Downy).
Possibly a juvenile, based on the fluffy floof on his back.

He was very busy digging grubs from the ground.
Here, he reaches far under a rock for a tasty morsel. 

We hiked up to the bluffs, then down and around the end of Enos Lake and along a trail on the other side, taking a side trail down to the water.  This was the spot we had lunched at last time, where we had discovered - after eating our lunch - a nice pile of fairly fresh bear scat right behind us.  This time we checked for bear activity before sitting down on the handy log along the shore, shaded from the hot sun by an overhanging tree.  A slight breeze came from the lake, and we were joined by two lunchtime companions - a frog and a nuthatch - who entertained us as we ate.

Enos Lake, far side - our lunch spot under overhanging boughs.

This frog seemed to enjoy this spot, where slight waves from the lake washed over him.

He took a giant leap over a big rock and into deeper water when I tried to get closer for a better shot, but soon returned to his spot when I sat down again.  He agreed to let mo photograph him with the zoom if I promised not to approach him again.  Okay, froggy, I can live with that.

This little nuthatch didn't stay still for a second, and taunted me with brief but beautiful poses
throughout our lunch.  Peeking out from behind a trunk, hopping onto a sunlit bough then dancing away just as I focused, he was such a tease.  

The day was getting very warm, so we decided to keep the hike short and return more-or-less the way we came with a few detours along the way.  One of the prettiest spots we passed was a  pond covered with small lilypads in various shades of green and red.  We passed it on one side on the way up, and returned on the other side which gave us even prettier views.

Lilypads dressed in autumn red and spring green
upon a summer-blue pond.

A good hike in most weather conditions, though some trails may get muddy and/or slippery.  We covered about 5 miles (8 km) in about 3.5 hours, which include a 40 minute break for lunch and several stops for photography and nature appreciation.  As nature-loving seniors, we walk at a leisurely pace.  Get out and enjoy!

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

I've been told that today, August 28th, is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day.  Those who have followed my blog since its beginnings may recognize these beautiful faces - all dogs who brought me much joy and are greatly missed. 

Top row:  Emma, Shiloh, Oliver
Middle row:  Eddie, Belle, Mitzi
Bottom row:  Caleb, Charley, Sadie

In addition to those nine, also running free at the bridge are those who lived with me before the blog:  Brandy, Shamrock, McDuff, Muffin, and Sam.  And right there with them are my three cats Pusskin, Goose and Allie, and foster dogs Petey and Pepper, and foster pigs Scotch and Soda.  I hope to see them all again one day.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of The Rainbow Bridge, here's the story that inspired it or perhaps was inspired by it (there is some speculation the concept is rooted in Norse mythology):

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

(The story of The Rainbow Bridge was written by Paul C. Dahm, a grief counsellor from Portland Oregon USA, who is said to have penned it in 1981, and later published a book by the same name in 1998).  

Happy International Dog Day!

Maggie says I would be remiss if I didn't wish her and all dogs a "Happy International Dog Day!"  According to Maggie, that means all you dogs out there get extra treats today, even the mischievous ones that stick their tongues out at the camera. 

She also claims it is " Take Your Dog to the Beach" Day.  But she tells me that every day. 😄 

Blackberries, Books, Beaches and Blogs

Blogging has been at the top of my daily "to do" list for the past two weeks.  I have at least a dozen hikes to blog about - many of them new hikes to me and therefore to the blog -  and I have hundreds of photos to edit.  But instead, life intervenes and sitting at the computer takes a low priority.

For one thing, it's blackberry season!  Ever since I was a little girl picking blackberries from the bushes around town with my mom, I have loved blackberries.  Not those perfectly-formed, totally tasteless commercial ones you buy in a store at $5.00 for about a cup of about-to-go-moldy berries -- I'm talking about wild blackberries for which your arms and legs get scratched, your clothes get snagged, and your fingers get stained.  My neighbour and I found acres of them, free for the taking, just a few minutes from home.

So, of course, in addition to downing a big bowl of fresh blackberries with frozen yogurt, I then made blackberry muffins and blackberry scones, and spread the rest of the berries on a cookie sheet to freeze prior to bagging them for used later.

Blackberry lemon streusel  muffins

All that blackberry work left me too tired to blog, so I sat in my favourite chair and picked up a book.  A few days ago I called our local independent new-and-used bookstore in search of a second-hand copy of a hiking book I wanted.  They had it.  I arranged to pick it up from their shop which follows strict covid protocol. It was $7.00.  Of course, while there they invited me to look around and soon I had four more books that I just HAD to purchase - a mix of new and used.

Our library had been closed due to  Covid, and while it had recently partially re-opened for take-out service from a table outdoors, I'm more of a browser-through-the-stacks which isn't yet an option.  But as fate would have it, the day after I bought five books, the library emailed to let me know that two items I had requested back in the pre-covid days were now available and waiting for me to pick up. I stayed up very late last night reading "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek".  I highly recommend it!

And then there is our usual Parksville pleasure - wading in the water along miles of sandy shores.  That certainly takes priority to sitting at a computer.  We're very fortunate that even during tourist time there are areas of beach that never get crowded.  Mags and I can always find somewhere to go when the tide is low.

And who wouldn't want to spend time on the beach, among herons and eagles and gulls, I munching my blackberry muffin and them munching their.....seafood?

We stroll through the surf and tidal pools, admiring seastars and crabs and shellfish.  A clam on its side, half buried in the sand, wrapped in a string of seaweed reminds me of a locket I once owned.

I watch some  kayakers paddling with the geese,

and gaze meditatively out to sea,  past fishing boats and hazy islands to the mountains beyond.

I love the reflections in pools of still water,

and Maggie, of course, is in her element, climbing every large rock to claim her turf - just look how happy and proud she is!

I think this seagull is mimicking her.

And the heron may be mimicking me:

Waves lapping, tides ebb and flow,  rippling the sand beneath to create a beautiful quilt-like image.  Nature is such a wonderful artist:

So, no, I'm not sitting at the computer for more than a few minutes a day.  I'm not editing photos when I could be at the beach...or reading on the patio....or picking and eating blackberries....or exploring new trails.   But I'll be back again soon. If life doesn't intervene.

Now it's time to grab another blackberry muffin and my book and a certain sheltie and head to the beach.  Us gals just wanna have fun.