I got out later than normal today. The bears have gone to bed & the Lions haven’t arrived yet (& may not for the entire winter?).So I do not need to travel so far! Which means I do not need as much time & thus can go out later.
Less time in the freezer!
So I went down to Tsapee Narrows for not only the Daredevil but also because the Trumpeters have taken up residence in a near by bay!
There are two adults with their cygnet right now. The two adult Swans have been tagged up in the Yukon.K-19 & K-18 back in 2003. Their neck bands have fallen off but I can still see their leg tags.
Here is a little history on K-19 & 18. It’s from a Jim Hawkings (Canadian Wildlife Service)
(January 23rd,2013) Received some info about K19 from Jim Hawkings with the Canadian Wildlife Service out of Whitehorse. This is what he had to say about K19…………….”Not sure if anyone else (Ruth??) has tracked this down yet, but this is one of the birds captured in Yukon Territory, summer 2003 during the captures for the satellite telemetry study spearheaded by Ruth Shea and Rod Drewien. The bird was captured on 22 July 2003 at Taye Lake, 37 miles NW of Whitehorse (band # 1939-01708). It was not marked with a satellite transmitter. This is the first recovery I know of from this bird, but Ruth (or other folks in Southern BC) may have other sightings that never made their way to the banding lab’s recovery database. The other banded bird in the group was likely K19’s mate, formerly marked with neckband K18.
Sightings such as this help us continue to piece together the migrations and relationships between breeding and wintering grounds for Trumpeter Swans and other birds.”
The collective noun for a group of Swans is a “Ballet”. Trying to get close to a group of “wild” Swans is dam near impossible! If one could use the forest or brush as cover,than possibly. They start to bob their heads when they feel anxious. They are telling each other “there is danger about” & “we should think about getting out of Dodge”!
Animals as sensitive as this I approach silently & as still as possible. Whatever you do,don’t move! Which is really hard! I’m trying to guide the boat towards them & take pictures at the same time. As they swim I have to readjust my boats direction. If they see me moving about they get nervous!
Movement freaks them out because they realize your another animal! Harbour Seals are the same way.
Only took a few of my skittish friends & went back to Tsapee to see if the Daredevil was around? Turns out he wasn’t! A rarity!
Turned & headed back into town.
By this time some thin cloud (Cirrus) had moved in & semi snuffed the light.
I went to see if Maggie was around on Morpheus island? She has a more favourite perch over on Neilson island,but when she sees me arriving she flys out to greet me! She than goes over to her second favourite perch on the north end of Morpheus. I can call her back with a arm gesture. I can see her flying towards me & than she circles & circles occasionally do a chirp.
It’s always so nice to see her! She’s the largest & most powerful of the eagles! Very much a Queen in her own right!
I wasn’t tickled about the type of light,so didn’t hang around chatting to her. I know she understands.
I moved on westward to visit with Romeo/Juliette,but by this time the cloud had gotten thicker! When the light gets this diminished, I can only shoot silhouettes! Nothing wrong with that per say but it does limit my angles.
I did find two Herons perched here & there as well.
Juliette wasn’t around but my buddy Romeo was! He seemed to be his happy normal self. He never has a attitude & is always happy to see me!
Took a few shots of him & said goodnight.
Trying to find foreground subject matter for the sunset at this time of year is hard. The sun is so far south that very little can be lined up in front.
I can’t use the Lighthouse either because there is a forest to the north of the Lighthouse that blocks me from seeing both lined up together.
Slim pickens if you ask me!
I’ve been using the north end of Wickininnish island lately. Nothing outstanding,but better than nothing.
All in all it was a good shoot today,even if it was slim pickens.
Tofino Photography 