Month: February 2015

ATLEO AIR COMING IN

Atleo Air, Snow, Strathcona

20150228-IMG_2094Headed out today. It was low tide,so I went up to Fortune Channel. With our warmer weather,I’m was hoping the bears would be coming out of their Winter dens? Unfortunately,after checking Fortune & than Gunner inlet,nobody was home…………they must still be snoozing? Soon however!
I can always tell when they are going to be coming out……………..the bear watching boats start buzzing about!
Went down into Tranquil,but no Trumpeters. I think they have all gone down to the end of Grice bay. With it being Low tide,there was no way I would be able to get down there. Grice bay is a very shallow bay. Kind of freaks me out when I go screaming down there & see the bottom only a few feet below me!
There must be around 30 Trumpeters down there now! At high tide I go down there,take a few shots & collect all the feathers they’ve dropped.
Headed back after a rest at Tranquil for Tsapee Narrows. Both the Daredevil & Delilah greeted me. I saw some high cloud moving in from the west & knew these shots would be the only ones in great light! Once the sun gets snuffed,I can only shoot silhouettes.
Said goodnight to my friends & headed to Deadman island to visit with Romeo & Juliette. Didn’t divert & go visit with Maggie because she’s in a spot where I cannot shoot silhouettes very good with her.
Romeo came over to greet me! He did land on his rock but couldn’t shoot that. No light & no way to get behind him to shoot a good silhouette.
Juliette came over to say hi as well. Both of them flew around for 15 minutes.
Didn’t want to hang around too long. No light,no point.
Said goodnight to them both & called it a day. The bears should be coming out soon,so am looking forward to that!

TAIL SKIMMING

Eagles, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles, Tofino Wildlife

20150228-IMG_221020150228-IMG_2211The primary function of tail feathers is to manoeuvre. The tail feathers act in the same way as a rudder does for a boat. They also are used as a means to skim along the waters surface! Th feathers tell them exactly where their body is in relationship to the waters surface. The last thing a eagle wants to do is go into the water! It could mean death!
Eagles that go into the water are much heavier. If they cannot get out of the water,they have to flap to shore. If the shore is too far away,they become hypothermic & drown.