ERNIE & ETHEL’S EAGLET “ERIN”

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I was lucky tonight! I finally  got to see Ernie & Ethel’s new eaglet! Eagles have a interesting technique to help fully fledge eaglets. They normally feed the eaglet in the nest when it’s very young.Then when it gets larger,they make it come to them.First right beside the nest,then further down the limb & then to another tree. Finally when it’s almost fully fledged they leave the tree totally & go down to the ground further away.Thats what they are doing in this shot.

This eaglet will be called “Erin”.

 

SUNSET ROW

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Went up into Fortune Channel & Gunner inlet looking for bears tonight.Because of it being high tide,I knew the odds were against me in finding one out & about. It’s usually a 50/50 proposition ? Tonights guess was wrong.I didn’t find a single one out.During the Summers warm periods the odds of finding one out decrease. They have a thick fur coat & yes they do get hot. They prefer to keep cool & stay inside the forest.

I headed back to Tofino & stopped at Tsapee Narrows to visit with the Daredevil & Delilah. Delilah has been gone fore several weeks now & the Daredevil wasn’t around either.

So I continued on my way back to Tofino.I could see the clouds were high.I knew the sunset was going to be a good one as well.When the clouds are high like that,they light up after the sun sets.The last rich colours (violet) of the sunset afterglow can still hit those high clouds even after the sun has gone down.

I went to visit with Romeo.As soon as I came around Beck island,he flew straight over to greet me! We have a game we play……or at least,I do.I try to beat him to this rocky island I call it his “rocky throne”.I move pretty fast in my boat but he always moves faster & he’s not even flapping his wings! He’s simply gliding!

After awhile Juliette even came over.Their eaglets must be fully fledged by now or very close? The sunset was great! Took a bunch of shots of them both with that gorgeous sky in behind!

I spotted a Heron close by on a rock & decided to see If I could get some shots of it against that sky as well.Was a bit tricky but I managed to get a few good ones.I got close enough to see it had a swarm of bugs around it.

After that,I called it a night & came back in.Tonights shoot started off poorly but ended on a bang!

 

BUGGED!

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After visiting with Romeo & Juliette,I spied this Blue Heron over on a rock close by.The problem was that it was dark in behind! I needed to line the Heron up with that great sunset.So I beached my boat (Romeo & Juliette were in a small tree very close to me & looked down wondering what the hell I was doing?)

I walked away from them both & the Heron.I didn’t want to spook the Heron. I did a large loop around & in behind the Heron. I then started to approach.If you stare at a animal while walking towards them,they’ll get nervous.So try to approach while looking else where & going left & right.Never make a bee line to them. I was able to get close enough to see dozens of bugs circling.Not sure what they were but I did end up getting bit as well.