THE DAREDEVIL IN ACTION
Month: November 2017
THE DAREDEVIL
MOE JOINING MAGGIE
JULIETTE PERCHING
ROMEO & JULIETTE
A LOVERS SUNSET
SUNSET PROFILE
ROMEO’S MOON
I knew that the moon was coming up tonight but didn’t see it until I was heading back in.Once I saw it I had to turn around & go back to Romeo.I asked him to perch at the very top of his tree………..& the little bugger did! I appreciated him doing that but the best perch is a bare tree top.Notice how some of the limbs obscure his body.I always like a complete silhouette but will settle for what I got!
LITTLE OLD ME
Today is my birthday. It took me over a hour to find these shots.I do not take pictures of myself very often. My birthday wish is for me to go out in my boat & be with my friends…….but that ain’t going to happen as the weather isn’t co-operating! My furry friends are always in bed by the time my birthday comes around. I would love to celebrate my birthday just once with one of my bear friends! Being with “Piglet” would be my first choice.She’s always a happy soul!
Instead,I am going to get a nice hot soup & ride out to Frank island on Chestermans beach.I enjoy eating a nice hot soup while watching the huge waves crash against the rocks of Frank! Best place for a soup I say!
Than tonight I will have a great steak on the BBQ with baked potatoe of course!
I will dream about dancing with my furry friends tonight!
THE TOFINO TWIST
IT’S ALL DOWN HILL
CHESTERMANS SUNSET
SUNSET STORM
Storm season has started here in Tofino. We get more rain than most! Around 16 feet per year,but I always say no such thing as bad weather……only bad clothing!
BUSY HARBOUR
THE DAREDEVIL
PRETTY IN PINK
The first snows have fallen up in the mountains. This is Mt.Mariner in Strathcona park.I keep a eye on this area because I’ve noticed something a bit odd. In the winter time there always seems to be a low level cloud hanging around in this spot. I now have figured out why.During the summer the spot directly below the cloud never melts.Meaning It’s a solid chunk of ice.,a small glacier! So during the winter this spot is much colder than the surrounding air.The air coming off of the ocean contains lots of moisture.When moist air is cooled,dew point is reached  & so fog forms.
I’d love to go & camp in this spot! The photo opportunities look fantastic!
ROMEO & FRIENDS
STOPPING TO POSE
She was even nice enough to pose for me! Such a nice girl!
A BIG GIRL!
On my way back from Tranquil,I came across this female bear.I know it’s female because the rear end is more rounded. I must admit that I have never seen a bear in this location ever! I was very surprised.Certain areas have more food than others & so are more frequented.She was eating the occasional barnacle. Slim pickens. Another good indication that the salmon run is done.
I think the salmon have left the building!
RUNS DONE CHUM
I went up into Tranquil today.I checked on the run.When I was going into the system I could see lots of white objects all over the bottom.Those white patches were salmon skin.The crabs had eaten all the flesh. As everyone knows,a salmon will die after spawning.After expiring the salmon fall to the bottom of the river.The bears grab what they can from the bank. When all the rains come,the river swells & all those dead salmon are flushed out of the river into the estuary.Where there are many animals (Gulls,eagles,Otters etc ) waiting. ………….not to mention the crabs! Crabs are attracted by scent.Anything that dies produces a scent cloud.Once they smell that scent cloud they scurry towards it.They eat everything they can…..leaving behind just the white skins.
All the Chum salmon are done.Just some Coho hanging around.The bears will wander up & down the river along the banks searching for any salmon that has recently died.The salmon can become snagged by a tree limb (strainers) or simply drift to shore.The bears know these hot spots & check them each day to see If anyone knew has dropped by?
Thats what this bear was doing.It was walking along the river bank checking for dead salmon.When it starts to get cold,that will be the final bed call for my furry friends. In the next few weeks most bears will be going beddy by.Each bear has already scouted out a nice remote,quiet den. Most bear dens are underneath large trees. Another reason why original growth is so important.Large trees that have fallen due to high winds will provide a excellent spot to stay warm & dry while it’s pouring all around!
I’ve seen a few of these dens. A dead giveaway is the ground.It’s all smoothened from the bears weight.I’ve also noticed something odd.All the stray bits & pieces of organic debris on the ground is in a swirl pattern.I think the bears get up & turn occasionally,but the thing is,they keep turning & turning in the same direction.Which over the course of time moves all these debris into a swirl pattern!
SUNSET SURF
PEGGY & PIGLET
Peggy looks so beautiful in this shot! I couldn’t of gotten a better pose from her.She actually seemed to be very proud of her new born cub “Piglet”!
Piglet couldn’t of been more than a month old here.Peggy had Piglet late in the year.The females give birth in their winter den.
On the coast,a den is anyplace that is dry & quiet. Usually a large overturned tree.
They are born with serious hardware.
Piglet had just been feed but was still hungry.She was crying for more.
When she was first born,her nose was more pinkish.The reason why I called her “Piglet”.She looked like a little piggy with her pink nose.
“who’s that Mummy”?
When It was time to go,Peggy very gently reached down & picked Piglet up by the scruff.Piglet had been protesting loudly at not being feed fully but when Peggy picked her up,she shut up & looked more stunned.
Peggy walked slowly & carefully up into the forest with Piglet swinging like a large purse!
It was such a adventure & honour to watch Piglet growing up over the summer!
This is Piglet all grown up as a cub.Notice her distinct chest marking.A thin vertical white mark.
Piglet & Peggy will be going to sleep soon.Bears btw do not hibernate.They actually go into a state of sleep called “Torpor”.Basically the difference between hibernation & torpor is that torpor isn’t as deep a sleep.In torpor the heart rate & respiration is faster.Plus the animal is attentive to sounds around it.A bear can be woke up simply by walking near it’s den. You can walk up to a hibernating animal & not wake it!
They’ve found out from researchers (who put bio monitors on a bear before it went to sleep) that if a bear is disturbed,It takes 2 weeks to get back down to it’s original state of torpor.The researchers had to go swap the cards every month or so from the recorder.The recorder was located several hundred feet away from the den.The data was sent to the recorder wirelessly.They saw in the data that the heart rate increased when someone approached the recorder!
I won’t be seeing them anymore this year.
Sleep well Peggy & Piglet……see you in the Spring my friends & thank you!
CUB CRAZY
With the weather closing in,I won’t be getting out any time soon! So I thought I’d revisit some cub shots I’ve taken over the Summer. It’s been amazing to watch them playing,searching,climbing & growing bigger! Each of them has a unique personality.
I feel very lucky & honoured to watch them growing up.They are more like human children than one would think.
“WALTER”
MAGGIE GIRL IS BACK!
I was so happy to find my feathered girlfriend “Maggie” back! I haven’t a clue where she’s been?I saw her partner “Moe” as well.I know it was him as he was so standoffish.
“Maggie” seemed to be looking at me & wondering why I was worried about her not being around!
MAGGIE GIRL AT REST & PLAY
ROMEO’S CLOSE UP
MY BUDDY ROMEO
Those houses in the background are in Opitsat.A First Nations village on Meares island.
ROMEO & CATS FACE
That mountain range in the background is called “Cats Face”. I think it got the name from a mineral deposit on the west side.When the sun sets the light reflects off of these very shiny deposits like cats eyes.
ROMEO PERCHING
SUNSET PASSINGS
SUNSET STRETCH
COAST GUARD HEADING OUT
SEARCHING FOR DINNER
BEARLY POSING
TRAFFIC
“I FOUND A FISH MUMMIE”!
FURRY FAMILY ON PATROL
A FURRY FAMILY
REFLECTIVE MOMENTS
MUM GETS DINNER!
THE CROSSING
GOING OUT ON A LIMB
ONE FURRY BEAUTY
THE DAREDEVIL IS BACK!!
ERNIE’S MOON
Tofino Photography 