ADRIAN DORST’S NEW BOOK!

Adrian Dorst

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Adrian Dorst is a true renaissance man! He’s not only fantastic natural photographer but also a excellent wood carver.He works for months on his carvings & sells them locally.

The passion he is best known for is his love of birds! Adrain Dorst is recognized as one of the foremost leading experts on birds on the west coast.If it flies,he knows!

For several years now he has been putting together a book of the birds on Vancouver island.It just came out.If you love birds,you’ll love this book & If your coming out to the island………it’s a must have!

http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/DORBIR.html

STRUTING HIS STUFF

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Now that it’s getting warmer the Trumpeters will be moving on soon.The bears tag team with the Trumpeters. When the bears are going to bed in November,the Trumpeters are arriving from the north. Now that cycle is about to reverse.The swans will be leaving for the north soon & the bears will be looking for a serious cup of Java!

THE KING & QUEEN OF TOFINO

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I’ve always considered Romeo & Juliette to be the King & Queen of Tofino’s harbour! Their nest tree is on Beck island.It use to be on Deadman island. The nest fell to the ground during a large wind storm,so they moved house.

Deadman island has a interesting history. The island is halfway between Opitsat (native village on Meares island) & Tofino. The natives would put their dead up in the tree branches on this island.They would put the body into a small wooden box.Many times the arms & legs would need to be broken to fit into this small box. The bodies were placed here because of superstitions.If their loved one died,it was thought to be because of evil spirits.Because of these evil spirits the last thing the family wanted was to have these spirits hang around.So they placed the bodies on this isolated island in the middle of the harbour.

There maybe of been a practical reason to this history? If someone died of a deadly contagious disease,keeping the body far away seems prudent!

I’ve heard the natives are very protective of this island.No whites can land on the island.I’ve never seen anyone there myself.I’m about the only one who goes near it.I sometimes walk around on the adjacent mudflats looking for a better angle.

The only living inhabitants are Romeo & Juliette!