This months full moon is called a “Snow” moon but is also called a Bear and Eagle moon. I’m leaning towards the latter.
This is my friend the Daredevil! Each eagle has it’s own favorite perching spots. Over time I’ve noticed where he prefers to perch. If the wind is coming from the west,he likes one spot over another for instance. I maneuver my boat so that the full moon is directly behind this spot and then I simply call him! (and hope he lands right in front of the moon…..but he rarely listens to me and never does) The header shot and the one above were taken at different moons. My goal was to get him directly in front of the moon but because of wind and tide and him choosing different spots on that perch tree I never seem to get what I want!
I went to visit my feathered friend Romeo. We have a routine. When I come around the corner in my boat I always look at Beck island (nest island) to watch for when he see’s me? When he does he immediately flies over to me and does several circles around.He then glides (his gliding is faster than my boat) to our meeting spot,a rocky islet I call his throne.
However……..on this occasion he came out from the north catching me off guard! Silly eagle. I wonder what he was doing over there and that’s not his territory? At any rate it was good to see him. I chatted with him for a while and then noticed that Juliette came over to do a fly by! I always like it when she perches here as well because she almost always sings me a song! She may have a egg and just wanted a excuse to get some exercise?
The mountains had a beautiful snowy appearance to them! A great background only enhances the subject!
This is either Ethel or Ernie? A barge parks in the harbour with a crane on it. They love to perch on the top of this crane. Eagles love high spots so they can see all around them!
I set up a remote trail camera to record the Trumpeters back in December. This group is called K-18/19. They fly down from the Yukon each Fall to spend their winters in Tofino. There were 5 last year but only three this year. I do hope they simply took off elsewhere and were not killed?
I went to swap the card and put fresh batteries in but was disheartened to find the unit wasn’t turning on? I brought it home and put it on top of a warm spot. Sometimes moisture can get in as vapour? Electronics and moisture…….not good bed fellows! At any rate it turns out the unit ain’t going to be turning back on any time soon! I kept it in a protected housing but moisture can always find a way in! I do have a extra one THAT DOES STILL WORK and will put it back out in a day or so. I’ve since ordered another one. It did record 109 videos but no Trumpeters…..or anything for that matter! It appears water movement was the main triggering reason? I will have to adjust the sensor level.
Sometimes things just don’t go as you want. It’s a tough environment out there!
UPDATE : Feb 18 – It appears that the unit is working now! Bringing it back in in the warmth must of evaporated the vapour creating the problem. I found some sand on the weather seal. That’s all vapour needs to get inside!
Tofino got a rare dump of snow! I love to get snow shots but hardly am able to. So when It snowed I grabbed my gear and headed out for a snow shoot! While getting the boat ready (my boat is out of water,I have to haul it down to the shore by hand. It has wheels on the rear end) I noticed my two Raven friends Robbie and Rita had flown over to say hello! Of course they came over because I normally toss them a few crackers. Once I was eating a cinny bun when Robbie wanted some! How did I know he wanted some……he left the cracker on the ground and gently cawed to me! If you have ever heard a Raven’s call it is a very distinctive sound. So I shared my cinny with him….which was a mistake because now he wants just sweet treats!
So while getting my gear together I realized I hadn’t anything for them? But then I realized I had brought “for me” a sweet treat! A lemon flavoured Danish! I said what the hell and tore off half and threw it to him! What I didn’t realize was that there was a Gull close by watching as well! Once I threw it onto the snow that Gull was on it immediately! Robbie saw this and grabbed that Gull and fought for the Danish! He kicked the crap out of that Gull! He always does,Rita is far less aggressive.
With his hard fought prize in his mouth I was amazed to hear Rita very gently cawing in short bursts. She hopped over (due to the snow depth) to Robbie and he promptly placed it in her bill!
I found the moment very touching to be honest! I rewarded Robbie with the other half of the Danish and you can bet your last dollar not a Gull stirred! Robbie rewarded me with some gently soft cawing as well!
Raven’s hold a very special place in my heart! True I love Eagles but a Raven is something almost mystical to me! When they look at you It feels like they are seeing with human like eyes! I enjoy talking to them but rarely do they talk back.
Tofino Photography 