Category: Tofino Birds

Tofino Herons, Ospreys, Sandpipers, Kingfishers and more…

CONTRAST

Birds, Eagles, JET, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

The majority of our greatest inventions have come from observing and duplicating Nature.

For instance,the shape of all airplane wings come directly from the shape of a birds wing! The leading edge is rounded. Air flows over the top edge faster then the bottom edge. Creating a lower pressure on top,which in turn creates lift…..flight!

Eagles are masters of flight!

FINE FEATHERED FLIGHT

Birds, Eagles, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

A eagle has over 7000 feathers. The largest are the primaries (the 5 feathers at the end of the wing) and the Tail feathers of which there are 12.

Finding a Tail feather is suppose to bring good luck to the finder. Once you find a tail feather put it in a place where nobody else can touch it. It needs to have just your energy on it.

SCREAMING IN

Birds, Eagles, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

The Daredevil’s new nest is up much higher then the last one. So when he comes down he is coming in at high speed! He has to slow down so he turns his wings on a angle and drops his legs to increase the surface area!

I was very happy to see that Delilah actually flew over to be with me! I think she’s getting use to me! It’s only taken 1 1/2 years.

I went looking for bears tonight but I couldn’t find a single furry butt anywhere? I originally went out because the cloud structure looked great but by the time sunset came around those beautiful clouds had gone bye bye.

So I was skunked on two fronts tonight but my feathered friends once again saved my non-furry butt!

THE DAREDEVIL

Clouds, Eagles, Sunset, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

I was surprised to find that The Daredevil/Delilah had built a new nest on another island! About the only reason why that happens is because the old nest fell down. Probably during a windstorm?

The good news is that If it did fall down It didn’t happen while they were nesting! I saw the Daredevil take a fish up to the nest. Which means he has hungry mouths to feed! I could just barley see where the nest is.

He seemed very animated and very active! He hasn’t had eaglets for several years,so he must be excited!

TOO EARLY

Birds, Eagles, Moon, Moon Eagle, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

When the moon rises in the east it’s always pale or faint. It will continue to rise and to get brighter and brighter. It will be it’s brightest when night has fallen. To take a good picture of the moon the brightness and contrast must be in the ball park. It’s too faint when it just rises and too bright when it’s dark out. So I’ve found there is about(?) a 30 minute time window when the moon is just perfect for shooting! The Goldi Loks time,not too little and not too much.

I took this shot (of a eagle I do not know) because the eagle was perched just right but my timing was off. I was too early. I tried to shoot two other eagle friends but couldn’t because of the angle. Trees got in the way with both of them! Rats! Good thing I got this safety shot!

WHERE EAGLES DARE

Birds, Eagles, Snow, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

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!

KFC DELIVERS?

Birds, Eagles, Gull, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

I went to see If Romeo was home? I haven’t seen him in almost a month! When I arrived at our meeting spot I found a Gull on Romeo’s perch. I told him he better get out of here as my friend was going to be coming over real soon! Which he promptly did when he saw Romeo flying towards him!

I didn’t know KFC deliveries?

MY FRIEND THE DAREDEVIL

Birds, Eagles, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles, Wildlife

I haven’t been able to get out on a shoot in awhile! I was physically heading down to the boat shed last night but saw some clouds moving in,so I turned around and went back! Which turned out to be a mistake because the sunset ended up being one of those great ones!

So when I saw todays weather was about the same and knew that the next three days were going to be pouring rain….I decided to go out. BUT….that incoming Frontal system came in early and snuffed the sunset!

So great sunset last night,didn’t go out. Poor sunset tonight,I did go out! Trying to be at the right place at the right time can be complicated!

DELILAH

Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

This is Delilah. She’s the Daredevil’s mate. I should say this is Delilah #2. Delilah #1 disappeared over a year ago. She just didn’t come back from the salmon grounds. I haven’t a clue what happened?

When this female showed up months later I was thrilled to see who I thought was Delilah but soon realized it wasn’t my old friend but a stranger. I felt a shadow cross my heart when I realized my friend was gone!

PRETTY IN PINK

Clouds, Eagles, Forest fire smoke, Sunset, Tofino Birds, Tofino Eagles

Most of you are already know, the entire west coast has taken up a bad habit…..smoking!

California,Oregon and Washington State all have major fires burning right now. The smoke from a forest fire once in the Jet stream can travel for thousands of miles! The smoke is composed of tiny pieces of ash. The thickness of a smoke layer varies. Basically the thicker the cloud, the less light will get through. Until its so thick that the sun is totally blocked.

Another thing that happens with forest fire smoke are surreal sunsets! The sun goes to a deep orange, than to a orangey red, than to a reddish pink and finally to a neon pink. The contrast is very muted because of the low light conditions. Exposures can be tricky.