Sunday, March 27, 2011

wily coyotes and hummingbird babies


mother hummingbird feeds her baby
all photos copyright Gerry M
"I had quite the experience in the bog on Saturday afternoon. I was crouched on one knee on the platform waiting to snap a picture of the mother Anna's Hummingbird when she returned to feed her baby. I looked up when I saw a "dog" running towards me on the boardwalk and a cyclist riding close behind. I was just about to shout for him to put the dog on a leash when I realized it was a coyote. When the coyote saw me he turned to the cyclist, then back to me, and then jumped over the green plastic fencing in one bound. The picture is of the coyote scampering across the bog. Guess the fencing keeps dogs out but not coyotes.
    As you can see, I did get back to photographing the mother feeding her baby. It was as though my camera didn't want to provide me with a clear picture of mother and baby as all three I took were blurred. When the baby was alone the pictures were all crystal clear. However, for me, it was all worth the wait. It was a beautiful day in the bog.
    The nine volunteers who showed up for the work party on Saturday  worked really hard and got a lot done. We enjoyed the tea and goodies provided by Issaku.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the warm weather and each others company.  A job well done! "
                                                      -- Gerry M

baby hummingbird waiting for food






March 25th saw the first of the blueberry bushes flower and these might have been what the hummingbird was sipping from.  Imagine the sweetness of blueberry nectar.  no wonder the baby looks so content 


Dogs respect the dog fence (this photo: Susan)

not a dog 



    

Friday, March 18, 2011

Fungi amongst the sphagnum in Camosun Bog


Imagine being an insect in Camosun bog; a forest of sphagnum, flying over mushrooms, walking around hemlock cones, cranberries,  avoiding the sticky sundews... a compound eye view of the bog, courtesy of Gerry.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Night Quest

Metro Van is hosting Night Quest yet again.  The Crazy boggers will be there!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

The good old hockey game, a girl's perspective


What was it like in the bog over seventy years ago? We know kids played hockey here.  Bogs can preserve things for a very long time and we have found hockey pucks, with initials carved in them, dating back to that time.  Listen carefully to someone who remembers...

The good old hockey game, a girl's perspective

rainy work party

we heard frogs today. I think it sounded like tree frog

Robert on stump removal duty:  "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK..."

Friday, March 11, 2011

skull in a scat


Gerry reports signs of a coyote in the bog

"On Saturday we will continue to prepare the area we have been working on for the past few months. With any luck we may get the area planted before the warm dry weather arrives.  The attached pictures, taken in the bog, of coyote scat show the remains of a small rodent. Can anyone identify the critter? Squirrel maybe?"  - Gerry 
(photos, by Gerry Mignault, below)