On Saturdays, I love to have breakfast out before doing my marketing.
Some years ago, when I first created a blog, it was to have a place to put my pictures and connect with other people around the world who also enjoyed sharing their photography.
These days, blogs are being abandoned everywhere and many of my blogging friends have disappeared, sometimes without a word, other times to post on Instagram and Facebook.
I miss by old blogging buddies and their blogs and the easy exchanges we all had with one another.
I suppose I need to ask myself why I blog. First and foremost, it's to have a collection of my favourite photos in the same place for a given period, usually one or two weeks. It's a journal in images.
I also like to write, but to do that I need to be in the right frame of mind, so sometimes there are mainly photos and other times there is mainly writing. I go by how I feel in the moment.
Is it important for me that others be interested enough to want to visit my blog and maybe leave a comment? Yes, it is rewarding and I really enjoy exchanging with other bloggers and visiting their blogs or sites too.
Does it touch me that I get less visitors and less comments than I used to get a couple of years ago?
I have sometimes wondered what visitors expect to see or read. It is possible that what they find in this space is personally uninteresting to them!
Am I posting here for my own pleasure? Does it really matter if others appreciate it or not?
I do not put up images or write because it's what I think others want to see and hear - I would lose myself and my integrity if I did that. Yes, I am posting for myself, sometimes just writing things out makes me see more clearly, but I do love to get feedback from my visitors when they have the time to linger!
Above all, I need to be who I am in depth and I always speak from the heart, so what you see or read here is really me, not someone I pretend to be!
So for the time being, I will continue this space here, because above all, it's a place I like to be.
When you visit and when you leave a comment, I am happy too, but this cannot be my main motivation. It's a gift when others come in to leave a visible trace of their presence.
This is what I wanted to share today, and these thoughts have been weaving themselves in and out of my mind on the subject for a while now.
I shall be interested to hear your voice and what you feel about blogging today.
Wishing you all a wonderful day and may February bring us fresh thoughts and new beginnings from wherever we were before!
Sandra
When there is a sunrise or a sunset in my neighbourhood, I first see it reflected in the windows of the building opposite.
This capture is a recent sunrise.
It prompted me to go out on my balcony and catch the faraway trees
Vancouver Aquarium (VanAqua) announced in January 2018 that it is going to now discontinue the display of cetaceans (whales and dolphins).This comes after a protracted period of protest from the animal rights industry and the controversial decision by the Vancouver Parks Board to arbitrarily ban the aquarium for keeping cetaceans at the aquarium.
It is with a certain amount of irony that only a few years earlier the Park Board had approved the plan for the aquarium building new facility entitled "Canada's Arctic" which were to include new facilities for marine animals including belugas. However, in 2017 (after pressure from the animal rights industry) the board introduced a by law to ban the display of cetaceans at the aquarium site.
Initially, the aquarium was preparing to take legal action against the Parks Board as regards the ban on cetaceans being displayed at the aquarium. In the past, the aquarium threatened to legally challenge the Parks Board in 2014 when they tried to initiate a ban on the breeding of cetaceans at the aquarium site. However, the ban was never implemented by the Board and the legal case by the aquarium was dropped.
The reaction on social media to the Vancouver Aquarium announcement that they would cease voluntarily the display of cetaceans has been mixed.
Obviously, supporters of the animal rights industry have been jubilant in what they perceive as a victory. Some maintained that this was a progressive and moral victory. Nevertheless, it could be argued that there is nothing progressive or moral in the campaign against the aquarium where intimidation and bullying were commonplace particularly within the social media. It could also be argued that the protesters relied heavily on both rhetoric and pseudoscience to further their aims.
Those who have supported the aquarium throughout the situation expressed both dismay and in some cases anger in what they see as a betrayal of their long-standing support.
"...It is not a milestone, it is destruction caused by a tiny fraction of nearly religious anti-animal zealots. They wouldn't care if VanAqua closed down tomorrow and could do no more good ever. Soon they will come for the pinnipeds, and then for all of it..."
So was the aquarium right to acquiesce the Parks Boards decision and discontinue the display of cetaceans. As can be seen, by the brief outline of the relationship of the aquarium with the parks board this has been difficult at times. Moreover, one could question the legitimacy of the Park Board intervening in matters that directly deal with the day-to-day operation of the aquarium and its policies regarding research, education and conservation as a public aquarium. The Parks Board is made up of members of the public none of which have any experience in animal husbandry or the operation of a modern zoological collection.
Historically, the aquarium has stood its ground on a number of occasions in defending itself against interference from the Parks Board which they believe is unjustified. However, as mentioned by John Nightingale, such actions require considerable amounts of time and money. The aquarium is a not-for-profit public aquarium with only infinite resources. Further, it probably is legitimate to claim that these monies that are constantly having to be found, to defend themselves against the vexatious and overbearing Parks Board, are taking away resources that could be used for the prime purpose of the aquarium which is to display aquatic life as a means of public education, conservation and research. There are some similarities to the plight of Vancouver Aquarium as regards SeaWorld.
However, under the auspices of the SeaWorld Parks CEO Joel Manby, it was decided that the parks would voluntarily stop breeding their killer whales. This coincided with legislation being introduced in a state of California that effectively ban the breeding and display of killer whales. Animals that existed in zoos or aquariums at the time of the legislation were allowed to continue to display these animals but only in an educational context and not in theatrical shows. In the above incidences, the disputes between Vancouver Aquarium and SeaWorld San Diego have some similarities. These involved a public planning body (Vancouver Park Boards and the California Coastal Commission) and also a public community with a well known supportive attitude to the agenda of the animal rights movement.
However, the primary difference is that SeaWorld (as a public company listed on the American Stock Exchange) has huge financial and legal resources compare to the not-for-profit Vancouver Aquarium. SeaWorld made a decision based on business politics whereas Vancouver my a decision based on dwindling resources and a need to concentrate on the core values of operating a public aquarium.
The aquarium has made it clear that it will continue with its research with cetaceans both in the wild and in captive care; the aquarium still owns a number of belugas in various facilities on protracted loans in North America.
Further, the aquarium is committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of all marine mammals including cetaceans at its off-site rescue facility which does not come under the jurisdiction of the Parks Board. The only difference here is there any animals that are rehabilitated but deemed unreleasable will have to be sent to other facilities in North America for long-term care.
Because of the political dimension involved, and the fact that the Parks Board members are voted in office on a regular basis, it is possible that the situation regarding any bans on any animals been kept the aquarium could well be open to review.In fact, it has been muted that the Parks Board itself may not exist in the future as a part of local government. As stated, Vancouver still has a commitment and a support for the maintenance of cetaceans in captivity and therefore future political developments may well change the current situation. In Feburary 2018, the B.C. court struck down the Park Board's cetacean ban at Vancouver Aquarium. It upheld the position that the Board had no jurisdiction to pass the amendment because of an existing licence agreement allowing it to operate in the park until 2029.
An email sent to support as the aquarium from its CEO John Nightingale explaining its decision to discontinue the display of cetaceans:
As a long-time supporter and ambassador for the Vancouver Aquarium, I wanted to reach out to you personally about an important milestone in our 61-year-old organization.
The launch of Ocean Wise last year, our global conservation organization and parent to the Vancouver Aquarium, marked a new chapter in our history. Guided by our vision of a world in which oceans are healthy and flourishing, we are as committed as ever to ocean conservation through innovative research, education and direct action.
Unfortunately, the ongoing discussions about whales and dolphins in our care have distracted us from our core mission. This is despite independent polling, year over year, which clearly shows overwhelming support for our cetacean program. I want you to be among the first to know that we will continue our commitment to ocean conservation, including through expanded public engagement, but we will do so without the display of whales or dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium.
The Vancouver Aquarium will continue to be a world-class facility where we engage more than one million visitors annually to other vulnerable species, which will enable us to better focus on inspiring the global community to join our conservation efforts.
As part of the transition, our animal care team is working thoughtfully on the best possible arrangements for the Pacific white-sided dolphin, Helen. Believed to be in her early 30s, Helen is considered a senior-aged rescued dolphin. After many years in professional care and with only partial flippers, Helen is not a candidate for release. However, dolphins are a social species so finding companionship for her is important. Unfortunately, decisions about her future are complicated, with options limited at this time by her age, Vancouver Park Board legislation, the outcome of court challenges and the long processes of obtaining international permits.
We will continue to run our marine mammal rescue program, which is core to our mission and will continue to rehabilitate these animals, including cetaceans, with our objective being release back to the wild. We operate this program under authorization by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), which has sole authority to determine if an animal can be released. Should a rescued cetacean require ongoing care, our team will identify an appropriate long-term facility and arrange for the transfer of the patient, which may include temporary housing at the Aquarium’s unique facility.
As one of only a few organizations around the globe working on Arctic issues, we are moving ahead with construction on Canada’s Arctic gallery. The transformed habitat will engage visitors about Canada’s fragile North and will introduce them to amazing marine life – from coldwater corals to Arctic pinnipeds such as seals and walruses. We anticipate starting construction in September 2018 and opening this new, permanent exhibit in late 2019.
You have played an essential role in helping the Vancouver Aquarium, and Ocean Wise, evolve over the years and become what it is today – a leading conservation organization grounded in science, with a unique ability to engage people. We intend to remain responsive and relevant to our community for generations to come.
We wanted to give you this personal heads-up and greatly appreciate your continued support.
I encourage you to share your thoughts about this milestone with me and to share your ideas about how we safeguard our oceans in the future.
Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to staying in touch.
The Tantramar Marsh has been good habitat for Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus again this winter. This species prefers open spaces such as grasslands, salt marshes, prairies, agricultural fields, estuaries and tundra so the Tantramar is ideal as long as there is a good rodent population to support them. The Short-eared Owl species exists all over Canada except the high Arctic islands. They are not abundant but can be seen in suitable habitat. They are permanent residents around Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and down the St. Lawrence River to about the Quebec border. One wonders if they are extending their range further eastward to include New Brunswick.
For much more information on this species, please see the post on April 12, 2016. The birds shown in this post were photographed by Jean-Guy Gallant on January 3 on the Tantramar. The flight shot is especially difficult to get and as you can see he did a good job.
Short-eared Owls are nocturnal but do show some activity early in the morning and late in the day. During the day they are usually roosting on the ground in the tall grass so are difficult to see. They are 38 cm (15 inches) long and their wing span is 99 cm (39 inches). With that large wing span they look magnificent in flight. They flutter and bounce around in flight resembling a huge butterfly!
Short-eared Owl [Jean-Guy Gallant Photo]
If you want to see this bird take some time to watch a large wet salt marsh or wet meadow or agricultural field some time just before dark. You might be lucky to see some action by this interesting species as it searches for food. They are not very vocal but they do make a "voo-hoo-hoo" sound. The female often responds with a "ke-oow".
The Short-eared Owl was first described in 1763 by a Danish bishop named Erich Ludvigsen Pontoppidan. Other names that have been used for this species are Evening Owl, Marsh Owl, Mouse-hawk and Flat-faced Owl. Let's enjoy and protect another one of New Brunswick's great treasures!
Jake is a purebred Jack Russell Terrier who is just over 2 years old. He is good with children and other dogs and despite his small size, loves to be the boss! Jake is an active boy who will need daily exercise.
This handsome boy's family has been experiencing some changes and have made the difficult decision that they can no longer give Jake the lifestyle they know he deserves. He loves to cuddle (especially with kids!) and is a great companion for his family, young and old alike. It's very important to Jake's family that he find a loving home that will give him daily walks, lots of love and all of the care and affection he's become accustomed to.
If your family could be the one that Jake needs, contact his family:
On December 18, 2017 a white morph Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) was seen and reported near Caissie Cape by Nora Hebert. The Gyrfalcon is such a rare bird it has sparked a frenzy of birders travelling to the area in an attempt to see it. It was seen sporadically there for 3 or 4 days and then seemed to disappear. Fortunately it was seen again (or another individual) in the Buctouche area by the same birder on January 8. There it has been spotted almost daily since.
Referring to the photo above (thank you, Jean-Guy Gallant) this bird is a juvenile white morph. The Gyrfalcon comes in three morphs (or plumage types), white, gray and dark. The present bird is a typical white showing a very white white with spots and streaks in dark reddish brown and dark gray. It has dark wing tips with a smudging of colour on its head, nape, belly and tail. The bill and feet are a light grayish colour, making it a juvenile. If it were an adult these would be bright yellow. Please see a previous post (February 24, 2017) for more detailed information on this species.
The Gyrfalcon is our largest falcon. Our other falcons are the Peregrine, the Merlin and the Kestrel. The Gyrfalcon is 51-64 cm long (20"-25"). It has more body than our other falcons. Note the heavy body and broad wings. That makes it a powerful predator which can take down flying prey easily. It feeds mainly on waterfowl, pigeons, and rodents.
We saw this bird on January 12 and it was chasing pigeons. The area it is frequenting in Buctouche is ideal habitat. There is a highway bridge and a walking bridge, 2 lagoons, a pond, a large bay and the ocean all close by. That day the Gyrfalcon was making a pass at a large flock of about 50 pigeons. When I saw it, it was in the middle of the flock, in the air. The flock was flaring in all directions and the falcon was right in the middle trying to grab one of the pigeons. It appeared fast and powerful! Its pattern seems to be to make a couple of passes at the pigeons or ducks in the morning and sometimes again late in the day. The window of opportunity (to see and photograph the bird) is very short and the weather is not conducive to standing out watching for long periods. However, to see the bird makes the effort well worthwhile. We saw the flock of pigeons in wild chaos again about an hour later that morning and suspect the Gyrfalcon was after them again but did not see it among the flock.
The Gyrfalcon's range is all of Arctic Canada, Alaska, Greenland and the very northern part of the prairie provinces, Ontario, Quebec and Labrador. It is a holarctic species so also occurs in the most northern part of Europe and Asia. It rarely comes south but occasionally vagrants show up in Newfoundland or the Maritime provinces. We are lucky this is one of those years! To view this bird is a rare opportunity which may not come again for many years.
Meet Henry! This handsome black domestic shorthair is about 3 years old and was found as a stray by a Good Samaritan. For a while, he was living outdoors and being cared for by his new human friends, but when the weather turned cold, they decided to bring him inside.
Henry is neutered and has tested negative for both FIV and Feline Leukemia. And, he's up-to-date on all of his vaccinations – all he needs is a loving family to call his own!
During their time with him, Henry's caretakers have seen his sweet and silly personality and have learned how much he likes to play! Henry absolutely loves people and is very friendly with everyone he meets. This ebony kitty is very talkative and will keep you entertained with his constant chirps and mews.
Henry's foster family doesn't have the room to take in another cat permanently, but they know he is going to make a great companion to a lucky family. He is very good about using his scratching post and is litterbox trained. Henry also loves to lounge around on his cat tree or spend time chasing his toys. His currently family feels that Henry may do well with a cat-friendly dog or another cat in his new home ... he just needs to find them!
To learn more about Henry or to set up a meet and greet, contact Arlene at 724.283.8610 or Keatsar@Hotmail.com.
Early Sunday morning my telephone rang and a neighbour told me that a small owl had just hit their window and it was on the ground 'shivering'. I quickly made plans to go and rescue it but received another call soon afterwards telling me it had flown away. That was good news. That meant that the owl was probably just stunned and was recovering.
The owl shown above was another individual which appeared around houses looking for something to eat. There were bird feeders there and the owl was watching for rodents or small birds as prey. Northern Saw-whet Owls are strictly nocturnal. Their main diet is rodents, shrews, voles, birds and insects. They forage close to the ground and spend their days roosting in thick evergreens.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Shown above is the actual bird that sparked the phone call. It is an adult Northern Saw-whet. Notice the small size, the white 'V' between its eyes, the fine white streaks on the forehead, the reddish brown vertical streaks on its breast and the spots on the sides. This cute little owl is only 20 cm (8") long!
The Northern Saw-whet Owl inhabits a large area of North America from Alaska across all of southern Canada southward to southern US. In winter some individuals migrate a short distance to more southerly climates within its range. It is a permanent resident of New Brunswick. It nests in abandoned woodpecker holes or natural cavities in trees. The female incubates the eggs for 26-28 days and the male brings her food. They vocalize only during the breeding season making a monotonous short repeated sound that sounds like a saw being filed or 'whetted'.
Northern Saw-whet Owl [Internet Photo]
The only other owl species that might be seen here that one would confuse with this species is the Boreal Owl. That is a much more northern species which is very rare here. It is slightly larger but has white spots on its forehead rather than the streaks of the Saw-whet. The juvenile Northern Saw-whets are very different looking. They are dark brown overall with an orange breast and belly. They show the white 'V' between the eyes, the same as the adult.
Northern Saw-whet Owl [Internet Photo]
Sometimes the winter brings hard times for these owls. That is often the reason they are seen near human habitation. They are desperate for food and hope for rodents or other food. That makes them prone to injury (as in this case) from window or automobile strikes, predators, or interference with humans. Some of them are so tame or so starved that they allow humans to approach too closely. It is best to back off and protect these little creatures at these crucial times. With deep snows finding food is difficult and they are stressed from weather, starvation and being in close proximity to human habitation.
This handsome 7 1/2-year-old Labrador Retriever is Roxas. At 90 pounds, he is a big, powerful dog with a heart of gold. Roxas hasn't had any medical issues during his time with his current family and has been on a healthy and balanced diet for the majority of his life.
Roxas is typically a very well-mannered and obedient boy and generally has a quiet and mild personality. He knows how to sit, stay and come and is eager to learn a few more commands. While Roxas loves to play with his human friends, he can be a bit selective with other canine companions, so he will need a chance to be properly introduced before interacting with other animals.
This friendly pooch is in search of a family that can give him the loving home he deserves. While he is a very sweet dog, Roxas can be protective of people, so his new family will need to be aware of this when introducing him to friends, neighbors and other visitors. If you think you can give a playful middle-aged pup a warm and welcoming home, consider meeting Roxas!
To set up a meet and greet with Roxas, contact his current family at artlavigne@comcast.net.
The Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count is an annual event taking place on January 1. A team of hardy citizen scientists brave the cold weather and conduct a bird census in a large 24-km circle running from Keswick to Upper Prince William and Mazerolle Settlement to Springfield. This count has been done for many years now and the data are collected and compiled by NatureNB, Bird Studies Canada and the Audubon Society.
The weather was severe this year. Participants braved extreme temperatures and a wind chill up to - 29ºC. Being on the road for most of the day made conditions difficult. Participants observe from their cars but frequently get out to look for birds and to walk through woods, roads and lanes. Most groups consist of 2 people, a driver and a recorder, both watching carefully for birds.
White-winged Crossbill
This year we counted 1697 birds representing 32 species. Both total numbers and species numbers were below average. This is probably for two main reasons. Firstly, the weather was so severe many birds held tight in whatever hiding place they had chosen away from the wind and cold. Secondly, so far this has not been a finch year. Our fruit and cone crops are low and migrating flocks of finches are not coming into the area to feed. Many of these flocks are staying well north of us. That may change as the season progresses and they are forced to move into this area seeking food sources. There was also less open water this year with the extreme cold so a lot of waterfowl have moved out of the area.
We did however find a remnant of winter finches. Note the White-winged Crossbill shown above. We found only 6 of these. And, only 1 of the White-throated Sparrow shown above. We did, however, notice some trends. The Blue Jay population is high, having seen 164. We also noticed that the American Goldfinch population is rebounding. In the last few years the goldfinch population has plummeted. Not so anymore. They are increasing now in this area.
Shown below are two charts, one showing a summary of the birds seen on this year's count. Below that is a comparison of the last 7 years of counts comparing species numbers and total numbers of birds counted.
