Great Auk - The Last Chapter

Great Auk Sculpture

Great Auk

I recently visited Fogo Island off the north coast of Newfoundland, east of Twillingate.  The main purpose of my visit was to see the recent tribute placed there to the Great Auk.  

The Great Auk lived in the North Atlantic for hundreds of thousands of years and nested in huge numbers off our north coasts.  It was a flightless bird which swam huge distances from nesting grounds in the North Atlantic to southerly areas like Cape Cod and Spain in winter only to return again in the spring.  It fed on fish and invertebrates and hauled itself out of the water much like penguins do today.  It was a large bird, measuring 75 to 85 cm (30 to 33 inches) long and weighted 4 to 5 kg (11 lbs).

Joe Batt's Arm Rocky Coast

The tribute to the Great Auk is mounted on heavy granite rock polished by glaciers and the North Atlantic weather at Joe Batt's Arm on Fogo Island.  The hike out to the sculpture is 3.5 kilometres each way on a marked path over a very rocky terrain to Joe Batt's Point.  The sculpture is bolted to solid rock right on the point.

Trail to Great Auk Sculpture

Our hike out to the sculpture seemed very long and we wondered if we had missed it until finally we came upon the sign shown above.  The sculpture was a short climb from there.  The photo below shows what I saw as I mounted the last huge rocky mass that made up the end of Joe Batt's Point.

Joe Batt's Point Showing Great Auk Sculpture

The sculpture looked alone as I climbed over the rocks.  Things were very quiet there, only the sounds of ocean waves and few distant gulls.  That was a far cry from the deep croaks of the Great Auks that once lived there by the thousands.  There was a shallow beach immediately east of the sculpture which would have been inhabited by the auks in past times.  See below for the exact area where auks once sunned themselves after making a landing.

Great Auk Landing Area East of Joe Batt's Point

The Great Auk was officially declared extinct in 1860.  The last official sightings were in 1844 in Iceland and one sighted off the Grand Banks in 1852.  Since then the North Atlantic coasts have been sickeningly missing the deep croak of the millions of Great Auks that once lived here. 

The Great Auk was used by early humans for food and oil for heat and light.  In early times we lived in harmony.  Then for two centuries humankind in their greed slaughtered millions of them, driving them into extinction.  The northern coast of Newfoundland was one place ships from Europe gathered to conduct the slaughter.  Funk Island, 70 miles east of Fogo Island was a chief slaughter location.  It even got its name from the stench caused by the slaughter.  The name of the island is a sad reminder of humanity's folly.  Humankind alone is responsible for the extinction of this species!  There have been lots of feed and ample breeding grounds for this species.  It would still be here sitting on the rocks off Joe Batt's Point if it weren't for mankind and his greed.  

Great Auk Sculpture

The Great Auk sculpture is very well done.  It was sculpted by Todd McGrain and erected in 2010.  It is made of bronze and stands about six feet tall (a little less than 2 metres).  It is only feet from the deep Atlantic waters.  It is facing east for a reason.  Todd McGrain made two of these sculptures and the other one has been placed off the west coast of Iceland.  The Newfoundland sculpture is facing east and the Iceland sculpture is facing west.  They are both looking out to sea towards one another looking for their kind.  It is a beautiful but sad reminder to what has happened to this species.  

Great Auk Sculpture Showing the Flightless Wing

The slaughter of the Great Auk species was so dramatic and so ugly that it has become a symbol of humanity's stupidity.  The only good that has come out of it is that it was for this species that the first law was made to protect wildlife.  That was in England in 1794.  It has taken us a long time to smarten up (and there has been an awful trail of blunders along the way).  Funk Island was the largest and last known colony of the Great Auk.  We can rightfully claim the Great Auk as our own.  We took part in its demise but we can learn from our mistakes.  The biggest problem with wildlife protection is humanity and his ability to change the environment.  We must change our ways or we will execute our own suicide.  The Great Auk has taught us that. 

The photo below shows the Great Auk looking east for his mate and family.  For more  extensive  information on the Great Auk please see other posts on this blog.

Great Auk Watching For His Family

Colour Therapy

In 1893, a wonderful little booklet was printed on Handiwork.

It was called:

The People's Handbook Series

The Ladies' Model

Fancy Work Manual

So dainty in primrose yellow

I have always enjoyed making this pattern

and right now this is my latest crochet project.

I came across a slightly modified pattern made by someone called Sandi Marshall

in 2006.

This simple, but lovely pattern is the centre part of a bigger doily called

"Crocheted Wheel for Tidy"

I wonder what a 'tidy' was in 1893?

The black and white photos at the end are of the original vintage booklet.

There's something refreshing about aqua tones

rich and vibrant

or in a paler shade.

Luminous pink

and sometimes all of them together.

Four together are nice

but five are even better!

They make lovely gifts and I use mine all the time:

Under glasses, mugs or small vases, even a special ornament

or made into a napkin ring.

I've even attached them together on a crocheted chain and hung them up to make a bunting

or individual ones attached with a thread and hung up against my windows!

Here is the link to Sandi Marshall's rewritten instructions to the original pattern

Here is the original full doily pattern

including the central flower motif.

The coaster pattern has been much copied, slightly modified and renamed

by many people, claiming the pattern as their own,

but the original, and protected version here has only one name:

The Crocheted Wheel for Tidy.

I haven't yet tried to make the whole doily, but a blogging friend,

Sandra from Cherry Heart:

has told me that she would like to try and decipher the original old pattern.

Do go and visit this lovely blog about crochet,

you will love looking at all her beautiful work,

Since colour is so important to me,

I had to finish up with a colourful collage!

Gray Catbird

Regular Summer Resident

Gray Catbird

The Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) is a regular summer resident here.  It usually appears in late May and leaves in September or October.  It breeds in all of southern Canada and all of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.  It winters in the southeastern US, Mexico, northern California and the Caribbean Islands.  It is a member of the Mimidae family which contains the mockingbirds and thrashers.  These birds, as their family name suggests, are mockers or mimics.  They copy the songs of other birds and sing them repetitively and lustily. 

Gray Catbird

The Gray Catbird can be found hiding in bushes and its presence is usually discerned by its variable vocals.  Its voice is a mixture of various squeaks and squawks interspersed with a cat-like 'mew'.  It also mimics other birds' songs but usually attaches some kind of squeak or mew before or after the mimicked song.  It is really quite fun to listen to the antics of this bird.

Catbirds are secretive and usually only peak out at you from among the dense vegetation in which they usually reside.  There they find their food:  insects, spiders, fruits, berries, and seeds.  They usually feed on the ground or in shrubs or low trees.  When feeding on the ground they toss leaves aside looking for insects.  They are curious birds and often peak at you from among the foliage if you squeak or 'spish' at them.  See below as a catbird peaks out at the camera.

Gray Catbird

The Gray Catbird is 22 cm long (8.5 inches).  Males and females are similar in appearance.  The body is a dark gray and they have a black cap and black tail.  Under the tail is a cinnamon patch which is often difficult to see.  See the cinnamon patch in the photo below.

Gray Catbird Showing Cinnamon Undertail Coverts

An interesting fact about the catbird is that it is able to identify its own eggs and therefore is not as susceptible to parasitism from Brown Cowbirds as some other species.  It sees the cowbird egg as not its own and pushes the alien egg out of the nest.  Discerning birds!

Gray Catbirds are very interesting New Brunswick breeding birds.  Look and listen for them around your yard or while on your next hike.

Happy Birthday to Us | Saving Lives for 75 Years

Today marks exactly 75 years since Animal Friends began serving the pets and people of the Pittsburgh region!

In 1943, a small group of citizens made it their mission to find homes for soldiers’ pets when they left to serve in the war.

Our founders took a name that clearly articulated their mission: to serve as friends to unwanted animals.

And three quarters of a century later, it’s truly been an incredible journey.

Starting in a rented out room in the bottom of the William Penn Hotel, our organization has grown into a bustling, 75-acre campus.

Although Animal Friends has accomplished feats in the last 75 years that were nothing short of incredible, we never realized that it would grow into such a visionary, progressive organization that is never satisfied with the status quo.

Before no-kill became a movement, our founders had a vision that no animal would ever be unnecessarily euthanized at Animal Friends. And, we remain committed to that premise to this day. We’re constantly striving to save the lives of more pets of our region.

It’s not just the pets – it’s also about the people of our community. In 2006, we were able to better serve our region’s pet-owning families by opening the Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center.

And, this past summer we took that one step further by opening our Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center to ensure that all pet owners – regardless of income – can afford the critical wellness care that their pets need … and deserve.

We are so proud that for 75 years we have remained committed to serving our animal friends and those who love them. But we simply cannot wait to see what the next 75 years (and beyond!) will bring.

We'd love to hear your memories! So, as special birthday present to us, please share your favorite photos and stories from every decade of our 75 years on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or send us an email.

The Silver Lining

Before making her way to Animal Friends, a very pregnant Janis narrowly made it out of a small shelter in Kentucky.

Because they were at capacity, they made temporary outdoor kennels for their resident dogs, including Janis.

But just as quickly as the shelter had creatively made more space, a forthcoming winter storm was all it took to undo their hard work.

And then, it went from bad to worse. Janis had given birth … growing their problem 11-fold.

They needed help – and fast.

The shelter reached out to a rescue group in our region that transports animals in crisis to partner organizations. That organization then contacted us to see if we could take in Janis and her puppies. We, of course, agreed.

And so, Janis with her 11 puppies in tow came to Animal Friends.

They immediately went into a loving foster home.

Janis was the perfect pet. Her foster family quickly decided that she would become a permanent member of theirs, once her puppies were ready to find homes.

But sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned …

Lethargy set in. Janis wasn’t acting like herself. Then the vomiting started and a fever set in. It was mastitis, and she needed surgery.

Despite her weariness, she continued to provide for her puppies. She simply wouldn’t give up on them.

After her surgery, Janis stayed at Animal Friends to recover. She continued to decline. We would do anything to get Janis healthy … but we couldn’t even get her to stand, let alone eat.

Then finally, we caught a break when her foster mom stopped by. Had we known what was about to transpire, well, we would have arranged it much sooner.

As soon as Janis spotted her foster mom, it was like her every ailment fell away. She rose from her bed and exuberantly went to her. In that moment, she was back to acting like the Janis we all knew and loved – even ate for the first time in days for her foster mom.

Their bond was remarkable. Truly undeniable.

We were hopeful that sending Janis home would speed up her recovery but the very next day proved otherwise. Janis couldn’t keep any food or medication down.

Strictures were found in Janis’s throat that made even swallowing painful. So to give her esophagus time to heal, a feeding tube was placed.

There wasn’t anything we weren’t willing to do for sweet Janis.

As the weeks continued, there were good days and bad. Despite all Janis’s pain and misery, Janis remained devoted to her pups … just as her family remained devoted to her.

We wouldn’t give up. We simply couldn’t. However, there are times when loving and letting go is the best thing you can do.

“I’ll never forget that day. It was like everything aligned so that we could all be with her until the very end. A school cancellation kept the boys at home, and the weather was bad early in the day so my husband couldn’t make it into work. Somewhat serendipitous even …”

Janis had pulled out her feeding tube. Her pain was too great. It was clear that there was no real chance for recovery. We were forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to say goodbye.

Surrounded by those who loved her most, Janis was sent off with the utmost dignity, respect and compassion.

She had finally found peace … and her home in the hearts of her foster family.

There truly is a silver lining in every tragedy.

In this case, it was Janis’s sacrifice to ensure her legacy of 11 puppies would go on to become beloved pets who will teach their families about companionship and love.

 

But, you see, it was also the sacrifice of our staff and volunteers who made sure that Janis and her puppies received the best quality of care we could provide.

At Animal Friends we have an unwavering commitment to give each and every one of our residents the individualized care they need – and deserve.

We’ll continue to work tirelessly for every animal who comes through our doors. We promise an unlimited number of hours and days – even years – of specialized attention.

But we cannot continue without you. Help us continue to find the silver lining.

Please give.

 

The Power to Choose

Sunday morning on my balcony!

My favourite place to be as soon as it's warm enough to sit outside!

I'm surrounded by window-boxes and big tubs of flowers

and there is birdsong in the early morning.

I can see trees from where I sit when I turn by back to the road.

I am happy, not only because of all these lovely things, but because I choose to be!

Whatever happens to us in life, whatever our circumstances,

whatever our state of health, we have the ability to choose our attitude

to every single thing in our life.

The book in the photo is a new one that I have recently started.

It reinforces my belief that we are able to develop our resilience

and rise above the hard knocks in life.

Of course, some things are more difficult to bear than others,

but however hard things may seem, our attitude is everything.

We are not the victims of our lives,

but we are the creators of how we want to live.

I love books like this, 

they make me feel empowered.

May and June have been busy months, both with birthday celebrations

and creative occupations.

On the creative side, out came my crochet hook and some new red cotton

which I recently obtained from a local store.

Forty-two crocheted hearts have been made as part of a table decoration

for my son's wedding this August in Switzerland.

I found this lovely rose in the exact same tone of red as the hearts.

There's such mystery and beauty in the heart of a rose.

The weather is already hot and humid

with daytime temperatures reaching 26C but it feels much hotter

because of the high humidity.

Storms have been building up towards the evenings.

This could be the start of a very hot summer¨

It will soon be time to get my ventilators out of the cellar!

Sora

The Sora is a Rail

Sora

The Sora is a member of the Rail family, Rallidae.   This family includes rails, gallinules and coots.  We have two rails commonly found in New Brunswick, the Sora and the Virginia Rail.  Occasionally a rare rail is found here.  For example, there was a King Rail in Fundy National Park earlier this spring.  

The Sora is a compact chicken-shaped bird about 19-25 cm long (7.6 to 10 inches), about quail size.  It is commonly found in marshes and pond edges in summer.  Its presence is usually discovered by the frequent loud descending whinnying sound it makes.  That sound has become synonymous with a fresh water marsh.  As seen in the photo above, the Sora is brown and gray in colour with bright yellow bill and legs.  There is white barring on its back and sides.  The black on the face and throat set the bright yellow bill off well.  The female is similar to the male but slightly muted on the face and bill.  

Sora

The Sora is a secretive bird (except for its loud voice).  It skulks through the vegetation and prefers to be heard and not seen.  Note above how well it is camouflaged by the cattails. Its large feet facilitate its slow walk through the marsh vegetation.  It also swims readily.  When walking it bobs its head and cocks its tail high.  

Sora

The range of the Sora is widespread.  It summers in all of southern Canada southward to most of the northern US.  It winters in the very southern US, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands.  It builds its nest among the cattails suspending it above water.  The nest is made out of dry leaves, grass and reeds and contains 10-12 buff eggs with gray or brown spots.  Both parents incubate the eggs.  

The Sora feeds on aquatic insects, snails, seeds, invertebrates and wetland plants.  It uses its large feet to rake the aquatic vegetation in search of food, like the way a chicken feeds.  

Sora

The Sora is the most common rail in North America.  Large numbers are shot by hunters each year in the US but their population is stable probably because of their large hatch size.  The greatest threat to this interesting species is the destruction of fresh water marshes.  We are thankful for the help Ducks Unlimited is doing to reverse this trend.  Marshes are a healthy part of our environment and should be maintained and kept pure.