All My Blogs

American Avocet at Slacks Slough in Red Deer, Alberta. I remember seeing my first avocet.  It was in Bonnyville, Alberta, and I was down at the beach.  It was a late afternoon in early summer.  Before me was a bird I had not seen before.  It had long legs, a long bill, a long neck, and was beautifully coloured.  Everything about it seemed wrong.  But it could do something other shorebirds could not. It could wade out into the water, deeper than most other shorebirds, and probe the mud with its long, upcurved bill.  The bill would plunge into the water, just to the point where the bird could still breathe.  The nares (nostrils) are located high up on the bill so that the avocet can continuously hunt for food without raising its head.  The long neck keeps the bill some distance from the feet so that potential prey are not alerted to its presence.  Its feet, equipped with long toes, prevent the bird from sinking into the mud.  The long...

Which grebe is which?  Can you tell?  Bottom right image from this source. I have photographed both eared and horned grebes, but was under the mistaken assumption that they were all eared grebes.  Little did I know that I had confused two species as one, and that most of them were in fact horned grebes.  The red eye and dark plumage were each factors, and their non-breeding plumages look relatively similar.  Imagine my surprise when my Google Lens search for an image (top center) told me it was a horned grebe and not the eared variety, as I suspected. It turns out that the four images on the left are all of horned grebes, and the only photo I have of an eared grebe is the one top right.  How is it possible that I mixed these species up?  I somehow don't think I am alone in this. Below is a photo I took a few weeks ago in Red Deer, Alberta, of a horned grebe on a nest (top, center) and a horned grebe swimming in the water (top left).  The other thr...

Left:  four different jumping spider species.  Right:  Bronze jumping spider (Sassacus vitis) With over 6000 species of jumping spiders worldwide, and more than 300 in the US and Canada, chances are that you have seen more than just one or two species. The most common ones, here in BC anyway, are the Zebra jumping spider and Johnson's jumping spider (the first and second insets on the left).  The third one is a species I photographed in Alberta and the fourth one is a jumping spider I photographed in New Zealand.  The bronze jumper was photographed a few weeks ago when I was in Clearwater, BC. I wrote a blog on the zebra jumping spider about 4 years ago ( click here ).  There are some interesting facts there that I won't repeat.  Jumping spiders have become popular pets, are easy to keep, and can form surprising bonds with their owners/feeders.  I watched a good video on one fellow's spider, it is worth a watch.  Click here if you want to se...

A birdhouse at Swan Lake Bird Sanctuary - Tree swallows. We put up birdhouses to help and attract birds, but sometimes our good intentions lead to disaster.  Hole size is important.  If it is too big, predatory species can get in and take the eggs or chicks.  A perch also makes predation easier; birds don't need one, as they are fully capable of accessing the nest without it. In the spring, when nesting begins, the air is cool and the sun rarely causes heat issues.  As the season progresses into summer, the risk of heat exhaustion to the vulnerable birds increases.  Putting the house in the shade or having some kind of insulation reduces the likelihood of their death.  Lots of ventilation also helps to encourage air circulation; just make sure the vents are not too large. Birdhouses don't need a perch, but their walls can't be smooth either.  Rough, unsanded wood is all that is needed for the birds' access.  You can build the house out of plywood ...

Left:  A Zentangle name card made by Mrs. Graham for me.  Right:  A GSS yearbook photo of her. Did Mrs. Graham ever make a you a name card like the one shown above?  She made one for me, it was something I saw her often working at.  A Zentangle is a "relaxing art method used to create abstract, structured black-and-white patterns called tangles on small paper squares." (Google)  I think she found them relaxing and enjoyed making them for people.  She would laminate them afterwards and give them to their namesake.   She cared for people, was a respected teacher and colleague, and taught at Garibaldi for a number of years.  I always enjoyed her company.  The cards that she made for people spoke of her care for others.  If you notice, it is signed, "L L.G."  I think it stands for "Love, Linda Graham."  I never saw her as emotional or conflicted, but I am sure she must have had challenges in her life. She was a heavy smok...

  My daughter, Leanne, visiting us on the week of my birthday.  So much to be thankful for. The photo says so much about the things happening in my life.  Living in the Okanagan, a nice house with a great view of the neighbourhood, my dog, and my beautiful daughter enjoying another sunny day.   I turn 66 years old in two days.  My health is pretty good, although my issues with diabetes haunts me a bit.  I have a beautiful wife who plays cards, attends church with me, likes camping, and loves her children and grandchildren.  She even goes kayaking with me occasionally.   I have many friends, some I have known for almost 50 years and others who are more recent but devoted to our relationship.  Although stuff tends to not be too important, I have all that I could ever want. But the thing that I have, more than everything else, is my relationship with those I love. Family, friends, and God.  I don't talk much about my faith in my b...