Weasel Energy: A Martin’s Quest for a Marten
I have seen hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the world’s most deviously adorable mustelid (weasel) in my dreams, but I have only seen a handful of Pine Marten (aka American Marten) in ‘real life.’
Top Ten of 2020 : Old friends and rare gems
WOW. This is unusual for me, but I have no words to describe 2020.
I took a stab at creating a profound message for the new year and putting words to some of these images, but I was overwhelmed. There is just too much to say.
Grouse energy: a demonstration of Gandalf-like resolve
The creature stood firm, every fibre of his being enraged, emanating an intense resolve on par with Gandalf’s infamous ‘YOU SHALL NOT PASS’ pronouncement in The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. The Spruce Grouse stood on the edge of a snowy pathway, staring...
Toad Energy: A return to home (Part 3 of 3)
Amphibians are an indication of our dying planet. So many species have disappeared, and we humans, of course, are largely responsible.
Toad Energy: A return to home (Part 2 of 3)
Each tentative step produced more frenzied hopping. Toadlet after toadlet scrambled over, under and through a spider web of dew-laced grass. The closer Cherie and I got to the shoreline, the more abundant the toadlets became. Having just meet a toad couple named Nelly...
Toad Energy: A return to home (Part 1 of 3)
In August 2006, I poked a toad. While light and brief, my touch was enough to cause one thick, front arm to nudge slightly upward. This toad was indeed alive - that was all I needed to know. Relief and gratitude flooded my body. I am not proud of myself for poking a...
A ‘top of the log’ performance: starring three little bears
The naked, fallen tree trunk protruding from a thick blanket of vegetation was a beacon of hope for my sullen spirits. I had been sitting on the opposite side of the road in my car for about two hours observing a black bear sow with her three young cubs. I was not...
Tiger King documentary illuminates the Grace of Animals (contains spoilers)
The delicately weathered hand of a chimpanzee reaches beyond the metal wires of a cage. A human hand brushes the tips of the chimp’s fingers briefly, before pulling back, disappearing. The chimp’s hand stretches further, but is met with nothing. The closing scene of...
Cinnamon the black bear: food-conditioned or naturally curious?
“Yep, that bear is definitely dead,” my friend confirmed what I already knew when I showed him the photo on the back of my camera, taken earlier that morning in mid-June, 2020: I had watched the scene unfold while on a photo excursion in the rockies. A black bear, who...
Conversations with Magpies reveal the magic of interconnectivity
I love Magpies, but when I hear their shrill squawk right outside my window, I often get annoyed. I feel bad about this reaction - the sounds of Mother Nature should never annoy me - but I just can't help it. When in close proximity, the loud call of the Magpie is so...