Iona Beach Regional Park
Iona always has great scenery, though I don’t often post about it! First though, here’s a swallow of some kind. Probably of the Tree variety, since that’s what’s most common in these parts.
Okay, I really like this shot. Is it the red / blue contrast? Is it the soft clouds? Or some special chemistry in the composition? Who can say?
It took me a little while to pin down this guy’s cheeps, but it was worth it! I guess it’s the time of year when parents bring home the bacon (and grubs, and ants) to their ravenous children!
This is called a Western Tiger Beetle. Extremely abundant in the sandier portions of the trail, and now I’m wondering why I didn’t take any photos of them before?
Fascinatingly, the white patterns on their carapace vary a bit between individuals — the same overall look, but noticeable differences in positioning and size when comparing photos. Kind of like a fingerprint maybe?
I feel the crow really ties this scene together.
This colourful and hirsute fella is a Satin Moth caterpillar. They’re considered a bit of a pest, feeding voraciously on the leaves of poplars and willows. However, they rarely cause permanent damage to trees, and already have a number of natural enemies so their populations are usually kept themselves in check without intervention.
ƛ̓éxətəm (Tlahutum) Regional Park
We saw a couple of Eastern Kingbirds along the trail, all of whom deigned to pose for us.
But the real stars were this Cedar Waxwing couple, doing that thing where they swap a bit of food back and forth as a bonding exercise. I’d caught a quick glimpse of it a few years ago, but this time I was able to get great photos!
Here Waxwing A (camera left) starts off with a with a chunk of snail meat, and Waxwing B with a fragment of snail shell. At first I thought they were exchanging both items, which would be an impressive trick, but B keeps its bit of shell throughout the game.
In case you’re curious, A ended up eating the snail meat. I wonder if they switch “winners” between these rituals. Maybe they don’t remember and don’t care, and the ritual is what matters.
Whatever is going on in their heads, it’s a beautiful little ritual, fit for these beautiful birds, and I’m glad I was finally able to witness and share it.
After that experience, a Bald Eagle seems a bit less majestic but here you go!
And since I’ve shared that lovely Iona scenery, it would feel wrong not to do so with ƛ̓éxətəm. Here is the eastern pond, near Shaughnessy Street. At this time of year it’s filled with blackbirds, ducks, and swooping swallows, but it seemed unusually vacant that day. Looking no less lovely though!
