NatureLog
Nature & Energy Insights
This weekend in Whistler, Canada, I was thrilled to watch a black bear as he or she happily chomped away at dandelions while locals and tourists alike meandered by. Humans were walking, cycling, jogging - doing what humans do. Meanwhile, the bear contentedly did what bears naturally do - enjoyed the shoots of plants along our walking trails. They rely on this sustenance until the berries emerge for more diet diversity. It hasn't been too many months since the bears emerged from their winter hibernation, but they've clearly been doing well on these plants. Every bear I encountered over the weekend looked just as healthy as this local resident. And so it was, as he enjoyed his meal trailside, only casually glancing at us humans every once in awhile. To say he looked in any way curious about what we were doing would be an overstatement. He was quite focused on his delicious meal and really couldn't be bothered with the trivialities of daily human life. Do you ever stop and cherish the opportunity to live among the wildlife in your local area? Whether it's the tiniest hummingbird or these big guys, be sure to stop and take it in. Enjoy these moments. Nature grounds us. It helps us get out of our heads and into our hearts. It calms us, giving us a sense of peace and well-being. If you want the scientific evidence of that, here's a good Nat Geo article on the subject. Mindfulness and gratitude are free and powerful tools we can use every day for our wellness - I wish for you peace and well-being, and an opportunity to get out and bring a little nature into your life. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: "Adopt the pace of Nature. Her secret is patience." I can always use a little more of that in my life.....
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As someone who loves cetaceans, I thought I knew a good deal about orcas. But today in Vancouver, BC, I spent hours out on the water with T137, one of the transient pods (families) out of the local area, and discovered so much more. Most of my knowledge of these endangered animals was of the beautiful Southern Resident Killer Whale resident pods J, K, and L – those who rely on salmon for food – and with whom I had spent time while visiting the San Juan Islands in Washington. I also know about the transient orcas who frequent Monterey Bay whenever the gray whales migrate north with their new offspring. I tend to avoid the Bay that time of year because I don’t enjoy the front-row seat to any orcas who hunt and kill newborn gray whale calves. I know it’s the natural cycle of life but it’s not one that I enjoy witnessing. And so it was off of Vancouver this week – I had some trepidation being out on the water when T137 showed up. I didn’t want to have a front-row seat to any seal or porpoise hunt. But I cherished the time with these beautiful, large dolphins who call these waters home. I lucked out on this day as they were not hunting while I was out. But I did learn a bit more about transients. Interestingly, while the offspring from resident pods stay near their mother throughout their life, only the firstborn male of a transient family will do so. And unlike the large resident pods, the transient pods are very small – typically the mother and two to three of her offspring. I have also always enjoyed how social the resident pods are, using gestures similar to humpbacks - breaching and tail slapping among one another. Apparently transients are much quieter and subdued unless they’ve just made a kill, at which time they leave their “stealth” mode and take more liberty making their presence known. With T137, we enjoyed the company of the mother and 2 offspring, one a big boy T137A, and the other, his “sister”, T137B. T137A stayed with our boat off and on most of the hours we were out, and I enjoyed just watching him glide through the water, as that big tall, wobbly dorsal fin would emerge from the water, ever so slowly, over and over throughout the day. At one point, his mother or sister decided to do a tail slap with her fluke, and then continued on her way. It was nice to be back out on the water with orcas this year. It was the beginning of this year that we were saddened by the news that Granny (J2), the matriarch of J pod, was declared dead when she was not seen again with her pod. Granny had an amazingly long life – 105 years(!) - and she contributed much to killer whale research over the years. I recall seeing her up in the San Juans and marveled at both her size, and her age even at that time. Even though today was with the transients and not her pod, I used the day on the water as a way to pay my respects to Granny and to celebrate her life. This is timely, at a time when we are very concerned for the well-being of these special endangered animals. Rest in peace, our old girl – and Godspeed to all of these beautiful orcas who I am eternally grateful get to swim freely. Let’s not forget about Lolita, and think positively she will one day swim free again, as T137 does on this day – Lest you get out those garden tools and start trimming back, our visit to the local plant nursery this morning was a reminder to hold off. There is an Anna's Hummingbird nesting on the branch of a short tree right in the middle of all of the plants for sale! She doesn't seem to mind the comings and goings at all, according to the nursery staff, who have had to continue watering their merchandise as she settles onto her new nest. ;-) The staff said they had seen her gathering up the nesting materials - specifically cobwebs here and there - as she continued to build out her sturdy little nest. Remember how tiny these nests are - just a little wider than an adult hummingbird. Be on the lookout for them anywhere around the outside of your home - including the place you might least expect them. My friend and fellow seal rescue crewmate, Maria, has even had them nesting on her Christmas lights that she laughed about not having taken down in a timely fashion. Bet she has no regrets about that now! ;-) As always, contact your local wildlife rehabilitator if you find a bird or newborn chick in need. Be sure to enjoy the season!! |
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January 2023
AuthorPamela, Eyes4Nature's proprietor, enjoying life out in the field among the animals and the peacefulness of nature. Categories
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