A Walk Along the Mill Race

17 April, 2026 

     We were joined by Victoria for a pleasant stroll along the Mill Race, hoping for a few spring migrants. The weather was a little cool, but not unpleasant.

     It was no surprise that two of the first birds we saw were Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) - both resident species.

     Bracket fungi (family Polyporaceae) hold eternal appeal.

     A Baltimore Oriole's (Icterus galbula) nest from last year still looked in good shape.

     Our first bona fide migrant was a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), an exceedingly attractive bird.

     Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) is one of our most common bracket fungi.

     A Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) was having its feathers ruffled by the wind.

     It turned to face into the wind and its plumage was sleeked down appreciably.

     New life is emerging in a rotting stump.

     Everything in the living world is recycled and nothing is wasted; a stark contrast to the way humans abuse the planet, discarding waste at every turn, much of it toxic and harmful to all life.

     I doubt that many people pay attention to Broad-leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius), but I would invite you to take a look at it.

     There is much to be admired in this hardy plant.

     Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) are on the verge of blooming. I can hardly wait.

     The same may be said of Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus).

     To see a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) evokes a response akin to seeing a favourite child. No matter how often the encounter, no matter the mood, to share the moment always evokes intense pleasure.

     A male Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is a splendid fellow indeed.

     A few Brown Creepers (Certhia americana) overwinter with us, but most are migratory and return when the weather is more gentle.

     A Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) is always chary to display its eponymous crown, but this individual gave us the merest glimpse.

     Mosses (phylum Bryophyta) were widely used by Indigenous people as soft material for baby diapers, and I imagine it was very effective. It looks plush and inviting in its forest home.

     One day when your curiosity overwhelms you, examine it through a loupe or other magnification device, and what you see will amaze you.

     At the end of the trail, just before crossing Three Bridges Road, we saw another Downy Woodpecker.

     A Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) was no surprise.

     The Conestogo River, swelled by snowmelt and heavy rains formed a torrent that washed over the bridge, resulting in the closure of the road.

     A Red-bellied Woodpecker remained indifferent to this turn of events.

     An Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) scampered wherever dry ground permitted.

     Friendly people had left peanuts and that's an opportunity not to be missed.

     On the way up to the dam we were serenaded by a couple of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia).

     Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) had claimed a tree as their own.

     Several Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) patrolled along the opposite shore; a couple of them seemed to be nesting but they were concealed by grass and rushes and not amenable to photography.

     More views of the swollen, surging, roiling,  malevolent river.

     Water, essential to all life on Earth, can become lethal in an instant.

     Violets (genus Viola) are evidence of early spring.

     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) patiently worked still pools in small, sheltered coves.

     An American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was already occupied with the important work of producing the next generation.

     A Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) peeked out from behind a wall.

     This robin, clad impeccably as befits a bird in spring, was perhaps the father of the young in the nest we saw earlier.

     It had been a great walk.

Staggering Facts

96% of the mass of all mammals on Earth is humans and our domestic livestock

Only 4% remains for everything else

70% of all birds are domesticated poultry

And the human population of the world continues to grow

Vancouver Island - Part 1

07 September, 2023 

Waterloo, ON - Victoria, BC

     We picked up Selwyn and Victoria at 14h:00 and drove to the Kitchener-Waterloo Regional Airport, for us the first time flying out of there, and the first time using Westjet. 

     Everything went smoothly and we settled in for the long wait until flight time. Having heard bad things about Westjet we were a little nervous, but all went well, and even though we had two connecting flights, in Calgary and Vancouver, each leg of the journey proceeded on schedule and we arrived in Victoria around 22h:30.

     We got a taxi to the Airport Day's Inn and settled in for a comfortable night in a large, well-appointed room. Hotels are ridiculously expensive these days, but there is nothing to be done about that.

08 September, 2023

Day's Inn - Clover Point - Ogden Point Breakwater - Oak Bay 

     The continental breakfast at the hotel was a fine affair, with a wide variety of food. Selwyn received precise instructions on how to make a waffle and did a fine job in producing two, one for him and one for me. There were also boiled eggs, bagels, cream cheese, toast, muffins, fruit and other stuff. Most importantly there was good hot coffee, the essential ingredient to kickstart the body first thing in the morning!

     We could only pick up our rented car at the airport at noon, so we took a walk and spent a leisurely hour or so in our room, catching the 11h:00 shuttle from the hotel. We had a fine Ford Edge Titanium 4WD, which served us very well throughout our trip. It had every modern bell and whistle you could imagine, push button start, and was about twice the size of my own little Volkswagen. It took a while to get used to it, and initially it seemed huge, but once I was familiar with it, it was a very pleasant vehicle to drive.

     Our first stop was at Clover Point, a place very dear to me, and where I start my day on every visit to Victoria.

     Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) is the default gull in coastal British Columbia, and right away we were treated to a display where a juvenile harried its long-suffering parent over a crab, which it seemed to have no idea how to handle.

     Like all children, it has much to learn, I suppose.

     We were interested onlookers.

     In addition to the birds, the plants around the coast are different from those at home, and exciting to see, witness this Oregon Gumplant (Grindelia stricta).

     Many of the west coast specialties were new to Victoria, so she was quite excited when a Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) swam past us.

     Several Grey Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) played hide-and-seek with us, but ultimately they were unable to escape Miriam's probing lens.

     I had thought that all the cormorants we saw were Double-crested (Nannopterum auritus) but looking at this picture, this individual is clearly a Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus).

     Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are boldly marked and quite different from the form we see in Central Canada.

     American Crows (Corvus brachyrynchos caurinus) were numerous, cheeky and bold.

     Their vocalization is quite distinct and noticeably different from birds in other regions of Canada; it was formerly considered a separate species, Northwestern Crow.

     Is there anything more agreeable than to see a flock of gulls loafing around on a rocky shoreline?

     We are accustomed to seeing Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) in fields and meadows, but it is not shy in adapting to coastal habitat.

     This juvenile Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) appeared to be coordinating its toilette with a Harlequin Duck.

     And speaking of Harlequin Ducks, tiny little gems that they are.....

     ..... and dusky, alluring Song Sparrows.

Ogden Point Breakwater, Victoria, BC

     A vase of cut flowers in the home is a very fine adornment, California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) along the shore even better.

     The entire length of the breakwater is decorated with indigenous art, a very appealing touch, and abundantly appropriate given the rich cultural heritage of the ancestral occupants of the west coast, and their deep, spiritual relationship to the sea.

     Strands of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) were just about everywhere, on the water, and washed up on the shore.

     We were quite excited to see this aptly named Egg Yolk Jelly (Phacellophora camtschatica), yet another reminder that we had in the space of a day been whisked from fresh water lakes to the Pacific Ocean.

     A couple of sea stars were equally appealing, not as clear as we might like, but given the fact that they were a couple of metres down in salt water, the pictures are really not too bad.

Leather Star (Dermasterias imbricata)

Rainbow Star (Orthasterias koehleri)

     For me, the most thrilling discovery was a Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), fresh on the heels of having reviewed a book on this taxon. 

     We strolled back along the breakwater, where we all, but especially Victoria, were elated to see a mixed flock of Black Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala) and Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri). They stayed for quite a while, fed, preened, paraded in front of us, quarreled a little, rested - the following pictures speak for themselves.

     We had not seen a Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) all day so we were happy to hear their familiar call and see a squadron of them come in to land on the water.

     We were bid a cheery farewell by a member of the Leafcutter, Mortar and Resin Bees (genus Megachile) devoting its full attention to Oregon Gumplant.

Helms Inn, Victoria, BC

     We checked into our accommodation, right across from Beacon Hill Park, and close to Clover Point, our home for the balance of our stay on Vancouver Island. We were very satisfied with this location and would certainly stay there again.

Oak Bay, Victoria, BC

     Since our last visit, Miriam's sister, Jan, has moved to a condominium in Oak Bay, a delightful location, on a quiet street just minutes from Oak Bay Marina.

     She hosted us all for a superb dinner of homemade clam chowder soup with toasted croissants, a wonderful salad and blackberry cobbler. I can't think of a better way to end our first day on the Island.