I took my son and daughter-in-law on a day trip to Vancouver. About a half hour outside of Vancouver, we made a side trip to Boundary Bay. They had never seen Snowy Owls before. Like the other observers there, they were enthralled by these beautiful birds. About half of these Boundary Bay photos were taken by my son. If you want to see more, you can click on the link to his blog: Dave Stillman: Mountains, Peaks, and Trails.
My Son and Daughter-In-Law Watching Snowy Owls
Young Snowy Owls Show More Dark Barring
I love to encourage people to move beyond birds as identification subjects and photo-ops, to looking at their behavior. This particular Snowy Owl had just finished eating. It is busy cleaning itself after its meal. Notice that each digit and talon on its foot gets attention. Don't we wash up after eating?
After Meal Foot Cleaning
Notice also that the bill is also cleaned. This is similar to our mundane task of brushing our teeth. Birders have special jargon for bill-wiping: feaking. Personally, I think that some jargon can obscure meaning and can alienate people who would otherwise be interested. I'll stick with the term 'bill-wipe'. This owl is using a log for this purpose.
After Meal Bill-Wipe
After a meal, it's time for digesting, resting, and preening.
Post Meal Rest
Snowy Owls Are Expected To Be At Boundary Bay Through March.
I took my son and daughter-in-law to Stanley Park, in the beautiful city of Vancouver. The Vancouver Aquarium at the park, is outstanding. One of its stand-out features is its cetaceans: Beluga Whales and dolphins.
Beluga Whales at the Vancouver Aquarium
Dolphin Interacting with Child & Plush Toy 'Dolphin'
We also went to the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology. It has the best collection of native american artifacts and artistic creations I have ever seen. Its collection specializes in Haida, Tlinget, and Salish peoples, and Inuit and other Arctic peoples. It does, however, have representative collections from around the world.
Funerary Totems at University of BC, Museum of Anthropology
Haida, Tlinget, and Salish Totems
The museum also has works by modern native americans. This impressive wood sculpture depicts the creation legend of the coastal peoples of the Pacific Northwest: the actions of Raven.
Raven Releasing Humanity from the Clam Shell
by Bill Reid, Native American Artist
Vancouver, as you can see, has many opportunities for seeing the natural and cultural sciences: museums, a world-class aquarium, and wonderful avian life in the field.
