Tag: Canada

The Birds of Grouse Mountain

Visiting the ‘Birds in Motion’ session on Grouse Mountain

Flying so close you could almost feel the wings brush your head, the mix of Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Owls in the ‘Birds in Motion’ session on Grouse Mountain is a good way to learn about the hunting and living habits of these beautiful creatures.

Taking the birds half way up the dirt track on the mountain, the Rangers encouraged them to fly down to where we were sitting, demonstrating how they would hunt for prey in the wild.  Small podiums and ledges were set up to allow the birds to perch, giving the audience a close up view of the birds.

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Yes, its a tourist attraction, yes the birds are not living in the wild (and I would much prefer to see them in that setting) but the birds are part of a Ranger programme and are therefore well looked after, rather than part of a performing circus. Spotting one of these birds in nature is pretty difficult, so having the opportunity to sit so close to them was incredible. Throughout the session, the Rangers were able to share facts about the birds and tell stories of their activities.

Before the session, the audience was clearly told a) not to touch the birds, and b) don’t stand up whilst the birds are flying – apparently they were able to judge the distances above our heads very well, except for if we stood up / sat down quickly. One guy shifted about just a bit too much in his seat and ended up being kissed in the face by a feathery wing! After that, we made sure to sit quite still!

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If you decide to visit the session, it’s well worth sitting on the back row of the benches as you will have a good view of the birds as they fly over your head to the perches at the back. Front row seats get a better view of the birds when they land, but be warned, don’t sit too far forward on the grass – the Rangers will ask you to move anyway as this is classed as the bird’s territory and you don’t want to be mistaken for prey!

Although the eagles were great to see, I have to say that I preferred the owls. There is something fascinating about them as creatures, cute and fluffy on the outside but fairly savage and violent in their kills. As a horror fan, anything that can rotate it’s head to the same degree as the owl is well worth my time!

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The ‘Birds in Motion’ sessions run throughout the summer on the mountain – you can read more about them here: https://www.grousemountain.com 

 

Haunting, Lonely & Beautiful

We chose one of the rainiest days of our trip to drive out to Moraine Lake. It had been sunny in the morning and we had taken the opportunity to head up Sulphur Mountain where we had amazing views (as long as you turned your back to the coffee shop and huge visitors centre – you can read about that in a forthcoming post). By the time we got back down the mountain and set off to Moraine Lake, it was drizzling and quite a bit cooler.

This change in weather had resulted in fewer people around the lake, giving us a better view once we arrived. A huge rock scramble to one side of the lake provided a good vantage point, but instead we trundled around the edge of the water, sticking to the cover of the trees.

At the mouth of the lake, many logs floated side by side, creating a false path stretching across the water. A few ripples broke the surface of the water as the rain hit the surface. The quietness of the lake, coupled with the rain, created a lonely atmosphere. The backdrop of the mountains provided a stunning frame for the lake and prevented the vibe from getting too morose.

Whilst waiting to get that ‘perfect picture’ of the lake, I watched a older Chinese family try to orchestrate several children and a couple of older family members into the best photo position, suggesting poses and shouting for smiles. This took some time and it was good to watch them taking such care in the capture of a family photograph in this beautiful spot. As everyone aligned and showed their best holiday smiles, the older female of the group let out the biggest sneeze, surprising herself and the rest of the family, right as the camera clicked. The group (including us and those around us) descended into fits of laughter and a better, more natural photograph was captured. I’d love to see how that picture turned out – and if the people who’s mantlepiece the photo ended up on realise just how much effort was put into its creation.