Those who spend time in the forest come across all kinds of mysteries, from strange plants to puzzling animal tracks. One that hikers frequently come across is trees that appear to have been damaged, sometimes severely. The surprising thing is that some of the most severely damaged trees have been targeted by the smallest critters….
As the cougar and I saw each other, I was suddenly very aware that I was deer-sized. It was on the shoreline below me, an embankment separating us. Typically, in wildlife encounters, an animal will run away from humans at first sight, but not this cougar. Instead, it casually strode towards me. In doing so,…
Hikers venturing into BC’s subalpine areas will inevitably encounter the whiskey jack, Canada’s beloved, cheeky jay. Unafraid of humans, they’re happy to land on an outstretched hand in search of food. These smiley, friendly, inquisitive little birds are irresistibly lovable, and the highlight of many a hike. It’s perhaps fitting that the whiskey jack was…
There is always chatter on the VHF radio up at the top of Johnstone Strait, off the northeast tip of Vancouver Island. The whale watching community in the area is a tight-knit one. If ever there was a whole lot of talk on the radio, it was a good indication that something was up. It…
The humpback whale’s breath reeked of dead and rotting fish. I wasn’t supposed to be that close, and I always taught my clients the same rules when it came to respecting whales. It was the summer of 2006, and I was working as a kayak guide off northern Vancouver Island. It was easy to follow…
If you live on the South Coast of BC, you might decide to put out a hummingbird feeder in the summer. This might be just a whim, an innocent gesture to watch these delightful little birds zip hither and thither, dainty and adorable, but also surprisingly vicious. These guys can be very territorial, often guarding…
