Spectacular Sockey

     There are few migrations that are so valuable to such a wide variety of benefactors as the salmon return to their natal river. It is one of natures great annual events but even more spectacular than usual every four years. 2014 is one of these highlight years so we decided to drive to world famous Adams River, B.C. to witness one of Mother Nature's miracles.

Male and Female Sockeye Salmon

     Several million sockeye salmon (onchorinchus nerka) have made the hazardous journey up the Fraser River and South Thompson River into Shushwap Lake. They then move into the Adams River and Adams lake where they will each lay and fertilise up to 4000 eggs before dying. Once the adult salmon have left the Pacific Ocean and began the 800 kilometre journey to the lakes, they stop eating, surviving on the fat reserves stored in their bodies. Hormones triggered by the fresh water begin a major body transformation making a spawning salmon unrecognisable from the bright silver adults that enter the river. The dead salmon have transferred their body weight of nutrients  from the ocean environment where they grew up to the lake, river and forest environments of their birth. These rich nutrients will feed everything from microscopic plankton to wildlife such as bears, mink, otters, ducks and eagles to fertiliser for the forest aligning the rivers and lakes.

Providing for the Future

     I have seen pink, coho, chum and chinook spawning migrations in the past but this is the first sockeye spawn I have seen. They have transformed from gleaming silver to bright red with green head colours. The males have developed long, hooked jaws which they use to bite competing males who want to fertilise female spawn as they are squirted into the gravel redds.
     An odour of rotting fish is noticeable as we wander the pathways of Roderick-Haig- Brown Provincial Park which contains the Adams River. We have arrived just as the gates opened to allow visitors to this site. We enjoy relatively light trail competion and are able to spend quiet time observing the fish. We watch as fishermen wade the river fly fishing for trout. I wonder if they are damaging delicate redds in the river but there are no wardens around chasing them from the cool clear river. By late afternoon, we are tuckered out and satisfied with our adventure but wishing for a more solitary experience. As we make our way to the car, we are amazed by hordes of people crowding the visitor reception and vendor area. I am happy to see that so many people are interested in this spectacle which bodes well for salmon as a whole.
     The next morning, we left before daylight hoping to find a river where there are not so many people. We had a hint as we drove toward our destination the day before as we were forced to weave our way through a "salmon jam" on the highway at the base of Roger's Pass. We drove down a short section of former highway to a very secluded, quiet place beside the Eagle River. The water was more clear and much colder and contained almost as many determined sockey. We enjoyed a couple hours of total solitude in the company of the fish, the forest and a family of bald eagles. What a perfect way to salute the salmon.

Eagles Misty Roost

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Realtree 3-D Poncho Coyote Feast

     I get up early to go to work so it is even better to get up early to go to play. I headed out to my favourite park for an early morning stroll hoping to see some moose, hear elk bugling or whatever might be happening today. The morning was chilly, not freezing as a very light west wind rattled the golden leaves still clinging to their aspen trees.  The rustling leaves and damp ground helped muffle my steps as I headed down the dark trail. The eastern sky was lightening with a faint reddish blush as high overhead I could hear geese making their way to an early whole grain breakfast. What a great day to be able.

     A moose is browsing on twigs and underbrush as I pause for a look. This cow moose is accompanied by a calf eating nearby, then another grazing a bit further off. Twin calves are most common and these all looked very healthy and ready for the rigours of winter.

     I was wearing a new Realtree camouflage 3-D leafy poncho so did not seem to worry the moose as normal. Interesting, I thought, will see if other critters act differently too. I don’t walk fast on these nature hikes. I like to walk and pause and sit down for a few minutes just to see or hear what is happening around me. I like to watch the sun light the tops of the trees before it peers over the horizon. The golden leaves are even more golden with the first morning light and they whisper and twitter at each other like girls primping for a date. Chickadees, nuthatches and juncos flit through the underbrush and scamper up the sides of aspen tree boles searching for their breakfast as well. Off in the far distance I can hear ravens and magpies squawking and squabbling over some found feast so will have to watch for that.

Juicy, Tart Cranberries

     I love the smell of the autumn forest. Tart, post frost high-bush cranberries (makes my spit run to think of them), damp and rotting aspen and poplar leaves and buds sweeten the occasional bison patty and moose droppings. With the light breeze mixing and blending the wild raw ingredients there is created a natural “eau de bush” which comes in many essences depending upon the location of the trail and quantity of ingredients.

     I am mesmerised by golden sun beams shining through the forest, lighting dark red rosebushes, many still green aspen tree leaves as well as many shades of grey and taupe coloured tree stems.

     “Why?”  I ask myself, “Do some aspen trees still have green leaves while some are golden and others are already stripped naked? Is it location, micro-climate, genetics, light, shade, wind exposure, dirt, health, water availability, age or whatever combination of all of above?” There are always more questions than answers. Everything is not created equally in the bush either. 

     Further down the leaf littered trail squabbling ravens are more noticeable as are the squawking magpies. About one hundred yards off the trail to the west, I see many flighty scavengers flitting in and out and around the bush. Some seem to be landing onto an unseen runway while others perch on branches in observation or waiting mode.  My curiosity makes me question these events so I quietly make my way in for a look. I have three things going for me today; I am heading up wind, the sun is at my back and I am wearing my new camouflage suit. I follow a little used game trail for a ways then have to veer off through the brush that tugs quietly at my Realtree poncho.

Coyote on Bison Kill

I pause often, listening and watching the actions of the birds. I find a dead log lying amongst the shin tangle that gives me a bit of elevation and makes for a quieter pathway leading in the right direction. I hold onto some brush for balance as I slowly make my way toward a standing tree where I pause and lean against for a brace. I can see part of a coyote working away on a dark coloured corpse that I assume is a moose. As I snap a few pictures another coyote appears which causes the first to snarl a warning to stay back. I want to get closer if I can but knowing how skittish a coyote can be I am hesitant. I wait until the coyote’s head is buried in the carcass and I step down from my perch trying to be as quiet and stealthy as I can. The brush tugs at my poncho as I slowly move toward another dead log. The coyote looks up often, perhaps sensing something, but the meal is more important. I step up onto a second log but it is very wobbly so I am pretty tentative as I slide sideways carefully.

Suspicious Coyote

I spot a third coyote head peering through the brush watching some apparition wobbling sideways so I pause. This suspicious coyote is unsure so it ducks back out of sight. I am finally able to make it to another standing tree that I can lean against and support my camera. I am within 25 yards and can see most of the kill tucked down into a small clearing.

     For the next hour and a half I watch quietly from my precarious perch. The log I am standing on is rotten so every time I relieve one leg to the other, I feel it give way. I am expecting it to crack and dump me into the brush but it never did. The kill is directly upwind from my position so I am getting the full benefit of “eau de rot gut” so not only am I camouflaged by sight but my body odour is also masked downwind. I hope I am not going to carry this essence home with me. Wifey may not find it very appealing. I am also watching carefully for a bear that should be attracted by the scent. I do see that the dead beast is actually a bison, perhaps a year or so old.

     I am sure the coyotes were suspicious of the strange creature observing their actions but they never got so concerned that their meal was interrupted. I am fairly positive that without the camouflaged 3-D poncho I never would have approached so near.

     What an honor it is for me to be able to spend so much time in such close proximity to these wary coyotes. Even the skittish magpies did not seem to mind my close intrusion.

     On my way out of the forest I happened upon another moose. I thought I would check out to see its reaction to a close encounter. I was slow and methodical as I circled to try to find a position that I could get a photo through all the brush. I was watched very closely but the moose never took a step. I finally found a spot where I could see the glint of its eye with the sun behind my back that I could snap a few photos. I thanked the moose as I backed off and went on my way.

Cautious Moose

     I did get a bit of a strange reaction from three women who came jogging down the trail. They seemed more concerned than the moose or the coyotes but they did safely pass by with some relief. I will definitely be using this 3-D poncho for stalking and photographing wildlife in the future. I will not be using it if I ever have to stalk the elusive and discerning human female!

Snow Goose Migration

     What a great day! Life is good! What great fun!

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Snow Goose Migration Stopover

        It looked like snow covering a pond, but this is early autumn and 16 degrees. We are in the midst of beautiful “Indian summer” harvesting weather with a brisk west wind blowing. Snow doesn’t trumpet either. This pond is covered by thousands of resting Snow geese, Ross’s Geese and a few dark morphed “blue geese.” There are some Canada geese and Greater white-fronted and ducks as well. These geese are resting for the afternoon after feeding on surrounding fields of harvested wheat and peas. Hundreds of small flocks and family groups have gathered at this pond just a few miles east of Edmonton. It reminds me of a convention or large family reunion. The hubbub of hundreds and thousands of geese catching up on all the news and gossip from the past year is comparable to our own gatherings. Flock after flock fly in to land amongst the larger flotilla. Each new flock glides in gently, upwind, to splash down in tiny gaps to join the greater convention. The flock gently drifts with the wind toward the east and south side of the pond. Some of the geese sleep with head tucked under wing, bobbing along with the windy flow while others bathe, splash and prune. Many wander up onto the muddy beach to rest or gather grit to refill their gizzard.

Plenty of Room For All

     A lone coyote glances hungrily at the mob as it wanders along the shoreline and cows graze in the surrounding pasture as geese and ducks land continuously while gulls, ravens, magpies and even a Northern Harrier fly over with little notice from the flock. All at once there is a massive explosion as every goose leaps off the water with frantic wings and deafening screams of alarm. How do they not collide with one another? Higher and higher they lift then circle overhead and around the pond wailing and crying fearfully the whole while.

Organised Panic

     I look around to see what caused the mass panic but notice nothing; “wait, what is that black spot?” Far overhead soars a lone bald eagle, circling on thermals and invisible up drafts, drifting east with the breeze. The eagle drifts along, nonchalantly, as only a great predator can.

Lone Hunter

      “Did every goose see that tiny spot and recognise it as danger at the same moment? Was there a telegraphed alarm signal passed on by sentry geese?” What fantastic eye sight they have. I have seen this happen before in other places. Flocks of gulls will often panic as will some ducks when an eagle passes overhead.

     “Will an eagle do this just because he can or is it looking for a slow or wounded laggard?” Many times, I have witnessed eagles hunting birds such as gulls, ducks and I once watched one take a Canada goose. After several attempts at killing the goose from the air, the eagle landed on the water and swam to shore with the badly wounded goose. Once it had landed the meal, another pair of eagles challenged the hunter and took over from the tuckered warrior.

I looked behind me as I was about to leave and spotted the earlier coyote hunting for mice ssince he couldn't get a goose. I was just in time to miss the classic coyote pounce but did catch this celebratory wag.

Happy Meal

     The large flock action was a spectacular sight to witness on this beautiful autumn day. These are the WOW moments I live for and that happen every day if you are lucky enough to be able to spend time with Nature whenever possible.

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