[FIELDNOTE] Red Tailed Hawk Rescue

It's been quite awhile since Chloe and I got to assist in a wildlife rescue here on the island. The last big rescue we were part of was capturing, transporting, and releasing back to Bowen a beautiful Kingfisher. That was one for the books for sure!

The first week of 2021, Chloe and I got to once again be a big part of a successful rehabilitation of a beautiful creature that calls Bowen home - a magnificent red tailed hawk! Chloe and I caught and transported this very ill little guy to OWL Orphaned Wildlife in Delta, after a fellow islander posted on Facebook that it was on the ground of a busy local trail.

We learned that the hawk was dangerously emaciated and was suspected to be suffering from lead poisoning which was later confirmed through bloodwork. We were welcomed into the examination room while the vet, Rob Hope, looked 'our hawk' over and were then treated to a private tour of the facilities which have been closed to the public since Covid struck. We were treated like royalty and loved every moment of our visit.

We were given a case number, however, we never had to use it as our hawk (which Chloe named Blaze) was the only one in care at that time from Bowen. We were able to call for updates and last Thursday, the call finally came, that Blaze had made a full recovery and was able to be released back on our island. 

Chloe and I made the big trip to Delta on Tuesday to pick up our little friend - we didn't even recognize him. He looked GORGEOUS - his feathers were silky smooth, his eyes were sparkling, his round little body was beyond adorable. We headed straight back to the island to release him as soon as possible in order for him to have ample daylight to get reacquainted with his surroundings. We were met at the Cape, by my parents, our local RCMP pal, Adam, who was present during his rescue, his wife and friends and together we watched as Blaze left his crate and soared high into the trees. It was beautiful. It was such an amazing honour to be part of this little hawk's journey and I hope he has a long and happy life.

For more information on the dangers of lead poisoning, please visit click here.

About the Red Tailed Hawk

Size and Shape | Red-tailed Hawks are large hawks with typical Buteo proportions: very broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Large females seen from a distance might fool you into thinking you’re seeing an eagle. (Until an actual eagle comes along.)

© Jonathan Eckerson | Macaulay Library

Colour Pattern | Most Red-tailed Hawks are rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly and, on the wing underside, a dark bar between shoulder and wrist. The tail is usually pale below and cinnamon-red above, though in young birds it’s brown and banded. “Dark-morph” birds are all chocolate-brown with a warm red tail. “Rufous-morph” birds are reddish-brown on the chest with a dark belly.

Behaviour | You’ll most likely see Red-tailed Hawks soaring in wide circles high over a field. When flapping, their wingbeats are heavy. In high winds they may face into the wind and hover without flapping, eyes fixed on the ground. They attack in a slow, controlled dive with legs outstretched – much different from a falcon’s stoop.

Habitat | The Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of open country. Look for it along fields and perched on telephones poles, fenceposts, or trees standing alone or along edges of fields.

Source: allaboutbirds.org

[FIELDNOTE] Bay Pipefish

Living on an island with not a lot of amenities as far as children are concerned, we need to use our imagination to invent fun things to do. Throw in a global pandemic which closes are one and only playground, our schools all social activities and weather that seems to be on and off equals a pretty stressed out Mama at times!

Luckily, my girlie and I have a favourite past time that fills our afternoon with lots of excitement and offers us a multitude of learning experiences. We call it 'Jellyfishing' - an ode to Spongebob Squarepants and his sidekick, Patrick's favourite past time. We load up our buckets and nets and head down to the local marina to see what we can find.

On this particular day, we caught a lot of beautiful creatures to observe closely in our bucket before releasing. We found purple and orange sea stars hanging out on the pillars below the dock, as well as, leatherstars resting in the sandy depths. We caught lots of teeny shiners, jellyfish and several pipefish which was such a treat.

Pipefish are a type of seahorse that lives in the grassy areas fairly close to shore such as in kelp, eelgrass and sargassum weed. We noticed these guys bobbing around in the debris and seaweed that's growing on the underside of the docks. They were quite camouflaged as they appear as long skinny sticks - in fact we caught quite a few sticks much to our dismay. These little guys are fairly easy to scoop up gently and are fascinating to watch...just keep an eye on your bucket, as the crows were very interested in the treats we were catching!

Here's some cool facts about the Bay Pipefish.

ANIMAL TYPE: Fishes HABITAT: Coastal wetlands SIZE: Up to 13 inches (33 cm) DIET: Small crustaceans RANGE: Sitka, Alaska, to southern Baja California in Mexico. Common in eelgrass in bays and sloughs. RELATIVES: Kelp pipefish, Pacific seahorses; Family: Syngnathidae

At first glance, you might not notice a bay pipefish gliding through the eelgrass — its long, pencil-slim body and greenish color mimic a swaying blade. In place of scales, jointed, bonelike rings encircle this fish’s body. To eat, a hungry pipefish gets its tubular, toothless mouth an inch or so from its prey — and slurps.

Natural history | A pipefish has tiny dorsal and pectoral fins that beat rapidly as it leisurely swims — either vertically or (mostly) horizontally. A pipefish steers by moving its head from side to side.

Conservation | No major commercial or sport fisheries exist for bay pipefish, but dried pipefish and seahorses are used for medicinal purposes in some cultures. Pipefish, mixed with herbs, are used for whole body treatments, while seahorses are used for specific ailments. Pipefish are abundant, but if the demand from alternative healthcare markets and collectors dramatically increases, pipefish might become as scarce as many of their seahorse relatives.

Cool Facts | A female pipefish courts the male. If the courting is successful, she deposits up to 721 eggs in a brood pouch on the underside of the male’s body. Then a protective tissue forms over the pouch opening and seals the eggs inside. The male incubates the eggs and even supplies nourishment to the embryos via an attachment to his abdominal wall and bloodstream. The eggs hatch in about six weeks depending on water temperature.

The pipefish was named after the long, slim pipes men smoked in the mid-1700s.

Source: montereybayaquarium.org

A successful day of Wandering and Wondering on our beautiful island (above is a short video of our bucket o' fishies)

[DOCUMENT] YouTube

Remember how exciting it was when the first digital cameras came out. The quality was pretty poor, the batteries constantly had to be charged or replaced and the number of photos that could be stored at one time was pretty low.

Fast forward a decade and we now have a phone, computer, camera, video camera and endless software in our pocket at all times. It's pretty amazing!

When organizing all my photos, I realized that I very rarely take any videos of my family adventures. I wish I had taken more when the kids were babies as the day to day babble of their little voices and funny speech impediments vanish before we know it. Now they're older and hate when I pull out my camera (aka my phone...so weird) and instead of getting the sweet little smiles and playful antics in front of the lens, I get a big hand in my face or their backs turned to me...sigh...so I decided that I'd start to 'film' our explorations and try to sneak some of my littles into the background if they let me.

Welcome to The Woodland Studio YouTube page where I'll be posting some of these short clips when inspiration strikes. Please subscribe and follow along if you like.

[FIELDNOTE] Giant Water Bug

A couple weeks ago, my husband was working away on our property building a maintaining wall for our new entrance to the cabin when he discovered something very large under a piece of lumber. He called me at the house and very excitedly, asked me to bring him a cup. I ran down with a large, purple, plastic cup expecting him to pop in a cute little frog or salamander or maybe even a Northern Alligator Lizard to show the kids.

"This cup's not big enough...grab a large jar" - not big enough?? It was a very large vessel...what the heck does he have out there. So I ran back up to the house, grabbed the largest jar I could find, and delivered it. I could see a huge, insect leg sticking out from the purple cup...oh gosh...what is he going to put in the jar...

Aaaahhhhhhh...yikes!! A giant bug!! And I mean GIANT!! I recognized it as a Giant Water Bug (nickname: Toe Biter), but couldn't understand why it was in our lumber pile. So I set off to Google this cool guy and find out more about this large specimen.

Here's some cool and somewhat unsettling facts about the Giant Water Bug (Lethocerus americanus)

The mammoth Giant Water Bug uses its strong pincers to hold its prey in place, but its mouth is where the threat really lies.

The Giant Water Bug is a large insect with equally large and very noticeable foreleg pincers. These pointy appendages are used to catch similar-sized underwater prey like small fish, frogs, small newts, snails, and sometimes even snakes. A strong bite injects a solution that liquefies the insides of the prey, allowing the bug to drink it in. The Giant Water Bug's body is mostly flat and oval shaped with dark brown, "dead leaf" coloring. Unable to hold its breath, small breathing tubes called spiracles allow the bug to stay under water while drawing in air trapped under its wings, somewhat like a straw. It is known to play dead in order to escape predators. It is also known for delivering a painful bite when disturbed or threatened by people. It carries the the nickname "Toe-biter" because it does just that. Barefoot swimmers and people who tread in shallow waters may get a toe pinched by one if they step too close to the Giant Water Bug. Aside from that defensive reaction to threats, this insect is generally uninterested in people. 

They make their homes at the bottom of muddy waters and ponds, or surrounding vegetation, so they can be seen swimming as well as walking near the water's edge. Muddied Giant Water Bugs may be somewhat hard to distinguish until they are rinsed. This insect can tolerate slightly polluted water, unlike many other aquatic insects like dragonflies. Giant Water Bugs are drawn to light sources at night and are often found inside or around backyard pools. A female lays fertilized eggs at the edge of a waterline whereupon the male guards them until they hatch.

Source: Insect Identification

We had to share this creepy creature with our critter loving pal, Bo, and headed over to their house to show him our find. He's such a funny kid - his first question, 'can I hold it' - a very different reaction than Chloe who screamed at the top of her lungs, burst into tears and hid under her covers and refused to leave her room until my new friend was released back into nature far far away from our home.

Released him/her into the waters of Grafton Lake - pretty nice place to live!

So my guess is that this creature ended up in our lumber pile when it was attracted to the light that was left on by accident in our garage. We have a lot of water sources around our home in the form of creeks and wetlands so he/she must have come from one of those areas for a visit. No offence buddy, but I don't think Chloe will welcome you back anytime soon!

[FIELD NOTE] Rough-Skinned Newt

The days seem to be flying by over here and I find myself getting behind on this journal and my written version. I try to get us out for an adventure daily (weather permitting) and it seems that every outing results in some kind of cool find.

This week, me and my girl decided to visit a favourite trail that we haven't been to for awhile. It's not a long nor busy walk, but is an excellent example of our lush rainforests. Headwaters Trail never disappoints - in the fall, it's filled with the most amazing mushroom specimens, spring has huge skunk cabbage and frog eggs, and in the summer, you can find beautiful Sundews if you know where to look.

[ABOVE] SKUNK CABBAGE [BELOW] YUP...IT SMELLS LIKE SKUNK!

On this rainy morning, Chloe and I decided to bring with us a critter container and a large bag to collect fungus for the fairy houses we've been making. Chloe was determined to catch a salamander and after overturning every log and searching under the dead leaves in areas that we felt a salamander may want to hide, she finally found the cutest little Rough-Skinned Newt. She was so happy!

We have brought him/her home to be our class pet for awhile and have been having lots of fun watching it swim through the water and hide in a little cave we created or climb up onto the soft moss. Chloe decided she wanted to learn everything there is to know about these cool (and very poisonous) amphibians before we let it go back to where we found it. 

Here's some cool facts about the Rough-Skinned Newt.

Description

Rough-skinned Newts are heavy-bodied and have granular skin that is relatively dry compared to other salamanders. They are brown to olive green on top with a bright yellow or orange belly. This species lacks the costal grooves that are present on most other Canadian salamanders and the tail is laterally compressed near the end with a prominent ridge. The rear legs of breeding males are enlarged. Aquatic larvae have feathery gills behind the head, legs (both front and back) and a tail fin and are tan to brown with two rows of yellow spots along the sides. Rough-skinned Newts can grow up to 22 cm in total length, though most individuals are much smaller than this.

Similar Species
Rough-skinned Newts are the only salamanders in B.C. that lack costal groves and have dry, granular skin and a bright yellow belly.

Distribution

In Canada, Rough-skinned Newts occur throughout the West Coast of British Columbia. Its range extends along the West Coast from southern Alaska to central California.

Habitat

Rough-skinned Newts breed in wetlands, ponds, pools, sloughs, slow streams and other shallow aquatic habitats, and the larvae live in these aquatic habitats. Adults and juveniles primarily inhabit forested areas within close proximity to these breeding sites, although adults spend extended periods of time in aquatic habitat during the spring and some individuals spend their entire life in the water. Logs, rocks and other cover objects provide important microhabitats for terrestrial adults and juveniles. In large bodies of water that are permanent, newts often spend the winter in the water and may remain active through much of the winter. Individuals that inhabit shallow or seasonal wetlands hibernate in terrestrial habitats in underground cavities or under cover such as rotting logs.

Biology

Rough-skinned Newts migrate to their breeding sites on warm, rainy nights in the spring. Females lay eggs singly throughout the breeding habitat, which they attach to aquatic vegetation or submerged leaves. The eggs hatch in three to four weeks and the larvae undergo metamorphosis into terrestrial juveniles in the late summer or the summer of the following year. Individuals reach sexual maturity after four to five years and the can live for over 12 years. Adult and juvenile newts prey on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, such as insects, slugs, small crustaceans and worms, as well as amphibian eggs and larvae. Larvae forage for protozoans, larval insects and small crustaceans, while terrestrial newts forage for invertebrates on the forest floor. Rough-skinned newts are the most poisonous amphibian in B.C. They produce a powerful neurotoxin, which is a very effective defence against bird and mammalian predators. When threatened, individuals will raise the head and the tail, showing off the bright yellow bellow as a warning of their toxicity.

Threats

The destruction of forest and wetland habitats is the primary threat to this species in Canada, especially in area where human population densities are high. However, this species is widespread and remains abundant throughout most of its range. Pollution, such as herbicides, agricultural effluent and road salt can be detrimental to newts since toxins are easily absorbed though their skin. Climate change and introduced pathogens pose potentially serious future threats to Canadian salamanders.

Source: Canadian Herpetological Society

[FIELDNOTE] Sea Gooseberry

There is never a shortage of science lessons here on our island. It's sometimes overwhelming, just how much there is to learn about our island. It's a speckle on the globe but massive in the hearts of those that are lucky enough to call Bowen Island home.

Speaking of speckles - look at this tiny little creature we found at Tunstall Bay earlier this week. I remember finding these little guys as a kid and thinking they were baby jellyfish (a pretty good guess, considering they're round, gelatinous and have tentacles). But I was wrong - turns out these little guys are actually a ctenophore, not a jellyfish.

I found this little one at the edge of the water - it looked like a bubble or a marble when the light hit it - very easy to miss but luckily my beach combing eyesight is pretty strong (lots of practice).

Identification

The cat's eye comb jelly is actually a ctenophore, not a jellyfish. It has a small, transparent, round or egg-shaped body, and reaches only 2 cm in diameter. When in water its "combs" or rows of cilia flash a variety of colours. Its two long, retractable tentacles trail behind its body, can be 15 cm long, and may be coloured pink, yellow, white, or brownish. When washed up dead on shore, this creature tends to resemble a transparent marble.

The rainbow of colours created when the rows of cilia beat are sometimes visible in photos, but are better experienced live. 

Habitat & Range 

This species usually appears in swarms, near the surface of nearshore waters. It is found on the west coast of North America from southern Alaska to northern Mexico. 

Intriguing Info 

This species preys on copepods, larval fish, eggs, and other creatures that are small enough for it to ingest. It waits for its prey to come to it, with its tentacles and their small side branches (tentillae) extended. When prey comes in contact with the sticky tentacles, they are retracted as the comb jelly swims forward. It manoeuvres its body around to bring the prey close to its mouth. 

Source: Central Coast Biodiversity

How incredibly cool is that?? I wish I had had a bucket that day to watch it swim. Lesson learned...never visit the beach without a container as you never know what little miracles you're going to find xox

[DOCUMENT] My Journal

Last year, I started keeping a journal - I don't write in it everyday, just when I feel the need to get my thoughts on paper, or to help keep track of a trip to later record in our family albums. I rely heavily on imagery to help tell my story, so I purchased a Kodak Mini Printer to document my pages. This journal has quickly become one of my most prized possessions. I not only use it as a 'diary' but also as a place to record our findings in nature, to document the history of a place we've visited or to record a favourite recipe. It's a little snippet into my day to day.

My journal has been a source of comfort during these strange days of isolation. Living on an island can seem isolating at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic. Being honest with my feelings whether good or bad, and recording them, has helped me navigate the day to day a little better. It also has shown me, that in-between the waves of panic I frequently feel, there is goodness that is also happening within me and my family.

FULL SPREAD TITLE PAGE FOR THE COVID-19 PORTION OF MY JOURNAL

We are living during a time that will be forever remembered in our history books. Taking a few minutes to write down what is happening in your little corner of the globe, is important for many reasons. Just think about how fascinating it is to read a diary from someone who lived through the war, or small pox or a natural catastrophe. How did they cope? What resources did they have at their disposal? What rules were put in place by their government. All of the above applies to us right now.

LEARNING ABOUT OUR OCEAN + SWEET GIFTS FROM MY GIRL

DOCUMENTING PLANT SPECIES ON OUR WALK (ORCAS ISLAND 2019)

Below I've included a list of supplies that I use. I love the Lemome line of journals - they are beautifully constructed, inexpensive and have lovely heavy paper stock that is available in plain, lined and graph (I like the graph). The Kodak Mini 2 Printer is great to have on the go as it's wireless and holds a charge for quite a few prints. The quality is pretty good for this type of convenience and the sticky back paper holds well. And just for fun, I like to use a date stamp with red ink to record the days...just gives it a fun touch.

LETTER STAMPS FROM MICHAELS $1 BINS (SAN JUAN ISLAND 2019)

[FIELDNOTE] Gunnel Fish

With all this beautiful weather we've been having on our little island, the kiddos and I have been making a point of getting out every day to explore our forests and coastline. We have found a few 'new' beaches to us and trails. 

This past long weekend, we were tipped off to some cool 'baby eels' that were hiding out under the rocks in Crippen Park. Chloe and I grabbed a bucket and headed out to see for ourself.

After turning over about three rocks with no success, we hit the jackpot! Post rock flip, the murky water started to swish and swash with little tails flipping around in a crazy dance - it totally took us by surprise! We quickly started scooping up the slippery little creatures that were causing all the fuss and discovered that they were beautiful Gunnel Fish.

Pretty much every other rock we turned over were swarming with these little guys. We found tiny ones and some pretty large ones in all different colours. They have beautiful markings down their backs and the cutest little faces. We even found a large, red toned Gunnel!

Once back home, we started googling the different species of Gunnel and learning more about these fascinating 'baby eels'.

The gunnel is a fish that looks a great deal like an eel, with a long thin body, and a dorsal fin that is about two times as long as his anal fin.

The Gunnel is about three to ten inches long, but can grow to be as much as 18 inches long. Gunnels are grey to green in color, but may have other markings or colors on their bodies./

The thin gunnel is very abundant in the cooler waters of the Pacific. They will hide in rocks or crevices between rocks, or even underneath them to stay clear of predators.

Gunnels are relatives of the Wolf fish, but they are much smaller and lack some of the characteristics of the wolf fish.

The gunnel can come in a variety of colors, depending on their type. THe Rock Gunnel is a warm brown while the saddleback gunnel is a darker color but has markings much like a saddle on its back and takes its shelter in among kelp plants for cover.

Gunnels have a very long and well spined dorsal fin that runs the entire length of the body and if they have pelvic fins they are very small. About eight types of gunnels are found in the northern most aspects of the Atlantic and Pacific ocean.The Gunnel is also called the Rock eel,referring to its looking much like an eel, or the butterfish, which refers to the slipperiness of the fish when you attempt to catch it.

Gunnels are egg layers, meaning that they do not bear live young. Their eggs are deposited and left, and the young are not cared for by the mother.

[FIELDNOTE] Shore Crab

We are incredibly fortunate on this little island to have nature right at our doorstep (quite literally). It's very easy for us to find an empty beach or wander the woods with never bumping into another soul. With all the schools being shut down right now, and the expectation to continue our children's education at home, I can't think of a more perfect time to take advantage of all the wonders nature has to offer. The spring is a great time of year to explore our forests, ponds, tide pools - endless learning opportunities for both the kids and me!

To start this first week of homeschooling off, Chloe loaded up her 'adventure pack' with various critter containers, hand sanitizer, sketchbook, pencils and ziplock bags (she is so my daughter), and together we explored a hidden trail that took us to a beautiful tiny beach. 

We had so much fun watching the little barnacles have lunch, and finding tiny starfish under the rocks. While beach combing, we came across an odd gelatinous creature on the bottom of a rock (very curious) and uncovered some beautiful mama crabs whose undersides were filled with eggs!

We decided to learn more about our common shore crab and thought I'd share with you a few fun facts:

Shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) are a common crustacean that are often found around the sea shore. They come in a variety of colours such as green or brown. They have eight legs and two large pincers. The width across the shell is up to 5 centimetres (2.0 in). The usual width is about 2 to 3 centimetres (0.79 to 1.18 in).

Shore crabs are a nocturnal predator which means it hunts at night. They eat small crustaceans, molluscs, worms and some fish.

A female shore crab can lay up to nearly 200 thousand eggs at once. They carry the eggs with them until they hatch. Like most crabs, when a shore crab gets too big for its shell, it sheds it and has a new soft shell that eventually hardens. 

WOW!! Two hundred thousand eggs at once!! This is the time of year that we see these little mamas scuttling around our seashores - just remember to gently role back any rocks you overturned after exploring. Homeschooling at it's best!!

[EXPLORE] Lieben Land

I love that even after living on this island for over half my life, I am still learning of new hidden gems, secret trails, stories that are new to me. This past Remembrance Day, I discovered such a story and explored the stomping grounds where it took place. Lieben Land - how did I not know about this?? I want to learn everything there is to know about this artist colony on the steep cliffs over the ocean and the artists that visited this heavily forested lot to sculpt, paint, write...wow!!

Geoff, Logan, the hounds and I carefully navigated our way down the steep trail to the site of where Einar's handmade home once stood. Very little remains of this place - a carefully constructed chimney, rock walls and pathways. There's the odd bit of rusted machinery and roofing material but other than that, Lieben has sunk back into the island.

ORIGINAL TEXT FROM THE BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES Einar Neilson was born in Stavanger, Norway but moved to Manitoba as a child. There he grew up to work as a trader at the Winnipeg Grain Exchange. After many years at the Grain Exchange, Einar chose to leave behind his business life and move westward to seek a quieter life of solitude. He found the peace and quiet he was looking for on Bowen Island, and in 1941 he purchased a 10 acre property in Eaglecliff, and almost immediately began building his beautiful home. Working with his hands, and his unique sense of craftsmanship, Einar constructed a home built of wooden beams, large glass windows looking over Howe Sound, and a huge fireplace.

Along with this, Einar created furniture from driftwood, moulded brass holders for oil lamps, displayed china and pottery on open shelves and hung exquisite tapestries along his wooden walls.

Photo supplied Bowen Island Museum and Archives

He called his home Lieben, and his hope was to create a haven that would welcome poets, writers, and artists. Einar and his wife Muriel only wanted to be the care takers, which made it possible for authors, artists and intellectuals to come write, paint and discuss in relaxation and peace. It was a place where one heard light music, brilliant discussions on theatre, music, literature, politics, philosophy, religion, and enjoyed food and drink. Lieben over the years became popular and hosted such personalities as Earle Birney, Malcome Lowry, Lister Sinclair, Watson and Mary Thomson, Alice Munro, Dorothy Livesay and many many more. Einar and Muriel, true to their wishes were almost invisible to their guests; one particular moment highlights this sentiment. Lister Sinclair once asked “who is that man who comes in time to time?” Earle Birney replied “thats your host”.

(L) Einar Neilson entertaining guests (R) on the deck of Lieben - photo supplied Bowen Island Museum and Archives

As the years went on it was obvious that the Neilsons needed more money in order to maintain and expand Lieben, money which they did not have. Muriel noted “as time passed many friends moved on—and we were getting old”. Thus, the Neilsons boarded up the old house and built on up higher on the cliff. The newer house was safer from vandals and nicer to old legs to get up and down easily. To this day many still reminisce about the magic of Lieben and even yearn for its return for writers and intellectuals who can once again share their ideas.

Even though the structure may be gone, the mountains, ocean, trees still remain. It's a beautiful spot - one that I will go back to visit often. This island is filled with stories - some good, some sad - they are what makes this place unique.