Sunday 30 December 2012

No Ordinary Pigeon Being Tracked

THIS BIRD WEARING two different colored leg bands could be a pet or perhaps is being tracked by a breeder. No ordinary pigeon, its pretty display of feathers has me wondering if it is a Rock Dove.

It seemed completely unafraid of me, although it did puff up its chest a little reminding me of a chubby robin.

Could this showy creature be a version of the bird having a bath in this video? I didn’t get a good picture of my bird from the front but the white marking on its beak could be described as heart shaped. Such birds are always looking for love in the form of a meal it seems. Their presence can be an annoyance for folks eating at outdoor tables of restaurants.

Pigeons with all white feathers, on the other hand, are adored as a symbol of peace and are often called doves. In truth "pigeon" and "dove" are interchangeable terms for some 300 types of the species, despite differing perceptions based on appearances and centuries of good public relations. The pure white kind tends to get far better press than the bird with the rainbow hued ring around its neck and wearing its heart on its beak.

To see more creatures from around the globe visit Camera Critters.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

Friday 28 December 2012

The Youth That Once Was

AS IF RIPPED from the earth by a tornado and randomly tossed into a tree, this playhouse was a surprising discovery on a recent walk in Crescent Beach. Painted the aqua shade of a tropical sea the house was easy to spot with no leaves to hide it. Its dark window was an eye to enchanted places from where children peered out in the summer months when their imaginations flourished. Perhaps birds and squirrels now find shelter in the treehouse since the youth that played there have become more grounded.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

Saturday 15 December 2012

Staying Clean In A Muddy World

IT SEEMED LIKE MAGIC how the feathers on these geese remained white even as they waddled through the muddy puddles of an unkempt farm in Surrey. With the exception of a bit of dirt (or perhaps natural markings) at the tips of their wings the birds were as pristine as new fallen snow.

Only one took obvious notice of me when I parked the car by the side of the road to get a better look and to take some pictures.

I guessed they were wild Snow Geese that flew in from distance shores and not homegrown and raised on this farm by the highway.

The geese didn't care about the trucks and cars whizzing by. They were intent on nibbling at whatever lunch they could find in the sopping grass.

It is true that their luxurious downy feathers have waterproof abilities and can end up in duvets to keep people, instead of the geese, warm. When feathers get plucked some birds even land on dining room tables for Christmas dinner. I do not think these birds were slated for such a fate, however. After they had their fill of food they most likely flew over the wire fence by the muddy field ... as Teflon and stick-free as when they started.

To see more creatures from around the globe visit Camera Critters.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

Friday 14 December 2012

Blue Blue Day At Connecticut Elementary School

CLOUDS PARTED and a pure blue sky broke through reflecting on the water at Crescent Beach. My mind was on the tragic events of this morning at a faraway elementary school in Connecticut. When I left home there was talk that three people had died. By the time I returned twenty-seven, mostly very young children, were said to have perished in the school shooting. That such horrific events are possible shakes the confidence of everyone and even from a distance we search for meaning. We already know there is too much faith in weaponry and too few solutions for the deranged, powerless, angry and disconnected. One day societies will have their fill of violence and all its imagery and be so repulsed by it that the meek truly shall inherit the earth. Until then we will mourn and lament the irreversible heartbreak.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms