Night Lights

The Westsong Walkway is beautiful during the daytime but it's magical at night too and part of the magic is these lovely ball lamps that light it. They're probably not the most efficient lighting available but they've certainly got style.

Westsong Walkway

Songhees Point is a good place to get an overview of Victoria because you can see many of the city's features simply by looking in another direction. Today's photo was taken from the same point as yesterday's but here we are looking west down the outer harbour. That's the start of the Westsong Walkway on the right. When it enters Esquimalt it becomes the West Bay Walkway and in the far distance on the left can be seen the houseboats and sailboats of Sailor's Cove and West Bay Marina.

Common Merganser (Mergus Merganser americanus)

Here's another addition to the roll call of winter residents, A small flock of Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser americanus) who paused near the shore to do their morning toilette. Later in the year, during breeding season, the males wear quite a distinctive plumage but at this time of year these birds pretty much all look the same whether they are male, female or juveniles. In January of this year I posted a photo of these mergansers with the male in breeding dress. These are the most common of three types of mergansers we regularly see here. The other two are the Hooded Merganser and (much less often) the Red Breasted Merganser.

Bonaparte's Gull

Every time I think I've seen or photographed everything, something new and interesting pops up. This morning it was this lovely little gull, Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia). It was swimming near another gull. I suddenly realized that it was much smaller than the other gull and I took another look through the telephoto lens. That distinctive spot behind its eye told me I was looking at something I had not seen before. Then, as though it was aware of my intense scrutiny, it spread its wings and took flight. According to Wikipedia, this gull was named after Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a zoologist and nephew of Napoleon.

Blue Skies 2

Back in June I posted a photo of these poppy plants in glorious bloom. Victoria's been having some beautiful summery weather lately but there's no turning back the clock. The leaves are starting to turn and there's a chill in the air.

Summer Sunset

Here we are already in the last week before school starts - for me the signal that summer is nearly over. And it seems like it's only just begun. It came and went much too quickly this year. I took the above photo last evening when I noticed on my way home that the sunset colors were particularly vivid. It was taken from the Westsong Walkway at the bottom of Mary Street in Vic West.

Taoist Tai Chi Demonstration

The Taoist Tai Chi Society recently held a national workshop here in Victoria and one of the events was a demonstration of Taoist Tai Chi on the West Song Walkway. I've recently begun to learn Tai Chi through the activities of this volunteer organization and am enjoying it very much. Our weather on this Saturday morning was cold and windy and this group has my admiration for their wonderfully coordinated performance under these difficult conditions.

Otter Family

While I occasionally catch a glimpse of a Northern River Otter here and there as I walk along the West Song or West Bay Walkways I have not before seen an entire family. This group of five was busily catching something in the seaweed along the shoreline. I particularly like that about 30 seconds into the video you can see they all take notice of me and while they don't panic, they nevertheless disappear fairly quickly shortly after. To see such abundant wildlife here in the city always seems like a privilege to me and something we should treasure carefully. Below is a brief video of this group of five.

Us and Them

Blue Skies

Though it's been a long gray spring, it seems that summer's finally arrived.

If you watch the video below you will be humming the melody all day long. But don't worry - it's a happy tune.

Lately....

The weather has been clear and cold and although some of the spring flowers are appearing, spring is only just beginning. This photo, taken yesterday, gives a better idea of how far spring has progressed. Most of the trees are just showing a blush of green though some kinds have leafed out considerably. This is the view of the western side of the entrance to the Inner Harbour as seen from the Westsong Walkway. In the distance, center, is Work Point With the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula dimly visible in the distance.

On the Water

Not ever having been a boat person I am amazed at how many different waterborne conveyances there are in use in the Inner Harbour. Some such as tugboats, barges and fishing boats, etc. are obviously functionally designed. Others such as large sailboats and motor yachts are designed for comfort and pleasure. Some are for specific purposes such as the dragon boats that race here yearly. Others seem to be only for the purposes of group exercise, such as those pictured above. This group of recreational paddlers were photographed offshore of the Westsong Walkway last fall.

Arbutus Moon

Naiad

Just a few minutes along the Westsong Walkway from yesterday's vantage point is the sculpture by John Barney Weaver entitled Victoria Pacifica, which was featured here in November last year. The larger sculpture is flanked by two smaller female nudes, one of which is pictured above (detail) and to the left.

Westsong Walkway

For the last several months my morning walk of preference is along the West Bay Walkway, the westernmost portion of the seaside walkway that extends from downtown Victoria along the shore of the Inner Harbour all the way to West Bay Marina in Esquimalt. The part of this trail that is closest to downtown is called the West Song Walkway and above is a view taken from that part of the pathway looking westward towards West Bay and Esquimalt. While the walkway is never crowded it is used extensively by walkers and joggers (and, occasionally, by little boys with scooters).

Magic Time

I had wanted to post something a little more urban and seasonal today as a change from all the fungi and lichens we've been enjoying lately. The weather, however, has not been cooperating - not just cold and damp but raining heavily enough so that I am reluctant to take my camera out of its bag - real "Vancouver" weather. Whatever the weather, sunrise is a magical time and here's a shot from a little while ago taken very early in the morning. We are getting close to the winter solstice now and soon the days will be getting longer again.

Victoria Pacifica

While I like the BW treatment of yesterday's post I realized after I'd posted it that it makes the sculpture look like a cement cast. Black and white emphasizes the form more than the color, which was what I was looking for. But this classic style sculpture is fittingly done in classical material (bronze?) with that lovely green patina, so today's photos are in color. This sculpture, flanked by two smaller pieces, is on the Westsong Walkway in front of some condominiums. A plaque beneath it identifies it as "Victoria Pacifica" by John Barney Weaver. On the same plaque is some verse by Robert G. Evans:

The sea muse sought an Eden isle
Soaring on dolphins' wing
Where emerald knights in helmets white
Guard shores of endless spring.
She cast a crown of blossom jewels
Anointing this sun blessed land
Victoria's writ in nature's script
By the ocean's timeless hand.

Westsong Walkway

This morning's walk reminded me that I have not yet featured this lovely young woman. Details to follow!

High Clouds

Fair weather photographer that I am, the last few days have seen me taking my morning walk without my camera bag. It's been gray and damp. So here's a couple of pics from a few days ago when the sky was blue and nicely tufted with these puffy little clouds. Above, the Victoria skyline with the sun just peeking over the horizon. To the right, the view in the opposite direction a few minutes later, looking along the Westsong Walkway towards West Bay Marina.

Pup

As if to provide the perfect example of yesterday's discussion of my discovery of the digital teleconverter function of my Sony Alpha 550 DSLR I encountered this seal pup taking a break while I was out for my morning walk yesterday. I wasn't even carrying my camera bag, just the camera with the kit lens, an 18-55mm zoom, when I spied this little fellow lolling on a boat ramp along the Westsong Walkway. With the zoom maxed out at 55mm I focused in on him and took a few shots. Then I switched to "live view" and pushed the teleconverter button which gave me the equivalent of 110mm - not much of a telephoto but it still effectively halved the distance between me and this Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) pup. I suspect this is a feature of my camera that I will be using regularly.