Beacon Hill Park - Victoria, British Columbia - YouTube

This is Beacon Hill Park. What a beautiful park, right in the heart of Victoria, BC. Such a pretty city.

Wasp Vs Tent Caterpillar (Predator and prey as rarely seen) - YouTube

Nature always amazes me. I knew wasps predated on tent caterpillars, but I'd never seen it happen before!!

Frog - Kane Valley British Columbia - YouTube

I AM the Frog Whisperer! LOL So what happened was, I was walking along the edge of the water to be able to film the water lily and was startled by this frog who hopped away to avoid meeting my sandal! She posed at the lily for me, then swam back right by me again!! Even let me pick her up.

Birding in British Columbia 2012

Just a sample of the birds we filmed in British Columbia in the last couple of months. Some are migratory, some are rare like the The Long-billed Curlew and some are common like the Canada Geese.

Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii

We found these turtles sunning themselves on a small pond.

The Western Painted Turtle is named after the bright yellow stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, and the glowing red on its plastron (shell covering the belly) and under-edge of its carapace (shell covering the back).

Most adult Painted Turtles spend the winter hibernating in the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes.  Once temperatures warm up and the ice leaves the water, Painted Turtle courtship begins.

In B.C., Painted Turtles are found in pockets throughout the southern interior, as far north as Golden.   This includes the Okanagan Valley, Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, and the Creston and Nelson Area.

At present, the Western Painted Turtle is on the provincial blue list.  This means they are considered vulnerable to habitat loss, and susceptible to human and natural disturbances.  Habitat is being lost because of pollution and waterway interference due to damming, agriculture, and urbanization of waterfronts.

Canadians want to be heard, NOT BULLIED, about Environmental Issues

Today in Canada, we have a governance, the harper government, that does not tolerate dissent or disagreement, particularly when it comes to the environment. The harper government's mandate is industrialization at all costs.

To those who have questioned this stance, the harper gov't has resorted to name calling (Canadians were called 'radicals', 'enemy of the state') and threats. The harper government has targeted both individuals and organizations. Now, they are using their political mite to create laws with the purpose of silencing voices that chose to question harper government policy.

I received this email from David Suzuki who was one individual in Canada who came under attack by the harper government. I am saddened for David Suzuki and the steps he is taking and am also grateful that he will continue his great work for Canadian sustainability and the Canadian environment. Thank you David Suzuki. To me, David Suzuki is a true Canadian Hero.



This is David Suzuki's Letter:








Dear friends,

Some of you may have seen media coverage about my decision to step off the board of directors of the David Suzuki Foundation. I am writing to tell you more about this and what it means.

After my children and grandchildren, my greatest pride is the David Suzuki Foundation.

I am fiercely proud of how the Foundation brings science and solutions to environment problems. I’m determined to ensure that the Foundation continues to have the ability to solve critical environmental issues and bring hope for the future.

But I have reached a point in my life where I would like to consider myself an elder. I want to speak freely without fear that my words will be deemed too political, and harm the organization of which I am so proud. I am keenly aware that some governments, industries and special interest groups are working hard to silence us. They use threats to the Foundation’s charitable status in attempts to mute its powerful voice on issues that matter deeply to you and many other Canadians.

This bullying demonstrates how important it is to speak out.

The Foundation’s science-based, solutions-oriented research and educational work has enriched our democracy and reflected Canadian values for two decades. While not always happily received by governments or industrial interests, this work is strictly non-partisan, as required by the laws governing charities, and has made the Foundation one of the most trusted environmental voices in Canada.

Our opponents, however, are redoubling their efforts to marginalize the Foundation by getting at me, personally.

So last year, I made the decision to step off the board of directors of the David Suzuki Foundation. I remain one of its most active volunteers and committed major donors. This way I can fulfill my personal mission and the Foundation can continue to build on its inspiring work—for us and our grandchildren—in finding solutions to our shared, and very real, environmental challenges.

I hope you understand this decision and will continue to show your, steadfast support for my work in this concrete way:

Please share this letter with your family and friends and, at this critical moment, invite them to become supporters of the David Suzuki Foundation, by joining our online community ordonating today.

Sincerely,

David Suzuki

Bee's vs Ant's - Deadly Fight!

We were exploring Canada's 'pocket desert' when we came upon this amazing battle! Bee vs. Red Ants!

AMAZING - It's like 2 alien species battling for supremacy. The difference in size is just one of the unique things, but there are more, bee's can fly ant's obviously can't. Never seen anything like this before.

Cindy filmed this since when I saw the bee's being agitated I thought it was best for me to stay away.

How to film wildlife - YouTube

Well almost, ducks on a path and a squirrel in the tree isn't really wildlife but it's still fun filming them and you never know what your going to catch.  I especially like the ducks waddling off at the end of the video...

There's really no secret to filming nature and wildlife, find a spot and stake it out and just wait.

Butterfly - Beauty of Nature

Beautiful and delicate, butterfly are day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths.

Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal.

Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths.

The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, between 40--50 million years ago.

music by Catherine Corelli 10 - Heaven Syndrome

Hummingbirds - YouTube HD

 Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5--13 cm (3--5 in) range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird.

 They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12--80 times per second (depending on the species). They are also the only group of birds able to fly backwards.

 These are Christina Lake, BC Hummingbirds. These little birds are going to be facing eminent danger. British Columbia mountains are rapidly being stripped of forests for raw log exports to the USA & China. In addition to this, there is colossal devastation of our forests from the Pine Tree Beetles kill. Millions and millions of acres of pines trees, entire mountains - dead trees. These forests are the feeding grounds of these amazing little travelers. I so fear for their future.

 music by Kendra Springer 05 - Angela

beauty of nature close to home - YouTube HD

you don't have to go far to experience the beauty of nature and wildlife, the butterfly was in the back yard as was the hummingbird by the feeder. Parks are often close to homes and have a verity of birds and animals to see.

music by Bogusław Boguch Cysewski 09 - Early Spring Song (with birds)