For the birds

 

The first occupants of our new birdhouse are busy building a nest.

I must admit that when my nephew and his wife presented us with this birdhouse as a gift last year, I thought it might be a little elaborate. 

Would any real-life birds find their way into this two-level arrangement, even if it did have the cutest little log pile and a beautifully weathered driftwood perch out front? What would they make of the rustic/nautical theme, the ropes above the openings, and the sign: "Cheap rent"?

But John put it up anyway, high above the potential range of neighbourhood cats. And when this spring rolled around, surprise, surprise. We looked up one day to see birds flying in and out of the new birdhouse, their beaks full of moss.

We'll never know what our new neighbours think of their home's decor, but clearly it's no deterrent to raising a family there. It will be fun to see their offspring teetering on the log pile, right beside the "Cheap rent" sign.

Dolphins delight on drizzly day

 

Dolphins romp at Dundarave beach, as a cargo boat heads into harbour.

March 11, 2025. Trump is in the White House, threatening to annex Canada. Canada is between one unpopular prime minister and the unknown quantity about to replace him. Local and provincial politics are in turmoil, and the weather is drizzly. Nothing like wandering down to a beach, then, and being reminded there's a whole other world out there.  

About 20 feet off Dundarave beach in West Vancouver on Tuesday morning, the dolphins were chasing each other in circles, leaping in the air, waving their tails, like joyous kids at a party. We delayed our seawall walk to watch, unwilling to miss a moment of the spectacle. Then one broke out of the circle and sped off. Almost instantaneously, the rest followed, vanishing along the shoreline like a fleet of little motorboats. 

Thanks for the reminder, dolphins. Our walk was happier because of you.

Fifteen to 20 dolphins were swimming in circles, probably to catch some kind of fish down there.