Day 4 ~ Juneau

Posted on June 3, 2013June 3, 2013 by Dusty Roads | 6 Comments

Up early for our shore excursion, we headed to the Horizon Court for breakfast. As we sat by the windows looking out at the side of Mount Roberts we spotted 2 bald eagles soaring almost at eye level! They would fly around a bit and then land in the trees and sit for a little while then take off and do the whole thing again. I wondered if we could see any of the eagles from our balcony.

Breakfast over we hurried back to get ready for the shore excursion and check out the balcony view of the mountain. Sure enough there was a bald eagle perched on a tree top right across from our balcony.

Even so it was way too far for my normal lens. I first tried to hand hold the telephoto but I wasn’t quite steady enough. Then I tried using the tripod. What I forgot was that there was a vibration from the ship so I still got motion blur.

Frustrated I put the telephoto away because it was time to meet our guide for our shore excursion.

Today we are going whale watching and visiting the Mendenhall Glacier. If the weather clears after our morning we might take the tram up Mount Roberts.

The announcement that we had permission to go ashore finally came and we headed out to meet our guide. To our surprise Phil, our guide, said we were going on the whale watch first.

That was ok just a surprise based on the tour description. Still it probably all has to do with what the weather is like. When we left the ship there were some clouds but it looked like we might finally see some sun as the day progressed.

We piled onto the bus and were soon on our way to the marina at Auke Bay where we spotted another bald eagle perched on a pole. As we waited for directions from Phil another bald eagle swooped down toward the water then right back up and over our heads. Breath-taking!

I kept one eye on the eagle on the pole as we approached the whale boat. I was fascinated that It hadn’t flown away.

The Whale boat was enclosed so the passengers would be protected from the cold wind but it made pictures impossible through the scratchy, cloudy glass. The captain was in touch with other boats to make it easier to find the whales. Once we spotted a spout Phil promised to open the windows and hatches to the bow and stern.

As we cruised out into the open water Phil gave us a lesson on whales using little plastic models.

We saw a pair of eagles perched on some rocks.

Other eagles soared over the boat the way sea gulls fly over them here at home. Off in the distance we could see 2 glaciers.

One was identified as Herbert Glacier, the other one as Eagle Glacier.

All eyes were on the waves looking for that first blow but so far nothing. Then we spotted a buoy. Something was definitely on it.

Obviously it couldn’t be a whale. As the captain maneuvered the boat closer to the buoy Phil opened the windows and we looked at some big guys…Stellar Sea Lions, no little harbor seals here.

There were some in the water too but no room for anymore on that buoy. We took our time watching the sea lions until the captain got a call that some whales had been spotted out by the lighthouse.

Phil closed the windows and those of us standing outside came in to take our seats and we were off to try to catch up with the elusive humpbacks.

Barn Babies

Posted on April 25, 2013April 25, 2013 by Dusty Roads

About a week ago I had the awesome honor of photographing my friend’s daughter.

You saw one of her pictures on the Mother’s Day Card posted on my card page. Dawn was a great little model for one so young doing everything I asked of her and hanging in until I was done. Such patience in a young one deserves a reward so Nancy, Dawn’s mother suggested we take Dawn to see the Barn Babies at the Westgate Mall.

Now my little friend Dawn is as much of an animal lover as I am so that was easy to agree to and off we went.

Set up was inside the mall with hay bales to sit on and plenty of plastic to cover the floor. The lamb wore a diaper and the puppies and tiny little pig were in mini enclosures. There were plenty of Barn Baby staff to assist and parents or adult friends were also allowed into the enclosure. I’d be lying if I said it was quiet. It was not ! It was crowded and all of the kids were excited but the staff had it down to a science.

Each child had a sticker with the time they came in. Every half hour or so a bell was rung and the children who had been there the longest had to leave to make room for a new group. A child could get back in line to go in again but had to wait their turn.

The children could hold bunnies and kittens and chicks. Each baby animal was swaddled in a blanket by a staff member before being placed gently in the child’s hands. The children were then told to sit down quietly. To my surprise none of the babies seemed to be nervous or upset.

I asked the staff about that as I held a bunny that was dozing in my arms. They said the swaddling gives the babies a sense of security and keeps them calm. If they get stressed they burrow into the swaddling cloths and that keeps them from scratching the child by trying to get away. They also watch for signs that a baby is getting stressed and if so rotate them out for a time so they can calm down.

After we left I got to thinking about all the baby animals I saw especially the kittens and chicks and bunnies. I know how many cats are abandoned and need homes and how around Easter the Humane Society and other rescue groups beg the public not to get bunnies and chicks as pets because they are so often abandoned or surrendered shortly after they are brought home for the holiday.

So I wrote to Barn Babies and asked them what happened to these animals after they were too big for the traveling zoo. I was gratified to get a quick response. Having witnessed their gentle care in the chaos of the mall and with the quick response I feel comfortable giving them a hearty Thumbs Up.

So here in their own words is was I was told:

Barn Babies works closely with local farmers and breeders. Many of the babies you saw on Tuesday already have “furrever” homes, which are families that we approve to adopt them after they retire from Barn Babies. We socialize them so often that many families are attracted to our pets.

We are a USDA licensed business as an “animal exhibitor” which means many things, but relating to your question our USDA license means that we must track where every baby comes from and goes to, the state keeps track of all our babies & where they end up (as well as how they are taken care of when they are with us).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Join us at www.facebook.com/barnbabies

Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on April 7, 2013April 7, 2013 by Dusty Roads

As many of you know The Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield is one of my favorite places to go for wildlife photography.

I have never been there at dusk without seeing deer…plenty of deer. I have also seen muskrats, turtles, glossy ibis, swans, rabbits, and tons of birds, more than I can go into right now.

One year we even had an otter family pass through and I got to see them…briefly as they raced across the path to the pond. So you can see this sets the bar really high for other sanctuaries.

Since last year I have been hearing about another wildlife sanctuary that seems really popular, Allens Pond in Westport, MA. Daniel Webster and Allens Pond are both Mass Audubon sanctuaries so that means they are kept in really good condition.

In the week since the layoff at work I’ve been concentrating on rearranging furniture, cleaning out my storage area and just making changes to my living space. The weather hasn’t been great so I haven’t been out to shoot any photos. But finally we got a sunny day and according to the weather report we might break 60 degrees. I looked at the boxes of stuff I was trying to arrange and looked outside and the choice was made…I’m playing hooky!

Camera bag on my shoulder I decided to try to find Allens Pond to check it out. Westport is quite a bit south of Taunton but it was a nice day for a drive. The address I had for the sanctuary was 1280 Horseneck Road. I know Horseneck beach is a very popular beach in the summer so I wasn’t surprised when I saw the parking lot for the beach. Beyond the parking lot were some amazing dunes!

The sand here is so fine, like grains of sugar.

But as I continued on I was surprised to see the road was completely buried by stones.

These were smooth round stones…thrown up by the ocean in the series of storms we had this year? I don’t know because I’d never been this way before but it made me think of the roads on the Big Island of Hawaii that abruptly stopped, buried under lava flows.

The road followed along the beach by Buzzards Bay then made a sharp turn left and there was the entrance to a small parking lot.

Right away I noticed the field house was different. There were people inside, even a dog and cat and a rest room. No port-a -potty. I can see why that alone would make it more pleasant. But now the big test…what kinds of animals/birds will I be able to see here.

The Saga of a Stray Cat~ Chapter 4

Posted on March 14, 2013March 14, 2013 by Dusty Roads

By the time Tuesday rolled around the still nameless stray had settled into a routine with the other two cats. I was slowly adjusting to having a cat underfoot every minute but it was time to break up this fine domestic scene and take Tippy to his new home. I can see why fostering a homeless animal can be hard. It’s impossible not to get attached and then you have to give them up.

It was the right thing to do. Three cats in a one bedroom apartment was a bit crowded and I was concerned about the expense. People think cats are cheap to own and at one time they were. But in today’s economy, not so much. They need health checks annually along with vacinations and then there’s the general every day maintenance of kitty litter , food and treats. Food used to be very inexpensive but now it’s hard to find canned food for under $.60/ can. With 3 cats I was going through 4 cans a day. Moose had a huge appetite. So although I was sorry to see him go I was relieved.

I dropped him off with his accumulated “stuff” . I gave the new owner his rabies tag and vet records, patted him on the head one last time and prepared to leave. His new owner was thinking of calling him Mr. Tux…cute. I like that. He was busy exploring his new digs as I went out the door.

Back at work that Thursday I checked in on how “Mr. Tux was making out. I was assured it was a good match and that everyone was happy. I joked that if he came back to me again I was going to name him “Boomerang”, Boomer for short, or Re-Run. I joked because I really thought this time the re-homing would stick.

It didn’t. He lasted less time at this home than he did at his first one. On Sunday I got a call to come get him because his hair was falling out. Not shedding, he was getting bald!? His new owner was sure he was sick but I had my doubts. My vet had checked him out and I trust her. She ran all the blood tests and since he was boarded over night they even got a stool sample and checked it for parasites. All came back negative. There had to be something else going on.

I couldn’t go right away because I was at work until 8PM so I promised to come by on Monday. When I got there Mr. Tux’s things were all packed up by the door for me and sure enough , he had a bald spot!

I said “Hey Buddy, What’s up with you?” and he came running! That was the first time he had responded to anything I’d called him! I picked him up and was rewarded with little “Kitty Kisses” on my ear. I guess he did miss me.

Back in the car went his things. I called the vet and off we went to get his head examined. Literally! Depending on the result it was likely that he was baaaaack!

Gators or Crocodiles

Posted on March 6, 2013March 6, 2013 by Dusty Roads

One thing I learned in my exploring around the Everglades is that Alligators and Crocodiles are not the same creatures. Oh they may look a lot alike but there are differences.

Both animals are reptiles and they do look a lot alike but with the exception of Florida they live in entirely different areas of the world. They also prefer different kinds of water but aside from habitat the easiest way to tell the difference is the snout.

The snout, or mouth and nose, looks very different. A crocodile snout is long, narrow and V-Shaped while those of the alligator as wider and u shaped. If you get a chance to look at the 2 species side by side the difference is not subtle at all. In fact I think once you compare the 2 snouts you’ll be unlikely to ever mix them up again.

The snouts are an indication of the different diets these beasts follow. The wide snout of the alligator gives it more crushing power which it need to devour its favorite meal of turtle. Crocodiles on the other hand eat mainly fish and small mammals so they don’t need that big chop to break through a shell. Thier narrower snout lets them strike quickly to snag the small creatures that make up their lunch.

One of the things that I find most interesting is their jaw. When an alligator closes its mouth the lower teeth are not as visible as in the crocodile. Because the alligator has that wide snout its upper jaw covers the lower jaw so the teeth in the lower jaw fit snuggly inside. A dentist’s dream.

But the crocodile, now that’s the orthodontist’s dream patient. Braces for life. The upper and lower jaws of the crocodile are basically the same width so when it closes those jaws the bottom teeth interlock with the upper ones. My what big teeth you have!

The last difference I will touch on is color. The typical crocodile tends to be an olive , brown hue. Alligators are much darker, almost black, especially when wet. Alligators that have been sunning and are dry may look more gray than black but all of the crocodiles I’ve seen have definitely tended more toward the brown. (Not that I’m an expert by any stretch)

Of course if you happen to run into one of these animals in the wild, on a walk, or in your pool, I wouldn’t stand around trying to figure out which one it was. I’d make tracks to a safe distance and call the experts. Crocodiles can run up to 10+ miles per hour for short distances. Alligators not so fast but they can spin around and jump really fast because that’s a skill they need to ambush their prey. So if you run across one..call the Gator Boys or 911 and don’t touch! 🙂