Chicks and Other Young

In one of the picnic baskets that came aboard for the picnic with Aunt Chris Green was Cody’s new puppy. Little Boots was a delight to everyone. Here they are on Tugwell Island, Cody’s feeding him milk from a bottle lid.

The picnic turned out to be something of a disaster. The new dinghy motor hit the bar while delivering passengers back to La Sonrisa and the damage made it unable to navigate the building sea. We had to drift back to Tugwell and use a cel phone to arrange a rescue by Jo-Lynda’s friend’s brother at Metlakatla. Little Boots slept through it all curled in his basket.

Years ago, my 5-year-old stepson Evan made a comment I’ve never forgotten. Walking by a cow pasture across from our cabin in Langley he exclaimed, “I know why baby animals are so cute. It’s so their mothers will love them!” (He had just passed the age of cute, and I think had some anxieties.)

How could anyone not love this baby!!

Newly hatched seagull chick

We visited some of the outer islands and rocks where gulls and other seabirds nest.

This seagull nest is well hidden from predators
Willy Pigeons/Pigeon Guillemot

The seagulls squawked at us, and so did Oyster Catchers and Willy Pigeons. One oyster catcher mom was very persistent, fussing at Thomas.

Oyster-Catcher eggs in a nest of shells

A worried Oyster-Catcher Mom
Thomas gets a scolding from Mama Oyster-Catcher

After delivering more Tom Cod to the eagle pair in Work Channel, and watching them carry their prey to the nest, I caught sight of a young-eagle-coloured something bob up and down beside its parent. It was a gift of pure delight and wonder. New life in that giant mass of sticks and whatall high up in a mighty cedar! We renamed the anchorage “Eagle’s Nest”.

Cousin Bobbie Crane discovered another eagle’s nest on Lucy Island. This one seems even larger, with a red elder bush growing on its side. Two parents were perched beside and above it this last time we visited, regal, completely devoted. Little ones make ordinary adults into something amazing.

Later Auguast additon: An older seagull chick looks out at us

Bobbie also observed a mother and baby seal in Quattoon Inlet. The baby kept trying to swim towards La Sonrisa and the mother kept swimming over top of him, pushing him under. It was as though she didn’t want him to see us, or us to see him. That’s the thing about babies, they are such a special sight.

Here’s another baby, who’s celebrating his 1st birthday this week:

Happy Birthday, Frankie - July 26, 2007

Quote from Frankie’s dad: “The thing about children is how totally amazing they are, and at the same time so perfectly ordinary!”

Chicks and babies remind us powerfully of the mystery and miracle of life. At the other side of the mystery is our beloved Cisco. Tamaya and Josh’s 12 year old rotweiller died on July 11, in Josh’s arms. He leaves us with deep sorrow and a great emptiness. But Cisco has a giant place in all our hearts.