Tag Archives: Wildlife

The Waxwings Are Back!

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"Hold fast to dreams, 
for if dreams die, 
life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."

Langston Hughes

Around about this time every year scores of pretty little gluttons arrive keen to clean us out of berries before heading back to where it is they came from. The truth is that these particular little gluttons are very much appreciated and we look forward to seeing them each year even it they are greedy. For without them visiting we would be stuck with a great deal of rotting fruit and far more bugs to bug us, so this natural and necessary invasion is very welcome.

Human gluttons, on the other hand, are far less appealing than the Cedar Waxwings. Our gluttony is not natural or healthy, it is not charming, cute or attractive, it is mean spirited and is not beneficial to us or the world around us either. Human gluttony is not limited to just food, we extend it to every facet of our existence, clothing, housing and even items with imaginary values attached to them. The reason for this is that gluttony is promoted in modern, consumerist cultures and it is something we have to be aware of and consciously not participate in. To me it is less a matter or choosing which product than taking personal responsibility for how much I consume and having reasonable expectations and not feel so entitled. Entitlement, by the way, is not exclusive to any culture or race, I know entitled, insufferable people from all backgrounds, of both sexes and of all races. Keep in mind our natural purpose is not the same as it is with Cedar Waxwings, and we cannot gobble everything up and still remain attractive. Particularly if you are like myself, and were never really that attractive in the first place making beauty unobtainable for me at least. Fortunately being attractive isn’t all that matters in life, one can still appreciate beauty even if they cannot be appreciate for being beautiful. However being healthy and not suffering does matter and is far more important than beauty, as is living full lives and in order to enjoy as many of the annual visits from the Waxwings as humanly possible. Be good to yourselves and each other.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Eagle Dining Out on the Boulevard

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“Tranquillity base here. The Eagle has landed.”

-Neil Armstrong

We normally watch the eagles enviously from our lowly positions admiring their beauty and strength as they soar so far above us, symbolically as well as physically. Despite how we objectify them, Eagles are creatures like all others and are not above scavenging a free meal from the side of the road. This beauty seems to have found the remnants of someone’s chicken dinner and is happily polishing it off despite the protests of the neighbourhood crows. Urban wildlife, despite not fitting into our stereotype of nature is as natural and capable as their country cousins. My apologies for the quality of the images but I didn’t creep to close so he wouldn’t lose out on his meal but as you can see he is not proud or foolish. He, like all eagles and humans, is a lowly scavenger as well as a magnificent hunter and there is nothing wrong with that because both result in survival.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Tiny Red Fence Sitter

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"It's very far away
It takes about half a day
To get there
If we travel by my dragonfly"

-Jimi Hendrix

This pretty little fence sitter caught my eye and agreed, albeit begrudgingly to pose a bit and show off her lovely wings and beautiful eyes. As beautiful as she is, it is her skills as a hunter, which far surpass her loveliness, that sustain her. Hunting is demanding work so once she was adequately rested off she flew to continue on with her perpetual search for prey.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Pollinators and Predators amongst the Blooms

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"A work of arte; and yet no arte of man,
Can worke, this worke, these little creatures can."

Geffrey Whitney

The sweet scented blooms attract pollinators making them excellent places to find subjects for photographing. The bees do not seem to mind my attention as they are far too occupied at their task to notice me or the other predator who also knows about the allure of the blossoms.

This pretty little spider hides beneath the blossoms or blends in invitingly waiting to pounce onto unsuspecting and pollinators. The Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is designed to blend into Goldenrod but as needs must is easily adaptable and can be found on any flowering species. It pounces upon its victims clutching them in their powerful long legs before paralysing it with its toxic bite. Unlike the busy bees this little lady (I think) was very bothered by my presence and quite rightfully because I was interfering in her hunting and preventing her from her meal. So as hard as it was I took myself away and let them all be, or bee if you like, pretty grateful and delighted for the experience and the opportunity to share these images with all of you. Be good to each other.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Grandfather Moon

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Grandfather Moon is wise and loving, his presence in our lives is constant, he cautiously watches over us unseen most of the time he takes care not to overwhelm us with his powerful spirit, and deplete our energies.

Grandfather Moon Illustration by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin

Grandfather Moon is the one responsible for the flow of the waters, he is the overseer of the tides, he is the catalyst of birth, he fuels our passions, spurs our sense of justice, and lights our spirits when we are needed. Grandfather Moon connects us to our inner-selves, he connects us with our honour, integrity and determination, he inspires us to love ourselves but more importantly to love and protect that which is around us even more because without the rest of life and society we are all lost.

Grandfather Moon Baseball Cap by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Sweatshirt by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Phone Case by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Journal by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Clock by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Blanket by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon T-shirt by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Backpack by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Mug by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Apron by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Dress by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin
Grandfather Moon Cloth Bag by Salish Artist T S Ni hUiggin

Click on any of the Images above to check out Grandfather Moon Merchandise Collections!

Created by T S Ni hUiginn in honour of her own Grandfather William and all the good men who’s efforts and toil benefit us all each and every day.

Broccoli Blossoms are the Bees Knees

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The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

- William Blake

Sunny days and broccoli blossoms create the perfect opportunity to observe and get a few photo’s of the happy harvesters. One of the marvellous features of the bees are their colour coordinated pollen packed knees.

They are indeed lovely and one cannot help but think that it is unfortunate that nature did not give human beings such well crafted perfectly beautiful exteriors like the bees did. Of course this is likely for the best because our lack of attractiveness is good for the economy along with the fact that what we lack in natural beauty we surely make up for in ego.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Sacred Salmon Medicine Wheel

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“There is a longing among all people and creatures to have a sense of purpose and worth. To satisfy that common longing in all of us we must respect each other.”

Geswanouth Slahoot (Chief Dan George)
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Fish in ocean taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!
Salmon head taken by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiginn!

Since time immemorial the salmon have been a significant part of our culture and identity. They sustained us with their flesh providing us not only nourishment for our bodies but also for our minds and spirits. Our very existence relies on the salmon and therefore we treat the salmon with the greatest honour through our art and in our ceremonies. Their incredible, mysterious life journey fascinates and impresses; travelling from the fresh waters streams of their birth out to the mysterious deep ocean for years until they incredibly return upstream to begin a new generation sacrificing themselves in the act. It is indeed a powerful thing to witness. Salmon are crucial to human beings which is why we need to continue to ensure their survival and our own.

     "We are all one blood. No matter where we are from, we are all one blood, the same".

    David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu
Pacific Northwest Coast Native Salish Sacred Salmon Medicine Wheel Design by Coastal Salish Artist TS Ni hUiginn

This medicine wheel design isn’t just in honour of the Salmon and to remind us to be respectful. It was also created to honour, respect human beings have also co-existed on this planet since time immemorial and are also suffering terribly at this time. Although we may not all have the same exteriors, we all have the same interiors and biologically function the same way. As members of the human race we are all brothers and sisters where it counts which is under our skin where our hearts, intellects and souls exist, and we all share far more deep commonalities than superficial differences.

If you like this design or want to support the Uni EH artists check out our T-spring Shop for this design and more by clicking the illustration above.

This design is to honour all people of all origins who hold their heads high each and every day, who work hard, who respect themselves, their communities, their ancestors and the world around them by being the best they can be. This design is in honour of or those who love, learn and grow, who relish every moment of the gift of life and do not give up on themselves or put others down in order to build themselves up or as an excuse their lack of initiative. Success and happiness are not guaranteed in life, nor should they be, it is our responsibility to work to obtain our goals and we all have to work hard, and work together. We are also not the simplistic objects who were born incapable or evil because of how some ignorant fool defines our ancestry or sex, that is simply bigotry which I find abhorrent. Believe not in the bigots but instead in your ancestors, grandparents and family, hold your head high and most importantly be good to each other!

© TS Ni hUiginn

Spiders, Flies and Other Little Guys

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"Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper."

Albert Einstein

At any given time all around us although often unnoticed by us love, hate, life and death is always happening. Nature is violent and peaceful, good and bad, beautiful and ugly all at the same time and despite the darker side, perfect just as she is.

© TS Ni hUiginn

Moochers on the Blossoms

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“Stay away from lazy parasites, who perch on you just to satisfy their needs, they do not come to alleviate your burdens, hence, their mission is to distract, detract and extract, and make you live in abject poverty.”

― Michael Bassey Johnson

Something caught the corner of my eye while passing a planter full of tulips on the sidewalk that inspired me to stop for a double-take. It did not take long to find the cause of the nasty blemishes on the lovely blooms was due to Aphids. Unfortunately parasites are a reality that we have to be aware of and stand on guard against especially in human society. Although it isn’t fun to adopt a cynical and mistrustful nature, it is an unfortunately necessity and a natural part of life and survival. And we aren’t above nature just because we think we are, it is better to be humble and aware than have your blossoms infested with aphids.

© TS Ni hUiginn

The Ducklings have Arrived!!!

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    "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands."

- Douglas Adams

This is a time of year I look forward to every year, the joy of happening upon a proud new mother and her happy brood cannot be beat. This young mother duck was particularly pleased with her brood, but also watchful due to the closely located eagles nest with its own hungry chicks nestled within. It will not be easy for her to protect her brood until they reach maturity, something we have to keep in mind when documenting nature. It isn’t always sweetness and sunshine.

Parenting isn’t easy, nor are we guaranteed success. Parents are subjected to a great deal of disrespect and under appreciation. Despite this the majority of parents sojourn on, like their own parents did for them. Doing what is right for their offspring, often making sacrifices out of love and duty for no financial reward or with no alternative motive. Most parents unselfishly provide children with shelter, food and protection from predators in the most natural and healthy way possible and this is one of the natural phenomenons that we would be wise to preserve and protect.

© TS Ni hUiginn