CHAIN THE DOGMA

Black Bear

This Black Bear was feeding on migrating salmon in the Somass River Estuary, competing with some harbour seals and a couple sea lions. The photos of the sea lions below were taken at the same time and place as this one.

Black Bear

This photo and the ones that follow were taken at the same location as the first one, but at low tide. Not sure if it is the same bear or not. There's plenty of food for them with wild fruit trees and berry bushes lining that side of the Somass River, and fish to fatten them up for winter.

Black Bear

Black Bear

Black Bear and Canada Geese

Salmon spawning

Ok, I know salmon are not mammals, but they are food for mammals such as black bears in the previous photos and sea lions in the photos that follow. This picture was taken at the same location as the photos of the living river otter that follow.

Mouse

I believe this is a common house mouse. Note its very small size next to the fir cone, so I think this is a juvenile.

Mule Deer

My camera's battery was recharging when I noticed this Mule Deer in the backyard. I startled it while I was putting the battery back in, but managed to get this shot as it hurried off.

Deer

Deer

I surprised this young deer as I rode my bike past the neighbour's yard. Notice how skinny it is after a long, snowy winter.

Deer in Buttercup Field

I was riding my bike on a country road and noticed some deer in the middle of a field of buttercups. The following photos are closeups of those same deer.

Deer relieving itself

This deer was squatting to relieve itself! First time I've seen that.

Deer and Buttercups

Deer in field of buttercups

They were ignoring me, but something made their ears perk up.

Deer and Buttercups

Two Heads Are Better Than One

Deer

Yearling

This was the smallest, so probably the youngest. of the 3 deer in that buttercup field. It was by the side of the road and it allowed me to get quite close. It seemed to be "hiding" behind that little tree and was looking anxiously at the other two in the field. then suddenly it took off to join them.

Deer - Together Again

Rabbits

Raccoons

These randy raccoons were doing a little more than just a group hug!

River Otter

While riding my bike across the Somass River bridge I spotted this River Otter swimming. By the time I got my camera out it was scurring away along the river bank.

River Otter

Could this be the same River Otter that attacked a swimmer tubing down the Somass River, reported here.

River Otter Road Kill

I'm not sure if this is the same river otter as in the previous photos, but it was killed on the road that runs along the river and just a two blocks from where those photos were taken.

Sea Lion

I think this might be a California Sea Lion. You can see half a salmon in its mouth, and the seagulls were dive-bombing for scraps. This and the other sea lion photos were taken at the same place and time as the black bear above, on the Somass River Estuary.

Sea Lion

You can see part of a salmon in this sea lions wide open mouth.

Sea Lion

Seal In Kelp

While harbour seals are common in the waters around Vancouver, usually you see only their heads popping up for air. I snapped this one while riding my bike around the Stanley Park seawall[not my video],  the first time I've seen one here fully emerged from the water.

Seals in a Snow Storm

These two harbour seals were about 2 kilometres upriver from the Alberni Inlet, at a popular swimming hole, Paper Mill Dam, on the Somass River. They were competing with the fisherman in the next photo for steelhead, which had just started to run. I took this in a snowstorm  during the Christmas holiday. This is the first time I've seen seals in fresh water.

Fishing For Steelhead

This fisherman at Paper Mill Dam on the Somass River was competing with the seals in the previous photo for steelhead which had recently started their winter run.

Skunk

Previously, I had only seen skunks in Vancouver at night. This one caught my eye as I rode on a trail through Stanley Park[not my video]. The lighting wasn't great and it was doing its best to avoid me, but I managed to snap a few of this elusive creature.

Squirrel