Aquarium Macro and Mobile Octopus

Geordie got his macro lens and has been taking pictures of all things small and wee.  Like the below Grunt Sculpin which is one of his favorites at the aquarium.  They aren't much bigger than a postage note but with the right camera you can get right in and get detail that you may have missed.

The below being from another world is a Hooded Nudibranch. Steven, Geordie and I had to look this one in our big marine life book as we had no idea what it could be.  It looks like a huge mouthed horror but actually the biggest ones are as half as long as your hand.  Nudibranchs come in so much variety they are one of my favorite squishy things in the ocean.

Speaking of squishy things the Giant Pacific Octopus at the Vancouver Aquarium has grown so large that he can no longer fit in his various hidey holes.  While we used to play 'spot the octopus' its now splashed all over his tank.  They can grow to 9 metres across.  I have unofficially named this one one Splortch. 

Shameless Kodiak Fan Service

I almost wrote this post in that internet catspeak. You know LOLZ and hazing Cheezeburgerz.  But than I decided not too to preserve my sanity.  Also Kodiak told me in no uncertain terms that he has not LOLed in his life and would never do so.  He does browl.  No go look at my kitty and his lovely eyes and soft furrrrrrrr. 

So black accept for when he is in the sun.  Than it is revealed he is the colour of root beer.  That was his name when we got him but he is so much of a bear that we renamed him Kodiak.  Apparently he was Darwin before he was Rootbeer but the in-laws have a cat named Darwin so he couldn't be Darwin either.

He likes looking at his photos too.  I think I was dangling something for him to play with to get that cute photo.  His eyes are so big!  He likes having his head bashed about and his cheecks wuddled.  Touching his paws his a declaration of war though and he will cut you.

arp arp ARP arp ARP ARP arp arp ARP ARP

Over the Easter long weekend Geordie and I went to Vancouver Island. Without a large amount of time we could not go to our usual haunt of Telegraph Cove. Instead we stayed at a lovely place in Qualicum Bay off the beaten path.  Just a short ways North close to Bowser is Fanny Bay. Where these guys that we heard ALL NIGHT LONG.  They are of course, California Sea Lions.  The sound kind of like this.  Arp Arp arp ARP ARP arp AAARRRRP! .....ARP.  arp arp arp Arp.

There were many many dozens hauled out at Fanny Bay.  Some Stellers in there too! All males (originally typoed that as all balls which is equally correct).  The ladies are further south having babies so this is the boys club.  There are yearlings and old mature senior males that don't take no crap from anyone.

 

The fellow on the left is younger maybe 2 years. The follow on the right is quite a bit older as his mane and well developed sagital crest attest too.  They look like different species but no.  Just different ages.  They tusselled a bit, but not seriously.  The guy on the right certainly made his space though in contrast to the cuddled heaps above.   HEAPS!  and ARP!!!!

Aquarium Amphibians which Act Awesomely

Frogs are fun and cute.  Sounds like the title of a kids book. I mean look at that little self-satisfied expression on this Waxy Monkey Treefrog (yes, you read that right).  The amphibian exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium is pretty good, but I prefer going out and finding my own. Though there's lots of stuff that we don't get up in Canada.  Poison dart frogs for one.

Axolotl's are another. Apparently they taste like chicken but I would be really really hungry before I grilled one.  They look made for kebabs though.  They have very wide mouths and pretty pink frilly things around their gills.

These poison dart frogs pictured below are super tiny. They are about as big as your thumbnail.  You need a macro or really good zoom to get a reasonable focus on them.  They bounce up and down a bit sometimes. I am not sure if its mating display or a territorial display. Or maybe they are just bouncing because they are happy pretty red froggies.

Steven Visit

The Mute Swans at Lost Lagoon are fed a special diet. Most people give them bread which is very bad for them.  Here we are feeding them cracked corn which is fine.  Steven was highly entertained making this one stretch for his snack.

Steven was more entertained by the evil looking gigantic cat that I call a pet.  Kodiak got along with him very well and condescened to snuggle after 2-3 days.  I just realized that my Penguin Pillow Fortesque is photobombing.  Kodiak's eyes are ice-blue which is why they look so red in the picture. They must be picking up the red of the sofa.

Steven is making friends and looking incredibly pleased with a Chestnut Backed Chickadee.  We had quite the swarm of them coming to have a snack.  They are incredible bold friendly birds.  Two pictures of Steven feeding birds. I hope that is not over kill.  I don't care I love that photo below.

Boobies!

Thought that would get your attention you perv.    So below is the Nazca Booby. It's found in the Galapagos, on Clipperton Island and a few islands off the Baja Penninsula. Adults lay two eggs but once hatched the siblings will fight and one will get pushed out of the nests. The two eggs also serve as protection just in case one of the eggs is stolen or doesn't hatch.

Here is a napping male and female. A nicely symetrical matched set. Weird Nazca booby fact: unpaired adults will sometimes try to single out chicks and bite, groom or occasionally try to mate with them. Science doesn't know why yet.

And here is a nice new fluffy chick who has commited siblicide.  He is extremely well fed and healthy so its parents are doing a good job bringing back food for it. These birds are quite friendly and unafraid of humans. We were able to get close without stressing the birds. At the first sign of them being upset the plan was to back off and leave them alone. Neither the adults nor the fledglings had a problem with our presence.

Aquarium Notables

Give us the CUTTLEFISH!  You are fantastic if you get the reference. If not here is a cuttlefish. The Vancouver Aquairum heard our wishes and have 6 dwarf cuttlefish which have apparently been breeding so hopefully more are on their wy.  They communicate with those tentacles on their faces and their bodies flash different colours because of awesome.

The difficult to spot Giant Pacific Octopus was not at all hiding being all squashed up against the glass.  Geordie got this lovely photo of his sleeping eye all ringed by tentacles. He is one of our favorites and the last 3 times I have been there has been very visible. In the same place too....

Jack, one of the rescued harbor porpoises is turning into a huge ham. He loves attention and having his picture taken. Here he is looking right at our camera to make sure we get his good side. He has gotten so big. I remember when he could fit in my arms. I love how well he is doing.