I made it out this morning for my weekly gull nest survey. A few surprises, including a new nest location I’ve never seen before. I’ll try and have a post up in a day or two about it. Until then, here’s a collection of recent photos of some curious plants, slime moulds, fungi, and a wasp.

Monotropa uniflora

A recent tip from a friend got me out in search of Monotropa uniflora, also know as Ghost Pipe. These are some weirdo plants that have given up their chlorophyll and can no longer photosynthesize. Instead, they are mycoheterotrophic – they parasitize fungus to obtain the nutrients and energy they need to grow.

I’m late with this update because I’ve spent the last two days searching out some mycoheterotrophic plants around Metro Vancouver. More on those in another post.

I won’t rant too long about it, but a recent post on The Convivial Society entitled Feeding on Illusions has stuck with me since reading it. An excerpt that succinctly summarizes why I try and get away from screens and into the real world:

… a simulation, however compelling or sophisticated, will always be an illusion. And we will know this chiefly by attending to our own subsequent experience: “when you eat illusions you end up hungrier than before.”

I have to acknowledge that these photos are ultimately illusions too. Pixels of red, green, and blue transmitted through unfathomable systems to get from my camera to your screen. I can only trust they act as a gateway to get you looking more closely at the world.

Lots of activity at the nests – let’s get a start.

Cambie Nest

Upon arriving at Cambie Nest, I could only see one chick of the three on the chimney platform. Not entirely surprising – they tend to fall or jump down to the lower roof once they get older.

Early morning and the streets are still empty; it’s Canada Day and most people are off work. Trudging around the city with my binoculars and camera is not an enjoyable experience. Concrete, car exhaust, and the soulless architecture of Vancouver leave me depressed. Being able to witness and share the lives of these birds – the next generation of fry-stealing gulls – is what gets me out despite it all.

A majority of the nests now have chicks, so let’s get a start.

Cambie Nest chick

All three chicks were out at Cambie Nest. One of the chicks was already testing their wings, hopping and flapping.

It’s the last week of June and the chicks are here!

Cambie Nest

Three chicks at Cambie Nest. They were quite active, wandering around the nest site.