My lady and I will be going up to Canada (BC) for the weekend in our annual effort to Escape Things That Go Bang. This year's trip will include a 'Falconer for a Day' experience in Maple Ridge, a ferry ride over to Vancouver Island to stay with a friend overnight, and then a leisurely return on Sunday via the Anacortes-Sidney ferry.

That last leg is likely to be particularly interesting, as the route takes us through the San Juan islands and some prime wild orca territory. I'm hoping we'll see at least one of the resident pods.

(UPDATE: 7-Jul-08)

Well, we didn't see any orcas (wild or otherwise), but the trip exceeded our wildest expectations. Good Lord, I think we learned more about falconry in a HALF-DAY visit to our friend (now our falconry mentor and sponsor) than we did from the place in Maple Ridge, or ANY of the zoo-based places we've visited in years past!

I know most of the audience here (myself included) are either 'furries' or have tendencies along those lines. With that in mind, and with memories of some amazing raptor experiences fresh in my gray matter, I have to wonder... is anyone sufficiently artistically inclined to entertain the idea of a "furry falconer?" I think it would be particularly amusing, in an ironic sense, if the subject of such could be an anthro-type big cat.  

I can provide some photos of the birds, if that'll help.

Keep the peace(es).  

--Last edited by kyrrin on 2008-07-07 20:38:26 --

I have been known to dabble in some art-related projects.