The varied thrush – one of my favourite local birds in Kitimat

One of my favourite birds in here in Kitimat is the Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). There were a lot more than usual this spring for one reason or another. So here is an album of images.

A varied thrush on my back deck. (Robin Rowland)

There was still snow in a hollow in a small woods near my house in mid-April. (Robin Rowland)

The snow in the hollow which lasted for about a week after all the snow had gone elsewhere attracted varied thrushes almost every day. (Robin Rowland)

The spring melt advances on the last patch of snow. A pair of varied thrushes. (Robin Rowland)

As the spring buds come out in the nearby woods. (Robin Rowland)

And in my backyard.

And on an old log in the same hollow a couple of days later. (Robin Rowland)

In early May on the waterfront at the Minette Bay Lodge. (Robin Rowland)

A closer shot of the varied thrush at Minette Bay. (Robin Rowland)

On an driftwood stump at the mudflats of Minette Bay at low tide. (Robin Rowland)

A closer view (Robin Rowland)

The pole raising feast

After the friendship pole was raised in Kitimat, the Haisla Nation hosted a feast for both communities at Kitimat’s Riverlodge Recreation Centre.

The headtable, from left to right members of the District of Kitimat Council and the Haisla Nation Council, Kitimat officials and the Haisla hereditary chiefs. (Robin Rowland)

Carver Gary Wilson was the host and master of ceremonies for the feast (Robin Rowland)

Hereditary chief Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi) addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)

Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)

A chief addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)

A man addresses the feast on behalf of his clan. (Robin Rowland)

Spirit of Kitlope dancers (Robin Rowland)

Spirit of Kitlope Dancers (Robin Rowland)

Raising the Haisla Kitimat friendship pole

On May 4, the Haisla Nation and the District of Kitimat raised a totem pole to mark the growing friendship between “township” and Kitamaat Village. Planning for the pole began a couple of years ago when the Haisla Nation and the people of the Kitimat township held a reconciliation forum at Riverlodge. The pole was carved over the past year under the supervision of carver Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o). Funding for the project came from the Canada 150 fund, the District of Kitimat and the Haisla Nation.

Before the ceremony

Haisla Nation hereditary chiefs and elders gather for the pole raising ceremony. (Robin Rowland)

Skeena Bulkley NDP MP Nathan Cullen speaks to Haisla Nation hereditary chiefs and elders before the pole raising ceremony. (Robin Rowland)

Eagle chief Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) speaks to carver and master of ceremonies Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o) and Kitimat mayor Phil Germuth before the ceremony. (Robin Rowland)

Aiden Robinson speaking to her Ma’ma’o (grandmother) Rose Robinson, Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi) amd Basil Grant (He’mas Legaix) (Robin Rowland)

Unveiling and blessing the friendship pole

Carver Gary Wilson unveils the friendship pole. (Robin Rowland)

Sammy Robinson begins to bless the new pole, along with Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o), Allan Williams (He’mas Wakas), Verlie Nelson (C’esi’s spokesperson) Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) as Harvey Grant, MP Nathan Cullen and Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth watch. (Robin Rowland)

Cedar boughs are used to cleanse the totem pole. (Robin Rowland)

Sammy Robinson He’mas C’esi and Verlie Nelson prepare the eagle down to cleanse and bless the pole. (Robin Rowland)

Cleansing and blessing the pole. (Robin Rowland)

At the pole blessing, Harvey Grant (He’mas Wiiseks), Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi), Nathan Cullen, Cyril Grant Jr. (He’mas Sanaxaid), Phil Germuth and Eugene Stewart (Dlaxwdlaxwaligisc Hai’mas). (Robin Rowland)

Raising the pole

Hereditary chiefs and construction workers prepare to raise the friendship pole. (Robin Rowland)

The construction workers prepare to secure the pole. (Robin Rowland)

Simon Hall (Hai’mac Gax) helps put the totem pole in place. (Robin Rowland)

Carver Gary Wilson explains the meaning of the pole. At the bottom is the snowflake, the District of Kitimat’s official symbol. The face in the middle represents the people of Kitimat with four multi-ethnic faces above it. At the top of the pole are representations of the clans of the Haisla Nation, with the eagle, the beaver in the middle, (Robin Rowland)

Dancing

Eugene Stewart (Dlaxwdlaxwaligisc Hai’mas) speaks to Gary Wilson speaks as the dancing begins. (Robin Rowland)

Cyril Grant Jr. (He’mas Sanaxaid) leads the Eagle Clan dance after the pole was secured. (Robin Rowland)

People join in the dancing. (Robin Rowland)

Children from the Haisla Community School participate with drumming and dancing. (Robin Rowland)

Northern Flicker takes off

A pair of Northern Flickers in a tree near my house. (Robin Rowland)

A lucky shot of a pair of Northern Flickers. (Colaptes auratus). They flew into the tree as I was walking by. Grabbed one shot as they perched, then one took off swooping toward me. Lucky shot.

Portraits of the speakers at the Kitimat The North Matters forum

The North Matters group held a forum, LNG Myths, Facts & Benefits in Kitimat, BC, on May 2, 2018.

Here are the portraits of the speakers.

Fort. St. John, BC, Mayor Lori Ackerman. (Robin Rowland)

Elected chief counsellor of the Haisla Nation Crystal Smith (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth. (Robin Rowland)

Energy blogger Vivian Krause. (Robin Rowland)

A soggy day in Kitimat harbour as the spring migration comes north

On Thursday, April 19, was a soggy, to say the least, with wind-driven, cold, pouring rain when I went down to Kitamaat Village and Kitimat harbour to photograph the spring bird migration. The highlight were the snow geese I saw both at MK Bay (above) and at the Kitamaat Village soccer field. (Robin Rowland)