Mason Bees Spotted on Our Balcony

We put out a box for blue orchard mason bees on our balcony, along with some cocoons, but we hadn’t seen any action. The cocoons were all holed and empty, and we feared predators like wasps had gotten all the bees.

Today I was happy to see a slow-moving, but live, mason bee. Hope to see more as the days go by. We’ve set out lots of flowers on the balcony of various species.

mason bee box

mason bee my thumb

mason bee

flower

flower

flower

flower

flower

Blueberry flower

Birding on Burnaby Mountain, at Burnaby Lake

Master birder George Clulow led a group around Burnaby Mountain today. It was great fun, but the birds were on the sparse side, so he suggested ending the morning at Piper Spit on Burnaby Lake, which proved to have an abundance of feathered friends to observe.

Thanks to the City of Burnaby and its Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Dept. for organizing such tours!

A few photos from today’s rambles:

Burnaby Mountain Playground of the Gods
Kamui Mintara, or, Playground of the Gods

I’ve shot Kamui Mintara many times over many years, yet I think this may be the first for me to approach the totems from behind, move around, and deliberately expose for a silhouette effect.

Yes, they do stand upright. But I like this tilted angle.

Burnaby Mountain trails
Burnaby Mountain picnic tables

Burnaby Mountain

Burnaby Mountain

Burnaby Mountain birding

Burnaby Lake goslings

Burnaby Lake goslings

Burnaby Lake wood duck

Burnaby Lake wood duck

Burnaby Lake sparrow

Burnaby Lake blackbird

Burnaby Lake blackbird
Bold blackbird!