Volunteers with the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society took samples of water bugs (aquatic invertebrates) at five sites along the creek in SE Burnaby, BC, today.

We then gathered at Ron McLean Park to ID and count what we found. Final calculations are not in yet, but the results looked meagre as usual, due to the road runoff in our urban watershed. We have fewer inverebrates, with less variety, and even smaller in size than less-impacted watersheds.

Transporting gear

Heading out to collect samples

Taking water temperature — it was 8 C.

Collecting a sample with a D-net

IDing and counting the samples

Recording data

Oops! We found what appeared to be an eyed Cutthroat egg in a sample.  It’s unusual to still have eggs in the gravel this late in the year. . . Colder winter?

UPDATE: Hm, according to the BC Cutthroat fact sheet, they do spawn into April or even May in places. . .

Nice to spot a Yellow-rumped Warbler in the park

Also a Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Found this Lady Beetle hitching a ride on our equipment case. A seven-spotted?