Yumi and I greatly enjoyed today’s Vancouver Philharmonic “Young Prodigies Concerto Gala.” The kids were amazing!
All posts by Paul Cipywnyk
US Charging Ahead on Enviro Issues, Canada Stuck in the 50s
I’ve been attending the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, and as at previous ones, I am yet again in awe of coordinated volunteer – municipal – tribal (in Canada First Nations) – state – federal conservation efforts in the US.
Yes, we like to slag our southern neighbours for many things, but they are way ahead of us on many others.
Canada? We’re doing good here and there, but we suck at coordinated action. And in Canada, for the last decade at least, the burden has increasingly fallen on volunteers, with federal and provincial governments abdicating their responsibilities, and slashing enviro-related staff and funding.
A major hurt is that Canada is still so 20th century. To see the ruling-party hydroelectric dam platform in BC is to read something from the 1950s.
The US is demolishing dams, setting rivers, wildlife and salmon free, unleashing renewable, long-term natural and economic potential along the way.
Here in Canada, our governments still want to pour concrete in pristine rivers and flood massive areas of our most productive farmland and traditional First Nations hunting and fishing territories.
Shame.
Green/Blue initiatives will provide jobs.
How Did I Cut Myself?
Fingers. Cuts. I cannot explain this photo aside from somehow today I ended up with three bandaids. Yes, three times today I noticed I was bleeding, and yes, for all three times, I have no idea what I did…
Photo Tip – Remember When You Swap Cards
Duh. I shot this photo during a shoot at the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary back in February, filled the card, swapped cards, and forgot to download the images on this card until today!
Red-Winged Blackbird boys feeling their oats and getting into some aerial martial arts
Leading Byrne Creek Secondary Art Classes on Stream Tours
Couldn’t have asked for a nicer day to lead a couple of short tours of Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby with grade 8 art classes from Byrne Creek Secondary.
The kids also did some garbage cleanup along the way and discovered this hitchhiker. In this case it’s a snail on ketchup, not ketchup on a snail : -).
Lusting for a Nikon D500
I’m in lust for a new Nikon D500 DSLR. Based on specs this would be an amazing wildlife camera. Huge usable ISOs, blazing motor drive, prescient focus and exposure systems…
I think it may be time to sell some older Nikon gear, and sign up for the latest and greatest.
I think I’ll keep my aging D300, not much money to be made from that, and it’s still a solid camera. I use it with some of my ancient all-manual Nikkor lenses. And it was my first DSLR, so there are the emotional ties. (Just like I’m hanging on to my film Nikon F2 though I haven’t shot film in over a decade… Memories : -)
I think the one to go is the mid-range D5200. It’s served me well for a couple of years, but it doesn’t cut the pro mustard in usability. It has great resolution for its price class, but it’s not an action camera. Too much stuff is buried in menus that semi-pro and pro models have more to hand with extra buttons. I hate having to click through screen menus when I want to change something quickly in the field.
Bonus? If I’m reading specs right, a D500 would use the same batteries as my D7100 and D7200. Wow!
Petal-Pretty Power Walk in South Burnaby
What a lovely day for a south slope walk! All shot with my little Canon pocket cam on the urban trail between Edmonds and 22nd Stations
Chum Fry Release on Byrne Creek in Burnaby
It was a soggy day for a chum fry release on Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, but three classes of kids from Taylor Park Elementary were in high spirits. It’s always a blast releasing these wee fish.
DFO Community Advisor Maurice talks salmon
Leading the kids up to the tank
DFO tech Scott prepares baggies
Netting fry out of the tank
Volunteer John directs traffic
Volunteers Ray, Lori, Rob, and Murray, assist in release technique
Scott’s done hundreds of such releases yet look at that grin!
Yep, the fish was really this big 🙂
Stewart Heritage Farm, Surrey, Birds ‘n Blossoms
Another gorgeous day in BC’s lower mainland. Today’s birds ‘n blossoms are from the Stewart Heritage Farm area in south Surrey, BC.
Dowitcher?
American Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Eating bud — that’s BC bud! : -)
Eating bug
Goldfinch
Steller’s Jay
Ladybug
Apple blossoms
Apple blossoms
Ambling Cates Park in North Vancouver
It was a lovely day to amble the trails and shoreline of Cates Park in North Vancouver.
Perhaps a stormwater pipe from Roman times? : -)
Yumi and tide pools go together like, er, fish and water
This denizen of the deep poked its head up a few times over a few minutes and then disappeared