Chum Salmon Spawners Spotted in Burnaby’s Byrne Creek

Yumi and I were eager to check out reports of chum back to spawn in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby after streamkeeper volunteers Rob and Joan’s sighting yesterday.

We saw 3 live chum today, and up to 3 redds (nests of eggs in the gravel).  Yumi pegged the three as a male and 2 females (one larger chum kept bumping and bothering two lightly smaller ones…).

This is about a week earlier than they “usually” start showing up in the creek.

chum spawners byrne creek burnaby bc

cipywnyk_chum_byrne_burnaby_1_20161010

Rivers Day at Burnaby Village Museum

Volunteers with the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society participated in World Rivers Day at the Burnaby Village Museum. It was a lovely day.

Burnaby Rivers Day
Byrne Creek Streamkeepers booth

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_2_20160925
The ancient Japanese kamishibai storytelling art with a rivers twist
: -)

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_4_20160925
An OWL ambassador (Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society)

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_5_20160925
An endangered Western Painted Turtle, cared for by the Coastal Painted Turtle Project

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_6_20160925
Rivers Day founder Mark Angelo

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_7_20160925
City of Burnaby Environment Committee Chair Anne Kang

Burnaby Rivers DAy
Lots of fun for kids!

cipywnyk_rivers_day_burnaby_3_20160925
A couple of City of Burnaby eco-sculpture cows hanging out.

Byrne Creek Fish Trapping Sept. 2016

Volunteers with the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society have been trapping fish in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, for over a decade to determine species presence, and gain some sense of size and numbers. Rob and I set the traps yesterday and retrieved them today.

NOTE: Streamkeepers have permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to carry out these surveys, and have training from the Pacific Streamkeepers Federation.

All fish are released unharmed.

Results:

~ T515 U/S Southridge culvert (lower end of ravine)
2 X 9cm cuts
1 X 11cm cut
1 X 13 cm cut

~ T519 Near monument
Empty

~ T521 Stair bottom
Empty

~ T523 Trail Crossing
1 X 12cm cut
1 X 14cm cut

~ T524 Burnt stump
Empty

~ T530 Hedley outfall
2 X 12cm cuts
1 X 14cm cut

~ T533 Hell Hole
1 X 8cm cut

~ T539 d/s of Griffiths Pond
1 X 12cm cut
1 X 16cm cut

About three of today’s cuts had a fairly prominent pinkish lateral line area — cutbows?

Grand total 12 small cuthroat

Unfortunately no coho.

Bait used was cat food.

Volunteer hours: 2 X 2.25 = 4.5

Rainy Walk in SE #Burnaby

When I left for my near-daily walk of Byrne Creek Ravine Park in SE #Burnaby, BC., it was drizzling. By the time I got to the bottom of the ravine, the gods in their great good humour had turned the taps on full. Despite Gore-tex and umbrella, I was cold and wet by the time I got home.

Rainy Byrne Creek walk
Banana

Slug

Hey! That makes… : – )

cipywnyk_byrne_creek_ravine_1_20160919
Autumn urban trail

cipywnyk_byrne_creek_ravine_2_20160919
An umbrella with a view

Lots of Birds at Lightning Lake in Manning Park, BC

It was a lovely day for bird photos. All of these were shot this morning in the vicinity of the main parking lot/canoe rental at Lightning Lake in Manning Provincial Park in BC.

cipywnyk_clarks_1_manning_20160912
Clark’s Nutcracker

cipywnyk_clarks_2_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_clarks_3_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_clarks_4_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_american_robin_1_manning_20160912
American Robin

cipywnyk_collared_dove_1_manning_20160912
Is this a Collared Dove?

cipywnyk_stellers_jay_1_manning_20160912
Steller’s Jay

cipywnyk_heron_1_manning_20160912
Heron on a cold tin roof

cipywnyk_heron_2_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_sbb_1_manning_20160912
I’m thinking 1st winter White-Crowned Sparrow?

cipywnyk_sbb_2_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_killdeer_1_manning_20160912
Killdeer

cipywnyk_sbb_3_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_sbb_4_manning_20160912

cipywnyk_raven_1_manning_20160912
There were several ravens hanging around the Manning Lodge parking lot

cipywnyk_raven_2_manning_20160912

Lightning Lake Manning Park Birds

Streamkeeping, sustainability, community, business, photography, books, and animals, with occasional forays into social commentary. Text and Photos © Paul Cipywnyk