Nature, Photography

Birds ’n Blossoms at Historic Stewart Farm

Anyone who checks my blog with any regularity will know that one of my fave photo sites in the BC Lower Mainland is the Historic Stewart Farm – Elgin Heritage Park in Surrey, BC.

There is a variety of habitats easily strolled with camera in hand in half an hour to a few hours depending on which areas you cover and how fast you ramble. There’s the old farmyard, the Nicomekl River, forested areas, a meadow, a marsh. . .

I saw my first Cedar Waxwings this year today, and spotted other birds, while enjoying a variety of blossoms.

Cedar Waxwing in flight at Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey, BC
Cedar Waxwing

Perched Cedar Waxwing at Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey, BC
Cedar Waxwing

Anna's Hummingbird at Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey, BC
Anna’s Hummingbird

House Finch at Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey, BC
House Finch

Blossoms at Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey, BC

Nature, Photography

Harrier – Crow Aerial Duel at Centennial Beach

I love looking for Northern Harriers at Centennial Beach in Delta, BC, and was rewarded today with great overflights, and a spat with a Crow.

It was interesting to watch, because Crows often attack and drive off raptors, but this Harrier was standing its ground (claiming its air space?) 🙂 and handing out some licks of its own.

Northern Harrier, Crow Duel at Centennial Beach in Delta, BC

Centennial Beach is part of the excellent Metro Vancouver Regional Parks system.

Society

Vyshyvanka (Ukrainian Embroidery) Day in New Westminster, BC

We went to the Vyshyvanka Day (Ukrainian Embroidery Day) at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, BC.

Vyshyvanka Day (Ukrainian Embroidery Day) in New Westminster, BC

We also stopped to pay our respects to Ukrainian-Canadian Victoria Cross recipient Filip Konoval at the Royal Westminster Regiment armoury. The Victoria Cross is the highest military award in the British Empire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filip_Konowal

Ukrainian-Canadian Victoria Cross recipient Filip Konoval monument in New Westminster, BC

Too bad they spelled Urkaine in the first line. . . sigh. . .

Nature, Photography

Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

We hadn’t been out to the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in several years, perhaps not since Covid.

We didn’t know you’re still supposed to get entry reservations, but it was a slow day and we were let in without one.

sandhill crane reifel delta bc
Sandhill Crane hanging about the entrance

red-necked pharalope reifel sanctuary delta bc
Red-necked Pharalopes near the entrance shelter. Another photographer clued us in to this species that we’d never observed before. Unfortunately they stayed well off in the distance. . .

Great Blue Heron flyby at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, BC
Great Blue Heron fly by. . .

Brown Creeper at Reifel Sanctuary in Delta, BC
Brown Creeper with lunch.

Business, Photography

Budding Photographer Invoice From 1976

OMG, ran across this during home office cleaning. An invoice for shooting some photos for the Mohyla Institute in Saskatoon, SK, back in 1976.

I rolled the Tri-X film into reusable 35mm cartridges from a bulk roll, and processed and printed in a home darkroom.

C$50 in 1976 would be C$275 in 2026 dollars, according to the Bank of Canada inflation calculator.

Cipywnyk photography invoice from 1976

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