Monthly Archives: September 2016

Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

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

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

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An OWL ambassador (Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society)

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

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Rivers Day founder Mark Angelo

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City of Burnaby Environment Committee Chair Anne Kang

Burnaby Rivers DAy
Lots of fun for kids!

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

Nature, Streamkeeping

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

Nature, Photography

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… : – )

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Autumn urban trail

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An umbrella with a view

Nature, Photography

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.

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Clark’s Nutcracker

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American Robin

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Is this a Collared Dove?

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Steller’s Jay

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Heron on a cold tin roof

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

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Killdeer

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There were several ravens hanging around the Manning Lodge parking lot

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Lightning Lake Manning Park Birds

Nature, Photography

Using Exposure Compensation

Here’s an example of using exposure compensation to get the look you want. These plants were at the edge of a pond at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC.

I had the camera on a tripod, and took several shots, dialing in more and more negative, or minus, compensation with each shot.

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EV – 0.7

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EV – 1.3

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EV – 2.0

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EV – 2.7

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EV – 3.3

plant life exposure compensation examples
EV – 4.0

All DSLRs should be able to do this, and many pocket cameras. Check your manual if you don’t know how to use these controls. It’s usually a button with a +/- sign on it. On my Nikon DSLRs it’s right next to the shutter button (that’s how useful it is!), and on my teeny pocket Canon, it’s right on the back next to the movie button. On some cameras, it’s unfortunately buried in a screen menu.