I took my daily walk early this morning to beat the heat, but it’s topped out around 25-26C this afternoon, much better than the last few days.
Lovely mini clouds today!
This Northern Flicker played peekaboo, constantly flitting about as if to prevent me from getting a clear shot :-).
Had a great time down in Steveston, BC, today, taking in the Richmond Maritime Festival.
Barely caught the spectacular moon early this morning just before it dropped below the horizon over the river at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC. Then I hung around for the sunrise.
Sunrise over the mouth of Byrne Creek
The City of Burnaby has declared a total fire ban in Burnaby Parks, including smoking. Yet on my Byrne Creek Ravine Park walks, I keep seeing butts on forest trails every day.
It’s tinder-dry out there folks.
Most of the butts in these photos (all taken in about a half-hour span today) are mixed in with extremely flammable material.
This Canada Goose came soaring over the treeline, appeared to misjudge its landing, and came in hard into Deer Lake in Burnaby, BC.
Or perhaps it didn’t mean to land in the water lilies, and had to churn to make it.
You can stare at a pool of water (see the last photo in this series), and see nothing. Then, suddenly, you spot one frog. And another, and another. . . Interesting how perception works. Once your brain gets the pattern, then you really see. . .
I think my AF-S 18-200 Nikkor is dying. The zoom ring is stiff and jumpy, and the lens doesn’t seem to focus tack sharp any longer.
I’ve had it for ten years, and it’s taken several hundred-thousand shots. It’s been dropped onto carpet, linoleum, and concrete, from heights varying from 2 – 6 feet.
It’s been out in +35 C dry deserts, +35 humid Asian countries, and -30 Canadian prairies. It’s been canoeing, it’s been fishing, it’s been camping, it’s been hiking, it’s been walking in the rain, and shuffling in the snow. . .
I had it in for repair and a tuneup after the six-foot drop about five years ago. I don’t know if it would be worth it to try another tuneup.
I’ll give the Nikon factory repair centre in Toronto a call next week, but I suspect I may be better off in the long run by getting a new lens.
I woke up at 4:30 this morning, and figured I might as well get out and enjoy the sunrise. But where? Thought the White Rock, BC, pier and Crescent Beach would be nice, and was rewarded for driving down.
There were several Great Blue Herons
Seal off the boat slip
Looking back up the pier
The view to the west
The view to the east
Crescent Beach
Looking north from Crescent Beach toward Vancouver
The hawk family we’ve been observing in Burnaby is getting close to splitting up. The kids are fledged, and while they’re still calling for their parents, we sense they’ll be off not too long from now.
It’s hard to see them with the trees fully leafed out, but we’ve been fortunate to spot them almost daily.
Gosh they are beautiful. And deserving of respect and privacy. So we never hang around or stare for more than a minute or two.
I was out shooting for a photo project today, and as evening approached, I got myself a cold drink and sat down in a public square to ease my feet and back.
As I unwound, an older fellow pushing a four-wheeler came along. He saw me festooned with cameras and began asking questions.
Sigh. . .
Yes, that was my initial reaction, but then I thought, I’m done for the day, what’s it going to hurt to chat for a few minutes.
Wise decision, Paul.
We shook hands and introduced ourselves.
He was a world traveler and raconteur. He was a photography buff, and we began by discussing what made a good photo — good equipment or a good photographer. We agreed on the later. A good start.
We went back in time to the beginnings of photography, and he knew the inventors, and the dates. We talked paper-backed mid-format roll film.
He recommended a few photo shows that he’d seen recently, and panned a couple, too.
Turned out we’d traveled to many of the same places, but a few decades apart. And he’d traveled to lots of interesting places that I’d never been to. It also turned out we’d even done some similar work over the years. This was good!
He asked if I was retired, and I said, no, that I’d been working on a project today. I gave him my business card, and my volunteer streamkeepers card, and his eyes lit up. Turns out he was proud to support environmental causes.
The plaza was taking on a warm orange glow as the sun moved lower in the sky, and he positioned his wheeler, slowly got himself up and behind it, and said he’d better be moving on.
We shook hands again, and he said, “don’t get old, Paul.”
Damn.
Never underestimate your elders.
P.S. Since we’re first-time acquaintances, I’m not going to share his name. But I hope to meet him again some day. . .