Pink Salmon duking it out for spawning rights on the Cheakamus River near Squamish. Also a Turkey Vulture chowing down on a Pink near the west end of Lillooet Lake.
Monthly Archives: September 2021
Byrne Creek Bug Count in Burnaby
Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society volunteers conducted an aquatic invertebrate survey (bug count) on Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, today.
Bugs give us an indication of water quality because some are more pollution tolerant than others. Our surveys over many years have steadily found mostly pollution tollerant species, and they also tend to be small in size compared to more pristine creeks.
As usual, our results were in the poor to marginal range using the methodology in The Streamkeepers Handbook and Modules.
The creek gets a lot of road wash that carries contimanants down street drains, and we also get point-source pollution events when deleterious substances are emptied into street drains, or when construction sites are illegally pumped out.
Please rember that All Drains Lead to Fish Habitat!
The new shelter near the wading pool in Ron McLean Park proved to be a great place to count the bugs and enter the results on data sheets.
Fish Trapping on Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC
Byrne Creek Streamkeepers volunteers set out Gee traps in the creek yesterday and came back this morning to see what we got. Trapping requires a permit. Today’s results included coho salmon, cutthroat trout, and crayfish.
It was a lovely morning to be out on the creek, and we were happy to be able to get the trapping, IDing, measuring, and releasing done before spawners start to retun to the creek.
We usually do this activity earlier in the year, but were advised to postpone it because it was so hot this summer that the fish were already stressed.
It was also great to chat with folks who came by, and explain what we were doing!
Midori the Turtle Asks for a Cuddle
So we’re zoned out late afternoon, watching a travel doc on TV Japan, when Midori the Turtle ambles over to my recliner and looks up at me.
Cuddle?
Yes, please, Daddy.
A few minutes of warmth and she fell asleep. . . 
She’s been slowing down a bit the last while — we’ve been caring for her for some 27 years. . .
Leading Byrne Creek Tour on Rivers Day
I’m leading a tour of Byrne Creek and talking about the salmon life cycle and volunteer streamkeeper activities on Rivers Day, Sept. 26.
This is a City of Burnaby event and there are a few spots left through the Burnaby Parks and Recreation Webreg system.
We will also be doing an entire watershed tour for new members of our society (and interested veterans : – ) later this fall.
Nikkei Mini Matsuri in Burnaby
We took in the Mini Matsuri (festival) at Nikkei Place in Burnaby, BC, today. It was scaled down due to Covid, but it was still a lot of fun. Great food, displays, and entertainment.
Let’s move on to the food!
Yumi and I split an Okonomi Japadog, split an order of shrimp takoyaki, had one sweet red bean taiyaki each, and split an order of gyoza.
Don’t think we’ll need to cook any dinner today! 
Red-Tailed Hawk in Burnaby
I rambled Fraser Foreshore Park in SE Burnaby, BC, for about two hours this morning. The highlight was hearing the screech of a raptor and looking up to see this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk circling overhead.
Pre-Dinner Walk with Owl, Jay, Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker, Barred Owl, Steller’s Jay on our Byrne Creek Ravine pre-dinner walk in SE Burnaby, BC.
I always end up kicking myself for not bringing a DSLR as my pocket camera does not do well in falling light. . . But sometimes you just want to get a power walk in, and get sidetracked .
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Pileated Woodpecker
Barred Owl
Steller’s Jay
So How Often Do I Wear a Tie?
An example of my sartorial style — ties not so much .
This caught my eye today as I was hanging some shirts in my closet.
A tie with a dry cleaning tag from my years working in Tokyo.
We moved to Canada over 20 years ago!
