There were some lovely colors on my ravine ramble in south Burnaby, BC, today.
All posts by Paul Cipywnyk
Finding Yummy Ways to Eat the Halloween Pumpkin
Yumi cooked the Halloween pumpkin but it was pretty soggy and tasteless. I’ve never liked pumpkin pie, but I love banana bread, so . . .
Found a pumpkin bread recipe and it’s delish! Threw in half a cup of oatmeal and several tablespoons of roasted pumkin seeds.
Oh, yeah, I also used a couple of cups of the cooked pumpkin in a scalloped potato dish, and that’s good, too.
Sora the Cat Being Too Cute
Earlier today I came across Sora the Cat occupying my office chair.
You want to work, Daddy? You’ll have to deal with my super-cuteness first. . . : – )
Volunteers Spot Chum Salmon on Byrne Creek, Burnaby
It’s been a late start to the Chum salmon spawning season on Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC, and numbers are far below usual. Apparently Chum returns in lower mainland Fraser River watershed creeks are critically low.
Byrne Creek Streamkeeper volunteers were happy to spot three Chum in the creek today. Here’s a short video of a pair hiding.
Byrne Creek Patrol for Spawning Salmon in Burnaby
Volunteers processed one dead Chum male, saw two live Chum females, and noted two redds (nests of eggs in the gravel/cobble) on a spawner patrol today.
Chum numbers are very low this year.
Volunteers have training and permission to process dead salmon for species, size, and spawning status.
This chum female was just downstream of the footbridge in the lower ravine
Same fish viewed from the bridge
A big male chum
It can be tough getting at dead fish at times!
Sunny Skies at Historic Stewart Farm
I had some errands to run and managed to incorporate a quick stop at the Historic Stewart Farm in south Surrey, BC. It’s one of my favourite place to photograph wildlife, but I only had time to stroll the farm for a few minutes today.
Hawk Attacks Squirrel at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby
Cooper’s Hawk trying to catch an Eastern Grey Squirrel at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC, this morning. The hawk dove a couple of times but the squirrel got away.
(Correct: I’d previously posted that I thought this was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, but now have a “Research Grade” confirmation from iNaturalist of a Cooper’s.)
Enjoying Autumn Colors on Byrne Creek Walks
I got out today for a Byrne Creek ravine walk in Burnaby, BC, before the rain hit. The colors are gorgeous though many leaves are already on the ground.
Bald Eagles, Hawks at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC
Bald Eagles were adding sticks to two existing nests at Fraser Foreshore Park in south Burnaby, BC, today. There were also several hawks.
Balancing on left talon while right talon carries a stick
Chum Salmon Spotted Returning to Spawn in Byrne Creek in Burnaby
The Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society had a tour of the creek in SE Burnaby, BC, today to orient new volunteers to monitoring spawning salmon.
We had a great turnout, lovely weather, and YAY, saw a male and a female chum salmon. The fish have been late this year, to the point that we were getting concerned if they’d show at all . . .
Here are a few photos and a short video.