Category Archives: Nature

Nature, Photography

Snow Day in Burnaby, BC — Cold Birds

That’s been quite the snow here in Burnaby, BC.

A few shots of the accumulation on our balcony and on the sidewalks in our townouse complex. I’ve shoveled for over an hour today arleady.

The birds are feeling it, too. We have two hummingbird feeders and alternate them as they start to freeze. This wee Anna’s Hummingbired looked very cold, and there was also an American Robin outside our front door all puffed up trying to stay warm.

Anna's Hummingbird in the cold in Burnaby, BC

Ameraican Robin puffed up against the cold in Burnaby, BC

Varied Thrush in the snow Burnaby BC
And a Varied Thrush

early morning balcony snow
What we woke up to on our balcony

36cm of snow on balcony Burnaby BC
36cm of snow on our patio table

shovelling the walk in burnaby bc
Clearing the snow from the walks

Nature, Photography

Disturbing Number of Dead Crows in Burnaby, BC

While walking along the Central Valley Greenway in Burnaby, BC, today, I came across at least a dozen dead crows. It was disconcerting.

I called Wildlife Rescue and they referred me to the BC Wild Bird Mortality Investigation program. I also reported it to City of Burnaby Parks.

dead crows burnaby bc

I searched a bit online and came across this story of unusual numbers of dead crows in eastern Canada.

UPDATE: My interview with CBC Radio’s Gloria Macarenko.

UPDATE (Dec. 16): Environment Canada says tests show Avian Influenza

Business, Nature, Photography

My 2023 Birds of BC Wildlife Calendar

Here’s my first venture into making and selling a calendar to support my photography.

Northern Harrier, Great Blue Heron, Cooper’s Hawk, Bald Eagle, Barn Owl, Anna’s Hummingbird, Baby Barred Owl, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Pileated Woodpecker, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Cedar Waxwing.

Birds of BC 2023 Wildlife Calendar

The printing – ordering – shipping site is in the US. I’ll try to find a Canadian supplier as well.

 

Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Super Salmon Spawner Patrol on Byrne Creek in Burnaby

Had my best spawner patrol of the year so far on Byrne Creek, with a total of 6 live Coho and  1 live Chum salmon. I also processed (species, sex, length, spawning status) 5 dead Coho and 1 dead Chum.

I also got to watch a pair of Coho spawning. They tend to by shy, and I don’t get to see this that often!

Some photos and a video:

chum coho spawning byrne creek burnaby bc
Chum


Coho


Four Coho and a Chum ready for processing


Coho


Coho at the gate in the sediment trap

Video of Coho spawning in the lower ravine:

NOTE: Volunteer Streamkeepers have training and permission to monitor spawning salmon, and to process them after they die. We cut carcasses in half after we’ve gathered the data so that we know they’ve been assessed, and return them to the stream to provide nutrients to the ecosystem.