I took advantage of the sunny day to look for salmon fry in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, today — and success!
Volunteer streamkeepers were hoping that some eggs in the gravel survived a major kill in the creek on Jan. 25 (see my blog post about the kill here.)
I think these are chum fry.
I had a chance to drop by Royal Roads University where I did my MA in Professional Communication years ago. It was a gorgeous day despite the cold wind.
Hatley Castle
Lagoon and migratory bird sanctuary
Turkey Vulture soaring overhead
I got out for my daily perambulation earlier today than usual. Walked around Taylor Park and Byrne Creek Ravine Park in SE Burnaby, BC.
Birds were getting active on a sunny morning!
This Red-tailed Hawk was hanging around near Taylor Park Elementary. It wouldn’t let me get close enough for a good shot, but I could see that it had what appeared to be a YVR relocation tag. There’s a program to move raptors away from the airport for their, and of course, airplane safety.
I asked around my birder buddies, and several put me in touch with the folks running this program. Thanks!
Steller’s Jay
Steller’s Jay and Northern Flicker
Several Northern Flickers were making their presence known by hammering on street lamps.
Sun coming over the hill at Taylor Park
A few more shots from this morning’s Deer Lake photo walk in Burnaby, BC.
Anna’s Hummingbird
Male and female Bufflehead
I counted at least a dozen Double-crested Cormorants at Deer Lake in Burnaby, BC, this morning.
Amazing citizen presence at Fraser Foreshore Park in #Burnaby, BC, today, speaking out against the City’s plan to turn a significant chunk of park and off-river fish habitat into a waste facility.
It was so cool because none of us knew the others were coming!
There were at least three separate groups who had all been in touch with media. Some coordinating with CityNews, some with CBC TV.
And. . .
We were blessed with circling Bald Eagles, and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks, throughout most of the interviews.
Following up on my previous post about my dismay about hearing that a City of Burnaby staff report recommends removing some 20 acres of parkland to build a composting facility, today I walked the area (as I do several times a month to take wildlife photos.)
UPDATE: it appears to have no special designation. I’m still trying to track down more info on the process in which is was created in the first place. But the signs that have been there for decades certainly point to it being a special place worthy of protection.
Here are some of the signs in the area:
The first two signs are easy to read. They do not appear to allow bulldozers, backhoes, cranes, and cement trucks.
The last sign is harder to read in a small photo so I’ll share a bit here:
“The eastern portion of Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park is a 16 hectare ecological reserve containing a diversity of habitat types which are becoming scarce on the Fraser River. . . The restored estuary and tidal lagoon are part of a salmonid enhancement project to provide ciritical nutrients and habitat for juvenile salmonids, as well as other fish and wildlife species. . .
“The open meadow adjacent to the lagoon is being managed as an ‘old field’ with the mix of grasses providing food and habitat for small mammals. . . These in turn provide prey for raptors such as hawks and owls. . .
Despite a light drizzle and cold breeze, I enjoyed a birding walk at Fraser Foreshore Park in south Burnaby, BC, today.
I like how in this shot this Bald Eagle looks like a grumpy old man with loose trousers : – )
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Steller’s Jay
We hadn’t been down to Centennial Beach in Delta, BC, for some time.
So I made a bento box and put a few oatmeal cookies in a tupper, and we headed down.
It proved to be a lovely day, with birds galore. . .
Bald Eagle in flight
Northern Harrier
Great Blue Heron
That wee nub sticking up about halfway up the rabbit’s eye? That’s Yumi’s reflection!
Raven
Damn they make huge outboards these days!
Yumi scored a couple of tickets from her office to the Vancouver Boat Show, so we started with Granville Island and then made our way to BC Place on the free shuttle.
From left to right: 600hp, 1 PaulPower, 600hp.
