I came across this beauty at the pond just west of the Byrne Creek outfall in Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC. this morning.
I was at the edge of the pond looking for dragonflies when I caught some motion from the corner of my eye and turned to find the garter snake coming down the slope toward me.
I actually had to back up to get this shot as I had Big Bertha (Tamron 150-600 zoom) on my camera and couldn’t focus that close.
Odd for these very shy, harmless snakes to “approach” you, and then I realized it was just trying to get to the closest cover.
The sediment trap on Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby was cleaned out today. Thanks to the volunteers who came out to help salvage coho, trout, lamprey, and crayfish!
The trap is cleaned out every two years as it fills with sediment. It’s meant to keep the artificial spawning channel in the habitat from filling up too quickly.
We had a Cooper’s Hawk and a Great Blue Heron come by to supervise for awhile.
Thanks to Aquaterra and City of Burnaby staff for doing the netting and heavy lifting while streamkeeper volunteers ran the bucket brigade.
Today’s ramble was in Mundy Park in Coquitlam, BC. Looks like there’s an invasive American Bullfrog problem. . . Then again, where aren’t they in the lower mainland now?
We enjoyed the colours of the garden at the Historic Stewart Farm in south Surrey, BC, this afternoon, and spotted a House Finch enjoying blackberries.
As I was nearing home from a Byrne Creek walk in SE Burnaby, BC, I spotted this Northern Flicker on the fence at the ball diamond. It was a bit skittish, fluttering down the fence, but I got close enough to get this shot with my pocket camera.
