I spent about two hours this afternoon stalking salmon fry in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC. I saw dozens of wee coho throughout the areas that I checked. So nice to have confirmation that coho spawned successfully in this urban creek last autumn, and that their eggs are hatching out.
There were several dozen fry hanging in a pool under this log in the lower ravine. There were also four or five smolt-size fish there too, either coho yearlings or resident cutthroat trout. I didn’t see them eat any fry while I was there, but I have observed that in other years.
As usual, streamkeepers will have an alternate registration site from 9:45am on Sat. May 2 in the parking lot of the Edmonds Skytrain Station, and we will clean the area around the station and in upper Byrne Creek Ravine Park.
We will join in the noon-hour lunch and festivities at Gordon Presbyterian on Edmonds St.
We followed up the Centennial Beach visit with a walk along the dyke at Boundary Bay. I heard killdeer, and soon we saw an amorous couple frolicking before mating.
Beauty!
Displaying before a prospective mate
Easing in a little closer
Male jumps on female’s back
It appeared that only a few seconds is all it takes. They repeated this courtship and mounting a couple of times.
Yumi and I saw dozens of fry in Byrne Creek this afternoon. Lots between the eroded area and the wooden footbridge in the lower ravine, and some further downstream of the bridge. Yumi thought coho due to stripes on anal fins.
It’s great to see a new generation of salmon hatching out in this urban creek!
Spring has sprung in SE Burnaby. These shots were all taken of trees in our townhouse complex on my way home from touring some elementary school kids on Byrne Creek.
I am by no means an avid fisherman, but I enjoy hiking, camping, nature photography, streamkeeping and other outdoor activities, so I like having the proper licences if the opportunity arises to wet a line. I have a couple of inexpensive rods and reels, and a small tackle box with an assortment of enough lures and accessories to be suited to most fishing in western Canada.
I have a cousin who loves fishing, and I’m always learning when I go out with him.
I have store-bought canned fish in the cupboard and frozen fish in the freezer, so I figure if I’m eating fish I might as well kill some myself. It’s a reminder that cans and plastic wrap do not insulate us from nature, though nowadays lots of folks have no idea where their food comes from.
I spent about two hours this afternoon stalking salmon fry in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC. I saw dozens of wee coho throughout the areas that I checked. So nice to have confirmation that coho spawned successfully in this urban creek last autumn, and that their eggs are hatching out.
