I spent several hours at Iona Beach Regional Park near YVR today. The parking lot was overflowing with people out enjoying a rare sunny day. But you didn’t have to walk far on the trails to find yourself almost completely alone.
Reconciling Driving with Climate Change
I had some errands to run today, and I have to admit that I took the long route. A very long route. Sigh.
Sorry!
Yes, I know, driving is not environmentally sound. I’ve always loved to drive, and did numerous multi-thousand kilometer trips in my teens and early 20s.
When I lived in Saskatchewan I drove to Toronto and Montreal several times to visit family. Also drove to BC to visit family many times.
Back in the mid-80s I got a degree at Carleton University in Ottawa, and did a year of writing at the University of Victoria. Both those adventures entailed long-distance driving – – in opposite directions from Saskatchewan.
And to be honest, I’d like to do a few more road trips as I approach my silver years.
Yukon trip. . . Cross-Canada trip. . .
We have a hybrid vehicle, but there’s still environmental impact. We have friends who have an electric car that they power with solar panels to a great extent. That would be great, but not in our budget now.
Ever since the “stay home” recommendations came into force in BC we’ve stayed within about a 45-minute radius of home, and limit stops and interactions.
Looking forward to more extended road trips if and when restrictions ease. . .
Zero Sympathy for Vacationing Canucks Stuck Abroad
One of my late Mom’s favorite aphorisms was “if you can’t find anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
She was also a brilliant, hard-working professional, and a community activist on issues ranging from education, to human rights, to racism, to inclusiveness, and fulfilling one’s personal capabilities.
And I suspect she’d be finding it very hard to hold her tongue about Covidiots, and deniers, and community safety abusers.
I’m sorry, but I have zero sympathy for Canadians abroad who are now facing tough, expensive, (finally) mandated and not just recommended regulations upon their return to Canada. Those who are whining on a beach somewhere.
If they had heeded public health advice, they would never have left the country for a vacation.
Taking Time to Think and Learn
In this time of fake news, Covid, societal troubles and tribulations, and rampant social media wildness, I remember the words of Ukraine’s greatest poet, Taras Shevchenko, from some 150 years ago:
Учітеся, брати мої!
Думайте, читайте,
Learn, my brothers,
Think, read. . .
Translation mine.
Don’t just mindlessly click. Read and think.
The great thinkers of centuries ago knew that education was key to confronting rampant poverty, and all its accompanying ailments. Not to mention entrenched social stratification.
And that subjugation and exploitation, be it by empires, countries, or soulless businesses, is evil.
Shevchenko was incarcerated for his words by the Russian Empire.
Not much has changed today, eh?
When a dictatorship fears words, they must carry meaning. . .
People in Ukraine, Russia, and beyond, have been subjugated for centuries, let the flowers blossom.
Please, people, take the time to read, think, and learn.
Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby Runs Milky Again
During my pre-lunch south Burnaby ramble, I noticed that Byrne Creek was running milky blue again. I called it in to City of Burnaby Environmental. This has happened several times over the last couple of months. Sigh. . .
UPDATE: Staff traced to construction site. It is illegal to pump out construction sites into street drains without remediation/filtration. Thank you for the swift response, and thanks to others who apparently reported this, too!
All Drains Lead to Habitat!
Birding at Fraser Foreshore Park
Lots of bird viewing opportunities at Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC, today.
Northern Flicker
Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Hairy Woodpecker?
Bufflehead couple
Fraser Foreshore Late Light
Rich colours at Fraser Foreshore Park in south Burnaby late this afternoon.
Gull Plays With Golf Ball at Piper Spit, Burnaby
Gull playing with golf ball at Piper Spit on Burnaby Lake in Burnaby, BC.
At first I thought it might have mistaken the golf ball for shellfish, and was trying to crack it open, but after observing for awhile, I think it was just having fun.
It would drop it and try to catch it again in mid-air.
The sad thing is there were dozens of golf balls in the shallows to the east of the spit.
Could they be washing down Eagle Creek all the way from Burnaby Mountain Golf Course?
Birding at Burnaby Lake
There’s always lots of action at Piper Spit on Burnaby Lake. And lots of people out enjoying the sunshine.
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Mallard
Mandarin Duck
Northern Pintail
Wood Duck
Scaup
Scaup
Hairy Woodpecker
Spotted Towhee
Unfortunately we found another dead Pine Siskin. Samonellosis is spreading among these cute wee birds. Yumi picked it up using some sticks so as not to touch it, and buried it, hopefully to help contain the spread.
Robert Burnaby Park Forest Sculptures
We had a blast wandering Robert Burnaby Park in Burnaby, BC, today searching for the forest sculptures created by Vancouver artist Nickie Lewis.
UPDATE (2/2): This was not approved by Burnaby Parks. While entertaining, and getting folks out into nature, there are also drawbacks like habitat denigration, erosion, etc.
Apparently the artist was planning to do more of these in other Burnaby parks, including Byrne Creek Ravine Park, where I’ve volunteered as a streamkeeper for over 20 years. Byrne Creek Ravine Park has a very fragile riparian zone, and attracting hundreds of people to trample through it would be disastrous.
When I heard this, I contacted Burnaby Parks, and was assured that they are aware, and have contacted the artist who has agreed to stop these activities.
Yes, I have to admit we enjoyed exploring Robert Burnaby Park, but upon further thought, it’s best to try to maintain what little urban biodiversity that we have left. . .