Burnaby Lake, March 26, 2022

Apart from a few light showers here and there, the weather held up and the light was actually pretty good for a cloudy day.

Here are a few photos I took.

Northern pintail x2
Coot under good lighting to catch every weird detail
Mountain bluebird. First time I’ve seen one, woo!
Mountain bluebird couple hanging in the drizzle.
I was wondering if I would see a goose going berserk. I was not disappointed.
Sandhill cranes grazing and keeping clear of that goose.
Piper Spit
Looking down Still Creek

Campbell Valley Regional Park, Saturday, March 5, 2022

First, a few observations about the park in list form:

  • It’s very big
  • The perimeter trail has little to see and is near enough to the roads that the buzz of traffic is a distraction
  • It’s apparently prone to flooding and unsafe conditions. I wanted to check out the abandoned Langley Speedway, but the trails approaching it from the north and south were a) closed due to unsafe conditions on the boardwalk and b) flooded. We could have braved the flooded side, as a few branches and logs had been placed to make it passable, but it was getting late and we didn’t feel like dealing with getting our toes wet at that point.
  • Horses! We saw horses, as they can ride on some of the trails.
  • Bikes! We saw a few bikes, as they are allowed on the perimeter trail (another reason to avoid, perhaps).
  • Birds! They tended to be clustered in a few areas and while there weren’t oodles of them, there were enough to make the trip out not be a bust
  • “Patriots”! A bunch of yahoos were gathered at an intersection near to the park and were waving flags and crying about having no freedom boo hoo because sometimes you’re required to wear a mask to keep yourself from infecting others (or getting infected) with a highly contagious virus that has killed millions of people. Meanwhile, Russia has invaded Ukraine because Putin is a bloodthirsty psychopath and maybe Ukrainians have more concerns about actual freedom than the idiots waving their stupid signs and annoying motorists.

Anyway, the weather was nice and I got some shots. Here are a few!

This squirrel’s belly fur freakily lines up with the railing it’s standing on
This is where we turned back, our hopes of seeing the speedway dashed. Others were more willing to risk getting a bit damp.
Junco giving me the eye
Evergreens providing a splash of color amongst the yellow and brown
Chickadee hanging out
Spotted towhee with those red, red eyes
Mallard apparently swimming by herself

Photos from Stanley Park, Saturday February 12, 2022

A perfunctory title. Here are a few images I took on Saturday.

The surf at English Bay
Pair of bald eagles flying near English Bay
Seagull with things to say
Chestnut-backed chickadee near Beaver Lake
Wood duck address at Lost Lagoon
Seaplane taking off in the harbor. The HA on the tail wing amuses me.
The barge. A plan to remove it has been made. When it will happen is another question.
Ships in the bay
Light and shadow on the seawall

Photo of the Day: More snow!

We got another decent dump of snow last night and everything looks fresh and pretty again. I neither have to drive in it nor shovel it, so I don’t mind snow too much these days.

In fact, I went for a walk all the way to Burnaby Lake this afternoon, to get some fresh (if chilly) air and a few pics. I actually saw one person jogging on the river trail. I mean, sure, you can do it, but this is why I got a treadmill. Another guy was riding a bike, but was cheating because he had an electric bike with those silly fat tires. There were a fair number of people out, especially for midday during the week. I assume a lot of people have time off between Christmas and New Year’s.

Here are some photos, all taken with my phone, since I didn’t feel like lugging my camera and accessories out across the frozen tundra. It’s too bad HDR wasn’t more common, the originals on my iPhone 12 look awesome where there’s some dramatic light to provide contrast, such as in the first pic below.

Burnaby Lake, now part Popsicle.
View from Cariboo Dam, Burnaby Lake. Probably not safe for skating, unless you are a duck.
Brunette River in early afternoon sun.
Snow, water, sky. Plus more snow.
Happy pail!
My feet, well-protected by my booties.