Reifel Bird Sanctuary, May 1, 2021

The sun was out and the birds were in abundance.

Crowd restrictions meant we went surprisingly long stretches without seeing anyone else, so it felt very tranquil at times. Except for the constant honking of geese in the distance.

The gallery:

The moon and other night objects

I was out completing my rings tonight when I turned around on Sherbrooke Street and saw a fat full moon hanging low in the sky, just as the sun was going down. I went back to the condo, grabbed my camera…and found the battery was dead. But I had a backup battery and it worked. Yay for planning.

Here are three shots, of the full moon, the upper floors of the new hospital building next door, and the mega-crane that has been installed for the pending construction of the next hospital building, along with other nearby objects.

Flower time

A few flowers along the Brunette River. Technicially one is considered a weed–but an edible weed!

I’m actually kind of considering getting a macro lens for my camera, though I have to admit the iPhone 12 does a pretty nice job on these close-ups.

A few birds at Serpentine Fen

What the title says. I went there yesterday with Nic and given the unexpectedly warm and sunny conditions, we both got sunburned. But I also got a few decent pics. Here are a few bird-flavored ones.

A bald eagle flying high overhead just as we started out
A cormorant stretching its wings. It stayed frozen, statue-like, the entire time we walked by.
Great blue heron looking out across the river

American coot eating grass and being weird

A few photos from Terra Nova

Yesterday Nic and I went to Terra Nova in Richmond to take pictures of birbs. Here is the experience in list form:

  • It was relatively mild, temperature-wise, at 9C, but the wind was whipping full force, and it made it feel like about -30C or something. My hands would turn freezing after taking just a few pictures.
  • I did not take a lot of pictures
  • The photos I did take of birds were nearly 100% out of focus. sometimes the branches the bird was sitting in would be in focus, sometimes nothing would be. This was kind of annoying.
  • I got a few decent scenery images, which can be seen below
Taken with Canon EOS M50
Taken with iPhone 12

Some shots from the Fraser River

Nic and I hobbled down to the Fraser yesterday and got some shots in before the weather turned (currently a rainfall warning is in effect for the next day). I should also point out that only I hobbled, as Nic’s feet are both working normally and mine are not (more on that in another post).

Photos!

Patullo Bridge, SkyBridge and rail bridge at sunset
Tugboat doing what tugboats do
Ghost by the river bank
Freaky foliage
Golden light and still water