Holiday season in downtown Ottawa

People who have followed my blog for a while will know that I like to photograph Christmas decorations and lights during this time of the year.  In previous years, I usually fly back to BC at this time of the year, but this year, I will be spending my time here in Ontario and getting ready for my Ph.D and working on my manuscripts.

Nonetheless, I still keep an eye out for place with interesting Christmas decorations and lights, and this particular blog provides excellent information and images for such a thing.  I left my office this afternoon and headed towards Parliament Hill to take some photos.

I was a bit early so it was not dark yet.

After-dinner stroll around home

While my mother was preparing dinner, she found two snails in the yam leaves.  She passed them on to me to take some photos before releasing them.

Good birding day to start off February

Another sunny day today for me to go out and enjoy the bike ride to the dyke. Even though I don't bike that often now to the West Dyke Trail, you can definitely see and hear the Red-winged Blackbirds coming back and getting ready to claim their territories.

All the bird feeders along the trail are dominated by these blackbirds, except when I get near and start to take pictures, then they flew away and the other smaller birds start to take over.

A couple of Downy Woodpeckers enjoy the food as well. Now that I looked at the feeder again, the drawing outside is quite beautiful.

Have a Merry One!

No snow here in Richmond, instead we have been having gray clouds and rain for the last three days now.

My family doesn't really celebrate Christmas, but to those does, have a merry one!

Cheers!

Gloomy day brightened by special X'mas gift (thanks to The Frog Bag)

Two days into winter but still no signs of snow for the rest of the year, I think.

Today, I went to UBC to take care of some business, i.e. print some documents for my grad studies application, download and print my/our research paper that was published a few weeks ago and do more literature searching regarding pollinators.

Every time I come back to UBC, it is guaranteed that I will see another construction taking place on campus. One of the many reasons that UBC frustrates me so much.

Flock of Coots, Ho Ho Ho House and Moon watch

I had quite a busy afternoon today. First up, biking to the dyke.

Nice weather today.

Resting heron.

Yaletown Night Light

Yesterday evening was our office holiday dinner/party at a restaurant in Yaletown. It was a strange choice of having it on a Friday because I was exhausted from working in the morning. Nevertheless, the food was delicious and I had a good time.

There was some free time between getting off work and attending the dinner, so I wondered around the waterfront in Yaletown and took some night photos. I didn't bring my tripod, so I stabilized my camera on whatever steady surface I could find.

Decrease the aperature (i.e. increasing the f number) to get the light rays I was hoping for.

Photographic post & Rainbow at the end of the day.

Such a cloudy day today.

Look at that cloud cover! Thank goodness it was retreating.

Sky slowly clearing.

Birding on the dyke & Christmas Houses watching

This afternoon, I biked to the dyke again. And there was the Northern Harrier far far away.

A female Northern Flicker perched on the branch among crows.

Sky-watch. These were taken as I biked southward first towards Steveston.

Then it was time to turn around and head for Terra Nova.

I spotted an unusual bird hiding in the bushes on the borders of the golf course. It was a Wilson's Snipe! It was feeding at first, but after it saw me watching it, it went into a freezing and hiding mode. Not effective, but I got the idea that it doesn't like to be watched. So I leave it alone.

The view as the sun slowly sets

A female Mallard crossed the trail looking for her friends and partner on the other side of the ditch. It then flew, jumped, tumbled, and walked in front of me to get to her friends.

Watching the sun set.


Watching the moon rise.

In the evening, my parents and I walked (and drove) to several houses in west Richmond enjoying the Christmas displays people set up in front of their houses.

This "Ho Ho Ho" house (on Garry Street) is probably the most impressive one.

Christmas lights also give me a change to practice one of the photography techniques I always wanted to try out - bokeh.

Original.

Bokeh style!

Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Disappointing weekend...

Ah! I didn't go out as much as I promised (and hoped) this weekend. Bummer! Well, yesterday was the office dinner party in Kitslano but it was cloudy and so I just arrived at the restaurant on time. The party itself was great - good food, good people, good atmosphere. It's going to be a sad farewell again when my work concludes.

I took this night shot as I left the party near midnight and crossed the Burrard bridge and to Downtown (for transit). I got home near 2:00-am...a bit drunk, and probably reek of holiday cheers.

The snow finally arrived today - just like the same time last year!! But the timing was terrible because I was looking forward to visit my long-time-no-see friends in Downtown today, but had cancel it. So I stayed home getting some more sleep and continued working on my scientific report (yep, still writing/editing).

That's all I did this weekend. Hope next week is better....

365 days ago (2008-12-13) ...
364 days ago (2008-12-14) ...
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Beautiful Night with silver X'mas tree, Downtown photo, Blurry train, and (almost) full moon

After yesterday's experience with night photography and long exposure shots. I decided to bring my tripod to work today and hope to use it after work.

Yesterday as I was heading towards Sky Train, there was an celebration outside the Robson Square Ice Rink. It all looked very exciting and fun but since I was in a hurry I only stopped for a few quick snaps of photos. Today, I went back and with my tripod, I took more photos of the ice rink, people skating, and of course, this enchanting silver X'mas tree!

I like it!

Robson Square with Downtown Vancouver as the backdrop. Very pretty.

Inside the station, I couldn't help but take another long exposure shot of the sky train arriving! I always wanted to take a good photo of this - with blurry train and still people. Another reason I like this picture is because of this stranger (who was also holding a camera on a tripod). Great mind think alike, no?

Another shot of the moon as I get home. No more full moon, but still pretty close.

365 days ago (2008-12-02) - Lychee tree in Vancouver? ...
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Great way to start off December - beautiful sunny day & full moon

With the high pressure system arriving here in coastal BC, the weather will be perfect to start off December! What a change from the miserable (and soon forgotten) November!

Morning Sun

Glaucous Gull - I like its feet very much, especially with the black claws hanging over the edge.

Two Gulls

During lunch break, I had a little time to spend, so I went outside and enjoyed the sunshine and beautiful blue sky.

Views to the snow-capped mountains

Cormorant drying itself

A lady was feeding the gulls, causing a feeding frenzy. From the chaotic mess, I managed to take a shot of the gull in flight!

In the afternoon, I had to go outside and pick up somethings for work. By then, the sun was almost set and Downtown Vancouver was in a festive atmosphere.

Harbour Centre looking like an ice cream cone or something.

I took this shot at Four Seasons Hotel. Long exposure and moved my hands around resulted in this interesting photo. Unfortunately, I have no idea what's the proper orientation of this image anymore.

This was from Sutton Place Hotel. It looked like beautiful golden drapes or something. I am starting to like night photography and long exposure shots!

And finally, the whole purpose of today - to take a picture of the full moon of 2009-12-01!

365 days ago (2008-12-01) - Testing Flickr ...
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