Afternoon Tea for two

Last winter, my co-workers won a free afternoon tea for two at Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Vancouver, it expires in November, so today my mother and I went there for tea (because my parents are visiting Taiwan tomorrow for a month or two).

We had a brunch beforehand and the afternoon tea was delicious. Lots of tasty pastries and sandwiches. Yum!

Heron and Cats

I biked to Finn Slough again in this cloudy weather, and saw this heron in the ditch, and when it flew to the next section of the ditch, you could see all the frogs hiding in the grasses jumping into the water for cover.

Biking along the railway tracks

The rain stopped and blue sky appeared today. Time to grab my bike, leave the computer, and go out for a much needed break.

I slowly biked to South Dyke. Once I got there, I headed towards Finn Slough and spotted a couple juvenile Cedar Waxwings eating the fruits (of what?).

Another bike ride to Terra Nova

The weather was so nice today that another long bike ride is a must to Terra Nova. A lot of people were out today too to enjoy the sunshine.

Lots of Yellowlegs resting on the logs in Steveston.

Wind sailing.

Photo of the day: Pacific Treefrog

Today I biked all the way to Terra Nova and back. It feels weird seeing this area still in its summer clothes - green and bright colours, while the autumnal equinox is coming in just 3 days. As I was biking past the Terra Nova Natural Area (and noticing its new signs), I saw a Woolly Bearer on the ground, some kind of warbler, and a tiny stranger looking at me through the needle leaves.

It was a Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)! Lifer! Too bad it disappeared while I was trying to get a photo of its dorsal.
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Day trip to North and West Vancouver

Today, my family and some family friends went to North Vancouver to do some sight-seeing.

Our first stop was the Capilano Salmon Hatchery. We saw a lot of salmons trying to swimming upstream to get to their destinations. Definitely a group of species that deserves to be admired and protected.

My mother said the "fall" is quite loud. I said Niagara Falls is definitely a thousand times louder than this.

Mist over the Capilano River. The mist added a sense of mystique to the river.

[Video] LCBO Enviro Report - Shrike Recovery Project

This video was done a few years ago, but this was my job/home this summer and I miss it very much.

Same species, same care, but still endangered.

The video is from this website: http://www.lcbo.com/socialresponsibility/enviroreport/
More information about the efforts trying to save the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike: http://www.wildlifepreservation.ca/wildlife/shrike.php
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Sky-watching and Mount Baker

Didn't go out the last two days because of the rain and working to find a job/grad school supervisors on-line.

Drove my mom to Steveston to find some wall art to hang up in our new home, but we didn't see any. Then we did some grocery shopping and borrowing books from the library.

On the way back...

Sky-watch


Mount Baker


Mt. Baker close-up, almost as beautiful as Mount Fuji.

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Biked to Steveston again

Biked to the South Dyke Trail before the rain came. Still a lot of salmons in the river, I guess this seal was having a feast.

Proximity to Finn Slough

Today I just realized how close Finn Slough is to where I live. Life is certainly going to be interesting from now on.

Really like the sign and the writings.

I rode my bike to here, so it was a bit awkward to bring it across the bridge. Maybe I will remember to bring a lock next time. This time, I didn't cross the bridge. [I always hesitate when crossing the unsecured wood boards.]

Salmons in Steveston

I drove my mother to Steveston this afternoon to see the salmons.

Salmon jumping out of the river.

My home (range)

Today's weather was so nice that I biked from my house to the South Dyke Trail, to Steveston, then to my old West Dyke Trail.

Ship and Wind Waves

Painted Turtles enjoying the Sun

South Dyke Trail

My new home is now very close to South Arm Park. The weather was quite nice today, so I took my bike and explored the neighbourhood a bit. Afterwards, I slowly biked towards the Steveston along the No. 3 Road. I found out that I am fairly close to the south dyke, so it will probably be the place that I frequently visit from now on.

New view towards the North Shore Mountains.

Back in B.C. & new home & walking along Lake Ontario

I landed in Richmond early yesterday morning (just after midnight). My family bought a home in Richmond when I was away in Ontario, and so it was my first time seeing the new home. It's nice, still in Richmond, but now I live right across from a shopping centre and no longer within a easy biking distance to the dyke, so I will have to figure something out in the coming days to keep me from being deprived of my doses of nature-watching.

Yesterday, though, I drove my mom to Terra Nova and walked around the share farm. Lots of flowers!

Royal Ontario Museum & Toronto Zoo

My friend and I visited the Royal Ontario Museum two days ago. It's a great place to visit as a tourist, plus the building from the outside looks absolutley ridiculous, but keep in mind that it is quite impossible to tour the entire museum in one day, so pick your exhibits wisely.

One of the Chinese art pieces that I really like - from the 7th century, Three Kingdoms Period.

Yesterday, I visited the Toronto Zoo by myself. Having spent some time in Taipei Zoo and working behind the scene and along side zookeepers and vets, as well as taking care of animals this summer, I began to view the zoo from a different perspective. I no longer looked at it as a place of just animals in display, but looking at the behaviors of the captive animals, the enclosure set-ups, and sometimes peeking behind the back to see the work areas of the zookeepers.

As always, here are some photos to share. I tried avoiding taking them in their enclosures (omitting or cropping out the wires or fences) and focusing on the animal's behaviors or reactions in their captive environment. Yesterday's weather was nice and cool, with some downpours here and there, so the animals were either sheltering from the rain or taking a nap when the sun came out.

Polar Bear

Carden memories come to an end & Niagara Falls

My summer field season concluded yesterday. I am now in my friend's home in Ontario before I fly back to B.C. on Saturday. There are many memories, photos, thoughts, emotions, and experiences from the last 4.5 months that I would like to share, but now they remain unorganized in my head. Hopefully, I will be able to share them as time progresses.

Here are some photos from the last few days on the field site and last boat rides on Lake Dalrymple.

Orange Sulphurs enjoying the salts on the road.

A juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird posing for the camera.