Birding at Richmond Nature Park

Yesterday I went to downtown Vancouver with my mother to get Compass Cards for public transportation.  While we were waiting to cross the street in Chinatown, I was shoved to the ground from behind by a random drunk/addict walking by.  I don't come to downtown Vancouver often, but for whatever reason, I always left with a bad taste for this part of the city whenever I do come.

After the incident, we took the sea bus to North Vancouver just to get away from Vancouver.

First (bird-watching) day of 2016

I drove to Steveston with my mother today for an afternoon walk.  We stopped at a couple of places to do some bird-watching.

I miss this view.

Last (bird-watching) day of 2015

I was hoping to do more nature-related things when I came back home, but various tasks took place and I ended up not bird-watching until this morning when I drove my mother to the library to borrow some books and then went to Terra Nova for a walk.

I miss this view.  You can't see mountains and ocean (sort of) in the same view back in Ottawa.

Return back to Ottawa & receiving my new camera - Olympus E-M1

I flew out of Vancouver on Monday night and arrived at Ottawa after midnight on Tuesday.

 

Goodbye, Richmond.

Birds saw in Richmond

Aside from working from home most of this week, I went out twice to do some bird-watching and six times to dine out.  Here are the birds we saw on Thursday (at Terra Nova) and Saturday (at Richmond Nature Park).

Terra Nova

The only Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) I saw this trip.

Getting a taste of spring in BC

While most parts of Canada are under deep snow and freezing temperatures, the west coast has been experiencing springlike conditions.  My mother and I went for a drive/walk to West Dyke Trail this morning to do some bird-watching.

View from West Dyke Trail with Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) scattered across the land.  I took this image with my new phone (Xiaomi HM Note 1W) which has pretty good camera capability (13 megapixels).

Went back to BC for 10 days

I went back to BC for reading week from Oct 11th to 20th.  Aside from going out twice nature-watching and five times for food, I spent most of my time indoors working.  Such is the life of a busy PhD student.

On the second day back, I went to Richmond's Sharing Farm for an hour or two with my mother.  The sky was cloudy and cool temperature - typical Vancouver.

Dew

Taking a break in BC

I was hoping to do some outdoor activities while I was back in BC last week but work took priority.  I only went out once to West Dyke Trail with my mother to do some bird-watching.

We were hoping to see the eagles in their nest but no luck.

Taking a short break back at home (BC)

Four days has already passed since I returned back to BC.  Aside from working on my thesis and preparing for upcoming workshop and presentation, I also had other things to do here in BC.

After I arrived on Wednesday morning, I first went out to get a haircut and had my passport photo taken.  And then on Thursday, I went to Taipei Economic and Cultural Office at downtown Vancouver to renew my Taiwanese passport.

The plants in our porch have grown quite well this summer, and my mother wanted me to document all the flowering and fruiting plants.

After dinner, my mother also showed me some of the flowering plants growing around our apartment.

Rare sunny break = bike to south dyke

The sun made a brief appearance this afternoon, and I used this opportunity to go out and exercise for a bit by biking to the dyke.

 

Sun was getting to set as I arrived (just after 3 pm).

But now no more...

Drove my mom to the library today to get some books.  Afterwards we went to Terra Nova for a walk.

After learning about the passing of my friend, I just can't stop thinking about it.  I kept thinking that this is all just a bad joke or a dream, but then I would realize it's the truth and I need to accept that.  I would then think about her family and friends, and how happy they probably were when they know she was going back home early for Christmas, but now no more.

My friend loved all forms of life and was very passionate about conservation and sustainability.  She was definitely someone who was going to make positive impacts in others' lives, but now no more.

My friend, now no more.

My heart now also goes out to the families of the victims of the Newtown shooting.  The world is feeling very grim lately.

Wordless Sunday - Leaf Vein

Photo taken with the Raynox adapter of a leaf outside our porch. 

Photographic Post - Flowers at London Heritage Farm

Out at the London Heritage Farm on this hot afternoon looking for wildlife and photographing flowers.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Drone Honey Bee

Found a dead honey bee on the sidewalk yesterday when I was heading out to city centre to get a haircut.  However, it was not the more common female workers, but a male drone honey bee.  I am not sure why it died - maybe it was too hot or maybe he had done his part of passing his genes onto the future.

After the haircut, I brought the honeybee back home to pin it and take some photos.

Interesting specimen

From this photo, you can see the drone has extremely large compound eyes, relative to the female workers, and his feeding proboscis is inconspicuous and small.  Not seen from this photo, but drones also lack the stinger because their sole function in the society is to mate.

Five more sleeps in Richmond before flying back to Ontario...

Wordless Wednesday - Biked to Phoenix Pond & Finn Slough

Pair of Yellowlegs

Pollinators Drinking Nectar

Another day hanging around the community garden hoping to see and photograph the hummingbird.  The hummingbirds were nowhere to be found and so I decided to photograph the pollinators instead.  Looking through the photos made me realize how different the feeding methods are for all of these creatures.

Skipper with its long proboscis.

Baby animals at Minoru Park

My mother and I went to Minoru Lake Park after dropping my father off at work.  Walking towards the park, we saw many Japanese student-visitors taking photos of a Grey squirrel.  I guess I would act the same if I am in a new country seeing unfamiliar animals, although doesn't Japan have squirrels?

Lotus pads in Minoru Park.

Birds, insects, and flowers of the community garden

I tried to look for the hummingbird again this afternoon at the community garden.  It might had been too hot because very few things were active, except for insects and a few birds.  Here are some of them.

Young unknown sparrow.

Hummingbird at GCCG

A warm and sunny Saturday - good day to be outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Bald Eagle perched on Shady Island, not very shady at all.

Riding the fixed bike to Finn Slough; Seeing snakes

Took my newly repaired bike to the dyke this afternoon.  Let's hope the inner tube is indeed puncture-resistant as it says on the package.

There was one Western Tiger Swallowtail flying around the trees at the end of the trail and defending its territory from other fliers.