Mud Lake and Petrie Islands (Post #1,000)

Knowing that I will be very busy this coming school semester - teaching, taking one class, and working on my own research project, I doubt I will be spending a lot of time outside and enjoying nature.  So for the past few days, I have been going out and taking advantage of the last free days before school begins next Tuesday.  The places I went to were Mud Lake and Petrie Island, and I went to each place twice because there are so many things to see.

Mud Lake

A lot of Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) floating on the lake.

Taking a quick break

Since returning from Algonquin, I have been quite busy and don't have much time to go out and take photos even when it is nice out.

Got a photo of the Supermoon on Sunday after dinner.

Today, after working all morning and afternoon, I decided to go check out a spot near where I live that I think may have some opportunities for photography.  And I turned out to be correct!  The place is a man-made pond with ongoing construction all around it for more housings.  The trail is short (less than 100 m) and planted with many introduced species.  But they still attracted an interesting variety of insects.  I also heard Green frogs calling from the pond.

UBC Botanical Garden & Greenheart Canopy Walkway

The past few days has been quite rewarding - volunteering at two different sessions, listening to different researches, and not stressing over the presentations like most of the presenters.  I saw presentations discussing from lizard diversity in Chile to genetically identifying shark species all over the world to the threats to Japanese Giant Salamanders.  Today was the last day of the conference (to be followed by the huge bird conference - NAOC), and I was assigned to help out with the registration table.  A few days ago, I saw a special discount for going to the UBC Botanical Garden plus walking the Greenheart Canopy Walkway for only $11.  I bought the ticket right away and thought this afternoon would be a good time to use it.

A Barn Swallow nest right outside the gift store at the botanical garden.  The parent(s) were flying in and out feeding the young chicks.

Revisiting Paulik Park, Richmond

I arrived back in Richmond three days ago, and I have been just relaxing and not doing much outdoor stuff.  Today, after doing some errands for my parents, I drove my mother to Paulik Park to look for some wildlife.  I don't think I have been to this park during any of the summers, so I was surprised to see all the beautiful flowers and pollinators and hummingbirds that were hanging around the garden.

Almost like a secret garden.

Last few days in Inuvik

I flew out of Inuvik this afternoon and am currently in Edmonton, where I will be spending a night before flying back to BC tomorrow afternoon.  The past few days in Inuvik had been more fulfilling than expected.

2012/7/17 (Tuesday)

After dropping off some field equipment at Parks Canada office, I was rushing back and forth between the transient housing and the cafe (with internet connection) to change all of my flights.  In the afternoon, I visited the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Beautiful but expensive carvings by the artist John Sabourin.

Trading dragonflies for people

I wasn't in a particular good mood early on in my bike ride when some morons in a car decided to yell when coming up right behind me on a bike. Not cool at all.

So I pedaled past Steveston (so many people, with the festival and the farmer's market going on at the same time, as well as the event going on at London Farm) and headed towards Terra Nova. Terra Nova now is like a dragonfly heaven, so many individuals (compare to the ones I saw up North) flying around and claiming territories. That put me in a good mood already.