Update post, inc. trip to Dyer's Bay

Hi all. I am back at the cafe using wireless internet. This might be the only post for the upcoming weeks/month as the birds are arriving next week, and after that everyone will be very busy and has less time for non-work related things.

While driving to the cafe this morning, my colleague and I saw an Eastern Meadowlark and 3 Wild Turkeys - both of which are lifers for me. I will share them next time.

Now, the usual views and creatures from the Fox Den (where we are currently housed). Once again, please click on the photos for more descriptions about each image.

Hello from Ontario!

Hello everyone! I am currently sitting in a cafe about 1 hr drive from where I work/live using internet.

So far, the place has just been amazing! I get to see a new lifer almost everyday and the people are just fantastic to work with! I look forward to spending the next 4-5 months working with them and living in this special place.

I will need to keep things short and simple as I am relying on my laptop battery, but you may click on each Flickr photo for more description.

This is where I am currently living, before we fix and clean our field house and the surrounding captive cages for the coming shrikes.

Flower-watching at Terra Nova Sharing Farm

Today, my drove my mother to city centre to get a haircut and buy groceries. In the afternoon, I drove my parents to Terra Nova Sharing Farm and then to Save-On-Foods.

It was a relatively quiet day today at Terra Nova.

Saw a pair of Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, Wigeons and Mallards.

Checking out all the birding places in Richmond!

I had the car for the day, so I was able to drive my mother and I around to check out some birding areas in Richmond.

Paulik Park

A Northern Flicker excavated the nest for a short while.

Crazy girl scaring geese

I went out for another bike ride today. The first time I tried to go out, it was raining. But it stopped a few minutes later.

Still cloudy though.

Saw a pair of Muskrat in the ditch again just as I entered the trail.

Munching on the surrounding vegetation.

Blue sky & white clouds = favorite

The weather was very nice today, and my mother and I went out for a walk by the dyke.

Through the neighborhood. Love the blue sky and white clouds.

This cat was sunning when my mother saw it. It jumped down and walked away after we stared at it for too long.

Seeing lots on bike ride today

This time next week, I will have arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport trying to catch a little bit of sleep before heading to my work site on Monday morning. Can't wait!

Before then, it was time for a bike ride this afternoon, and as soon as I arrived at the dyke trail, I immediately spotted a Muskrat swimming in the ditch! I haven't seen them in such a long time.

It was gone for a little while in the vegetation along the sides. But soon it appeared - eating the berry leaves - twice!

Aftermath of yesterday's strong winds

This morning, my mother and I went to Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) in downtown Vancouver to get me some equipments for my trip next week, e.g. bug jacket/pants, bug repellent, mosquito shelter, raingear, and boots. It was our first time there and we were amazed by the number of shoppers and size of the store. Can't believe there are so many people wanting to buy outdoor stuff (like us) too.

Anyways, we bought two bags of stuff, so we hurried home as soon as we were done. In the afternoon, the weather was still dry and so I went out for a bike ride.

You can't see them in this photo, but the swallows were flying low over the water trying to catch insects. This made me think about the saying "Swallow flying high, the weather will be good. Swallow flying low, soon it will rain." (Quite true, considering it is raining at the moment).

Strong wind = stay indoor

I did not go out today because the wind was way too strong! I did want to go outside at one point in the afternoon, but the rain started to pour as soon as I was getting ready.

Tonight, my parents and I went to a restaurant for hot-pots. As we were heading home, we saw a road sign and its street pole bend to the ground. That's how strong the wind was today.

That's all. Thought it is worth writing about it today.

Enjoy the nice long weekend, everyone, and stay safe!

Edit - Wind Warning from http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ at 8:23 PM PDT Friday 02 April 2010:

"Winds southwest gusting to 90 km/h over Vancouver Island..Southern Gulf Islands..Sunshine Coast..Metro Vancouver and the southern sections of Howe Sound will ease near midnight.

Winds will rise to southwest gusting to 90 km/h over Fraser Valley - west including Abbotsford this evening.

This is a warning that potentially damaging winds are expected or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements.

An intense low pressure system crossing the south coast is producing strong southwest winds gusting to 90 km/h over most of the south coast regions. The strong winds are expected to ease near midnight as the low moves into the interior. "

366 days ago (2009-04-01) ...
365 days ago (2009-04-02) ...
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Wordless Wednesday - Taking a break on a beautiful blue day

Larger image here.