John Harvey Photo

June 2006

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images A great month to get outside


Biking Around Stanley Park

Chris And His Rental
Chris isn't someone we see often - it's actually been a number of years since I last saw him in Ontario.  His sister just graduated (congrats!) and Chris was in town for the ceremony and had a few days off.  Being a nice weekend, we came up with the idea of nice bike ride around Stanley park.  A few phone calls and we had a small crowd of people.
ABunch Of Bikies
 

Irises By Beaver Lake
Our first destination was one of my favorite parts of the park - beaver lake.   This small lake is very shallow and filled with lily pads and ducks.

Lily PadsFamily Of Mallard Chicks

 
On Siwash Rock
We biked around the park and stopped in at Siawash rock.

Climbing On Rock

Bikes Abandonend For The Gym
After our bike ride, we retired to Davids house for a barbeque and a nice view of the sunset over the city.

Back At Davids HouseA Rare Picture Of John
Thanks Everyone!

Pitt Marshes


It's Saturday, sunny and you need something to do.  It's still rather early for hiking so I took a lower elevator destination from a nature walks book.
Boat Rental At Pitt LakeHiking Party
The Pit Marshes is another destination I saw from the air well before I ever saw it on the ground. Depending on the wind, aircraft sometimes fly in over the norther edge of Vancouver and in doing so fly over the Pitt Marshes.  The large bodies of water and the snaking dikes makes for a great view. 


 
Osprey On PilingOsprey Chick On PilingRoad Side Blind
The Pitt Marshes are a well known birding destination - there are a number of prominent Osprey Nests as well as a large population of marsh type birds.



On my list of favorite birds is the family "swallows" - what Beth refers to as the "true bird of love".  A colony of Cliff Swallows had moved into the roof of the bird blind on the main walk and they didn't seem to mind us watching - there were rather intent on nest building.  I saw some barn swallows (currently no photographs other than just blur) but none of them seemed to be nesting here.

Assembling Nest LeftAssembling Nest RightCliff Swallow Sitting In More Full Nest

Pacific Fork Tail On Grass
When we walked into the grass margins of the dike we often found damselflies resting on the blades of grass.  I don't know if it was too cold for them to fly but there were lots of them and they didn't seem to move much.  We all took a shot at photographing them.  I kind of wonder if these insects were the food for the plentiful swallows.

Pacific Fork Tail

Walking Down Dike
Around the marshes are network of Dikes.  We chose a large triangle route around one of the larger marshes but there are other routes that you could do if you brought a bike and wanted to make a longer day out of it.

Helen Walking On DikePond Side Lupine


Purple Flowers
The road side flowers weren't particularly special but they did make for a nice focal point to stop by and look at.

White FlowersPink Flowers

Great Blue Heron Hunting
It's amazing how background sometimes combines with subject and lighting to do something special.  For a short period of time the clouds were set up to light where we were standing while the rest of the valley was comparitivly darker.  So much of good photography is just being at the right place at the right time.

Top Of Dike

We circled back to the dock and enjoyed a picnic for lunch.  Thanks everyone!

VanDusen Gardens

Betty Harveys Tree
It's one of those things - there is an attraction near your house but you never go until you actually leave town.  I missed out half the attractions of Victoria and the Island while I lived there and now I look forward to visiting places I never visited when they were just down the road.  VanDusen Botanical Garden is just down the road from my house an in several years of living here, I've never gone.  Speaking with both my sister and my Mom on the weekend, they Both mentioned that my Aunt Betty has a tree dedicated to her in the Garden - neither of them had seen the tree though.  It was time - Helen and I decided to go visit.  On my first visit, I wanted to enjoy the gardens for the gardens so I didn't bring my camera.  I'm now a seasons pass holder (member) so I can drop in any time I want.


One of the things that impressed my was the wildlife in the garden.  There was Heron fishing when we walked by and it didn't seem to care that we approached fairly close.  I went back hoping to see a heron again, and sure enough, there was a bird hunting in almost the same place.
 
Heron On BridgeHeron HeadHeron Lifting Off
 
Sliders
Last time we saw the odd turtle basking on rocks but this time I found several fairly close to the shore.  It doesn't seem to much of a challenge to sneak up on a turtle, but they were surprisingly alert and went for a swim when I got close.  Luckly I found some more patient turtles and snapped away.

Red Eared Sliders

Richmond Night Market
My favorite part of the Richmond Night Market is the food but the photographic opportunities are a close second.

Rice Rolls
Helen and I went for the evening and I dragged along my camera.


Fish CookiesPulling Dragon Beard





Heron On Bridge
Species: Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)
Tags: VanDusen
Assembling Nest Right
Species: Hirundo pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow)
Tags: bird, building a nest, nest
Pulling Dragon Beard
Tags: candy, market, Richmond Night Market
Back At Davids House
Pacific Fork Tail
Species: Ischnura cervula (Pacific Forktail)
Tags: insect, shallow depth of field
Osprey On Piling
Tags: bird, lake, mountain, piling, Pitt-Addington Marsh
Road Side Blind
Tags: Pitt-Addington Marsh, road
Climbing On Rock
Person: David, Eric, Karen
Hiking Party
Person: Andrea, Eric, Helen, John, Mark
Tags: dock, piling, Pitt-Addington Marsh
Top Of Dike
Tags: bright bottom, Pitt-Addington Marsh, road
Sliders
Species: Trachemys scripta (Common Slider)
Tags: VanDusen
Boat Rental At Pitt Lake
Altitude: 2m (6 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: boat, lake, Pitt-Addington Marsh
Red Eared Sliders
Species: Trachemys scripta (Common Slider)
Tags: invasive, VanDusen
Osprey Chick On Piling
Species: Pandion haliaetus (Osprey)
Tags: bird, nest, piling, Pitt-Addington Marsh
Cliff Swallow Sitting In More Full Nest
Species: Hirundo pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow)
Tags: BC fauna, bird, nest
A Rare Picture Of John
Person: John
Bikes Abandonend For The Gym
Tags: biking, playground, Stanley Park
Fish Cookies
Tags: market, Richmond Night Market, street food
Pacific Fork Tail On Grass
Species: Ischnura cervula (Pacific Forktail)
Tags: grass, insect
On Siwash Rock
Location: Go To...
Tags: biking, rock, seawall, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Heron Head
Species: Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)
Tags: VanDusen
Pink Flowers
Tags: flower
Rice Rolls
Tags: market, Richmond Night Market, street food
ABunch Of Bikies
Person: David, Eric, Jesse, Karen
Tags: biking, Stanley Park
Purple Flowers
Tags: flower
Betty Harveys Tree
Location: Go To...
Tags: memorial, tree, VanDusen
Walking Down Dike
Person: Andrea, Mark
Tags: hiking, Pitt-Addington Marsh, trail
Lily Pads
Species: Nymphaea odorata (Fragrant Water Lily)
Tags: flower, plant, Stanley Park
Great Blue Heron Hunting
Species: Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)
Tags: atmospheric perspective, bird, Pitt-Addington Marsh
Helen Walking On Dike
Person: Helen
Tags: Pitt-Addington Marsh
Family Of Mallard Chicks
Species: Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard)
Tags: baby, BC fauna, bird, Stanley Park
Pond Side Lupine
Species: Lupinus polyphyllus (Large-Leaved Lupine)
Tags: flowers
White Flowers
Tags: flower
Irises By Beaver Lake
Species: Iris pseudacorus (paleyellow iris, yellow flag), Nymphaea odorata (Fragrant Water Lily)
Location: Go To...
Tags: flower, invasive, lake, Stanley Park
Chris And His Rental
Tags: biking
Heron Lifting Off
Species: Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)
Tags: VanDusen
Assembling Nest Left
Species: Hirundo pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow)
Tags: bird, building a nest, nest
Tags: Pitt-Addington Marsh(9), bird(7), VanDusen(6), Stanley Park(6), flower(5), biking(4)
People: Eric(3), David(2), Karen(2), John(2), Helen(2), Andrea(2)
From: John Harvey Photo > Blogs for 2023 to 2005 > 06_2006

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