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Category: Work Posts

Touring Saturna Island

January 26, 2012
Work Posts

My last day on the island was forecasted to be sunny.

Some of the wild turkeys that roam the island.

Up at the site the feral goats were out sunning themselves.

We had some time before catching the ferry back to Swartz Bay. You can drive up to the top of Mount Warburton Pike. The elevation is 1316 ft (401 m).

The views from the top are spectacular.

We were able to see a bald eagle while we were up on the summit.

It was out to East Point. Almost half of the island is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. This is the Foghorn Alarm Building.

Tumbo Island in the distance.

These are the rocks at Boiling Reef. Can you see the Stellar Sea Lions and Harbour Seals?

The Harbour Seals were scattered on the left and the sea lions on the right. The wind was carrying the sound of the sea lions roaring.

A closer look at the Sea Lions.

Tumbo Island.

This is Winter Cove.

The ferry dock at Lyall Harbour. The 4:10 ferry goes to Swartz Bay, via a transfer at Mayne Island. From Mayne Island to Swartz Bay there was only ten vehicles on the ferry.

I always enjoy the ferry crossings and the scenery. Probably because the lighting often reminds me of some of Uncle Tak’s paintings.

It was back to Sidney, BC on Thursday night and then a flight back to Toronto on Friday morning.

Saturna Wildlife

January 25, 2012
Work Posts

Not as many deer around the island as in past years, only saw two at the site all week. The new residents around the site are feral goats. The one day I counted 17 goats in the herd.

There were some young ones, and a baby kid that was bleating away.

Saturna Island For The Week

January 24, 2012
Work Posts

Headed out to Saturna Island in BC this past week for work.

The weather was about 7-8 degrees C and rain off and on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was staying at the Four Winds B & B, on Tuesday night the power went out at 11:00 PM and when I left the next morning at 7:30 AM, it still had not come back on. It made for a chilly night and eating breakfast in the dark.

Wasn’t I Just There…

December 13, 2011
Work Posts

I had a quick trip to Regina this week, flew out on Tuesday morning on the first direct flight and back the next morning. Even though I was just there two weeks ago, I was sent back for a meeting at the site. There is a good chance I’ll be there again in the new year to do some training. The weather was good, at least for Regina in December. There was no snow and the roads were frozen and firm. My ride for the day, a Dodge Avenger.

Every time I drive by these trucks I take a picture, they haven’t changed and they haven’t moved in all the years I have been coming here.

On my way to the site I spotted a Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca), knowing from past sitings that they don’t tend to move very much, there was a good chance it would be there when I left. Sure enough he was on the pole. As I slowed down he flew from one pole to the next pole.

Eventually he tired of me and took off for the original pole.

Timing is Everything: Part 2

November 30, 2011
Work Posts

I was in the Regina area this past week for work. I had some instrument repairs at our site near Rouleau, SK.

This time I lucked out with the weather, temperatures were hovering around 1 degree C and on the Tuesday there was very little wind. The week before they had -20 temperatures.

I had to make a stop at the post office in Wilcox, SK. I had never been to Wilcox, not quite what I’d imagined. Wilcox is home to Notre Dame College, home of the Junior A hockey Hounds. Notre Dame is a Catholic residential and coeducational College founded by Father James Athol Murray. The town is made up of primarily the college buildings, residences and arena.

Notre Dame is most famous for it’s hockey program alumni, many of which have gone on to long, productive NHL careers. The Toronto Maple Leafs Hound line of Wendel Clark, Russ Courtnall and Gary Leeman are all alumni. Current alumni include the Maple Leafs Keith Aulie and current NHLer’s Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and Jordan Eberle.

Some barns along Highway 6 towards Regina.

I stopped to take a picture of these two trees that were standing on their own. Not often you see trees on the prairies unless they are near a house.

Timing is Everything…

November 24, 2011
Work Posts

Unfortunately mine wasn’t so good this week. I managed to time my trip to Nova Scotia this week with their first snow storm of the season. We were able to land okay but the highway conditions from Halifax to Bridgewater were poor. Passed numerous vehicles and watched vehicles slide off the road into the ditch. Many areas of the province set snowfall records for the day. Halifax received 34 cm.

I was heading to Kejimkujik National Park, near Caledonia,NS , but only got as far as Bridgewater due to the storm.

By Thursday morning the storm had cleared out and the sun was shining. Kejimkujik got about 23 cm of snow on the ground. They were forecasting plus 10 deg C this weekend, so this will all disappear.

Joussard Alberta

November 11, 2011
Work Posts

I was out in Alberta to meet with a consultant doing an ESA on one of our new monitoring sites near Joussard, AB. Joussard is about 30 km east of High Prairie and 80 km west of Slave Lake. It was a flight from Toronto to Calgary to meet up with a colleague and then a Dash-8 to Grande Prairie. From there is was another 3 hour drive.

The weather wasn’t cooperating with us. It snowed the first night in High Prairie, by morning it was slush and ice mix. Then it rained throughout the day, even hailing at one point. Would have preferred some sub-zero temperatures and snow. In the end the job got done. Looking north along Range Road 132 towards Lesser Slave Lake.

Mount Brydges Area

October 25, 2011
Work Posts

This week I was down in the London area for a couple of days. I was doing a site audit of our site near Mount Brydges. It is located at the Longwoods Road Conservation Area.

Found this old tractor growing out of the ground.

Huntsville Area

October 18, 2011
Work Posts

I was up in the Huntsville area for a couple of days for work this week. We have a site near Sprucedale, ON.

Most of the leaves had already turned and fallen off. This is Buck Lake along the Ravenscliffe Rd out of Huntsville.

Some mailboxes at the corner of Stisted Rd and Concession 4.

Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve

September 28, 2011
Work Posts

I was up in the Owen Sound area on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The forecast earlier in the week didn’t look promising, but I managed to miss the rain on Tuesday morning and was back home before the rain started on Wednesday. Our site is located at the Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve located near Chatsworth, Ontario.

Almost every step you take results in a frog jumping out of the way. The operator was telling me that in the spring, there were snapping turtles all over the place laying their eggs, only to have the raccoons come and dig them up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the day I was able to take a walk around some of the property.

The Kinghurst Reserve has been designated as a provincially signific Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).

There is a section of forest where many of the trees are 250-300 years old, and tower over 100 feet in height.

There are many woodland ponds, open bogs and swamp forests.

Some early fall colours.

Some hard work by an overly ambitious beaver.

Some of the swamp forest.

An old well that still works.

Moss on rock.

There are still many apple trees from the time it was an active farm.

Harrison Lake is located across from the reserve.