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News Cheam Wetlands, Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve - Chilliwack .. & Green Timbers Urban Park - Surrey

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I'm still a few weeks behind with some of my pictures, so I thought it would be a good idea to post three places we went to recently that were all caught in the icy grip of winter. Lakes and ponds were frozen, so the parks were quiet as the waterbirds were no where to be seen at Cheam and Green Timbers, but Great Blue Heron had some open water, and few ducks were splashing around, and songbirds were plentiful. 

First, Jillian and Ken made a spectacular presentation in the field version of competitive pairs skating. You'll notice this spontaneous entry requires no special equipment, and runners were the gear of choice. They got 10 out 10 for their execution.  

 

 

One of the most interesting sights at Cheam was a fallen tree trapped in the pond ice. The trunk hung a few feet off the surface, with bare branches dangling down. I'd imagine those branches would be frigid and crisp, and would snap with just a little weight from an investigative squirrel - if one was still around. 

 

And equally intriguing was the flowing creek that sprayed all around it with water that chilled to thick coats of ice. Leaves and branches were encased in zucchini sized icicles. 

 

 

But even though the jaws of winter had a grip, the sun started making a dent - or a crack - in that perfect cover. Green Timbers' trails were covered with slushy snow, but the lake ice was starting to break up. The contrasts were a beautiful sight. 

 

   

And finally, the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve was still really cold, but it wasn't socked in. Songbirds were rife, and ducks were skimming the water. Smaller puddles of water were still frozen, but the bigger areas were free. One of delights at Great Blue was the delightful little Downy Woodpecker. Quite a cute showman on a brisk afternoon !!  

 

To see more click here, or go to added February 14, 2013 in the Recent album folder.

 

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