Vancouver Photography - Page 47

SpongeG · #**921** Posted **Dec 22, 2008, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rather_draconian

More snowy Vancouver pictures, anybody?

theres some in the canada forum

subdude · #**922** Posted **Dec 22, 2008, 11:12 PM**

More snowy photos, Stanley Park and Coal Harbour:

Lost Lagoon:

Some "brave" souls were walking out to the fountain, hope they made it back.

That's it for me, happy holidays everybody!

Canadian Mind · #**923** Posted **Dec 22, 2008, 11:30 PM**

Ice on the ocean?

Usually doesn't happen til the temp drops below -15.

fuck it's cold.

giallo · #**924** Posted **Dec 23, 2008, 1:59 AM**

I don't think I've ever seen the ocean freeze in Vancouver. Crazy weather out there.
There is a bright side to all of this. The pine beetle is taking some serious losses in the mountains right now.

entheosfog · #**925** Posted **Dec 23, 2008, 8:10 AM**

I put up some snow pics in the Canada section but you can see all of mine on my flickr site as I just don't have the time to post them. I'm preparing to go back home to Calgary for the holidays and I'll be driving though the mountains tomorrow. Should be an interesting drive.
I saw what looked like ice forming in False Creek this morning. I didn't think that happened here. Crazy. Too bad I'll miss Van's white Christmas but Calgary will certainly be white and much colder. Ugh.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/entheos_fog/

mr.x · #**926** Posted **Dec 23, 2008, 9:31 AM**

I have no idea what this is but it scared the living shit out of me. It was at the edge of Lost Lagoon...looked like a baby beaver or a marmot (that can swim underwater? :p) or maybe even a baby seal (but in the lagoon???).

giallo · #**927** Posted **Dec 23, 2008, 1:50 PM**

Looks like an otter.

Spring2008 · #**928** Posted **Dec 29, 2008, 7:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by giallo

I don't think I've ever seen the ocean freeze in Vancouver. Crazy weather out there.
There is a bright side to all of this. The pine beetle is taking some serious losses in the mountains right now.

I really hope so, but at the same time I'm not sure it's cold enough to do significant damage to the pine beetle population. I remember hearing on the news and such in Edmonton last year as the city was going through their own -40 streak that it would take about 5-6 consistent days of -40 to do significant harm;and even then those clever pests find ways to insulate themselves inside the bark and some manage to survive even those extremely cold temperatures. Hope I'm wrong though, want all those suckers killed.

mr.x · #**929** Posted **Dec 29, 2008, 7:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spring2008

I really hope so, but at the same time I'm not sure it's cold enough to do significant damage to the pine beetle population. I remember hearing on the news and such in Edmonton last year as the city was going through their own -40 streak that it would take about 5-6 consistent days of -40 to do significant harm;and even then those clever pests find ways to insulate themselves inside the bark and some manage to survive even those extremely cold temperatures. Hope I'm wrong though, want all those suckers killed.

Beetle to make it through winter

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Here's one we've heard before regarding the current cold weather impact on the Mountain Pine Beetle....too little, too late. Staffan Lindgren, of the University of Northern B-C in Prince George says, the beetle larvae have already produced their natural anti-freeze, making them less susceptible to the cold. He adds, while temperatures around Prince George, like here in the Peace, have been below minus 30 in recent days, most beetle larvae can withstand minus-40 degrees for short periods.

Metro-One · #**930** Posted **Dec 29, 2008, 8:19 PM**

Not to mention that the pine beetle is now widespread in the much warmer southern interior valleys (the Thompson, Fraser Canyon and Okanagan) where it will never get below -40. Even a temp below -30 is rare and if it does occur (such as this year in a few spots) it only lasts a couple hours.

Metro-One · #**931** Posted **Dec 29, 2008, 9:22 PM**

Actually while we are off topic about the pine beetle, i do want to shed a little more light on this topic. The idea that the pine beetle problem has been created entirely from the fact that the winters are no longer as cold as they use to be is incorrect. while warmer winters has definitely helped their population increase on the higher elevations, it does not explain why they are more common now in the lower elevations that have always been 10 or more degrees warmer in the winter. The answer to this question is human controlled fire suppression. The dry pine and fir forests of the interior of BC are suppose to burn periodically. Before people were here during the summer season fires would be ignited by lighting and would burn, sometimes for months, until the fall rains returned. Pine beetles traditionally targeted old and dying trees. These old and dying trees would be burned up during the forest fire season, killing the pine beetles inside. These fires would also clear many of the smaller pine saplings keeping the ground clear and adding nutrients to the soil. Hence todays pine forests are unnaturally crowded, causing more competition for light, therefore weakening the average tree, leaving it more susceptible to pine beetle infestation. Occasional controlled burns done by the forest service are nothing compared to natural forest fires. Yes there are more forest fire stats today because of man but all of these fires (man made and natural) are doused so quickly that the area of forest burned today compared to the past in miniscule. Blaming global warming is the quick easy target for everything today, but many problems, such as the pine beetle, have many more layers than simply "warmer temperatures."

djmk · #**932** Posted **Dec 29, 2008, 11:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Not related to Vancouver, but couldn't resist:

oooohhh, they look tough!

SpongeG · #**933** Posted **Dec 30, 2008, 12:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Actually while we are off topic about the pine beetle, i do want to shed a little more light on this topic. The idea that the pine beetle problem has been created entirely from the fact that the winters are no longer as cold as they use to be is incorrect. while warmer winters has definitely helped their population increase on the higher elevations, it does not explain why they are more common now in the lower elevations that have always been 10 or more degrees warmer in the winter. The answer to this question is human controlled fire suppression. The dry pine and fir forests of the interior of BC are suppose to burn periodically. Before people were here during the summer season fires would be ignited by lighting and would burn, sometimes for months, until the fall rains returned. Pine beetles traditionally targeted old and dying trees. These old and dying trees would be burned up during the forest fire season, killing the pine beetles inside. These fires would also clear many of the smaller pine saplings keeping the ground clear and adding nutrients to the soil. Hence todays pine forests are unnaturally crowded, causing more competition for light, therefore weakening the average tree, leaving it more susceptible to pine beetle infestation. Occasional controlled burns done by the forest service are nothing compared to natural forest fires. Yes there are more forest fire stats today because of man but all of these fires (man made and natural) are doused so quickly that the area of forest burned today compared to the past in miniscule. Blaming global warming is the quick easy target for everything today, but many problems, such as the pine beetle, have many more layers than simply "warmer temperatures."

yes

in other words man has messed with nature and not let nature do its course and is feeling the affects

fires are natures way of controlling things - man wants to control nature - and well when they do that nature changes/adapts

SpongeG · #**934** Posted **Dec 30, 2008, 10:53 PM**

snow!

flickr

mr.x · #**935** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 9:30 AM**

Great photo on the city's homepage

nova9 · #**936** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 10:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by giallo

Looks like an otter.

More specifically, a river otter. Based on the length and the snout.

mr.x · #**937** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 11:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nova9

More specifically, a river otter. Based on the length and the snout.

Here's a few more....it was really foggy, wasn't able to take any good pics:

Wow, you're right...this is exactly how it looked like:

nova9 · #**938** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 7:03 PM**

Ahhhh...it feels good to be right. Haha. Thank god you confirmed though, or else it would be embarassing for certain people that have zoology degrees.

mr.x · #**939** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 8:33 PM**

Cutest thing....i should've caught it and use my tub as its new home. hahaha.

nova9 · #**940** Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Cutest thing....i should've caught it and use my tub as its new home. hahaha.

I would then have to hunt you down and put you in a little cage.

Totally joking. I'm not one of those 'protest about animal in cages'.

It's a rare sight. Count yourself lucky. We all should, to be able to live in a city with some wildlife left, it's amazing actually. I count my blessings every time I see a blue heron thriving in our fair city knowing that they aren't doing great anywhere else.