Travels

from Holland- Osmia rufa and Roeland’s new nest design

Published February 26, 2012 | By Margriet

Roeland also sent me some photos of his new nest design (with permission).

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from Holland- Osmia rufa

Published February 20, 2012 | By Margriet

Roeland Segers from Holland contacted me the other day about nesting alternatives. We continued our conversation about Osmia rufa, an European Mason bee. I asked if he would like to share some of his photos with the blog and its readers. I was most delighted to receive the following photos. If you’d like to contact him direct, go to his web site. The website is in Dutch with some gorgeous photos. He writes

“ My company has recently been rebranded to: De Bijen, Bestuivingstechniek (translating to: The Bees, Pollination techniques) from Nijmegen in the Netherlands. My websites: for masonbees http://www.metselbijen.nl/ (for honeybees http://www.rendementdoorbijen.nl/ )”

Roeland’s mason bee web site

Mason bee se-up while pollinating cherries.
Mason bee nests are made of routered channels cut out of compost board.
Boards are held together with a tie-strap.

Osmia rufa doing the finishing touches to her nest.

Osmia rufa male. Note the long antennae.

Females resting over night inside their nesting tunnels.

Embrace (Osmia rufa)

Fierce competition

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Snowy Owls- Coastal BC

Published January 27, 2012 | By Margriet

We have had some awesome visitors on the West coast of BC and in WA. My friend Gary sent along these pictures and the photographer gave me his permission to place them on this blog. Thank you Bob Nolan for sharing your awesome pictures. Gary said that

“Those owls were there, apparently, because the lemming population in the north is unusually low, so they are foraging for whatever fish, rats or mice they can snag before continuing their winter flight to their southern habitat. Let’s hope they get enough to sustain themselves for the journey.”

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Whistler- Christmas

Published December 23, 2011 | By Margriet

We headed up to Whistler the other day. An annual Christmas gathering of friends. It was a lot of fun. The drive along Howe sound, through Squamish and to Whistler is spectacular with the mountains in their winter coat. Merry Christmas everyone!

On our way to Whistler, just out of Horshoe Bay

The road to Whistler goes along Howe Sound.
The Tantalus Range is in the background

The spectacular scenery is accentuated with the curves in the road.

Mt Garibaldi above Squamish

A close up of the Tantalus Range in the setting sun

The last rays of sunlight on the Chief rock wall above Squamish.

A Christmas scene in Whistler

Whistler

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Horshoe Bay, BC: An early winter

Published November 27, 2011 | By Margriet

19th Nov 2011. I took this photo at the Horshoe Bay ferry terminal en route to
Gibsons, BC. The snow level is about 800 feet above sea level.

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Travelling beautiful British Columbia

Published August 28, 2011 | By Margriet

Northern Arrow Lake,BC,Canada

Ferry crossing of northern Arrow Lakes

We often forget how beautiful a place is, and often it is the region where we live. While travelling this summer we travelled north from Castlegar to Revelstoke (British Columbia, Canada) We crossed the northern Arrow Lakes with a ferry and the views were awesome. We camped at a Provincial campsite adjacent to the lake that night, had a nice campfire with other campers and had a very pleasant evening.

Have a great summer!

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