Yumi and I saw lots of fish in Byrne Creek today on our walk. We decided to check out the spawning channel, and saw dozens of cutthroat trout and some probable coho smolts in each of the pools at Tags 510, 511, and 513. Also spotted a couple of salmonid fry in the pool at Tag 512.
There were about two dozen possible chum fry (babies) in the sediment pond downstream of the gravel pile, and several upstream of the gravel pile, dangerously close to the cutthroat and coho smolts (juveniles) that hang out in the pool below the stop log. We still haven't seen any fry in the ravine.
We also found one dead cutthroat in the lower end of the sediment pond. We didn't take the time to get it out, but it looked to be about 20cm or so. We had also seen a large (30-35cm), listless cutthroat at the lower end of the sediment pond yesterday and the day before yesterday. Looked like a spawner, with abraded fins and the mottling white spots. Unfortunately we couldn't find it today, as we'd been hoping to process it when it died. Apparently cuts spawn in February to May.
For the bird lovers out there, the action is really heating up in Ron McLean Park, Byrne Creek ravine, the habitat and Foreshore Park. In the last few days we've seen thrushes, juncos, towhees, jays, sparrows, robins, chickadees, pileated woodpeckers, flickers, several species of ducks, herons, red-tailed hawks, eagles, etc. There is an eagle back in the huge nest across the Fraser from the outfall of Byrne Creek. Several species were courting -- spring is in the air!