Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR.
The whimbrel is a bird that spends most of its life along the coasts of South America. It travels from Brazil to northern Canada when comes the time of nesting. It is possible to see it flying by the Atlantic provinces of Canada or by the Magdalen Islands in the province of Quebec.
The total number of whimbrels belonging to the hudsonicus species is estimated at around 58,000 and is in constant decline. During the last 40 years, the population has diminished by 80%. During their trip, the whimbrels stop an average of three weeks on the acadian peninsula to feed themselves. A study shows that 1200 were observed in 2014, 518 in 2015 and 344 in 2016. ( French text: Le courlis corlieu )
During our family holiday on the Magdalen Islands in 2017, we saw close to thirty of those birds while we were standing on a hill in Havre-aux-Maisons.
A flight of Whimbrels over the Magdalen Islands in 2017
The pictures were taken with a Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full frame camera. The focal length was set at 200 mm and I had to adjust the ISO at 1250 in order to get a shutter speed that would prevent a blurred picture as the birds were quickly flying by. Some additional cropping was needed in order to obtain a picture that was big enough.
For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:
These teens from Quebec City work hard at walking on the side of a stonewall near the St. Louis Gate in Old Quebec. Their efforts deserved a picture.
The picture was taken from far away, that is from a point located on the other side of the St.Louis street.That way, they did not realize that they were being photographed, which allowed them to stay natural. That is one of the principles of street photography.
Behind the people is Quebec City’s lower town. The city lights are visible since it was close to 9 PM when the picture was taken.
I was able to take a sharp picture from really far away only with the help of a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full frame camera that is equipped with a 50.6 megapixel sensor. Some significant cropping was then necessary to bring the action even closer to the viewer.
Turkey presented the case that Fethullah Gulen, an american cleric living in the USA, is behind the 2016 failed coup against President Erdogan of Turkey and it wants M. Gulen extradited.
To explain the USA’s refusal to send Fethullah Gulen over to Turkey, Fareed Zakaria said something along the lines : « My contacts say that there is nothing solid that supports the fact that the 2016 coup against Turkey was organized by the Imam Fethullah Gulen ».
The well-prepared Prime Minister of Turkey then responded : « When you said that Osama Bin Laden was behind the September 9/11 attacks, we did not ask for proof of that. We just supported you ». [And immediately went to war in Afghanistan without proof of Bin Laden’s involvment].
In other words, to stay friends with the United States, Turkey did not ask that the USA prove with any hard facts that Bin Laden was behind the 9/11 attacks, a fact that Bin Laden denied from day one. They knew that the United States had strategic interests in Afghanistan and they supported whatever reason, proven or not, that would justify an invasion of Afghanistan.
Now, Turkey says that the Unites States are not willing to commit themselves to Turkey’s national interests the same way Turkey supported the USA. It is like saying to the United States : « Don’t ask for hard facts, just do it, like we did for you. » In 2016, on the same issue, Erdogan said : « If we are strategic partners or model partners, do what is necessary“.
We can extract two things out of this discussion between Fareed Zakaria and Binari Yildirim:
1) That the cleric Fethullah Gulen has possibly nothing more to do with the coup in Turkey than Bin Laden had to do with the 9/11 attacks. But as Gulen strongly opposes Erdogan, he is considered a threat to Turkey’s national interests (or to Erdogan’s chance to stay indifinitely in power?).
Turkey expects the United States to refrain from looking for hard facts of any wrong doings by Gulen and nonetheless send the cleric to Turkey as a sign of goodwill and friendship between the two countries.
2) That friends of the United States don’t seem to ask a lot of questions and proof when it comes to the 9/11 attacks. They go with the flow and expect a return of favors when comes the time…
Fareed quickly changed subject …
For more explanations on the failed coup in Turkey, click on the following link on CNN : Turkey failed coup explainer
About the September 9/11 attacks, you will find several facts presented in a book written by a former well-known french journalist, Éric Reynaud, in the « controversial issues» section of my blog.
The Corona Frontier bulk carrier vessel in the Vancouver Harbour in 2016
The picture above was taken during summer 2016 in the Vancouver harbour, in British Columbia. I chose that time of the day to take the picture since the light was at its best.
The calm winds allowed for a better reflection in the water. The rain, which had been falling almost all day, favored the presence of low clouds which eventually hid the mountains. It is nonetheless possible to still see part of the mountains at the top of the picture.
I used a Canon 5DSR full frame camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. The aperture was set at F9 in order to optimize the photo’s sharpness.
The bulk carrier ship in the foreground is the Corona Frontier. It sails under the japanese flag and has its home port in Kobe. The vessel was built in 2000. The Corona Frontier’s draught is 13.7 meters and its gross tonnage is 48032 tons.
The Magdalen Islands, in the Province of Quebec, are recognized for the magnificent sunsets. The picture above was taken while I was coming back from Havre Aubert with my family during summer 2017. The ponds are located between Havre Aubert and Cap-aux-Meules, immediately alongside the main road.
The day had been cloudy and there was no indication that the evening would offer a possibility to get an interesting picture. But around 8 PM, while the sun was still relatively high above the horizon, a few sunrays were able to pierce through the cloud deck. The stratocumulus being well defined, it became obvious that when the sun would be close enough to the horizon, it would light the cloud deck from below as well as light up the ponds. It was important to act rapidly in order to capture the beautiful atmosphere.
When the winds are calm and you must stand still close to ponds in order to do photographic adjustments, one must accept to lose some blood to swarming moskitos. That night, I must have lost a pint of blood!
The absence of wind allowed for a good reflection of the electric poles in the foreground.
The picture was taken with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens and a graduated filter used to avoid the underexposure that would be caused by the highlights in the horizon. I used aperture priority and set it at F18 to get a proper depth of field. The ISO was set at 200 and the focal length at 135 mm.
For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:
Children are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia
The children in the picture above immediately reminded me of my youth. In the ‘60s, video games had yet to be invented and we were often outside trying to create new situations in which we could take risks without serious consequences.
The kids are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia. For how long will the boy be able to stay dry in his rubber boots? His sister seems to realize more than him the situation in which he has put himself. Maybe it is already too late to return to the beach before the next wave…!
The scene was caught with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera.
The reason for the delays and the positive side for the consumers
A virtual Bombardier regional jet CRJ-900ER (Aerosoft) with the Alaska Airlines colors is climbing after its departure from the Valdez virtual airport in Alaska (ORBX).
Digital Aviation & Aerosoft have finally completed their long awaited project to make a virtual CRJ-900ER and CRJ-700ER Bombardier regional jets. Months later than expected, the flight simulation enthusiasts can now try those two new virtual aircrafts. The CRJ is mostly used to link smaller airports and remote areas to the main hubs. The aircraft can rapidly reach its cruising altitude and stay there a long time, but it is not intended to be a really fast aircraft.
The company explains that, since the beginning, it had underestimated the complexity of the project and, because of ongoing delays, ended up having to catch up with the competition. In order to offer a superior product than the competition, Digital Aviation and Aerosoft had to review what it initially considered as an almost completed project.
Virtual CRJ-700ER aircraft (Aerosoft) with the Alaska Airlines colors airborne from the Valdez virtual airport (ORBX)
The CRJ-900ER and CRJ-700ER had their exterior almost completely redone; the consumer now ends up with a much better looking aircraft. The project manager says that it is only due to the patience and kindness of potential customers that the project was saved. It pays to be nice!
The first flight with the CRJ
Virtual CRJ-900ER aircraft with the Air Nostrum colors departing the St. Maarten international airport (Fly Tampa St.Maarten)
For the first flight, the manual recommends to first choose and activate one of the default FSX aircraft with the engine running. The pilot then selects the CRJ of his choice. It seems that doing so will prevent a lot of problems.
The virtual 2D cockpit
The virtual 2D cockpit helps save a few FPS. An easy access to the different sections of the cockpit is available since it is divided in several logical panels numbered from 1 to 9.
Navigation
The virtual pilot has access to an updated NavDataPro (May 2017) database for air navigation. It is the world’s most used database in aircraft. The aircraft is also compatible with the popular Navigraph database.
How does a standard computer deals with the new CRJ?
Virtual CRJ-900ER aircraft (Aerosoft) with the U.S. Airways colors airborne from the Denver International airport (Flightbeam Studios)
I have flown both aircrafts on several virtual airports like St. Maarten (Fly Tampa St. Maarten), Montreal international (Fly Tampa Montreal), Denver international (Flightbeam Studios) and Valdez (ORBX) without problems with regards to the computer’s processors and FPS. It was certainly out of question to try to land at the Courchevel airport (LLH Creations), with its short sloped runway, but a low pass at high speed caused no stutters.
A virtual CRJ-700ER aircraft (Aerosoft) with the Air France HOP colors is in flight over the Courchevel virtual airport in France (LLH Creations)
Flying the CRJ at low speed
The CRJ offers a good margin of manoeuver when it comes to flying at low speed. But due to the position of the engines, the aircraft’s nose will raise rapidly when the throttle is brought back to idle. In a constant and progressive descent, that does not cause a problem. But if the manoeuver is done on short final when the aircraft is still above 50 feet, the rapid change in the aircraft’s attitude could induce a stall.
The air brakes
One cannot rely too much on the air brakes to slow down the CRJ. They have limited efficiency, both for the virtual and the real aircraft.
Floating tendency
If the aircraft arrives over the threshold at a higher speed than recommended, it will float for a long distance before finally touching down.
Landing and take-off distances
A virtual CRJ-900ER aircraft with the Air Canada colours (Aerosoft) is approaching the Montreal Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau virtual airport (Fly Tampa Montreal)
The CRJ-900 and CRJ-700 operate on relatively short runways. The CRJ-700 needs 5040 feet for take-off (at maximum weight) and landing, under the standard ICAO conditions. The CRJ-900 requires 6060 feet for take-off and 5260 feet for landing. The maximum range has been established to be around 1300 and 1400 nm.
Managers that facilitate the use of the CRJ
For the CRJ, Digital Aviation & Aerosoft have created managers that allow choosing the number of passengers, cargo, as well as calculating the fuel weight, the center of gravity and the amount of trim required. There is even a FS2 Crew option if desired. Another manager facilitated the addition of liveries.
The flight simulation enthusiasts had been anticipating the arrival of that regional jet for a long time; some did not believe anymore that it would one day become a reality (that includes the company too!). The flight simmers now have access to a world class and high quality regional jet.
For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation
The Quebec Bridge, the longest cantilever type bridge in the world, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. For the occasion, several activities were organized in Quebec on September 23rd 2017, culminating with fireworks near the bridge.
Reflections on the St. Lawrence Seaway. The 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge was celebrated with fireworks.
Several workers lost their live while attempting to build the bridge. A Wikipedia article resumes its history: The Quebec Bridge
In 2017, the safety issue was brought back in the news. This time it was about the lack of maintenance that favored an increasing amount of rust on the metallic structure.
The funds that would allow to paint the bridge on a regular basis seems hard to find. The bridge owner, the Canadian National Railway Company, and the different levels of government are attempting to find a solution that would be acceptable for all. This discussion has been going on for years. While the bridge holds on, everything is fine.
September 23rd 2017 celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge.
About the photography
During the fireworks several boats equipped with an additional lighting system approached the bridge.
It was impossible to get really sharp shots of the boats since they were constantly moving due to the strong current of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
The fireworks lasted about thirty minutes and attracted a huge crowd, both along the St.Lawrence Seaway and on the higher grounds of bothLévis and Quebec City.
Fireworks for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge
Frequent adjustments of the camera’s aperture and ISO were needed since it is always very demanding for a camera to deal with sudden burst of lights appearing in the darkness. It was necessary to limit the exposure time in order to avoid an accumulation of blurred light trails.
The Quebec Bridge is 100 years old in 2017
The pictures were taken with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera mounted on a tripod. A Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM was used to capture the fireworks.
The pictures below have been taken in Ottawa, Canada, with a Canon 5D MKII full frame camera. This model is aging a bit, but it has always and still provides the photographer with great colors.
Autumn reflections in Ottawa in 2015
Trees with autumn colors in Ottawa in 2015
Autumn colors on an Ottawa street in 2015
Jogging session early morning in Ottawa
Autumn scenery in Ottawa in 2015
Autumn colors in an Ottawa park in 2015
View of part of the National Gallery of Canada from a park in Ottawa during autumn 2015
United States Embassy in Ottawa
Below is the interesting Canadian Museum of History, in Hull, and few sculptures. I find the Canadian Museum of History’s architecture particularly interesting because of its rounded shapes. It certainly is more expensive to build, but the result is superb.
The Canadian Museum of History, located in the Province of Québec and seen from Ottawa during the autumn 2015
Artwork located in Ottawa, Canada
Peacekeeping Monument (Reconciliation), located in Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa Parliament in autumn
For more articles in the category « Photos of Canada », click on the following link : Photos of Canada
Front cover of the book Autos Biographie by Jacques Godbout
Jacques Godbout has found a very interesting way to present his autobiography. The cars that he once owned or rented , even those who he attempted to drive without success, become the link that the reader follows to travel around the world, always learning something new about the author’s life.
This is a refreshing book, filled with humor, where the author presents his family and many other people with whom he studied or worked, including Robert Bourassa, a former Prime Minister of Quebec.
Back cover of the book Autos Biographie by Jacques Godbout
As a citizen of Quebec City, I was surprised to learn that it is the rounded shape of the St-Laurent bar, inside Château Frontenac, that inspired Jacques Godbout and three of his friends (Paul Buissonneau, Gilles Carle and Jacques Languirand) when they were asked to sketch the beautiful Montreal Expo 67’s pavillion “L’homme dans la cité” (Man in the Community).
