Report by Helen Baker On New Year’s Day, 23 of us met to check out the birds along Richmond West Dyke, on a walk led by Kelly Sekhon. The weather was perfect – bright and no wind or rain. Starting from the parking lot at Garry Point, we walked around the Kite Park and then north along the dyke to Williams Road and back. After the walk, we went for lunch in Steveston. From the second floor of the restaurant…
It is with sadness that we learn of the passing of David Boyd (1933-2024), a long time member of Nature Vancouver. David joined Nature Vancouver in 1997, and was member of the Birding Section Committee. He coordinated several ongoing bird surveys, including Christmas bird counts since the 1980s. These included the Ladner Area ‘E’ of the Ladner Christmas Bird Count and where the birders warmly remember the gatherings at Sharkey’s to share their tallies with David and the cheerful atmosphere…
Submitted by James M. Scott People feel a longing for a connection to the natural world. Instead of enjoying nature as a way of life, we fill our daily lives with all sorts of uninspiring, attention-robbing activities—entertainment, shopping, doomscrolling, and, of course, nonstop work. Nature is over there in some far-away nature preserve or national park, and we’re over here eking out an existence in the city or suburbs. What if we could bring the natural world to our own…
Submitted by Nigel Peck In December 2021 Nature Vancouver approached the Vancouver Park Board to see if we could assist in the removal of invasive plants on the west side of New Brighton Park in Vancouver’s northeast corner just next to the Workers’ Memorial Second Narrow Bridge. The hillock on the park’s west side was a byproduct of an award-winning Marine Restoration collaboration between the Vancouver Park Board, the Port of Vancouver and the and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation begun in…
The 106th Annual General Meeting of Nature Vancouver was held on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm at Hewett Centre Hall, Unitarian Church, 949 West 49th Avenue (49th & Oak) Vancouver. Some of the members attended the meeting online via Zoom. The draft minutes of the 2023 AGM and, the draft financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 were approved. The President and the Treasurer’s report were presented. The following members were elected to the Board of Directors…
April 26-29 Have Fun and Support Nature at the same time! Are you looking for a good reason to get outdoors that also helps nature and is fun for everyone? There is a great challenge for you and it’s easy and free to do. The City Nature Challenge 2024 is an opportunity for individuals or groups to spend time outdoors, make observations of nature and document them in a way that allows others to get a better understanding of biodiversity wherever they…
Submitted by Bev Ramey Dr. Michael Feller died peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep on January 20, 2024, just shy of his 78th birthday. He is remembered as a keen birder with Nature Vancouver, for his work to revegetate habitat, as an outdoor enthusiast and historian with the BC Mountaineering Club, as well as an associate professor emeritus at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. Michael received the BC Achievement Community Award (2014) which commended his initiatives regarding land use policies along the Sea…
Submitted by Leona Axbey A stalwart group of 10 braved the elements on Sunday, and we were not disappointed. Among the first to greet us at our meeting spot were Red-winged blackbirds, topped by a male Anna’s hummingbird surveying his kingdom. It was clearing up nicely as we made our way to the ponds behind the Vancouver Museum. Troops of American wigeons greeted us, including one Eurasian wigeon. Maureen’s bird guide helped us identify short-billed gulls, as well as other species. Some…
A long-time member of Nature Vancouver, Al Grass, passed away on February 14, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Jude Grass. Al was an all-round naturalist. The depth of his natural history knowledge was unsurpassed. Al worked for three decades as a BC Parks Naturalist in Manning, Wells Gray, Mt Seymour, Cypress, Golden Ears and Rolley Lake Provincial Parks. He’s remembered for readily filling an interpretive amphitheatre and with kids on nature walks, he was the ‘pied piper’. Al…
Trip Report by Thomas Plath Once again Reifel refuge did not disappoint. A dozen people enjoyed each other’s company and nice birds at the sanctuary. The first stop was to view the Great Horned Owl roosting in a cedar spotted along the entrance road. One turned to two as the male was located roosting near the female. A small group of immature Barn Swallows were foraging over the parking lot and feeders at the side of the entrance building attracted a few Anna’s Hummingbirds, including…