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Author: Kelly Sekhon

Dedication for Jude & Al Grass

Dedication for Jude & Al Grass

At Fergus Watershed Biodiversity Preserve Submitted by Phil Henderson On 15 September, 2023, many friends of Jude and Al Grass, gathered at Fergus Watershed Biodiversity Preserve in Surrey, for a dedication ceremony in their honor. This dedication was generously supported by those present, and many others who were unable to attend the gathering at the site of that dedication. The dedication is in the form of a granite boulder along the path in Fergus Watershed Biodiversity Preserve with a lovely inscription,…

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Wings Over Iona

Wings Over Iona

Report by Peter Ward Nature Vancouver and Pacific Spirit Park Society got together and managed an information booth for the annual “Wings over Iona” event, supported by Metro Vancouver Regional Parks. This annual nature gathering was held this year on Saturday, 16th September.  There were about a dozen or more booths, spread out along final part of the Iona Beach Regional Park access road, with many interesting presentations, including bird walks, bird identification help, banding demonstrations, and live birds of…

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Bus trip to Cheam Lake Wetlands Regional Park

Bus trip to Cheam Lake Wetlands Regional Park

Trip report by Cynthia Crampton On September 27, twenty-two members of Nature Vancouver travelled by bus to Cheam Lake, in a brand new bus chartered through ‘Enjoy the Journey‘. The recent drought has been hard on wetlands. But two days before our trip, there were heavy rains – night and day. However it was sunny again on the day of our trip. Our guides, Fernando and Paulina Selles, members of Nature Chilliwack, were waiting for us on the dock. Both have been volunteers and observers…

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Reifel Refuge Shore Birding Sep 2, 2023

Reifel Refuge Shore Birding Sep 2, 2023

Trip Report by Thomas Plath Another great outing for shorebirds was had at Reifel Bird Sanctuary for the 13 participants. This was an early morning high tide that was dropping and to my dismay the Reifel manager Kathleen, informed us of a Peregrine that had flushed the shorebirds out of West Field. The House pond had the usual fall gathering of dozens of Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitchers but also present were two juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers much like a large version of…

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Hollyburn Giant Cedar Hike

Hollyburn Giant Cedar Hike

Joint Trip with Friends of Cypress Prov. Park Trip Report by Marshall Bauman On Friday, August 25, 2023, nine enthusiastic adventurers, led by Marshall Bauman and Anne Leathem set ‘Off to see the Giant’ in near perfect, if hazy, conditions.  After crossing a small canyon on the Baden Powell trail, we headed up through old growth forest, on the western flank of Hollyburn Mtn.  We found the Hollyburn Giant, and several ‘look-alikes, less than 1/2 km above the Baden Powell…

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Boundary Bay Shore Birding August 29, 2023

Boundary Bay Shore Birding August 29, 2023

Trip Report by Thomas Plath Despite the rain seven people showed up at 104th Street, Boundary Bay at 3PM. We walked up to the dike and in front of us were hundreds of Black-bellied Plover, several Semipalmated Plovers, some peep, and a distant Short-billed Dowitcher. An adult female Peregrine flew in leisurely offering great looks, eventually flushing the shorebirds. It was still raining steady with no end in sight so we decided to change plans and head to the Tsawwassen Ferry…

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Reifel Refuge Shore Birding August 25, 2023

Reifel Refuge Shore Birding August 25, 2023

Trip Report by Thomas Plath Seventeen observers enjoyed a great afternoon of birding at Reifel Refuge. The sanctuary manages the ponds for shore birds during fall migration and they did not disappoint. The sanctuary is a RAMSAR site and one of the best places to view shore birds during fall migration in our region. The house pond gave us close, leisurely views of Long-billed Dowitchers and both species of yellowlegs. Overhead the buzzy calls and chattering of Purple Martins were…

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Boundary Bay Shore Birding August 19, 2023

Boundary Bay Shore Birding August 19, 2023

Trip report by Tom Plath Twenty-two participants enjoyed a somewhat hazy and cool evening studying shorebirds along the Boundary Bay dike between 104th and 96th Street. Initially the shorebirds were far out along the tide line however the rising tide pushed the birds in. Amongst the few hundred breeding and non-breeding plumaged Black-bellied Plovers were a few other wader species. A breeding plumaged Red Knot was wandering about the plovers but unfortunately was far and views poor, even with a scope. A couple…

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Boundary Bay Shore Birding – August 13, 2023

Boundary Bay Shore Birding – August 13, 2023

Trip Report by Tom Plath The ten of us walked from the foot of 104th Street, Boundary Bay towards 112th Street and it couldn’t have been much better. A beautiful August evening and a mere 25-30 meters from the dyke were several species of juvenile shorebirds roosting and feeding. We enjoyed excellent leisurely looks, comparing Western, Least and Baird’s Sandpiper from each other, the big size difference between Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs noticeable when together, and identification features of a Stilt Sandpiper…

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Identifying Trees in Shaughnessy Park (The Circle)

Identifying Trees in Shaughnessy Park (The Circle)

Report by Nina Shoroplova On Friday, August 4, twenty-four botany enthusiasts joined Nina Shoroplova and Caroline Penn for a tree walk in the south half of Shaughnessy Park. We started our walk from the Osler Street entrance to the park where there are two maples. We started by telling the differences between the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) on the north side of the central path and the Norway maple (A. platanoides) on the south side. It’s important to know some of the…

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