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Bird Identification Workshop

Bird Identification Workshop

The Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) is presenting its popular Bird Identification Workshop again this year. It will run Via 10 Zoom Sessions Over 5 Weeks – Tuesday May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm PST. This workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate birders who want to take their bird knowledge and identification skills to the next level. It’s very comprehensive and has been well received in previous years. See full course details from this LINK. The cost is $250 and the sign-up sheet is available from…

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Wild flowers, invasives on CBC Radio March 24

Wild flowers, invasives on CBC Radio March 24

Gloria Makarenko, temporary host of CBC Radio show The Early Edition, spoke with Teresa Gagné, member of Nature Vancouver’s Botany Committee, early on Friday March 24 2023. You can hear the 10 minute recording at this link. Below are photos of flowers and plants discussed: CBC studio; section of tree weighted down by English Ivy; Osoberry ; Salmonberry; Trillium (and some Ivy); Red Currant

Tree Identification in Kitsilano – Feb 10, 2023

Tree Identification in Kitsilano – Feb 10, 2023

Report by Nina Shoroplova with photos by Nina Shoroplova and Teresa Gagne. Friday, February 10, 2023, was a sunny, dry day, perfect for “Identifying Trees in Winter at Kitsilano Park and Kitsilano Beach Park.” Eighteen Nature Vancouver members joined leaders Nina Shoroplova and Teresa Gagné mid-morning in the southwest corner of Kitsilano Park and for the next two hours identified both evergreen and deciduous, native and introduced, ornamental and invasive species of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Whereas evergreen trees…

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The Fascination of Making & Enjoying Bird Sound Recordings

The Fascination of Making & Enjoying Bird Sound Recordings

Submitted by Peter Ward Exactly 41 years have gone by since Peter Ward (Life Member NV) published an article in Discovery, “Tape Recording of Birds Songs”, concerning the physics of making good quality bird sound recordings with a parabolic dish, and the electronic equipment that was used at the time. Discovery Volume 11, March to May 1982, pp. 4-11 and pp 45-50.  It is a very long time since cassette tapes and open reel decks were the principal technology for…

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Workout New Brighton!

Workout New Brighton!

Submitted by Nigel Peck For anyone interested in keeping in great physical shape and also helping to improve a local park as well as the environment – have we got an opportunity for you. We need your help!  Nature Vancouver and local volunteers have worked for the last nine weeks to clear an area of shoreline in New Brighton Park from hundreds of invasive Himalayan Blackberry bushes. This is in preparation to plant the area with native grasses, pollinator friendly perennial…

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New Brighton Park – One Year On

New Brighton Park – One Year On

Report and Photos by Nigel Peck Thank you for your interest in the New Brighton project.  Three things have driven this endeavour. First is the appreciation of a wide range of people of every culture and age for a lovely little park in Vancouver’s northeast corner. Second is that all the invasive removal and native planting has been done by people who care enough to volunteer for a range of tasks, most multiple times. Finally, it has been word of…

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Birding at Burnaby Lake

Birding at Burnaby Lake

11 February 2023 Trip Report by Kelly Sekhon Seven members of Nature Vancouver and a guest participated in this birding field trip for beginners. Istvan Orosi, a long time member of Nature Vancouver, helped us identify several birds from their calls or songs. At the mouth of the Eagle Creek we saw males and females of several species of ducks up close. Visitors to the park bring bird seed to feed the birds. As a result, Song and Fox Sparrows,…

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Dipper Quest 2022/23

Dipper Quest 2022/23

On Sunday, February 5th, thirteen Nature Vancouver members joined this season’s quest to find American Dippers along the Alouette River in Maple Ridge. Larry Cowan led Dipper Quest in December from 2006 until he retired in 2019 and managed to find at least one dipper every year. In 2021, Michelle Baudais and Harvey Dueck continued the quest. We were away in December 2022, so the 2022 quest was delayed until February 2023. We began the quest in Maple Ridge Park….

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Snow Geese in South Vancouver

Snow Geese in South Vancouver

Submitted by Caroline Penn There have been several flocks of snow geese in Vancouver since December. One flock was in Carnarvon Park adjacent to 16th av. in December. Last week a flock has been gathering daily in Winona Park near South Cambie and 59th av. They are very busy feeding and seem to be extremely tolerant of people, and dogs, sitting or even walking through their flock. I am not sure how common it is to see them north of the Fraser…

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Birding In Vanier Park

Birding In Vanier Park

Trip Report by Leona Axbey Sunday, January 29, 2023 On a cold, crisp January morning, fifteen members of Nature Vancouver ventured out to Vanier Park for a birding field trip. As on past trips to this locale, one of the first birds to greet us was an Anna’s hummingbird. Close by a bald eagle was being murdered by crows. (Not really folks.)   We headed east towards the ponds, our arrival announced by a singing House Finch’. Here we viewed Mallards, American Widgeons,…

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