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Message from President

Friday, March 20, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Cancellation of all Evening Programs and Field Trips As everyone no doubt is aware that the CoVid19 pandemic situation is changing, for the worse, hour by hour. Each day we hear from our provincial and federal health officers and elected leaders that everyone has got to do everything possible to stop the transmission of the virus. The intensity and seriousness of these exhortations increases each day. It is not a casual issue anymore. At Nature Vancouver we must contribute as much as we…

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Burnaby Lake 2020-03-23 informal trip report

Monday, March 23, 2020 Denis Laplante

The following was not a Nature Vancouver field trip. Four of us went today to the trail North of Burnaby Lake and a bit down the Brunette River and back. From 9:30 to 2pm we walked along easy trails and saw many birds and flowers. We met about 60 people, all small groups and well spaced out. Within our group we were generally successful at maintaining 2m social distancing, with occasional brief lapses to 1m, usually when reading info. signs….

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Hayward Lake 2020-03-21 informal trip report

Saturday, March 21, 2020 Denis Laplante

On Saturday March 21 2020, five of us met for a lovely hike along Reservoir Trail on the East side of Hayward lake – note that this was not done under the Nature Vancouver organization but a group of friends. We drove up two per car and hiked South, from the parking lot 1200m east of the dam along Dewdney Trunk Rd, as described in Events calendar. The statistics are 15km in 6h30m, with cumulative ascent 290m. Maintaining “social distancing”…

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Trevor the Mandarin Duck is back!

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Photos and text by Caroline Penn This beautiful duck was first spotted at Burnaby Lake in 2018 and has been sighted in several other Vancouver parks off and on. An evening walk at Piper’s Spit two weeks ago brought us some views of Trevor, who was in full mating plumage and dutifully following a female around the dock area. The female Mandarin is very similar to the female Wood duck to whom the Mandarins are closely related. However it seems…

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Canada’s National Lichen

Monday, March 2, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Vote for Canada’s National Lichen The Canadian Museum of Nature is holding a vote for a national lichen. Seven lichen candidates have been selected by a panel of lichen experts–read more on the website and vote for your favourite at http://nature.ca/lichenvote Voting closes March 20th. Active fungi and lichen naturalist, Juliet Pendray, brought this opportunity to vote to our attention. Her favourite is Bryoria, but most important is that she wants us all to vote. Please click on the website, read about…

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In Memoriam – Joseph Lin

Thursday, February 27, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

With input from Susan Lin, Daphne Solecki, and Denis Laplante It is with great sorrow and regret that we inform the members of Nature Vancouver, that a long time member of Nature Vancouver, Dr. Joseph Lin, passed in the early morning hours of Feb 25, following complications from a heart surgery. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends. Joseph moved from Taiwan with his young family to Vancouver in 1993. He pursued his interest in nature by joining Nature Vancouver,…

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Birding at Iona Island Regional Park, Richmond

Monday, February 24, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Trip report by Leader, Thomas Plath On February 22, 2020, a dozen participants showed trust in the “weather man” and met at the parking lot in front of the washrooms at 9 AM. The forecast was correct and the rain had stopped. Two swallows foraging low over the outer pond were the Barn variety and not the expected Tree Swallow. Waterfowl were on the move and a flock of Lesser Scaup and a couple of female Bufflehead was present and a dozen Great Blue Heron roosting in the…

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Trails Strategy for BC

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Public Input sought by Feb 28, 2020 The BC government is seeking public input on its “Trails Strategy for BC”. Several naturalists have commented that some trails should remain single purpose, for walkers and hikers focussed on nature study and observation. Not all trails should be designed for multi-use. The BC government survey takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Deadline to complete is February 28th by 4:00 pm. The survey is available from the following link: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/trailsstrategyreview/ Click below for…

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Birding Terra Nova Nature Reserve, Richmond

Monday, February 10, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Trip Report by Leader, Thomas Plath On February 6, 2020, three participants enjoyed a pleasant walk around this nature park despite the light rain. A flock of American Goldfinches feeding in a birch was examined for redpolls even though it is a poor year for this northern visitor. A singing Bewick’s Wren was in plain view as were a few male Anna’s Hummingbirds perched on bushes showing their gorget well. The managed fields were flooded yielding a good mixed flock…

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Birding at Reifel Refuge, Delta

Sunday, February 2, 2020 Kelly Sekhon

Trip Report by Leader: Thomas Plath On 1 February 2020, once again the weather co-operated somewhat and although it was windy there was no rain. Seven people showed up to see what Reifel had to offer this morning. As is often the case Reifel gave us a few quality sightings. We were surprised by an immature Barn Swallow foraging at Fuller’s slough. All the regular dabbling ducks were present in the house pond and a group of Trumpeter Swans fed in the Alaksen fields….

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