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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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False Creek Oyster Quadrat Survey # 1 & 2

False Creek Oyster Quadrat Survey # 1 & 2

Charleson Park, July 16th & 30th Report by Janet Snell & Marjo Vierros The second phase of the False Creek Oyster survey has begun with the intention of providing more detailed information about the oyster beds in False Creek that we had previously surveyed using iNaturalist. Two separate quadrat surveys were held at Charleson Park with the help of many able volunteers.  From one of our Quadrat Survey team leaders, Marjo Vierros, a marine biologist, here is an excerpt from…

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2023 Summer Camp – Big Bar Ranch

2023 Summer Camp – Big Bar Ranch

Two Summer Camps were held from Sunday, July 9 to Sunday, July 16, 2023 and Sunday, July 16 to Sunday, July 23, 2023. The “drive in” tenting/RV camps were held on the Big Bar Ranch group sites. Big Bar Ranch (https://www.bigbarranch.com/) is situated near the southern rim of the Interior Plateau, at an elevation of 1,030m, but there are nearly 2,000 vertical meters between the low and the high points to explore. To the southeast of the ranch, the Marble…

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Robert’s Bank T2 Project – Update

Robert’s Bank T2 Project – Update

Union of BC Indian Chiefs passed a resolution calling for an immediate pause to the Roberts’ Bank Terminal 2 development. Wording from their resolution includes: UBCIC Chiefs Council calls for an immediate pause of RBT2 development which stands to have critical impacts on the title, rights, and treaty rights of First Nations in BC and the USA, including infringement on the right to access marine resources for food, social and ceremonial use. See their open letter to federal and provincial…

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Walk in Stanley Park’s Shakespeare Garden & Around Beaver Lake

Walk in Stanley Park’s Shakespeare Garden & Around Beaver Lake

Report by Nina Shoroplova Fourteen walkers joined co-leaders Nina Shoroplova and Caroline Penn in Stanley Park on Friday, July 7. We met at the memorial monument to Lord Stanley, the sixth Governor General of Canada, who, in October 1989, confirmed the name of the park, saying, “To the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colours, creeds, and customs, for all time.” In the direction of the Robert Burns statue, several non-native trees held our attention: a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron…

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