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Birds & Wildflowers of Horth Hill Park

Birds & Wildflowers of Horth Hill Park

Trip Report by Kelly Sekhon; Photos by John Martin Nine members of Nature Vancouver and a guest, participated in this trip to North Saanich on 15 April 2023. Forecast was for rain but it held off until after we were back on our return ferry to Tsawwassen. We had very pleasant day walking around the park with White Fawn Lilies, and Shooting Stars at their peak of flowering season. Other flowers in bloom were Blue-eyed Mary, Small Monkey Flower, Red-flowering…

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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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2023 NV Photo Show

2023 NV Photo Show

A Fresh Take on Celebrating Natural Beauty and Talent Introduction Nature Vancouver’s 2023 Photo Show marked a significant shift from previous years, transforming from a competition to a show celebrating the talents of photographers and the beauty of nature. The event saw several changes, including the removal of ranking-based rewards, the re-introduction of anonymous photo submissions, and the implementation of a Members’ Choice Vote option for all members. Event Highlights The 2023 Photo Show featured seven categories: Birds, Insects &…

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Birding at Ambleside – April 2, 2023

Birding at Ambleside – April 2, 2023

Trip Report by Harvey Dueck 16 participants joined leaders Michelle Baudais and Harvey Dueck for a birding field trip at Ambleside Park.  We had a nice mix of beginners and more experienced birders.  Several in the group live quite nearby. The day started cold and wet, but the weather grew more pleasant as the morning progressed.  We met by the Boatshed restaurant and spent some time looking at the birds out on the water.   A bald eagle perched on…

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Old Growth Conservancy – Cypress Mountain

Old Growth Conservancy – Cypress Mountain

Snowshoe Walk – Thursday, March 23, 2023 Submitted by Caroline Penn Nestled inside the elbow of one of the hair-pin turns of the road to Cypress Mountain is the Old Growth Conservancy. It is a 54-hectare forest located at an elevation of 760 metres just south of the Works Yard. The area was saved from development as a golf course in 1990, and is now conserved and protected by municipal bylaw. Like many old growth forests, it is a mix…

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City Nature Challenge & Nature Vancouver Collaboration

City Nature Challenge & Nature Vancouver Collaboration

Submitted by John Martin The City Nature Challenge is an annual global event supporting Citizen Science. It’s a day where you are encouraged to get out and observe nature. You can record any living thing, birds, plants, butterflies, frogs, fungi etc.  Click on GREATER VANCOUVER to get to the main City Nature Challenge project on iNaturalist. Here you will see  For those new to participating in a BioBlitz refer to the following internet links. You can participate on your own, in a…

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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 view the Video version on CBC TV Our Vancouver (April 1 edition) – starts at 33m18s. There is also the original 7 minute audio-only recording 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…

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Tree Identification in Kitsilano – Feb 10, 2023

Tree Identification in Kitsilano – Feb 10, 2023

Report by Nina Shoroplova, 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 offered…

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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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