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Evolution of Nature Vancouver News

Evolution of Nature Vancouver News

Over the past 100+ years, the Vancouver Natural History Society (now known as Nature Vancouver) has used various publications to communicate program and natural history information to its members. VNHS News – Bulletin of Vancouver Natural History Society (or just The Bulletin), was published from 1943 to 1971. In 2005, Bill Merilees compiled important articles from The Bulletin. Click HERE for a PDF copy.  A hard copy is available at Vancouver Public Library. The Bulletin itself evolved over time as you can see from…

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Ideas for Nature Projects

Ideas for Nature Projects

By Nigel Peck Nature Vancouver (Vancouver Natural History Society) has always been involved in projects to protect and enhance natural areas in Vancouver and surrounding municipalities. Specific endeavours arising from our members’ efforts include the protection of Jericho Park,  Pacific Spirit Regional Park including Camosun Bog and its restoration, protection of the UBC Farm, support for the establishment of the Stanley Park Nature House, the Sanctuary at Hastings Park, Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area, Everett Crowley Park, Surrey Bend, Wildlife Management Areas at Boundary Bay and Roberts Bank, Cypress Provincial…

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Witnessing & reporting obvious wildlife harassment

Witnessing & reporting obvious wildlife harassment

For many years now there has been an ongoing problem of birds of prey being harassed by unethical photographers in the Metro Vancouver region, particularly in the salt marshes of Boundary Bay and Brunswick Point. Recently the problem has been especially serious in the Brunswick Point area. For example just in the past week photos have been taken by ethical birders witnessing violators off-trail, out in the marsh, getting as close as possible to perched Short-eared Owls. The violators show…

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Disinfecting Bird Feeders to Control Salmonella Outbreak

Disinfecting Bird Feeders to Control Salmonella Outbreak

There have been numerous sightings of large flocks of Pine Siskins in the Metro Vancouver region this winter. Dirty bird feeders are prone to salmonella infection, which is often lethal to Pine Siskins and other species. You might not actually see them at your feeder while you’re home. However since they tend to move around frequently, they might visit your feeder while you’re out and infect it without you even knowing it. Therefore it’s safest to assume they do come…

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Bird Photography During a Gloomy Covid Winter

Bird Photography During a Gloomy Covid Winter

by Ron Long I’m an old dog, and I have been a photographer for over 60 years – but I’m still learning new tricks. I have lots of birds coming to my feeders and to the special photography perches that I have set up outside my kitchen. During warm weather I sit at the open patio door and happily snap away. But what to do when it’s too cold to sit at an open door? Conventional wisdom tells us not…

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Sugar Mtn Ridge hike 2021-01-08

Sugar Mtn Ridge hike 2021-01-08

Friday Jan 8 Teresa and I hiked from White Pine Beach to the junction with Diez Vistas trail, half along the logging road, and half along the parallel Ted’s Trail, then back along the ridge of Sugar Mountain (sometimes known as Buntzen Ridge). We enjoyed a lovely 4 hour walk under drizzle, 7.4km with 360m elevation gain, and met 6 people and 4 nice dogs. It’s a nice trail, a good workout, not much mud, and lovely trees and greenery….

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New Year’s Day Walk

New Year’s Day Walk

Since 2005, members of Nature Vancouver have participated in a New Year’s Day birding walk along Sturgeon Banks in SW Richmond, followed by lunch at a restaurant in quaint old fishing village of Steveston. We missed one year due to heavy snowfall. This year due to Covid, we did not organize this walk but a few members decided to keep the tradition going and met at Garry Point Park at 10 am. The forecast was for heavy rain but it…

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iNaturalist & Photos from Kakwa Provincial Park

iNaturalist & Photos from Kakwa Provincial Park

by Bev Ramey These dark days of November and December have been a productive time to spend at my computer, posting plant photos onto the iNaturalist – BC Parks website. The photos are from our summer weeks spent in Kakwa Provincial Park over the past eight years. My husband, Bill, has posted butterfly and other insect photos, as well as bird photos, with more yet to come. The iNaturalist website encourages all to post your nature photos. Two “Project” areas that may interest you are: BC Provincial Parks and Metro Vancouver Regional Parks.  View more photos for Kakwa that Bill and I have posted, from…

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Humpback Whales in the Salish Sea

Humpback Whales in the Salish Sea

By Bill Merilees                               “Whales are disporting themselves in Saanich Inlet. Mr. Warren is preparing whale boats and apparatus for waging war on the monsters of the deep”, so read the British Colonist Newspaper in Victoria, September 10th, 1866.  This was the beginning of whaling in British Columbia. A century later (1967), the whale stocks were so diminished that the last provincial shore based commercial whaling station, at Quatsino Sound, on northwest coast of Vancouver Island, shut down for good. The Humpback…

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Attention to Detail

Attention to Detail

Text and Photos by Bettina Matzkuhn (bettinamatzkuhn.ca) My favourite thing about being a member of Nature Vancouver, is that when we are on a walk, it’s like walking with an encyclopedia. I know I can get bird and flower apps but it’s much more interesting when a living person points out something I may have passed by. I also appreciate having stops where I can take photos or draw.  Drawing, which is any artist’s planning tool, forces me to pay…

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