Submitted by Jan Lowcock. Grey, rainy, windy weather set the stage for the Iona Beach Regional Park bird walk led by John Chandler and Jan Lowcock. Our group of 10 included several new birders who had attended the beginning birder Welcome Walks. They have earned their stripes by birding in wet weather. We identified 49 species in total, a few of which were seen and heard after we had completed the larger group walk. The trip began with a survey…
Saturday, April 13, 2024 was a perfect day to explore the seaweeds in the sandy and rocky intertidal area off the Empress of Japan Figurehead in Stanley Park. The unpredictable rainy weather dissipated providing us with a bright day for our intertidal exploration. The spring tides are in their extreme ranges now, meaning that the lower low spring tide level (LLW) at 16:11 PDT had an elevation of a mere 0.7 m. The meet-up time at the Spray Park was…
Submitted By Thomas Plath April 20th Fifteen keen participants met at the McDonald’s in Merritt for an afternoon and morning of birding. After the customary sign in and organization of people and overnight gear we were able to accommodate everyone in five vehicles. We headed up to our first birding area – the Interior Douglas-fir/Lodgepole Pine forest of the Interior Plateau south of Kamloops. The numerous small meadows inundating the montane forest make this prime habitat for Great Grey Owl….
Introduction The Nature Vancouver 2024 Annual Photo Show, a beacon for the community’s shared love for nature and photography, concluded with remarkable success. The event, held April 25th at the Hewett Centre Hall, Unitarian Church, was a testament to the enduring spirit of the organization’s members and their commitment to capturing the essence of the natural world. Participation Overview Total Photographs Received: 154Total Members Contributed: 38Total Votes Cast: 172Total Voting Members: 29 Event Highlights The event was graced by the…
Submitted by Jan Lowcock. Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21, 2024 Neill Vanhinsberg and Jan Lowcock led 2 birding Welcome Walks in Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Park. Advertised through Nature Vancouver and Meetup, the two walks attracted 22 birders, 11 of whom were not members of Nature Vancouver. Many were brand new to birding and appreciative of the loaner binoculars now available for NV field trips. The sunny and slightly warmer temperatures on Saturday were enjoyed as we scoured the…
Submitted by Neill Vanhinsberg. Fifteen folks came out on a cool, showery morning to Queen Elizabeth Park and for a change no one was playing pickleball in the adjacent courts. Most of the participants were quite new to birding and we handed out 6 pairs of loaner binoculars which were much appreciated. We headed off first to a Jack pine that has been recently frequented by a Red-breasted Sapsucker. No bird but there was plenty of evidence of sapsuckers enjoying…
Submitted by Leona Axbey A small group of us spent several hours here, and were treated to many special moments. We saw more Green-Winged Teals than this birder has ever seen, at least 100. Wonderful courtship displays were put on by a pair of Mallards, while Pine Siskins were billing and cooing (literally!) in nearby bushes. A lone female Hooded Merganser chose to do her courtship display for everyone. A Ruby-Crowned Kinglet put on quite the aerial display for us…
Trip leaders Michelle Baudais and Harvey Dueck had a full house for their St. Patrick’s Day walk at Jericho Beach Park on Sunday. We also had some of the nicest weather we’ve seen for months! The air was warm and the sky cloudless as we met at the east edge of the park at 9am. Before the walk officially began, Harvey took advantage of the clear skies to put a solar filter on his spotting scope. 2024 is close to the…
April 26-29 Have Fun and Support Nature at the same time! Are you looking for a good reason to get outdoors that also helps nature and is fun for everyone? There is a great challenge for you and it’s easy and free to do. The City Nature Challenge 2024 is an opportunity for individuals or groups to spend time outdoors, make observations of nature and document them in a way that allows others to get a better understanding of biodiversity wherever they…
Submitted by Bev Ramey Dr. Michael Feller died peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep on January 20, 2024, just shy of his 78th birthday. He is remembered as a keen birder with Nature Vancouver, for his work to revegetate habitat, as an outdoor enthusiast and historian with the BC Mountaineering Club, as well as an associate professor emeritus at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. Michael received the BC Achievement Community Award (2014) which commended his initiatives regarding land use policies along the Sea…