Lang Creek Fish Hatchery and Native Plant Garden

Salmon patiently awaiting their turn
– W. Kubany

David explaining how the facility is tailored to the timing of the various salmon species
– W. Kubany

The spawning channel
– W. Kubany

David waxing poetic
– W. Kubany

Michael pointing out some of the features of the “native plant garden”…there are MANY
– W. Kubany

Is it art? We think “yes”
– W. Kubany

What it’s about
– W. Kubany

Lang Creek Fish Hatchery and Native Plant Garden
by Paul Miniato, 6 Oct 2019

A warm sun pushed through the clouds as about 15 of us began our tour of the Hatchery. David Bedry explained how the operation of the facility meshed with the lifecycle of the salmon.

Needing different water temperatures, the various species – except Sockeye, which can’t spawn in this watershed – would naturally push varying degrees upstream. Now, all fish are diverted through the monitored facility, where Chinook, Chum, and Coho are counted, sorted, and processed to harvest eggs or sperm for incubation. Tyler from the Powell River Salmon Society showed us a couple of salmon awaiting their turn in the building, while more waited below the diversion. Pink Salmon are left to spawn naturally, and a few were visible in the man-made spawning channel nearby. David explained that the PRSS has an enviable record for egg survival rates.

No bears appeared, although they are expected along with the eagles as the Coho run surges later in October. As we toured the beautiful grounds, we were entertained by the croak of a startled heron, as well as cartwheeling ravens. We ended our walk in the Native Plant Garden, where Michael Stewart recapped the history of the ten-year-old garden as well as plans for new signage to make it more accessible to school groups. Michael was on-hand to answer questions about native plant gardening. We learned how challenging it can be to know you are planting endemic species rather than hybrids.

Thank you, David and Michael, and to all the volunteers who have put so much into this area. Both leaders stressed the need for new volunteers as existing ones fall away and the workload remains. Offers appreciated!

Mushroom forage – 2019

Edible oyster mushrooms growing on an alder log
– M. Koleszar

Izi describing a different fungus to the group
– M. Koleszar

Looking underneath two mushrooms to identify the differences
– M. Koleszar

Izi telling the group about lobster mushrooms
– M. Koleszar

“Don’t eat this one”
– M. Koleszar

Some turkey tail fungus and unknown mushrooms growing on a dead alder
– M. Koleszar

A destroying angel mushroom; as dangerous as it sounds! Do not eat!
– M. Koleszar

Frying up the chantrelles and oysters the group collected
– M. Koleszar

Time to eat!
– N. Pezel

The master mushroom chef at work
– D. Bedry

Mushroom forage – 2019
by Nancy Pezel 29 Sept 2019

Sixteen members met at Squirrel Crossing on this perfect fall day to learn about mushrooms. After handing out an introduction to mushrooms and showing us a stack of reference books she suggested to help with identification, Izi Loveluck guided us up a loop trail to point out examples of a variety of different mushrooms.

There we found some summer Oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus) growing on an alder log, which Izi said was unusual to still be out at this time of year. She pointed out a patch of Lobster mushrooms (Hypomyces lactifluorum), which are very unique in appearance and easy to identify. Lobster mushrooms are edible but she cautioned that they colonize other mushrooms, so could colonize toxic mushrooms which would make them toxic as well!

We were able to compare a Chanterelle spp. (edible) to a similar looking Gamphydrus (toxic), and differentiate the two by their gills. We then split into small groups and searched for mushrooms on our own. After an hour we regrouped and laid out the specimens we had gathered.

David Bedry generously provided his stove so Izi could cook up some of the Chanterelles we had found and an Oyster mushroom. The secret to cooking mushrooms we were told, is to fry them up in a dry pan so most of the moisture evaporates, then add lots of butter!

Delicious!!

Mike Demuth – “Cold Matters: Cryospheric Change and Related Hydro-ecological Functioning”

Earth’s cryosphere: much if not all of Canada’s hydrology is influenced by the cryosphere

Canada’s glaciers: about 200,000 km² if ice, ¾ of it the Arctic Archipelago

Comox Glacier: see the changes over a 3 year period

Devon Island: the ice cap meets the sea over a 15 km calving front

Peyto Glacier mass balance: the long term trend is clear even through the large annual variations

Global summary: most areas decline while Scandinavia grows due to increased precipitation

Peyto Glacier history: changes in size since 1840

Ice core story: the cores show more melt features now than at any time since the last ice age ended

Field work – the good: Columbia Icefield on a sunny day

Field work: – the bad: and the more common poor weather (digging out camp day after day)

Mike Demuth – “Cold Matters: Cryospheric Change and Related Hydro-ecological Functioning”
by Tom Koleszar, 26 Sep 2019.

Mike is an Emeritus Research Scientist in Glaciology and Cold Region Environments who lives part-time in Lund. Mike’s talk introduced us to Earth’s cryosphere and then focussed on mountain glaciers. More can be learned about the cryosphere here.

We learned a great deal about how to measure glaciers and track changes to their mass balance over time – not a simple task! Direct field measurements shown included stake farms, digging pits, and drilling holes through the ice – in all kinds of weather! Remote sensing through photography, Lidar, and satellite measurements is also very valuable today.

The talk then turned to focus on the results – the dramatic changes taking place today in most of the world’s alpine glaciers. Warming conditions and changes to precipitation patterns can be seen very clearly in the ice measurements – one advantage of cryosphere research is that it is easy to eliminate weather noise for climate data. The changing ice mass then has pronounced hydrology effects downstream on resource industries, agriculture, wildlife, recreation, and domestic water supplies.

In closing, Mike paid homage to some of the original 19th century workers in glaciology, and showed some more great pictures of some nice days – and not so nice days – in the field.

Marmots on Mt Washington

Going up was easy
– A. Bryant

Getting off was trickier…
– A. Bryant

Going down was tough on the knees!
– S. Kubany

The Grey Jays were ubiquitous – and knew we gonna stop for lunch somewhere!
– W. Kubany

The views were spectacular
– P. Karis

Andrew waxing poetic
– P. Karis

– S. Kubany

Indan paintbrush and Lake Helen Mackenzie
– W. Kubany

A niced Hooded Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana )
– W. Kubany

The only squirrel of the day was at at Paradise Meadows
– A. Bryant

Marmots on Mt Washington
by Pat Karis 20 July 2019

On Saturday ten of us caught the early ferry to Comox in search of Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis) on Mount Washington.

We rode the chair lift to the top of the mountain, where club members were treated to an informative talk on the marmot by Dr. Andrew Bryant, who wrote the first, 2nd and 3rd recovery plans for this endangered species while simultaneously spending two decades asking – and answering – scientific questions. Starting with “where do they live and how many of them are there?

While Dr. Bryant spoke, the group was surrounded by assertive and inquisitive whiskeyjacks looking for a handout…
Later on, we traversed part way down the mountain, where we all enjoyed the spectacular scenery while having our lunch .. after our rest, Dr. Bryant, resumed his chats and discussions along the way, stopping periodically to look and listen for the elusive marmot…

Unfortunately, and much to our disappointment, no wild marmots were spotted, although there was evidence along the way, that there had been activity around their burrows. It was a noisy day on the side of the mountain, with a lot of heavy machinery making its way up and down the mountain that day, probably spooking the marmots into a safer and quieter retreat.

A quick walk-by of the captive-breeding facility (which is not open to the public) eventually yielded a few marmots…but…according to Andrew: “these captive marmots are being well-managed…but if you ask me…nobody should see their first Vancouver Island marmot in a cage…and you’re standing way too close”.

By the time we reached the parking lot (it’s a 5 km walk and a 780 m descent), everyone agreed that they were much better informed of the plight of the Vancouver Island marmot, our information session today bringing new awareness to our already delicate ecosystem and what we need to do to bring it into balance.

Thank-you very much to Dr. Bryant for all of his insights and dedication over the years – a truly informative and enlightening outing.

Desolation Sound

Captain Mike charting our course.
– N. Pezel

Rocks and trees
– N. Pezel

pictograph in Thulin Passage
– T. Koleszar

Enjoying the views
– N. Pezel

We’re squeezing through there?
– N. Pezel

lunch and swim spot
– T. Koleszar

lunchtime eagle
– T. Koleszar

Sarah looks a little cold
– N. Pezel

Tom looks a little cold too!
– N. Pezel

entering Desolation Sound under darkening skies
– T. Koleszar

view up the Sound between Melville and Morgan Islands – bad weather ahead!
– T. Koleszar

rain deeper in the Sound
– T. Koleszar

a mountain peak finally shows through!
– T. Koleszar

Refuge Cove
– T. Koleszar

History of Refuge Cove
– N. Pezel

Just hanging out at Refuge Cove
– N. Pezel

Powell Islets Cormorants
– T. Koleszar

Can you spot the gull chicks?
– N. Pezel

It rained in Refuge Cove after we left!
– N. Pezel

Desolation Sound
by Nancy Pezel 13 July 2019

As Nadia brought us up alongside the Misty Isles in the dingy, what a surprise to find Mike would be our captain for the day! With the aid of his charts, Mike explained about the currents, tides, deep waters, and warm fresh surface waters that make Desolation Sound such a popular spot for boaters.

As we headed up through Thulin Passage we stopped briefly at a pictograph; Mike explained that mineralization of the rock helps coat and preserve the “paint” that the local First Nations made from red oxide traded to them by interior First Nations. As we entered Desolation Sound, we learned how Captain Vancouver came to name it on a dreary day during his voyage in 1792. After squeezing by Otter Island, a headwind picked up and the clouds threatened rain, so we sought shelter and anchored at the south end of Melville Island. There we enjoyed a delicious lunch while two bald eagles watched us from their perches atop a Douglas-fir tree. Tom, Captain Mike and Sarah also enjoyed a brief swim in this sheltered spot.

With bad weather ahead of us in the distance, we headed into Prideaux Haven to have a quick look at how many boats were occupying “downtown” Desolation Sound (I counted 18), before we turned back and across Homfray Channel , to Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island. After a brief visit and chance to stretch our legs, we started back towards Lund, this time passing by the Powell Islets. There we saw some gulls with chicks, a few cormorants and some seals. And then, just as we were turning towards Lund we saw a small pod of Orcas!

Although the threat of rain surrounded us most of the day, somehow Captain Mike was able to keep the ominous dark clouds and rain at a distance the entire trip! It was a wonderful day enjoyed by all!

Powell Lake – its natural and not-so-natural history

The Catwalker
– N. Pezel

VROOM!!!
– N. Pezel

Comfortable cabin
– N. Pezel

Upper Powell River entering the lake
– T. Koleszar

Our boat the Catwalker at the head of the lake
– T. Koleszar

Common Loons
– N. Pezel

View from the bridge
– T. Koleszar

Tom telling tall tales
– N. Pezel

LOTS of great scenery
– N. Pezel

Tiny cabins along the way…just kidding.
This is the impressive Rainbow Lodge
– N. Pezel

Great day for a swim!
– N. Pezel

the happy (and now lake educated) crew!
– T. Koleszar

Powell Lake – its natural and not-so-natural history
by Tom Koleszar 22 Jun 2019

Its 0900 Saturday morning and 12 intrepid naturalists embark on the Catwalker for an all day trip up Powell Lake to learn about the lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery! We made 4 stops on the way up to the head, including one at Captain Byrne’s cabin at Olsens Landing for a much needed break! (The other stops were in the middle of the lake a few kms up, just past the first narrows, and off Beartooth Creek).

At these stops Nancy and Tom talked about the lake waters (the deep salt layer), forestry practices along the lake (visual impacts, OGMAs, ungulate winter ranges, etc.), the geology and geography of the lake area, and the lake history (which includes many homesteaders and colourful characters!).

At the head we got off the boat for a nice lunch in the sunshine and a short walk up the road to a bridge over the upper Powell River – which offers spectacular views of the lake and the river! After that its back on the boat for a run down to the second narrows and a look at the Rainbow Lodge and then on to the Narrows area for a stop at a small dock and a swim (all those who went in said the water was great!). After that we had one final stop off the Fiddlehead area for a discussion on the history of the farm, and then back to the Shingle Mill at 1530.

I think everyone had a great day, and thanks to Captain Byrne for the expert handling of his boat and the use of his cabin! It seems like this is one trip we’ll have to do again!

A Seaside Amble

Searching…
– D. Bedry

more searching…
– D. Bedry

Those dip nets came in handy
– D. Bedry

Looking stuff up
– D. Bedry

and even more searching…
– D. Bedry

What a great day to get wet!
– D. Bedry

A Seaside Amble
by David Bedry, 15 June 2019.

With an array of field guides in hand, David Bedry and a small group of parents and Young Naturalists explored the tide pools below the Westview viewpoint.

Three parents with four children had a great time wading and splashing in the tide pools with dip nets, using collection jars to show off their finds. The most popular creatures were small crabs, but they also found some sculpins and a few flatfish.

Towards the end everyone made it down to the water where one of the parents waded out and found a sea star and jellyfish.

A wonderful morning enjoyed by all!

Our new Forestry Museum display

The “before” image, 7 May 2018
– A. Bryant

Things were looking just a bit “tired”
– A. Bryant

Tools were needed
– A. Bryant

There’s a lot to see…
– A. Bryant

I challenge anyone to “connect-the-dots”
– A. Bryant

Do we look happy?
– A. Bryant

For a small club, we do seem to get around…
– A. Bryant

Our new Forestry Museum display
by Andrew Bryant, 30 May 2019.

Some “events” just fall into your lap. Others take hard work and persistence. This one had elements of both.

In May of 2018 we were approached by Nikita Johnston of the Powell River Historical Museum and Archives. It appears that our existing “display” had “seen better days”. Nikita kindly wondered whether we wished to “update” it.

Things happened fast. The Club Executive quickly approved a $400 budget and a “design-team” was duly formalized. Nikita generously offered a “booth” instead of a “wall”.

So Nancy, Lois and I spent the better part of a year designing stuff, building stuff, arguing about stuff, and kicking ideas around to the point where we needed to design stuff all over again. More than once.

Personally my favorite moment was having to chop the legs off a carefully-crafted display cabinet…because, well, nobody’s perfect. Stealing a crab from the “contorted-pod-evening-primrose” field-trip comes in at a close 2nd..and watching Lois’s face when she dropped that sea-urchin and it shattered? Oh. The horror.

In the end it all came together (including the sea urchin). And we came in under-budget.
I’m struck by how much Powell Riverites like to “give back”.

Thanks to Rona (once again), who seem to like us and are never shy of donating $50 worth of lumber or hardware to a worthy cause.
Thanks to Western Forest Products, who color-printed the satellite images at large size (to do this commercially would have been hugely expensive).
Thanks to PR Glass, who special-ordered a piece of lexan, taught me how to drill it, and made a $65 contribution on a $110 sale.

Ooh ya. I love the nature of our small town.

In search of the Contorted-pod Evening Primrose

The map
– T. Koleszar

Onward march!
– A.Bryant

Some nice Western redcedar
– T. Koleszar

The mission explained…
– T. Koleszar

Just a typical Savary day
– A.Bryant

Song Sparrows were everywhere.
– A.Bryant

Hooker’s Onion Allium acuminatum
– T. Koleszar

Vancouver Island from Savary
– T. Koleszar

Killdeer nest
– A.Bryant

Killdeer looking anxious.
– A.Bryant

Unidentified tiphiid wasp on Hooker’s onion Allium acuminatum
– A. Bryant

Field chickweed Cerastium arvense
– A.Bryant

Critical habitat for the Contorted-pod Evening Primrose…overgrown with Scotch Broom.
– A. Bryant

We did find an abandoned steam-donkey!
– T. Koleszar

Artistically desicated grass
– A.Bryant

The group spies something…
– A.Bryant

A mule deer
– A.Bryant

The obligatory group shot.
– A.Bryant

In search of the Contorted-pod Evening Primrose
by Nancy Pezel 25 May 2019

We left the rain behind us as we drove towards Lund, patches of blue sky amongst the clouds promised good weather on our adventure. After fueling up on cinnamon buns and coffees we took the short water taxi ride to Savary Island. From the wharf we walked a few kilometers on a meandering road through some surprisingly lush looking western red cedar forests, which transitioned into drier Douglas-fir forests before emerging onto Duck Bay on the south side of the island.

Andrew explained that Savary Island is one of the best examples of coastal sand dune ecosystem, with feeder bluffs (eroding 25 cm/year!) and accumulation areas. These ecosystems provide habitat for one of the rarest and most endangered species in Canada, the contorted-pod evening-primrose (Camissonia contorta). A large part of this sand dune ecosystem on the island was successfully protected in 2018. Today’s mission was to find some of these rare plants.

We had a wonderful day searching, exploring the beach, enjoying the views, and with the help of our local guide Jayne, discovering some unique Douglas-fir trees. The contorted-pod evening primrose, however remained elusive. Savary is such a beautiful place, we might just have to try again Andrew!

Barbara Sherriff “Moai and volcanoes of Easter Island…and Patagonian glaciers”

Welcome to Easter Island!
– B. Sherriff

Why is there an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?
Plate tectonics and volcanoes.
– B. Sherriff

Easter Island is actually formed by three volcanoes. Bacause of plate tectonics, these formed in “approximately the same place” over millions of years…making Easter Island quite different from the long, drawn-out string of volcanoes that make up the Hawaiian Islands.
– B. Sherriff

Thor Hyerdahl was wrong – about a number of things!
– B. Sherriff

The last “true-blood” Rapa Nui woman died in 1946…but the language and culture lives on, with a significant population inhabiting mainland Chile.
– B. Sherriff

What’s the difference between a Maoi and a Ahu?
The Ahu are the platforms that the statues (Maoi) stand upon.
The mysterious Moai were powerful ancestors often chiefs placed on a platform (Ahu) to protect a village.
– B. Sherriff

In 1774, the island was rediscovered during the second voyage of Captain James Cook. One of the expedition’s artists was William Hodges, who painteded this famous watercolor. He’s one of few who saw the Moai still standing.

Rana Raraku Quarry (where all the Moai were carved) has 397 Moai in various stages of carving…carving Moai was a business !!!
– B. Sherriff

Contrary to popular belief, the Rapa Nui did not cut down all the trees and move the Moai along on rollers. Instead they carved them with a “keel” and “walked them along”…like moving a heavy appliance
– B. Sherriff

Why did the Moai get toppled?
War.
– B. Sherriff

The native trees did get wiped out…primarily because of clearing for agriculture, wood used for cremations, and the introduction of rats.
– B. Sherriff

The adoption of “Birdmen Culture” (1600-1867) ended tribal warfare and the local “military industrial complex”…and in turn that ended when Christianity arrived…
– B. Sherriff

Something rarely seen…Barbara up at the crack of dawn!
– B. Sherriff

Yes, the glaciers of Patagonia are impressive!
– B. Sherriff

Barbara Sherriff “Moai and volcanoes of Easter Island…and Patagonian glaciers”
by Andrew Bryant, 25 Apr 2019.

The Club’s very own Barbara Sherriff, well-known for her globetrotting adventures, recently returned from another epic voyage – this time to Easter Island and the glaciers of Patagonia!

Always the consumate educator, Barbara provided a hugely informative and highly amusing talk, deftly switching from tidbits about geology (did you know the Moai all wore “hats” of red volcanic scoria carved from a single quarry at Puna Pau?) to social commentary (why we could all benefit from adopting aspects of “Bird Man Culture“).

In turn, we learned about:

Why there’s an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
Where the Rapa Nui people came from
What happened to them
What the giant statues represent
The difference between a Moai and an Ahu
How the Moai were made
How they were moved
Why they were toppled
What happened to the native trees

Whew. And if that weren’t enough, we were then taken on a side-trip to the glaciers of Chile and Argentina, where we got to witness something truly amazing…Barbara up at sunrise…

…and this…

Birding by Ear Part IX

Here’s a Black-throated Gray Warbler welcoming us
– A. Bryant

The gang heading out
– A. Bryant

When the light hits it just right, that iridescent “gorgon” on this Rufous Hummingbird really stands out
– A. Bryant

A Spotted Towhee doing what they do best – skulk in the undergrowth…
– A. Bryant

The present state of property development
– A. Bryant

The flowers were great. I believe this is “candyflower” aka “Siberian springbeauty” Claytonia siberica
– A. Bryant

My first McGillivray’s Warbler of the year…yippee!
– A. Bryant

This Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa cardui has seen better days…and they migrate a looong ways
– A. Bryant

The lovely but deadly meadow death-camas Zigadenus venenosus
– A. Bryant

Tiger Lily Lilium columbianum
– A. Bryant

Western Wood-Pewee being “photo-bombed” by a Rufous Hummingbird
What a great day!
– A. Bryant

Birding by Ear Part IX
by Pierre Geoffray 18 May 2019

A group of ten enthusiastic members practiced our “ear-birding” skills along the trails of Wildwood Bluffs. We started at the Italian Hall in second growth forest, where a variety of birds were singing, among them many Yellow Warblers and Black-headed Grosbeaks and the first Swainson’s Thrush of the year.

Next we moved to the newly cleared and seemingly abandoned construction site where the big piles of slash had already been colonized by the McGillivray’s Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers and other specialists of early-successional forests. We then followed the path leading onto the Bluffs overlooking the ocean where we listened to the songs of Townsend’s and Audubon’s Warblers, Cassin’s Vireos and Hammond’s Flycatcher. Here we had brief but good views of a Western Wood-pewee, a bird which favours dry habitat and is becoming increasingly rare in our area.

From the Bluffs we descended into the coastal forest bordering the shore where we heard but did not see another set of birds dependent upon this different habitat. In the shade of the tall firs and cedars and in the thick understory below them, the clear clear song of the tiny Pacific Wren resounded for us while Golden-crowned Kinglets, Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Pacific-slope Flycatcher were calling from the canopy.

All through the morning the Warbling Vireos kept singing, the many Black-headed Grosbeak being their only serious competition in today’s chorus.
Some birds were new for the year (Cedar Waxwing, Western Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush). Others were just plain beautiful to watch like the male Common Yellowthroat that sang endlessly while perched on a snag, the Western Tanager with his bright orange head, the male MacGillivray’s Warbler that paused for us…

In all we detected 39 species (the full list is here) and walked 5.3 kilometres in four hours…Overall a great walk with great people in a beautiful environment.

Thanks to all the participants. See you next year!

Mitlenatch 2019

Misty Isles at the dock
– D. Sept

Park Sign
– D. Sept

Sea Blush (Plectritis congesta) & Yellow Monkey-flowers (Mimulus guttatus)
– D. Sept

Northern (aka Steller’s) Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) – beachmaster & harem of females
– D. Sept

Going ashore
– D. Sept

A male California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)
– D. Sept

Common Camas (Camassia quamash)
– D. Sept

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)
– D. Sept

Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria affinis)
– D. Sept

Female Northern Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
– D. Sept

Mitlenatch 2019
by Duane Sept, 4 May 2019

Twelve keen adventurers boarded the Misty Isles at Lund for a day trip to Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park. The owner/operator Jonas Fineman was our trusty captain and our guide was guide George Sirk. George was the original naturalist for Mitlenatch in 1969 and he returned again in 1971.

After heading out the captain brought his boat in for a close look at Major Islet – a rock-covered mini-island. There we had a wonderful look at the late spring profusion of wildflowers that found enough soil to thrive between the boulders. The species viewed from a distance was Yellow Monkey Flowers and Sea Blush.

At Mitlenatch Island we were able to watch California Sea Lions, Northern (Steller) Sea Lions as well as Harbour Seals. The California Sea Lions were certainly the most vocal with their barking as they are so well-known for. The captain anchored at Camp Bay on Mitlenatch Island to land by the volunteers’ cabin where we were greeted by our volunteer host. Our naturalist, George gave us an excellent orientation for the island as well as a viewing of the gull blind. George is a very knowledgeable individual that provided both information on each of the many species encountered as well as natural history and human history for the area.

On Mitlenatch the late wildflower season provided us with an amazing array of species including: Sea Blush, Yellow Monkey Flower, Chocolate Lily, Common Camas, Meadow Death-camas, Chickweed, Many-flowered Shootingstar and Blue-eyed-grass,

The list of birds observed on our trip included, Bonaparte’s Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Northern Shoveler, Bald Eagle, Common Raven, Black Oystercatcher, Northwestern Crow and Orange-crowned Warbler. We returned to Lund after a wonderful homemade lunch of soup, salad, tea and cookie. An amazing day –with wonderful weather and lots of the natural world to view!

Ambrose Lake Ecological Reserve

Pigeon Guillimot at Saltery Bay
– A. Bryant

A nice morning on the ferry
– A. Bryant

Yes. We were in the right place…
– A. Bryant

The lovely Ambrose Lake
– A. Bryant

Where’s the bog?
Where’s the trail?
– A. Bryant

A very curious sign
– N. Voss

Happy faces all around
– A. Bryant

Luckily Tom spied a terrific lunch spot
– T. Koleszar

Well…we tried
– T. Koleszar

Ambrose Lake Ecological Reserve
by Andrew Bryant, 27 Apr 2019

Well, we’ve talked about doing this trip for years – and finally did it. Thirteen of us took the Saltery Bay ferry and shuttled to the trailhead using “Tom’s Uber” . We walked a couple of km along a well-maintained trail to Ambrose Lake Ecological Reserve – and then the music died.

Ambrose Lake proved to be a very nice lake. With no trail around it. And if indeed this ecological reserve has “bog charactistics” as the relevant on-line documents indicate, well we didn’t see any of them.

So instead of that nice bouncy feeling of walking upon a floating mass of sphagnum moss and finding those delightful insectivorous plants such as Sundews or Pitcher plants…we just turned around and walked back…

Highlights? The Osprey was nice. The Black-throated grey warblers (heard but not seen) were nice. The view from the ferry was nice.
It was a nice day out. But as a field-trip?

Well, I don’t think we’ll be planning to do it again anytime soon.

Jeff Belcher “B.C. Wildfires: past and future”

What we’re hoping not to see this summer…
– J. Belcher

The Coastal Fire Centre
– J. Belcher

The scale of resources is huge…and others are “on call”…
– J. Belcher

In comparison to other Fire Centres, things were relavively quiet here last year
– J. Belcher

The long-term trend is obvious…but the reasons are complex. Forestry, historical wildfire management, insect outbreaks, and global werming all play a role.
– J. Belcher

To put it mildly, the last two fire seasons were “above average”
– J. Belcher

Of note is the incredible importance of weather, Wildfire activity literally exploded in early August.
– J. Belcher

The scale of things was impressive
– J. Belcher

And how can we predict such things?
– J. Belcher

Well, 2019 will be an El Niño year, bringing warmer and dryer conditions.
– J. Belcher

So, although computer models are “just computer models”…things are not looking rosy
– J. Belcher

Yikes
– J. Belcher

Fire preparedness starts at home
– J. Belcher

Depending on high atmospheric conditions, wildfire (red dots) smoke can travel around the globe
– National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) via the Washington Post

Jeff Belcher “B.C. Wildfires: past and future”
by Andrew Bryant, 25 Apr 2019.

Jeff Belcher works for the BC Wildfire Service. He spent the first ten years working in the interior of the province out of Williams Lake and Alexis Creek. He grew up in Courtenay, so made the move to Powell River just over a year ago to be closer to home and enjoy the unbeatable coastal lifestyle.

Jeff’ spoke about the 2017/2018 wildfire seasons, with specific reference to “his” area, the Coastal Fire Centre (CFC). The thing that impressed me the most was the scale of things. We’re talking about huge areas of forests (almost 17 million hectares) and resources (210+ people) – not to mention aircraft, trucks, chainsaws, and other personnel drawn in from across the Province – or across Canada – or even from Australia or South Africa!

By comparison with other Fire Centres, the Coastal Fire Centre had a “quiet” 2018 season, with “only” 297 fires and ~150,000 hectares burned. The Northwest Fire Centre had fewer fires (150) but these burned an extraordinary 843,000 hectares. Equally impressive were the trends over time. In a word, they’re up.

Jeff provided some helpful links, for example to the B.C.’s FireSmart Program, which seeks to educate landowners about how best to protect their own properties. He also shared some fascinating graphics…some of the smoke you saw last August…may having been coming from Siberia!

Steve Gordon – “Goats, grizzlies and goshawks: adventures of a habitat biologist”

What a view! The food, however, was so-so…
– S. Gordon

Access to goat habitat can be, shall we say, challenging…(500 foot cliff, no ropes, severe vertigo…)
– S. Gordon

Typical goat habitat
– S. Gordon

Some of Steve’s study areas in the Powell River backcountry
– S. Gordon

This photo shows just how close both conventional and helicopter logging is coming to occupied mountain goat habitat. Note the >35 ha clear-cut adjacent to occupied goat habitat.
– S. Gordon

Classic “old-school” field-biology. Watching goats through a 60x spotting scope. Randomized “instantaneous scan sampling”…and a whole lot of hours.
– S. Gordon

Long-term observation allowed sexing of juveniles through behaviour – repeated observations were important
– S. Gordon

Note the small flowered penstemons in full bloom
– S. Gordon

How does one go about catching a mountain goat?
– S. Gordon

Steve’s had an exciting and rewarding career – with the opportunity to make a difference!
– S. Gordon

Admittedly, some days were better than others…
– S. Gordon

No regrets
– S. Gordon

Steve Gordon – “Goats, grizzlies and goshawks: adventures of a habitat biologist”
by Andrew Bryant, 21 Mar 2019.

Steve works for the B.C. Ministry of Environment as a “Habitat Biologist” based out of Nanaimo. He prefaced his talk as “not to be interpreted as expressing government policy”…and then told his story. And what a story it is. He’s served variously as a “Land Use Planning Biologist”, “Ecosystem Section Head”, “Field Operations Supervisor”, “Forest Ecosystem Specialist”, and “Habitat Protection Officer”.

But the bulk of his career, and the bulk of his talk, has been related to mountain goats.

As part of his M.Sc. research at Royal Roads University, Steve spent two years observing mountain goats in their natural habitats high in the backcountry behind Powell River. His focus was to evaluate the impact of helicopter-logging on the behaviour of these magnificent beasts.

In biological terms, mountain goats are quite unusual. The species (Oreamnos americanus) is the only species in the genus. They live in impossible terrain. Where death is a single mis-step away. That’s what mountain goats do. That’s what mountain goats are. Life on the edge.

Oh. And Steve did it too. It rather looks like he enjoyed it.

David Hancock – “Understanding the lives of Bald Eagles”

There’s NOTHING like a bald eagle!
– D. Hancock

I liked this shot, as it shows different plumages (ages)
– D. Hancock

Here’s the cheat-sheet
– D. Hancock

Impressive
– D. Hancock

Early days…with wrapped eagles
– D. Hancock

Be sure to check out the eagle-cams!
– D. Hancock

David Hancock – “Understanding the lives of Bald Eagles”
by Andrew Bryant, 28 Feb 2019.

David has spent most of his life studying west coast and arctic wildlife, but is most well-known for his work with Bald Eagles, beginning with his pioneering population surveys during the early 1960s while a graduate student at UBC.

Although a world travelor, published author and interested in all birds of prey, David has focused much of his recent efforts following the bald eagle adaptations to the urban environment. In 2006, he and fellow Director Dr. David Bird founded the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, which promotes the conservation and appreciation of wildlife and their habitats through science, education, and stewardship.

Today David is involved with various Bald Eagle projects, including his pioneering programs broadcasting live streaming web cameras to the general public and consulting on Bald Eagle mitigation programs, where he brings his ecological understanding of “Speaking for Eagles” to the business table.

Presently, he is helping develop the Bald Eagle Tracking Alliance in the Fraser Valley – a project he spearheaded with the HWF. David has developed a monitoring database of over 400 pairs of nesting Bald Eagles in the Lower Fraser Valley that enables an understanding of competing eagle territories. You can even follow tagged eagles in real-time…check it out.

An amazing body of work, and an amazing speaker.

Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls

Excitement aboard!
– D. Bedry

One of dozens of waterfalls along the way
– D. Bedry

Mount Diadem on the way
– D. Bedry

Approaching Malibu Camp
– D. Bedry

The stillness was deafening
– D. Bedry

The inlet was like glass
– D. Bedry

what a sight
– D. Bedry

the MacDonald Memorial Lodge looking just a tad chilly
– D. Bedry

The obligatory group shot
– D. Bedry

Chatterbox Falls in the snow
– D. Bedry

Homeward bound
– D. Bedry

just another day in Paradise…
– D. Bedry

Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls
by Nancy Pezel, 23 Feb 2019

After a few sleepless nights worrying about the snowy weather forecast for the day of this trip, 12 of our members were happy to board the Sunshine Coast Tours boat at Saltery Bay under high overcast skies!

As we travelled up Jervis inlet, one of the deepest inlets of the area at 2000 ft, Captain Bryce Christie stopped at a few special waterfalls, rock faces and 2 pictograph sites. He readily shared his extensive knowledge of First Nations history and legends, geology, forestry, aquaculture and history. We were able to sit back in comfort, listen and learn, and just take in the beautiful scenery of this rugged inlet, surrounding snow covered mountains, and distant glaciers.

Once we passed by Malibu Camp and through Malibu rapids, we boated up the 5 miles of Princess Louisa Inlet. This steep sided, narrow fjord carved out by glacial action, has walls of granite rising straight out of the water to heights of more than 8,000 feet. At Princess Louisa Provincial Park we were able to take a short walk to Chatterbox Falls and enjoy our lunch in the covered area or at the bench with the spectacular view of the falls and inlet, before returning to Saltery Bay. We were even treated to a few glimpses of sunshine.

A wonderful day enjoyed by all!

Jason Leane – “Citizen Science And The Discovery Of Novel Fungal Species”

This looks much like both Amanita gemmata and Amanita pantherina…Let’s see which it is!
– J. Leane

– DNA is “amplified” using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
– DNA “primers” define start and stop points for DNA copying from the much larger full genome
– The amount of target DNA is doubled roughly every 2 minutes, ending up with ~2 billion times more target DNA than you started with
– J. Leane

– DNA sequencing is now around $9 USD per sequence from a commercial lab
– The equipment necessary to prepare DNA at home for sequencing costs under $1000 total
– The portions of the fungal genome suitable for identification purposes are well-studied and reliable (internal transcribed spacer regions)
– J. Leane

Once a several-thousand-dollar tool used in high-tech university labs, now on Ebay…I found mine for under $1000
– J. Leane

This is the region we care about. There’s some benefit to studying other regions but this is the standard place to look
– J. Leane

– Once the PCR process is complete (90-120 mins), the samples are verified via gel electrophoresis, then sent to the lab for sequencing
– After receiving the sample, the lab sends you the DNA sequence in less than 24 hours in most cases
– J. Leane

This is a “sequence file”
The DNA code is on the top, at bottom are raw results from the sequencing machine.
– J. Leane

There’s a Google for this!
This on-line tool lets you search for your sequence in the GenBank database.
– J. Leane

These are the search results.
oh. Well that’s a problem, isn’t it? 100% match to two different species. That is NOT how species work
– J. Leane

These are the real results
It’s a new, as yet unnamed, species.
These new entries are only a month old, the science moves fast with this stuff
– J. Leane

This is Pholiota terrestris. I picked three specimens from the edges of the parking lot at the Academy of Music. Genetically, they were identical – the same individual. It’s probably about the size of a house…
– J. Leane

Is this something new? Probably not. I think this is Pholiota squarrosa, somewhere near Comox
But the point is…with mushrooms…we may change our minds tomorrow…
– J. Leane

Jason Leane – “Citizen Science And The Discovery Of Novel Fungal Species”
by Andrew Bryant, 21 Feb 2019.

Jason Leane is not a scientist – he works as a technologist at Brooks Secondary – but citizen-scientist he most assuredly IS. So a lifelong interest in science and biology has translated into a most unusual and interesting hobby…and a fascinating talk for us!

In a nutshell, the advent of quick and affordable gene sequencing technology has allowed us to classify species based on genetics as opposed to physical features. That’s why Jason has a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine in his kitchen…yes you heard that right…
yes, he’s been literally cooking DNA…
and learning lots in the process.

Jason’s been examining local mushrooms. It seems he’s been finding some that may be slightly mis-categorized, wildly mis-named, or suspiciously far from their known habitat. He may even have found a new species – or ten.

Because as more data emerge, in the fungal world at least, we’re discovering that we’ve been wrong. A lot. Luckily, in science, being wrong means you get to learn something. We learned a lot…from the largest organisim on Earth to amazing, real-time DNA analyes using a smart phone.

Amazing. Keep on cooking!

Beach Trail Forest History

Rod Tysdal giving us our introduction at the trail head
– T. Koleszar

A stop at the old MacMillan Bloedel boom boat
– T. Koleszar

A gas powered shovel/log loader. No hydraulics!
– T. Koleszar

The log rail system from Chippewa Bay
– T. Koleszar

Rod explaining old versus new logging methods
– T. Koleszar

The group at the steam donkey
– T. Koleszar

Another fascinating logging story from Rod!
– T. Koleszar

The bobcat’s great grandfather, with a grader behind
– T. Koleszar

Beach Trail Forest History
by Tom Koleszar, 19 Jan 2019

On a cool Saturday morning, 14 naturalists lead by Rod Tysdal gathered at the Willingdon Beach Trail (the old Michigan & Puget Sound railroad grade) for a leisurely walk up the trail.

Along the way we examined much of the old logging equipment displayed there. Rod is very knowledgeable with regards to logging history and practices, and we all learned a great deal! He also had many fascinating forestry stories to tell! We also talked about the trees and plants along the way, learning something of the forests that were native to the coast in the Powell River area.

All in all, a great way to spent a Saturday morning in winter!

David Bedry – “Nature photography: basics and more”

Simplicity – always beware the cluttered background
– D. Bedry

Much better…
– D. Bedry

Framing – is your story about the cabin?
– D. Bedry

or the epic landscape it’s surrounded by?
– D. Bedry

That’s a whole lot of snow geese…
– D. Bedry

But this is a better shot. Because of the perfectly focused bird nicely placed using the “Rule of Thirds”
– D. Bedry

Lines – those sunbeams filtering through the forest canopy are really nice…
– D. Bedry

But the path is also a “line” for the eye to follow…and isn’t it more intriguing to have a traveler upon it?
– D. Bedry

Balance – here are two snags with live trees in the background
– D. Bedry

And without moving more than a few steps, here are two snags with the clutted background intentionally minimized, being replaced by the BIG, GIANT sky…
– D. Bedry

Here’s a very nice photo of poppies.
– D. Bedry

I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing “simplicity”,”lines”, “framing” and “balance” all wrapped by a master photographer.
starting to get the idea?
– D. Bedry

Sometimes it’s just better not to over-think things.
– D. Bedry

David Bedry – “Nature photography: basics and more”
by Andrew Bryant, 19 Jan 2019.

Long-time club member and skilled photographer David Bedry provided an informative look at “getting it right” when creating images…no matter what gear you use.

He began with a 1979 Kodak film called The Beginnings of Photographic Composition. If that sounds dated or dull, well…trust me it wasn’t! Indeed, it was solid introduction to the principles of good photography…which David’s been kind enough to expand upon here.

In a nutshell, whether you shoot with a smart phone, a basic point-and-shoot, or a high-end DSLR, these principles (framing, lines, balance, rule of thirds, etc) will improve your photography. Because they’ll make you think about the shot before you pick up the camera!

The second part of David’s talk was solid fun.
We explored a diverse selection of his own images – combined with his humorous and candid appraisal about why this particular shot is a keeper and why, oh my word…
this one’s a dud.

Nicely done.

Andrew Bryant – “The operation was successful (sort of): reintroducing Burrowing Owls, 1989-90”

Burrowing owls have a really interesting geographic range…
– A. Bryant

At the time I was commuting between U of Calgary and Vancouver Island…
so when I got the chance to work on owls in the “middle”, I figured – why not?
– A. Bryant

The south Okanagan is absolutely wonderful – although not without its hazards
– A. Bryant

This is Bob Lincoln, who pioneered reintroduction efforts for Burrowing Owls in B.C.
They started with a single family group, back in 1983
– A. Bryant

For me, owl surveys in Washington State were the best part
– A. Bryant

Some gorgeous country there
– A. Bryant

That’s a natural nest at left…and one in a culvert at right!
– A. Bryant

A camouflaged trap at left…and a happy Cheryl at right
– A. Bryant

Washington State got some useful information out of our collaboration. Here are some of the nests found in 1987.
We, of course, got some owls!
– A. Bryant

Wayne was rightfully very proud of this one. “Tri-City West” brood, 30 May 1990.
That was a looooooonng day
– A. Bryant

This is a natural Burrowing Owl nest chamber, “Pasco 2-pipe” brood (10 owlets), 26 May 1989
– A. Bryant

Orville Dyer releasing owlets at Osoyoos, 1989
– A. Bryant

Reading leg-bands with a 60x spotting scope was definitely an “acquired” skill…
– A. Bryant

The dots on the graph represent annual average “return-rates” and “fledging-rates”. In no year were these high enough to establish a “self-sustaining” population.
– A. Bryant

In the end, I wrote a couple of papers on the subject, and focused on marmots for the next two decades.
– A. Bryant

It wasn’t until I was preparing this talk that I learned
that neither owls nor people had given up…
– A. Bryant

Burrowing Owl captive-breeding facility near Oliver, BC, 2018
– L. Meads

Juvenile owl at Osoyoos, 1989
– A. Bryant

Andrew Bryant – “The operation was successful (sort of): reintroducing Burrowing Owls, 1989-90”
by Lois Bridger, 22 Nov 2018.

Andrew provided a humorous look at the hands-on, and sometimes very labour-intensive methods needed to reintroduce a species. The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is one of only four species officially listed as “endangered” or “threatened” under the BC Wildlife Act. They were considered “extirpated” from the province by the late 1970s.

The first reintroductions occurred at Vaseux Lake in 1983 and 1984. Later ones took place near Osoyoos. Andrew worked on Burrowing Owls for two years – while struggling to finish his thesis at the University of Calgary and simultaneously chasing marmots on Vancouver Island!

Burrowing Owls rely upon other burrowing animals such badgers. With much of the area being farmed, there are now fewer of those than there once were. Artificial burrows can solve that problem. Andrew and his team had to work in a treacherous environment as they crossed paths with rattlesnakes, fires, ticks and the particularly hazardous spines of cactus! The work could also be demanding, as they had to dig out the burrows in order to access the owlets. One burrow entrance was a whopping 22 feet long – not easy work on a hot summer day!

The process of gaining the required permission from Washington State was an enormous undertaking – not to mention the paperwork involved in transporting owls across the border. Andrew had to first survey the owls in Washington State in order to collect the owl families for the reintroduction project. Occasionally there were fatalities which were always heart wrenching whether they happened during transportation or due to predators (mostly coyotes, weasels and other owls) after the reintroduction. Habituation pens in Osoyoos did increase success but losses still occurred.

The population did increase but not enough to make the population viable, and after the project ended in 1990 the numbers again declined.

The story, however, doesn’t end there. Andrew recently discovered that a group of volunteers (Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC) has been again trying to reintroduce the burrowing owls. With their improved design for artificial burrows they are having some success.

So with the perseverance of many there is still hope that the Burrowing Owls will make a comeback!

Return to Stillwater Bluffs

Heading out
– A. Bryant

Impressive sky!
– A. Bryant

Impressive view!
– A. Bryant

Mushrooms and raindeer lichen
– D. Bedry

Great views from the top of the climbing bluffs
– D. Bedry

The sun poked through for a few moments
– D. Bedry

Impressive trail!
– A. Bryant

What a trail indeed
– D. Bedry

A seriously-nice Douglas Fir
– A. Bryant

Enchanted forest
– A. Bryant

oooh…looks like some “catching-up” is in order…
– A. Bryant

Beautiful granite
– D. Bedry

The “road less travelled”
– A. Bryant

Return to Stillwater Bluffs
by Andrew Bryant, 10 Nov. 2018

Fifteen of us carpooled our way out to one of Powell River’s nicest remaining natural areas – the Stillwater Bluffs.

Ably led by long-time resident, climber, and friend-of-the-bluffs Jason Addy, the morning began with unsettled November weather…with just a few drops of rain and some hints of sunshine peaking through the grey skies here and there. The trail is well-maintained and not too arduous, although care is needed when the rocks are slippery. It’s a place where paying attention to where you step definitely matters.

Interspersed among the impressive granite were some equally impressive Douglas Firs and extensive patches of reindeer lichen (Cladina), that delightful example of symbiosis between fungus and unicellular algae that just looks…weird.

Indeed, ecologically-speaking, it’s a very interesting place, which is why various levels of government have it listed on the local map of “sensitive ecosystems” and why a grassroots group seeks to acquire it for parkland.

The views from the top of the climbing bluffs were impressive, as were the sea lions hauled out at McRae Rocks.
Truly a nice day out!

Tla’amin Fish Hatchery Tour

George spoke with passion and vast knowledge about salmon
– C. Dalcourt

Making their way HOME
– C. Dalcourt

New arrivals in the viewing area
– C. Dalcourt

A freshly butchered Chum
– C. Dalcourt

Ready for the BBQ!
– C. Dalcourt

Some of the hand-crafted things on display in the community gym
– C. Dalcourt

Tla’amin Fish Hatchery Tour
by Cindy Dalcourt, 5 Nov. 2018

28 Members made their way to the Hatchery this morning where we met up with Lee George, the Hatchery manager. There were a lot of fish, both dead and alive in the river as well as in the spawning channel and the fish ladder. We did not get to see the actual egg taking as they finished that work last week. George spoke to us in front of the community smoke house where he told us all about the life cycle of the salmon, what happens at the hatchery and how they are working towards raising and releasing more and more fish in this river and in the area. The statistics were astounding. He was an interesting and informative speaker who has a real passion for the salmon. He told us that many different types of salmon come to spawn in this same river at different times.

At a table an elder quickly butchered a Chum salmon and showed us the traditional way of attaching it to a spit with cedar sticks so it was ready to be placed in front of a fire for cooking or into the smoke house for smoking. We moved on to the open fire where there was another band member speaking about the bar-B-Qing of the fish and other interesting facts. From there we went to the underground/underwater viewing area and could see the salmon swimming. Some already looked to be in very rough shape. We walked the grounds and banks of the river and eventually made our way to the community gym where we were treated to fish soup, bannok and barBQed salmon. There were some handicraft displays but we missed the drumming, dancing etc. as we had spent extra time at the hatchery as it was so interesting. Some of us finished off by going down to the ocean to see where the fish were actually entering the river. There were eagles too numerous to count as well as seabirds and sea lions taking advantage of all the fish.

What a wonderful way to spend the morning. I was very impressed with everything the hatchery is doing to keep the salmon returning to this area for all to enjoy.

Jackie Hildering – “Lessons learned from killer whales”

A Mother Hunting T140 in pursuit of a Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. Mammal-eating Killer Whales diverged from other populations ~700,000 years ago. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca — “A Mother Hunting” – T140 in pursuit of a Pacific White-Sided Dolphin.
*– Jackie Hildering*

Jackie Hildering – “Lessons learned from killer whales”
by Andrew Bryant, 2 Nov 2018.

Jackie Hildering (aka “the Marine Detective“) of the Marine Education and Research Society packed the Senior’s Centre with her dynamic talk about orcas, and how they’ve changed us.

With a mixture of history, science and irony, Jackie delivered a powerful talk indeed.

I was astounded to learn, for example, that the U.S. Navy sent pilots out to attack orcas with depth charges and gunfire in 1955, austensibly to aid the local Icelandic fishermen. Nor was I aware that both “transient” and “resident” descriptors are misnomers; the terms “inshore mammal-eating” and “inshore chinookaholics” more accurately reflect what these populations actually eat and how they behave. The “offshore” orcas with their ground-down teeth are a different matter – they eat sharks.

Much of Jackie’s talk was disheartening. Orcas are in big trouble, and as with so many other ecological problems, it’s not just one thing. Persistent chemicals, noise pollution, declining food resources, tourism, and other factors. In short, Orcinus orca is suffering a “perfect storm” of issues. So while there’s some good news – human attitudes have changed swiftly and dramatically over the course of only a few decades – the question remains:

Have they changed enough?

Bird watching with Clyde

It was a bit…breezy
– J. May

But we persevered…
– J. May

That’s a really big egg
– J. May

Clyde knows his stuff!
– J. May

Bird watching with Clyde
by Janet May, 28 Oct.

Clyde Burton led Young Naturalist bird enthusiasts to the estuary where we crept up on a dozen killdeer and saw a rare Eurasian widgeon!

Clyde had egg samples for all to feel and a hooded merganser.

As we said goodbye, a kingfisher scolded us and a pair of eagles twittered their approval.

Heather Harbord & Barbara Sherriff – “Heather and Barbara’s Trip to Tuktoyuktut”

Heather looking very pleased indeed…she’s been looking forward to this trip for a looong time…
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Geologically speaking, it was a looong trip as well!
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

The history of the gold rush was amazing
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

So too was the technology of it. I had no idea it was so dependent on fire and water. And now I know what “hitting paydirt” really means!
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Whaddya mean, the Dempster is CLOSED?
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Amazing
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

There be birds…but no moose…at Two Moose Lake.
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Flowers too
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

And fearless ravens.
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

The weather was…well, $^&%#$@!!!!
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Big birds
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Inuvik
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

It’s amazing what water and repeated freeze/thaws can create.
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Looks positively balmy
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

The long way home
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Wash me
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Drunken buildings in Dawson City
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

I’d never heard of Chicken, Alaska…and I think I won’t soon forget it
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

On top of the World – over Kluane National Park
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Not only did Barbara and Heather survive…it would appear they’re already gearing up for the next adventure!
– H. Harbord & B. Sherriff

Heather Harbord & Barbara Sherriff – “Heather and Barbara’s Trip to Tuktoyuktut”
by Andrew Bryant, 18 Oct 2018.

Heather unfortunately couldn’t make it – but Barbara stepped up and gave a marvellous account of their epic trip to Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. via the Dempster Highway.

What an adventure! Barbara was funny, informative, and vivid. I can only imagine what it would be like to encounter a “road closed” sign under such circumstances. For me, the best parts were the history of the Gold Rush (now I know what paydirt means), the intricacies of the geology (how the gold got there was really neat), and the technology of extraction (I had no concept of just how laborious and time-consuming a process it was).

The weather was not the best, and there were a few disappointments, but it sure looked like a lot of fun. We laughed to learn why it’s called “Chicken, Alaska” (because they couldn’t spell “ptarmigan”), the drunken buildings of Dawson City taught us about the problems of building on permafrost, and hey, what’s not to like about a place that has pingos?

Fantastic, wonderful stuff. I wanna go.

Mushroom Festival at Madeira Park

Ocean view at the beginning of our walk to Francis point
– D. Bedry

Two of out newer members, Jane and Cindy
– D. Bedry

Log on forest floor with fungi
– D. Bedry

Some of the mushrooms on display
– D. Bedry

Cooking demonstration
– D. Bedry

Michael looking at mushroom art for sale
– D. Bedry

Mushroom Festival at Madeira Park
by Michael Stewart, 13 Oct.

It was a beautiful morning as we travelled by ferry to Earls Cove.

From there, we went to the southern area of Pender Harbour and had a short but amazing hike along the ocean in Francis Point Provincial Park. We did some bird watching and found a few mushrooms in this wonderful park.

Next we went to Madeira Park to attend the mushroom festival. Besides the display of about 100 species of local mushrooms with Duane Sept in attendance, there was a demonstration of dying wool with mushrooms, several cooking demonstrations with trial samples, and a variety of vendors.

After a leisurely snack sitting in the sun of a local cafe, we explored a couple of other areas by car including Egmont. We then returned by ferry to Saltery Bay.

the Club – “Highlights of 2017-18”

Shooting Stars
Spring Wildflowers, 12 May. – D. Bedry

Wuthering waves!
Skookumchuk…by boat!, 7 Jan, – A. Bryant

Mount Churchill looking rather imposing
Princess Louisa Inlet, 24 Mar. – A. Bryant

Early Rufous
Birding by Ear Part VII, 28 Apr – A. Bryant

Nudibranch at centre-stage
Hernando Reef, 18 May. – D. Bedry

Club members in the field
Stillwater Bluffs, 19 Nov, – L. Hamoline

Waiting to go ashore
Mitlenatch Islabd,23 May. – N. Pezel

Our route up Desolation Sound
Desolation Sound, 28 June. – A. Bryant

Two members enjoying a morning view of Mt Baldy (2000m)
Alpine Adventure, 18 Aug. – T. Koleszar

I think Kilroy was here..
Elephant Lake, 28 July. – D. Bedry

It takes a lot to run a club…
– A. Bryant

the Club – “Highlights of 2017-18”
by Andrew Bryant, 20 Sept 2018.

We tried something a bit different for our AGM this year. Rather than kick off the new Malanat-year by bringing in an outside speaker, we thought we’d take the opportuity to reflect on the year that’s been – and what a year it was!

There were a total of 16 field-trips, not to mention the Young Naturalists,and special events like the Christmas Bird Count, Coastal Waterbird Surveys, Seedy Saturday…and more!

Nancy, Tom, David and yours truly provided the commentary as we travelled, vicariously, over some of the terrain we explored over the past year. There was rather a lot of it. What was also impressive were some of the statistics. Doing all this stuff required a lot of time, effort and attention.

It was a good reminder…it takes work to build a club!

Alpine Adventure – Take 20

Slide Mtn (2100m) with its unique geology
– T. Koleszar

Two Naturalists enjoying a morning view of Mt Baldy (2000m)
– T. Koleszar

Some Fall colours were already starting to show
– T. Koleszar

The helicopter bringing in another group from the Goat Lake staging area
– T. Koleszar

Club Members enjoying the view from the edge
– T. Koleszar

Typical landscape of our ridgetop area
– T. Koleszar

Learning about the natural history of the Coast Mountains
– N. Pezel

A piece of weathered diorite typical of the area
– N. Pezel

A brief glimpse of Diane Lake 300m below us
– T. Koleszar

Blueberries (they were delicious!) and Mountain Hemlocks
– N. Pezel

Joan Lake was only 150 m below us, but there was no time for a swim
– T. Koleszar

Two happy Naturalists enjoying the alpine country
– T. Koleszar

Rocks, trees, and cloud formations what more could you want?
– T. Koleszar

Club Members relaxing near the end of a great day!
– T. Koleszar

Alpine trip group photo (except Nancy who was behind the camera!)
– N. Pezel

There were boulders, heather, and wandering Naturalists everywhere!
– N. Pezel

Alpine Adventure – Take 20
by Tom Koleszar, 18 August 2018.

Twenty of us recently enjoyed a helicopter trip into our local alpine country. Flying from the airport and from a staging area near Goat Lake, we spent the day on a ridge top between Diane and Joan Lakes, near Mt Baldy. It was a great day as we were able to find a window of wonderful weather amidst all the forest fire smoke we’ve been having!

We spent the day exploring the ridge, enjoying the views, and sampling the blueberries (they were everywhere!). After everyone arrived on the ridge top, we spent the rest of the morning on a tour of the area learning about the geology, geography, shrubs, and trees, though we were a bit late for most of the wildflowers (there was some saxifrage, but most others were already done).

The ridge itself and the surrounding mountains provided excellent examples of the geology, including Coast Plutonic Complex diorites along with Gambier and Vancouver Group volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Lichens and mosses were common, as were heathers, different kinds of blueberries, and rhododendrons in areas with a bit more soil. It was obvious that the trees up there have a very hard life, but we identified lots of Mountain Hemlock and Yellow Cedar (some very old!), along with a few Subalpine Fir and an occasional Mountain Ash!

After lunch, we had some free time to explore as we wished, or just relax and enjoy a beautiful alpine day. Our group included everyone from experienced local climbers remembering past days all the way to those seeing our alpine areas for the first time, and I think a great time was had by all!

Special thanks go to Nancy Pezel for helping with the trip, our drivers who took folks to the staging area over many kilometers of dusty roads (John Pezel, Lee Edmunds, Nancy Pezel and Simon Goede), and also to Pilot James Mode of Oceanview Helicopters for safe flying and interesting tours!

Elephant Lake old-growth

The convoy…
– D. Bedry

I think Kilroy was here…
– D. Bedry

Almost there…
View from logging road looking towards Texada Island. Note the smoke haze – D. Bedry

Group shot at the Elephant Lake trailhead
– D. Bedry

Lunch is served!
– L. Bridger

The view from our lunch spot at Elephant Lake
– L. Bridger

Can you spot the newt (Taricha granulosa)?
– L. Bridger

When a rough-skinned newt feels threatened it shows off his bright orange or yellow belly.
– L. Bridger

A particularly large bracket fungi
– L. Bridger

What a difference a few weeks make.
This is Green False Hellebore (Veratrum viride) seen on this trip, and the same species photographed on Sentinal Mountain on 30 June (inset) – D. Bedry

Looking up into forest canopy
– D. Bedry

We estimated this yellow cedar to be about 1500 years old
– D. Bedry

Howard and Lois getting some 1500 year-old vibes…
– D. Bedry

A fine day indeed…
– D. Bedry

Elephant Lake old-growth
by Lois Bridger, 28 July 2018.

Getting to the old-growth took some doing!

There were 29 of us in a convoy of vehicles driving up to an elevation of 900 metres. Nancy and Tom led the hike along part of the Sunshine Coast Trail. We were fortunate to also have a few knowledgeable foresters along on the hike who were happy to provide us with additional information. We also had some visitors from Alberta and Iceland and crossed paths with some happy Sunshine Coast Trail hikers from Penticton.

We stopped at various locations as Nancy pointed out the various old-growth trees found at this elevation. With tape measure in hand we measured a particularly large Yellow Cedar and estimated it’s age at 1500 years. At higher elevation trees don’t grow at the same rate as they do lower down. We learned about Sika Alders, Mountain Hemlock, Western White Pine and Pacific Silver Fir to name a few. We saw some unusually large bracket fungi.

We paused for lunch at a flat estuary on the shore of Elephant Lake with great views of one the few remaining high elevation old-growth forests in this area. As we dined several colourful dragonflies provided an aerial display. In the shallows close to shore we discovered some rough-skinned newts and were entertained by their response to us. When feeling threatened they twirl over and over displaying their bright orange underbelly.

On our return journey we took a different route offering some fantastic, albeit hazy, views of the Saltery Bay area. A great end to a wonderful outing.