Author: the Malaspina Naturalists

A Walk in the woods with Frank Ritcey and Hugh Marshall

Early mushrooms – B. Sherriff
Rule #1 is simple. Most disturbance to wildlife can be minimized by using binoculars, or sporting scopes – A. Bryant
Frank and the Kamloops Naturalists, cleaning up the Dewdrop area. – CBC News
A nurse-stump– B. Sherriff
Black slug on tree mushroom – B. Sherriff
Frank explaining that a bear has pulled up the stump to get at the bugs in the dead wood – B. Sherriff
Frank Ritcey – B. Sherriff
Group discussion – B. Sherriff
Holes drilled by sapsuckers – B. Sherriff
Frank describing the new classification of indian pipes– B. Sherriff

A Walk in the woods with Frank Ritcey and Hugh Marshall
by Barbara Sherriff, 16 September 2016.

Sixteen members of the Malaspina Naturalists joined Frank Ritcey (Wildsafe BC coordinator) and Hugh Marshall (forester) for an interesting and educational walk along the Millennium Trails at the rear of the Recreation Complex.

Things we learnt included:

  • Bear bells attract bears rather than repel them (a.k.a. dinner bells)
  • Whistles can sound like distressed small animals and attract bears
  • Bear spray deters bears, cougars and wolves even if you don’t hit the animal. Do not walk in the woods without a can
  • Bears dig up rotting stumps or mud wasp nests to look for larvae leaving holes in the ground
  • Bears drag garbage bags into a “staging area” in the woods to enjoy it in peace
  • Conifer species vary in their light requirements, which influence the structure of the forest. Hemlock and cedar, for example, tolerate shade and commonly come in under the more light-demanding Douglas fir and broadleaved species.
  • If a bear is huffing and puffing, it is being defensive
  • If a bear is coming towards you quietly (stalking like a cat), it could be considering eating you
  • Cougars only attack weak prey so always fight back if attacked
  • spit bugs should be called fart bugs as the air inside the bubbles does not come from their mouths
  • Slugs have just one asymmetric breathing hole on the right side of their head
  • Trees can control the local water table aggressively pulling up water from a wide area.
  • Cutting down trees will change the water table considerably
  • Sapsuckers feed on both the sap and the bugs that come to feed on the sap oozing out of holes that they have drilled in a tree

Frank Ritcey – “Staying safe on both sides of the glass”

Ah…the dry interior – Frank’s native habitat – A. Bryant
Bear-bells are not thought to be very effective – Coolamericanproducts.com
By far and away, garbage is the major cause of “problem bears” – Wildsafe BC
The idea is to have lots of glass between you – and the animal you’re interested in – A. Bryant
Apart from safety, you’ll get a better sense of wild behavior that way – A. Bryant
Here’s Frank installing a trail-cam , which is another really useful tool.. because it records data when you’re not there – CTV News
We need always remember that wild animals are just that – and aggression can occur unexpectedly. Perhaps this fellow is merely yawning…but I wouldn’t care to be close enough to find out – A. Vernon [Getty Images]
This photo is a hoax – a frozen deer has been cleverly posed by the hunter… but I do think it makes the point – Tattoo.com
Any large mammal that jumps at you is no joke – CBC News
WARP is a really cool tool
This is NOT recommended – D. Martin [AP]
With fruit trees coming in as the #2 culprit – L. Williams
Something we’re more familiar with – a black bear in mountain ash – Wildsafe BC
Pepper spray is effective – against bears, cougars and other creatures. But it needs to be used properly – Wildsmart.ca
I think I prefer the “long lens” approach… – Motifake.com

Frank Ritcey – “Staying safe on both sides of the glass”
by Andrew Bryant, 15 September 2016.

Frank Ritcey  was raised in the wilds of Wells Gray Provincial Park, and like his parents became a lifelong naturalist and conservationist. He works for WildSafe BC, is heavily involved with the Kamloops Naturalists Club, and spends much of his time filming, teaching and guiding.

Frank began with a beautiful film of grassland wildlife to introduce his topic: how can we minimize impacts on the wildlife we observe, and keep ourselves safe at the same time?    He discussed things like how to avoid being bitten by a rattlesnake (“for starters, don’t poke it with a stick”) or eaten by a cougar (“stand tall and fight back”).

He also highlighted the Wildlife Alert Reporting Program (WARP) , which logs wildlife-human encounters in BC.   Data reveal that Powell River is home to black bears and, as Pogo said, “we have met the enemy and he is us“.  Poor garbage management, unpicked fruit, and attractants such as bird feeders are at the root of most bear problems – and all too often it is the bear that pays.

And what if you’re out in the woods?  Bear-bells and bear-bangers are now considered passé, it seems.  Pepper spray is recommended.  But experts also recommend that you ensure that your can of pepper-spray is not past its expiry date, that you know how to use it – and that it’s not buried in the bottom of your pack when you need it!

We’ve have some good speakers over the years, and some talented photographers.  But in what must be a first for our club, we ended the evening with a rousing chorus of moose-calling…seriously.

Not to be missed.

But if you did, Frank has posted an appropriate YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/36q8sHC6Kg4

Rock Art with Judith Williams

Humpback outside Lund Harbour – M. Stewart
Pictograph at Durham Point – M. Stewart
One of Mike’s many stories – M. Stewart
Going closer to shore in zodiac – M. Stewart
Pictographs in Walsh Cove, West Redonda – M. Stewart
Another pictograph – M. Stewart
Another day in paradise – M. Stewart
Judith mixing material for making our own pictograph – M. Stewart
Unusual sunset – M. Stewart
Judith seeing this petroglyph for the first time…– M. Stewart
…was memorable – M. Stewart
Preparing to embark – M. Stewart
The Misty Isles in her element – M. Stewart
Rock Art – M. Stewart
Rock Art II – M. Stewart
Entrance to Gorge Harbor – M. Stewart
A happy group – H. Harbord

Rock Art with Judith Williams 
by Michael Stewart, 15 September 2016.

Mike, skipper of Misty Isles, his wife Samantha, guest historian Judith Williams, and six naturalists departed Lund Harbour, thrilled to hear that there were  Humpbacks just outside the harbour.  We were able to watch the 2 humpbacks  and have  this extra  unplanned “event”  for the beginning of our 2 day voyage.  The weather was perfect and  the scenery is so amazing.  We  motored up Thulin Pass to see  the first pictograph of our trip.  It was very interesting to see what animal was in the pictograph!

We continued past Sarah Point and into Desolation Sound while hearing many tales from both Judith and Mike.   The seas were calm  and visibility was perfect so we enjoyed the   wonderful scenery; then we went north into Waddington Channel where Mike found the location of the next pictograph near  Durham Point on East Redonda Island. We continued up Waddington Channel to Walsh cove on West Redonda Island where  Misty Isles  anchored.  From the zodiac, Judith pointed out and explained the pictographs and was delighted to point out the magical dancing reflections on the same rock faces.

Sarah presented us with a  tasty home-cooked lunch on board and then Judith  demonstrated rock art by mixing us red paint with a base of pulverized salmon eggs.  Each person   painted an example of their own rock art.

We continued west through Pryce channel where we saw some seabirds, a Dall’s porpoise,  another  pictograph and more wonderful scenery.  At the end of the afternoon, we landed in Evans Bay on Read Island to stay at Coast Mountain Lodge overnight.  We  were presented with an amazing home  cooked(Samantha) gourmet dinner and enjoyed the company of the owners, Ralph and Lannie, and their son and staff.  Many more stories were enjoyed.

After breakfast in the lodge, we set out towards Quadra Island.  We anchored and all went ashore in the  Zodiac to see a petrogylph that Judith had not yet seen.  It is in a beautiful setting just north of Rebecca Spit Marine Park.  The rock formations were amazing let alone the petroglyph.

Back on Misty Isles, we  continued through Uganda Pass and  the entrance to Gorge Harbour on Cortes island to see more  pictographs.  We  were entertained with more tales of early settlers and First Nations culture from our skipper and  Judith and then another wonderful  lunch  prepared by Samantha.  We  had  a sunny, calm trip all the way  back to Lund.

 

East Thurlow Island

Exploring the coast with the faithful Misty Isles – S. Samborski
A map pf our route – C. Brown
Sea lions in Yuculta Rapids – H. Harbord
Transient orca digesting a seal– H. Harbord
Another of Mike’s tall tales – M. Reckenberg
Hole-in-the-wall – H. Harbord
A new (to Captain Mike) petroglyph, on Quadra Island – C. Brown
Tall tales on the foredeck – H. Harbord
Rock researchers return – H. Harbord
Yawning sea lion – H. Harbord

East Thurlow Island 
by Caroline Brown, 29 Aug 2016.

Pictographs, a “brand new” petroglyph, exotic geology, whales, dolphins, stories of gin and tonic sailors, mistresses, tall and not-so-tall tales were some of the highlights for twelve of the Malaspina Naturalists as we headed to East Thurlow Island aboard the Misty Isles – for three whole days!

For most of us, this was a new area to be explored and although the weather was not totally cooperative, it was a great three days and two nights (Aug 27-29). Mike Moore and his crew, Jonah Weyler, welcomed us in Lund and we set sail – well, not actually.  Although Misty is a gaff rigged schooner, Mike used its “functional seaworthiness of a west coast troller” for this trip.

Our first sighting was toward Little Mitlenatch Island, or as Mike calls it, an orca snack bar and also a hangout for glaucous-winged gulls and cormorants. As we passed through the waters of gorgeous Desolation Sound, known to have as many as 300 boats in Prideaux Haven, Mike reminded us of Captain Vancouver’s 1792 journal notes describing this area as “gloomy and dismal….dreary rocks.” Perhaps, but certainly not for us!

After travelling through the Gillard Pass and around the northern side of East Thurlow Island, our first night was on West Thurlow Island at Blind Channel Resort, originally the site of a thriving cannery.  A delicious salmon dinner completed Day 1.  Our accommodation was luxurious in the two, new, two-bedroom cabins, although one of our group opted to sleep on MI.

Before breakfast Sunday, several of the group explored the well-maintained trails behind the resort.  Soon after cast-off, Mike scooted to Mayne Passage, finding us 002 Pod – four orcas, including Tumbo, a large male with a bend in his fin. And later in the day, in Nodales Channel, we were entertained by a school/pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins.  The day had been chilly and wet and we all appreciated the warmth of the fireplace at Discovery Islands Lodge.  Our third meal of the day (all meals were provided by Mike and Jonah, with thanks to the pre-preparation of Mike’s wife, Samantha) was equally enjoyable.  The spacious, welcoming “great room” of the lodge allowed for good conversation.

Following a yummy breakfast prepared by our lodge hosts, we began our homeward journey.  Only the wished-for humpbacks were missing.  BUT the next day, our two Victoria participants saw a pair from the ferry.

Thanks to all our eclectic, delightful and well informed travelling companions for a memorable trip!

 

Marmots at Mount Washington

A couple of things to remember…don’t jump… – A. Bryant
…and don’t look down – A. Bryant
Our gang after the final summit push – D. Bedry
Great views! – D. Bedry
Starting the walk down the service road – D. Bedry
Late summer wildflowers – this is all marmot food! – D. Bedry
Late summer – A. Bryant
We only saw one marmot – and he was a long ways away – it was, as always, really nice to see – A. Bryant
A few of us went wine-tasting, and a few made a 20 minute detour to Paradise Meadows instead – A. Bryant
It was a nice detour – A. Bryant
A really nice detour! – A. Bryant
Hmm…I suspect our paths will cross again…– A. Bryant

Marmots at Mount Washington 
by Lu Wuthrich, 13 August 2016.

On a sunny Saturday eleven of the Naturalists went up to Mount Washington for a second Marmot tour, led by Andrew Bryant.

We were on the chair lift early in the morning and had a sunny, clear day to view the wonderful vistas around the top of Mount Washington.   Andrew chose several areas to stop and give the group a comprehensive history of Marmots, their habitat and behaviors.  He also discussed the local ecosystems, clear cut logging and the history of the Marmot Breeding Program and building on Mount Washington.  We had one sighting of a large Marmot in a beautiful meadow; the alpine meadows were in their full glory.

The group left with a good understanding of Marmot ecology, predation and current issues.

Thanks to Andrew and the members that made this trip such a pleasant experience.

 

Mitlenatch Island

Cormorants nesting on the west side of Mitlenatch.– T. Koleszar
Choppy waters prevented the zodiac from getting to far towards the southern part of the island. – T. Koleszar
Resting seals curious about the tourists passing by! – T. Koleszar
Peering south around the east end of Mitlenatch. – T. Koleszar
The Misty Isles at anchor in Northwest Bay. – T. Koleszar
A young gull chick. – T. Koleszar
A gull chick and its parent. – T. Koleszar
Some last remaining wildflowers. – T. Koleszar

Mitlenatch Island 
by Tom Koleszar, 19 July 2016.

On July 19 the Malaspina Naturalists made the annual trip out to Mitlenatch Island, departing from Lund once again aboard the Misty Isles with Captain Mike Moore. The weather was a bit cooler and windier that we are used to in mid-July – but at least the wind meant we had the opportunity to raise the sails!

Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park protects the largest seabird colony in the Strait of Georgia, and, since its boundaries extend 300m from shore, all marine life near the island as well.

The group split into 2 parts and took turns going ashore and viewing the island and its wildlife from the zodiac. The group ashore saw a few wildflowers still blooming, but the highlight was viewing the gull chicks from the bird blind. We were able to see many ~2 week old chicks at very close range! Unfortunately due to the blustery weather, the zodaic was not able to circumnavigate the island. We had to stay mostly on the north and west sides, but still saw lots of seals and many seabirds, including Glaucous-winged Gulls, Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, and Black Oystercatchers. Insome places the rocks and cliffsides were covered in nesting cormorants!

We all had a great time at Mitlenatch Island, and then enjoyed a relaxing trip back to Lund on the Misty Isles (complete with tea and cookies!).

 

Plant Walk with Ioni Wais

Cornflower – B. Sherriff
Buttercup – B. Sherriff
Bindweed – B. Sherriff
Curly Dock – B. Sherriff
Entrance to Willingdon Beach Trail – B. Sherriff
Ioni and Japanese Hogweed – B. Sherriff
Examining spores on Sword Fern– B. Sherriff
The plant group – B. Sherriff
Nightshade – B. Sherriff
Julie and Ioni – B. Sherriff
Ioni Wais – B. Sherriff
Ioni and Skunk Cabbage – B. Sherriff

Plant Walk with Ioni Wais 
by Laurette Hamoline, 26 June 2016.

A small gaggle of enthusiastic naturalists (about 10-12 of us) gathered in Willingdon Park on Sunday to learn about plant classification.  Ioni Wais was our charming and knowledgeable guide as we wandered around the grounds learning about strange “relations” in the plant kingdom.  There are numerous ways in which we categorize plants but the main one both taxonomists and us regular folk use is a plant’s morphology, or how it looks. We observe the color and shape of the blossom and of the leaf and stem.  Is it tall or short?  Where is it growing and when?  Does it have a taproot, a fibrous root or perhaps a rhizome?  How does it disperse its seed – through the digestive system of animals, by wings like dandelion fluff or perhaps with hooks like a burr?  These are all helpful in determining what family it may belong to but taxonomists go even deeper, studying the chemical compounds found in plants and even DNA to help them determine “family traits”.

The suffix “aceae” designates the family name.  For example, po-“aceae” refers to the grass family, which is a huge family including our grains, corn, sugar cane and bamboo.

In the araceae family, also known as arums, there is usually a spadix (stem with flowers/seeds) surrounded by a spathe (leaf like structure) such as in the skunk cabbage.  Some members of this family are thermogenic, creating their own heat, even melting through snow or ice.  The flowers are often stinky in an effort to attract insects necessary for pollination.  An interesting tidbit is that when bears break hibernation they seek out and consume skunk cabbage (with high concentrations of calcium oxalate) not as a food source but as a laxative to get their sluggish system functioning again.   Plantain, commonly found in our lawns, belongs to this family and has been referred to as nature’s bandaid because of its many medicinal qualities.

We learned that the ranunculaceae family, which includes the common buttercup, likes moist conditions and the word ranunculus means “little frog”.

Within the polygonaceae or buckwheat family, many species exhibit a zigzag pattern on the stem with swollen nodes at each bend. The name is derived from Greek where “poly” means “many” and “goni” means “knee”.  Japanese knot weed is a good example of this trait.  There is also most often a sheath which covers the new growth.  Think of your rhubarb when it first pops out of the ground.

Ioni made a valiant attempt to correct a few common misconceptions.  There is no official or even universal classification for weeds or even invasive species.  These are subject to the environment, political situation and even our own personal preferences.

Trees are not classified as coniferous opposed to deciduous.  There are coniferous trees that lose their foliage in certain seasons and trees with leaves that are evergreen.  Never mind what you were taught in school way back when!!

And it was very interesting to look at the inflorescence (proper name for the blossom) of different plants. Sunflowers and dandelions are composite flowers with a compact flower head consisting of hundreds of individual florets surrounded by many bracts or rays.  And common yarrow or even cauliflower is a large cluster of florets.

So have a closer look at the plants around you.  You might just learn something!

 

Hernando Reef with Rick Harbo

Rick Harbo, Captain Mike Moore and Izi Loveluck aboard the good ship Misty Isles. – L. Hamoline
Crew member Christine and Rick Harbo aboard the Misty Isles. – L. Hamoline
The first group disembarks – L. Hamoline
… followed by a sunflower star – J. Young
Captain Mike found a large leather star – L. Hamoline
Here’s us at the southern tip of Hernando reef – L. Hamoline
We’re “In the Weeds” here. So much colorful vegetation. What a beautiful garden. We’re examining a small dead flounder that was found. – L. Hamoline
This poor flounder has seen better days – L. Hamoline
unidentified seaweeds – J. Young
unidentified seaweeds – L. Hamoline
This is Turkish Towel seaweed – L. Hamoline
This is “heaven-knows what” seaweed – L. Hamoline
Orange finger sponge – L. Hamoline
Reactions were decidedly mixed – L. Young
Mike with a horse clam – L. Hamoline
More unidentified seaweeds – L. Hamoline
We’re apparent a “hands-on” club – L. Young
Midshipman fish eggs. We found quite a few of the males under the rocks guarding the eggs. – L. Young
and a Midshipman! – L. Young
and a Midshipman! – L. Hamoline
Midshipman fish eggs again. The male fish is in the water but difficult to see. – L. Hamoline
We’re still learning our leather stars one at a time – L. Young
And there ARE rewards from getting “out and about” – L. Young
All too soon it was time to treasure the moment… – L. Young
…and head home – L. Young

Hernando Reef with Rick Harbo 
by Julia Young, 5 June 2016.

On a calm sunny morning the Misty Isles, captained by Mike, left Lund with 12 passengers.   En route to the reef, Mike used his navigational maps to illustrate the uplifting of peaks around us, the carving of deep channels by ice, and the effects of tides, currents and water temperature on the diversity of ecological zones and marine life in the region.

As we closed on to Hernando Reef, the vivid green, waving sea grass, darting fish and scurrying red rock crabs in the shallows under the Zodiac was the start of a fascinating few hours exploring the myriad life on the flat rocky reef, guided by renowned marine biologist Rick Harbo, on a day and time of the year’s lowest tide.   Much of the life at the reef’s shoreline was hidden under numerous species of green, red and brown seaweeds, from the prolific invasive Sargassum from Japan to the most delicate and coral-like structures.

As a shell and shellfish specialist, Rick found and identified for us a huge variety of clam, oyster, cockle, snail, limpet and chiton species, ranging from tiny 1 or 2-year old limpets and oysters clinging to shells and rocks to the big horse clams with their huge gaping siphons.

At this lowest of low tides all forms of exposed life are forced to find shelter under seaweed and rocks.  Most carefully upturning and then replacing rock after rock, Rick pointed out and described the interdependent life of dozens of shell, crab, sponge, shrimp, slug, fish species akin to complete ecosystems.   Of special note for us, were the 4 to 6-inch male “midshipmen” fish guarding the large orange eggs laid by the females on the undersides of small boulders.   Some of these same watery nooks were home to literally dozens of animal species of all shapes and sizes, some hardly identifiable by beginners as animals at all.  This was an amazingly rich experience for us and we all felt most grateful to Rick for giving his time to us.  But we know he enjoyed it too.

As the zodiac returned us back to the boat, we counted fifteen eagles soaring above and sitting on the rocks:  their once-a-year feast opportunity.  Back on board Christine served iced tea and cookies and Mike, having a little extra time, took the Misty Isles on a detour to point out rock structures where black basalt intruded into the granite cliffs as well as pointing out a petroglyph that long ago was left by First Nations Peoples.

 The “Hernando reef trip” is highly recommended and an absolute must for those wanting to know about intertidal life.  Thank you to the organizers of this trip and to Misty Isles Captain, Mike Moore and a “very big thank you indeed” to Rick Harbo for sharing his vast knowledge with us.  The ocean  floor became a new world for us and we realized that this ocean floor nursery of so many creatures is one of the most diverse on our planet.

P.S: Laurette Hamoline also provided a link to a nice six-minute video about the life-history of Midshipman fish, which can be seen here.

 

Rick Harbo – “Marine Life of the Strait of Georgia: past, present and future”

The lovely Pink Tritonia nudibranch (Tritonia diomedea) – R. Harbo
Everything depends on temperature – even the tides – R. Harbo
Because of mixing currents and temperature differentials, our tides are typically six hours later than those on the west coast of Vancouver Island – Google Earth
This has profound influences on the biodiversity of the region. This is Dwarf Red Sea Fan (Swiftia torreyi), one of the cold water corals – R. Harbo
Rick’s current area of interest is freshwater clams, which carry wonderfully descriptive names. I really liked the “pink heelsplitter”.
Although often overlooked, freshwater clams can be occasionally abundant. This is quadrat sampling. – R. Harbo
Here’s Rick at a particularly dense patch on the Cowichan River – A. Martel
Freshwater clams are interesting in that they require a fish host as part of their life cycle – illustrating yet again that in nature, everything is corrected to everything else.
There’s been a sea change in awareness of the extent of mariculture practised by First Nations. Yes, this is yet another clam garden. – R. Harbo
Rick wove a marvelous tale of how early explorers contributed to our current knowledge of natural history and geography: Cortez, Hernando,Galiano and Valdez Islands, Steller’s Jay, Sea Lions and Sea Cows… – R. Harbo
He was impressed with getting to examine plant specimens collected by Archibald Menzies, especially the Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) from Chile and the Five-Rib Kelp (Costaria costatus), the latter signed and dated, “Northwest Coast of America, 1788”.
There were a whole lot of “gee whiz I did not know that moments”. I was unaware, for example, of the scale of the button industry in the 1920s… – rasmusen.org & US FWS (inset)
Now did I know how lucrative was the trade in geoducks… – R. Harbo
or how a whole industry was spawned by navy divers who learned their craft by rescuing practice torpedos…
Which takes us to the present. Invasive bivalves have created enormous problems in large parts of eastern North America – Zebra and Quagga mussels are the best known of these. – BC Environment
But not all invasives are intrinsically bad. The Pacific Oyster (which was known as the Japanese Oyster until WWII), arrived in the early 1900s and begat a flourishing industry. – R. Harbo
Others, like this Savoury Clam, arrived but never really caught on commercially. It would appear that they’re not that savoury. – R. Harbo
Introduced species may benefit native species. For example there’s some evidence that Black Oystercatchers, our Club mascot, have done well as a result of introduced shellfish. – R. Harbo
Sea star wasting disease is another serious concern – N. McDaniel
As are the intertwined problems of global warming, ocean acidification, overharvesting… – R. Harbo
…and even the successful recovery of sea otters, which is great…except for sea urchins or, in this case, a horse clam – B. Gisborne
It’s all very complicated…and very beautiful. Here’s that lovely Pink Tritonia again – this time eating a sea pen! – R. Harbo

Rick Harbo – “Marine Life of the Strait of Georgia: past, present and future”
by Andrew Bryant, 4 June 2016.

Rick Harbo worked as a habitat protection biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada for over 35 years, and while “retired”, is presently an active Research Associate with the Royal BC Provincial Museum.   Rick is also an accomplished photographer and author of numerous books, including the acclaimed field guides Tidepool and Reef , Whelks to Whales and Shells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest.

Rick took us a on a vicarious underwater journey, beginning with  an introduction to freshwater molluscs, his current area of research.  He also provided a fascinating historical overview, beginning with clam gardens and First Nations mariculture, the contributions of early explorers such as James Cook, George Vancouver, Dionisio Galiano, and Cayetano Valdés, as well as prominent naturalists such as Georg Steller, Archibald Menzies and Thomas Nuttall, who have species named after them.

His talk illustrated other historical events, such as the use of freshwater molluscs to make buttons, the development of a geoduck industry by U.S. Navy divers who normally recovered practice torpedos, and the renaming of Japanese Oysters during World War II.

These threads were tied together with an exploration of current threats to the marine ecosystem: introduced or invasive species such as Zebra or Quagga mussels, and global warming/ocean acidification.

Finally, Rick provided some helpful links, including a good scholarly paper about starfish wasting disease, a link to the DFO shellfish closures website, the DFO Seven Day Tide Table for Powell River, and a really useful marine life identification website hosted by the Pacific Northwest Shell Club.

Thanks Rick!

Twin Islands and Mitlenatch

Steller’s sea lions at Mitlenatch – H. Harbord
Sea Urchins – H. Harbord
Black Oystercatchers – H. Harbord
Two Mikes and the Treens aboard the Zodiac – H. Harbord
Twin Islands Lodge – H. Harbord
Belted Kingfisher in the swamp– H. Harbord
Fledgling American Robin – H. Harbord
Twin Islands Workshop
Mike Yip and Joan Treen examine dock life– H. Harbord
The Misty Isles under sail – H. Harbord
Lunch on board – H. Harbord
Phyllis Ogis talks to Joan Treen – H. Harbord
Mike Yip dries h is shoes – H. Harbord
The dining room – H. Harbord
Lounging in the lounge – H. Harbord

Twin Islands and Mitlenatch
by Heather Harbord, 26 May 2016. 

Ten members boarded the schooner, Misty Isles, at Lund on May 26th bound for Mitlenatch and Twin Islands.  It was great to have extra time on Mitlenatch especially as the Tiger Lilies were coming into bloom in the meadow and the Glaucous-winged gulls were beginning to sit on eggs.  The Stellers and California sea lions, Harbour seals, Pelagic and Double-crested cormorants, Black Oystercatchers and a few Pigeon Guillemots gave star performances which we watched from the zodiac.   As the wind was a bit strong we only circumnavigated the southern part of the island on both sides of Camp Bay instead of going all the way round.   As usual, Mike and his staff gave a knowledgeable presentation of what we were seeing supplemented by two of us (Janet May and I) who had been wardens the previous week.

We then went on to Twin Islands stopping at the rock where the Arctic Terns had been seen for the previous four years.  Unfortunately, they did not return for us.  The lodge at Twin Islands was fascinating and we enjoyed Mike Yip’s talk and photos of butterflies and birds. He is a wonderful photographer and some of us bought his books which he gave us a special rate on.  The following morning, we were on the go at 7am for a bird walk with Mike.  We did a bit too much exploring and didn’t have much time to spend at the swamp in the centre of the southern island where there was a Kingfisher and a Red-winged blackbird.  In the well-fenced garden a wobbly fledgling robin looked down on us from a tree.

After breakfast, the owner of the lodge, Mark Torrance, showed us his solar power system which he can control from his computer.   This was quite fascinating.  As we sailed away after lunch, we put up the red sails, got into the dingy and admired our handywork.

Thanks, Mike and Jonah, for another wonderful trip on Misty.

 

Birding by Ear Part VI

Day One was frankly a bust, with me getting the time wrong. The birds were mostly uncooperative, like this Song Sparrow… – A. Bryant
Pierre and I walked a long way … – A. Bryant
…without seeing very much – A. Bryant
But the rafts of Pacific and Common Loons were a nice treat – A. Bryant
And this was my first blue of the season.
14 May: This was so much better – Pierre and I showed up at the right time this time!
The birds were a bit more cooperative, like this Purple Finch – A. Bryant
See? – A. Bryant
Ah…springtime – A. Bryant
We had a brief glimpse of a young black bear – A. Bryant
Pierre showing some diagnostic bird features– A. Bryant
Like the wedge shape of raven tails – A. Bryant
A nice Orange-crowned Warbler – A. Bryant
Always nice to get out! – A. Bryant

Birding by Ear Part VI
by Andrew Bryant, 30 April 2016

Both Pierre Geoffray and I thought it a bit strange that nobody had showed at the Italian Hall by 8:00 AM – so we hung around for a bit, and decided to go birding anyway.

Thus I was horrified to later learn that I’d mis-remembered the time – our advertised walk was scheduled for 8:30 AM, and not 8:00 AM as I’d discussed with Pierre and announced at our last club meeting.   The fault is all mine, folks, and mine alone.  Fervent apologies to all who showed up after we’d prematurely left the scene.  Oops.  So Pierre and I decided we needed to do it again…

Birding by Ear Part VI !!! 
by Pierre Geoffray, 14 May 2016

This morning a group of 10 birders walked the trails at the Wildwood Bluffs. The weather was perfect for birding, sunny but not too hot.  AND the birds were there for us too, specially in the first 2 hours and they kept us busy trying to unravel the threads of their songs!

We found 20 species and that was pretty good for such a big group… The Black-headed Grosbeaks took first prize. They were everywhere, calling their “spik” notes or singing their long melodious whistles with the long upward note we learnt to recognize this morning? ( am I right?)

I stopped counting them after 15…Another bird we heard a lot this morning was the Wilson’s Warbler.  A cascade of “chi chi chi chi” going down… The Yellow Warblers which just arrived in the last days were also omnipresent, further complicating things with their “sweet, sweet I’m so sweet!”, a song that can be easily confused with the MacGillivray’s two part (one high, one low) song… You are still following me?

Another warbler we had was the Orange-crowned Warbler.  A thin trill dropping at the end like the bird had suddenly lost steam, and we compared it to the even pitched trill of the Spotted Towhee.

Today was also the first sighting of Swainson’s Thrush freshly returning from their South American wintering grounds.  We had a small group of 4-5 birds at the beginning of the walk.  They were not singing yet but giving instead they “huit” call so typical of our summer evenings…

At the end of the walk, one more warbler, the cute Common Yellowthroat played hard to get with us as he called and sang incessantly near the parking lot, allowing only short glimpses of its beautiful plumage.  Birds can be difficult sometimes!

I really enjoyed the walk this morning and getting to know new birders in town was a real bonus.  Thank you to all participating.  Special thanks to Andrew Bryant to coordinate it.
Good Birding to you all.

 

Clam Gardens with Judith Williams

– D. Bedry
– D. Bedry
– D. Bedry
– D. Bedry
– D. Bedry


Clam Gardens with Judith Williams
by Heather Harbord, 7 May 2016

Eighteen members attended the May 7th, 2016 field trip following Judith Williams’ talk on Clam Gardens.  Since Judith was unable to walk far, most of us did not go down onto Westview Beach which is mapped on pages 110-111 of her 2006 book Clam Gardens; Aboriginal Mariculture on Canada’s West Coast.

Instead, we carpooled from the meeting place at the start of the Seawalk to the foot of Oliver St.  We then walked along the side of the road stopping en route for Williams to point out the patterns in the rocks on the beach that Sliammon Elder Norm Galligher had told her were the fish traps and clam gardens that Elisabeth Harry had asked her to investigate.  Both Gallagher and Harry passed away shortly after this so Williams was unable to question them further though other band members were able to help.

When she tried to report her findings to the BC Archaeological survey they disbelieved her saying that there was nothing in the literature.  Previous researchers had only talked to men.  The clam gardens were the prerogative of women and were a highly organized activity dating back thousands of years.

One of the Malaspina Naturalists attending the trip said she remembered seeing a 10 lb Ling cod caught in one of the traps even though it had not been kept up for decades.   In retrospect, we would prefer to do this down on the beach so that we could get away from the noise and danger of the almost continuous traffic.

 

Judith Williams – “Clam Gardens: Aboriginal Mariculture on Canada’s West Coast”

It doesn’t look like much, does it? But there’s much hidden here – in plain sight!
This beach, the lady’s attire, and well, everything in this photo tells part of the story…as does Judith’s book!
Judith first learned about clam gardens from Elizabeth Harry-Keekus, an Elder from Sliammon
The first visit to Waiatt Bay, 1993. Judith’s resulting letter about clam gardens was the first report ever made to B.C. Government Archaeologists about shellfish cultivation by First Nations.
These are the native clam species of major importance to local First Nations
What’s especially interesting is that the significance of old photographs was long-overlooked by archaeologists – these people are harvesting a clam garden
The technology of food production was important – because…
It allowed food to be stored
smoked, traded
The only suitable clam garden site in Toba Inlet was probably of great importance to travellers
This gentleman build his own clam garden, cultivating it for decades
The number of clam gardens suggests that human populations were much higher than perviously believed
Villages were usually situated in close proximity to good clam garden sites – always good to live near a grocery store!
A local example, with Harwood Island in the background
A lovely canoe track – that needs a little work!
Pictograph
Clam gardens – the more you look…
Clam garden site in the Queen Charlottes
You may never walk one of our local beaches without a slightly different perspective!

Judith Williams – “Clam Gardens: Aboriginal Mariculture on Canada’s West Coast”
by Andrew Bryant, 5 May 2016.  

Judith Williams is an artist, art historian, and Assistant Professor Emeritus at University of British Columbia.  She’s also author of the highly acclaimed “Clam Gardens: Aboriginal Mariculture on Canada’s West Coast“, and recently visited us to speak about that subject.

And what a subject it is.  Beginning with her first visit to Waiatt Bay (Quadra Island), with directions provided by the late Elizabeth Harry (Keekus), Judith first saw, and then slowly began to appreciate, the enormous scope and scale of traditional First Nations mariculture.

The mechanics behind clam gardens are simple, but the ecological understanding behind them is vast.   Simply put, rock walls erected at extreme low tide levels will tend to accumulate sediment above them, creating conditions favorable for species such as Butter and Horse Clams. Cultivate these “fluffy” sediments, move rocks around, leave a path for the canoe – watch the moon and the tides – always remember to replace a “too-small-for-harvest” clam with the syphon (neck) pointed upwards – and watch the moon and the tides.

Do this repeatedly, pass the knowledge down through generations, and you have a predictable, sustainable food production system – that can feed a lot of people – for a very long time.  And it DID.

The “rediscovery” of stone structures used by First Nations peoples to cultivate clams from Puget Sound to Alaska made for a fascinating tale, which continues to unfold and receive wider attention by journalists and scientists alike.   You can learn more about this fascinating story here and here.

Rand Rudland – “Melanesian marvels”

Unknown dragonfly sp., Mt. Austen, Honiora (Guadalcanal), Solomon Islands – R. Rudland
This is Melanesia – specifically, one of the marvelous dancers at Choiseul – R. Rudland
The Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) is a fully ice-strengthened vessel, built in 1984 for polar and oceanographic research. With 50 berths, she’s perfect for expedition travel – R. Rudland
Where’s Melanesia? Here’s the context…the Pacific is a very BIG ocean…
…and here are the places we stopped…
There’s clear water in the Solomons – R. Rudland
Before we explore some of the natural and cultural marvels of the region, let’s remind ourselves of the important military significance of the area. Guadalcanal, the sinking of John F Kennedy’s PT-109, the Battle of the Coral Sea, all of these and many more events took place here.
Relics of World War II abound. These are the remnants of a Japanese aircraft, in this case a Mitsubishi “Zero” fighter – R. Rudland
Others sail these waters too – this is a Spinner Dolphin at Tetepa – R. Rudland
and this is a Dugong at Vanuatu – one of the creatures on my “wish-list” – R. Rudland
Flying fish are neat – and hard to photograph! Exocetus sp, Solomon Islands – R. Rudland
Everywhere we landed we encountered music – and dancers. This lady is at Bipi Island, Papua New Guinea – R. Rudland
The traditional trade and culture was impressive. These are models of ocean-going canoes at Vanuatu – R. Rudland
Life is hard, and people face growing challenges in the region. But everywhere the children were smiling – expecially these guys with their homemade surf boards at Makira Island– R. Rudland
Barred Owlet-nightjar at Varirata National Park, Papua New Guinea – R. Rudland
Beach Thick-knee at Aravon Island, in the Solomons– R. Rudland
Unknown butterfly sp at Mt. Austen, Honiora (Guadalcanal), Solomon Islands – R. Rudland
Claret-breasted Fruit-dove at Tetepara, Solomons – R. Rudland
Dancers at Famla Village, Vanuatu – R. Rudland
Hawkbill Turtles, Arnavon Island, Solomons. – R. Rudland
Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda caulubrina), beautiful and deadly, as photographed by one of our divers.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater at Makira, Solomon Islands – R. Rudland
Unidentified skipper sp, Malaita Island, Solomon Islands– R. Rudland
Ornithologists have long known that Australasia is a world hotspot for bird species found nowhere else (endemic).
…as illustrated by the lovely Rufous Fantail, Queensland, Australia – R. Rudland
So how many bird species are there in Melanesia? The jury’s still out, but the easy answer is a lot
Here’s one: the endemic Makira Honeyeater, Makira, Solomon Islands– R. Rudland
Here’s another. The wonderfully-named Welcome Swallow, Makira, Solomon Islands– R. Rudland
Finally, a White-capped Monarch, Tetepare, Solomons – R. Rudland
NICE place – R. Rudland

Rand Rudland – “Melanesian marvels”
by Andrew Bryant, 21 April 2016. 

Rand Rudland, MD,  is just one of those people who’s hard to pin down. Physician to high arctic communities, whitewater rafting guide, globetrotting birder, Antarctic explorer, and Director of the Sunshine Coast Natural History Society,  Rand visited Powell River to speak about his recent travels in Melanesia.

As Ship’s Physician aboard the Spirit of Enderby, he was able to visit some of the most remote places in the southwest Pacific – islands with exotic names like Nissan, Mussau, Vanikoro, Duff, Bipi, and Espiritu Santo – together with places that might resonate for some – like Guadalcanal, the Coral Sea, and Rabaul.

Did I mention that Rand is also a very talented photographer?

Although he mostly focused on birds – and the incredible level of endemisn to be found there – he also regaled us with images of seldom-seen tribal “sing-sings”, artifacts from the second world war, scary spiders, even scarier snakes, gorgeous butterflies, orchids, flying fish, and some of the happiest children in the world!

It’s not every day that you have a guest speaker casually say “oh and that’s a Superb Pitta…I think that’s only about the 4th or 5th time this species has ever been photographed…sorry for the poor quality, but the jungle was a bit dark, and it was about 42° C in the shade…”

A talk not to be missed.  A more detailed description of his adventures was published in his own club’s wonderful Marsh Wrenderings, which I’ve made available here.

Gulls with Art Martell

Mew Gull at Willingdon Beach – L. Hamoline
Mew Gull at Willingdon Beach – H. Harbord
Mew Gulls with California Gulls in background – H. Harbord

Gulls with Art Martell
by Heather Harbord, 18 March 2016. 

Ten members accompanied Art Martell to Willingdon Beach and Sliammon on Friday.

On the way down to the creek mouth at Willingdon, we stopped to look at a lone Mew Gull with magnificent mirrors on its tail feathers.  At the creek, we found three mature California Gulls which loomed clear in Art’s scope showing off their heavy bills with red and black spots. Unfortunately and eagle put all the gulls up and the Californias did not return, leaving only a small huddle of Mews.

Out at Sliammon, we saw Thayers Gulls, Glaucous-winged and Glaucous-winged x Western crosses.  Also, Art identified a group of Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull crosses which we likely would not have noticed without him.

He reminded us that among the previous night’s slides were some showing that dark or light eye colour by itself is not a sufficient identification mark.  It must be combined with size, beak configuration, shade of grey on the back and tail feather mirrors which all have to match.

Gulls likely to hybridize are those whose breeding colonies overlap such as Glaucous-winged and Western in the Pacific North West or Glaucous-winged and Herring (Larus smithsonianus) in the Gulf of Alaska.  The progeny of the former migrate up the centre of Georgia Strait and the latter come down from Alaska in the winter.

75% of Puget Sound gulls are Glaucous-winged x Western crosses and in the Seattle area are often referred to as Olympic Gulls.  Unlike popular beliefs about hybrids, these gull hybrids are not sterile and can reproduce with each other quite happily and continuously causing further confusion among birders.  A new species could be in the process of evolving.

 

Art Martell – “An Abundance of Gulls”

Glaucus-winged gull, Mitlenatch Island – A. Bryant
Bonaparte’s Gull, Myrtle Rocks – A. Bryant
Mew Gull, Willingdon Beach– A. Bryant
Thayer’s Gull, Sliammon– A. Bryant
Western Gull -J. Avise
American Herring Gull, Acadia National Park – J. Daniel
California Gull, Mono Lake– A. Bryant
Ring-billed Gull, Lake Erie – P&G. Counselman

Art Martell – “An Abundance of Gulls”
by Andrew Bryant, 17 March 2016

Dr. Art Martell worked for decades as a research scientist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, publishing numerous papers on caribou, small mammals, ticks, birds and other creatures. Now retired to the Comox Valley, Art visited us to provide an introduction to the diversity and characteristics of gulls found in the Salish Sea.  The photos above show our more common species.

Once one accepts that “there’s no such thing as a seagull”, it soon becomes apparent that identifying gulls is tricky – and becoming good at it takes work.

Starting with the basics, Art began by “narrowing down the field”, noting that of the 25 or so species which have been found here, only 8 are commonly encountered.  Much can be quickly learned from the general size, shape and “gestalt” or “jizz” of the bird.  Is it small, with a delicate, even dainty flight pattern?  Is it medium gray, or is it distinctly paler than others in the flock?  Much more can be determined by learning the common ones first, and then determining what a given bird is not!

 A handy gull ID chart can be found here.  Like anything else, but especially with gulls…practice is good!  

Art’s complete talk is below (note that you can enlarge slides to full-screen, and go backwards or forwards at will – hover over the 1st slide to see the controls).

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Soapstone Carving

Our soap stone group – J. May
Richard Benson showing us how it’s done – J. May
Tom Kolezar and Henry Gunn inspecting rock samples – J. May

Soapstone Carving
by Janet May, 5 March 2016

Richard Benson worked his magic this month, providing soapstone, sandpaper files, and instruction on stone shaping for 11 Young Naturalists and their adults.

Adriana Virtue and Sharon Benson helped out and Tom Kolezar gave a short presentation about rock forming processes and showed samples of different types of rock.

Everyone went home with a smooth touchstone and a new relationship with rocks..

 

Trail-busting with ORUG

ORUG meets Malnats – D. Bedry
only part of it was scary – D. Bedry
This bit is now a little less so – D. Bedry
The rain wasn’t so bad – D. Bedry
…except it was… – D. Bedry
and it’s not so big a job….– D. Bedry
except…it kind of is!

Trail-busting with ORUG
by Barbara Sherriff and David Bedry, 27 February 2016. 

No, it’s not the title of  bad movie.  Rather, because our members gain so much from having such a wonderful network of local trails, we thought it time to give something back.

So on a misty February morning, seven intrepid Malaspina Naturalists set out to clear the trail along the south side of Powell Lake from Powell River Bridge to Block Bay.

We cut back blackberry, salal and alder to allow free access along the path. Grating was also installed on a small slippery bridge as well as some shovel work for drainage.

After this experience, we’re personally much more appreciative of the many kilometres of hiking trails that are cleared by hard working volunteers coordinated by the ORUG (Outdoor Recreation Users Group).

 

Dwight Owens – “Sour Seas: ocean acidification explained”

Here are the basic points relating to the chemistry of ocean acidification.
Cartoon illustration of ocean acidification processes by Pacific Marine Environmental Lab
You can think of pH as standing for the “Power of Hydrogen”. The lower the pH, the more hydrogen ions and the fewer hydroxide ions there are. Remember that this is a logarithmic scale, so small changes in number reflect big changes.
Carbon dioxide and temperature variations over the past 800,000 years.
Recent trends observed in atmospheric carbon dioxide (red), oceanic carbon dioxide (dark blue) and pH (light blue) observed at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa and Aloha observatories
Per-person uptake of carbon dioxide by the oceans.
Our current unprecedented rate of marine ecosystem change.
Coral reefs are tremendously valuable natural assets, which protect coastal zones from damaging storms and act as the nurseries of the sea.
Carbon dioxide concentration levels at which coral reefs stop growing and start dissolving, in context of various projected trends in carbon dioxide emissions.
The past and two possible futures for oceanic pH.
The past and possible future maps of ocean pH.
Past and possible future maps of Aragonite saturation state. Values below 1 were corrosive to corals and shellfish.
Map of past Aragonite saturation state. Values below 1 are corrosive to corals and shellfish.
Possible future map of Aragonite saturation state. Values below 1 were corrosive to corals and shellfish.
Varieties of cocolithophore phytoplankton raised at 300 parts per mission of carbon dioxide (upper row) and 800 parts per million (lower row).
Pteropods, also known as butterfly snails, are an important part of the marine food web.
If we don’t change course, pteropods will dissolve in conditions predicted for the Southern Ocean by the end of this century.
One day old oyster from the same parents hatched in favourable and unfavourable pH environments.
Magnified images of some of the many varieties of plankton that could be affected by changes to ocean pH.
Porcelain crabs metabolism and behaviours changed when exposed to predicted higher levels of pH and low-tide temperatures.
Global economic impacts of losing shellfish aquaculture may amount to $130 billion / year by 2100 — if we don’t change course.
Changes to phytoplankton communities may have significant and unpredictable impacts on global fisheries.
We’re changing the basic rules for everything, and because of this, many marine organisms may not survive.
Words of warning by Dr. James Hanson.
There are some very powerful entrenched interests that wish to keep the fossil fuel status quo, but the power of the people is rising.

Dwight Owens – “Sour Seas: ocean acidification explained”
by Andrew Bryant, 21 February 2016

Dwight Owens works for Ocean Networks Canada, where he serves as a “user engagement officer”.  Although not a scientist himself, Dwight’s mandate is  to help make recent scientific research accessible to the general public.  This he did – in spades!

He spoke to us about ocean acidification, which has been called “global warming’s evil twin”.   Using graphics gleaned from a wide variety of sources, Dwight provided a lively introduction to a very sobering topic.

Why are oceans becoming more acidic, and what impacts can we expect? Dwight discussed recent and projected changes, examining impacts on marine ecosystems and human society.

For those interested in learning more about this fascinating, although frightening, topic, Dwight also provided a help link to many on-line sources, which can be found here.

Early Logging Practices

Given the day, the turnout was good – B. Sherriff
Bert told a terrific tale of tall trees – B. Sherriff
Early lumberjacks must have needed strong hands! – B. Sherriff
wow – B. Sherriff
What a collection! – B. Sherriff
Some of the gang – B. Sherriff

Early Logging Practices
by Barbara Sherriff, 23 January 2015.

Bert Finnegan of the Powell River Hisorical Museum and Archives gave us a slide show of magnificent photographs and explanations of early logging operations in and around Powell River.

He began by putting things in context, that is by stressing with the fact that the First Nation Sliammon people had been using local trees to build houses, canoes, household goods, masks and clothing from local trees for thousands of years.  The present era of logging only began in the late 1800s with men, balanced on spring boards notched into old growth trees, cutting trees over 10 feet in diameter.

Bert described how the logging industry had evolved from hand saws and oxen trains to move logs, to steam engines, trains and finally trucks.  In the logging museum, we saw a selection of the tools utilized in this process including an amazing collection of chain saws.

 

Ioni Wais – “Corn Smut, Fairy Rings and Ergotoxicosis”

Corn Smut, Fairy Rings and Ergotoxicosis: Looking at plant diseases under a different lens. Plant diseases are a fascinating subject because they teach us about biology and cultural perspective. The study of plant diseases is called phytopathology; the anthropology of plant diseases is called ethnophytopathology.
The Plant Disease Triangle. Central to phytopathology (the study of plant diseases) is the Plant Disease Triangle. It is composed of a host (e.g. Zea mays), a pathogen (e.g. Ustilago maydis) and environmental conditions (e.g. rainy growing season) that lead to the development of disease.
Cultural perspective. Disease is often thought about as a particular abnormal condition—a disorder of a structure or function—that affects part or all of an organism… but what does it mean for something to be abnormal, or to be a disorder? Are we injecting our own bias into science?
Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis). In Canada and USA, corn smut is treated with fungicides and other methods in an attempt to eradicate it from fields. Its common name implies its undesirability.
Biology of smut fungi. The life cycle and biology of fungi are fascinating! Much to the demise of farmers, they are fantastic at replicating!
Huitlacoche. It turns out Corn Smut is actually edible. Not only that, it’s delicious and nutritious! For many farmers, it can be more lucrative than growing uninfected corn…try “Corn Truffle” on for a change.
Fairy rings are another fungal phenomenon thought about as a pest, especially in lawns and golf courses.
Fruiting Bodies (Mushrooms). What the apple is to the tree, the mushroom is to the fungus. These structures serve for propagation, and are made of dense hyphae. The bulk of the fungus exists underground, in a network of hyphae known as the mycelium.
Fairy Rings appear throughout Western European culture in art, folklore, mythology, and theatre. In today’s age, they are common in video games, often serving magical or decorative purposes.
Removing fairy rings from lawns and turfgrass is notoriously difficult. Come to think of it, the maintenance of lawns and golf courses in general is an uphill battle, originating as a way to show off status.
Lund Community Centre, working with King Stropharia. Much like the fairies in European folklore which invite us to dance ourselves into madness, mushrooms invite us to put away our lawnmowers and join the beautiful dance of diverse and resilient ecology.
Rye Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) is fascinating to think about from a biological and historical perspective.
Rye Ergot’s life cycle has secured it a place in our food supply for perpetuity. In Canada, Rye may contain up to 0.05% ergot sclerotia and still be considered top-grade.
Rye Ergot was a cause of devastating human disease throughout the Dark Ages. In certain parts of Europe, mass outbreaks of ergot poisoning occurred every 5-10 years! The latest documented case was in 1951, as told in the story of The Day of St. Anthony’s Fire.
The identity of this mysterious disease was finally linked to rye ergot poisoning in 1670, and rye ergot was finally identified as a fungus in 1853. Hip-hip-hooray for science!
The scientific study of rye ergot would bring forward such discoveries and isolations as histamine, acetylcholine, and vitamin D2. Its unique chemical backbone (lysergic acid) led to the development of drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, labor-inducing drugs, drugs for migraine relief, drugs for cancer of the pituitary gland, and LSD—which would go on to change the course of psychiatry and shape the counterculture movements of the 60s.
Science is a tool for asking and answering questions. With corn smut, for example, we can ask how to get rid of it, or how to propagate it. With fairy rings, we can ask how to keep it out of golf courses, or we can ask if golf courses are sustainable. With rye ergot, we can ask how to eradicate it, or how to use it to bring forth a plethora of medicines. Science as a tool can help us answer all these questions, but the questions that we ask are ultimately up to us.

Ioni Wais – “Corn Smut, Fairy Rings and Ergotoxicosis”
by Andrew Bryant, 21 January 2016.

Ioni Wais is a relative newcomer to Powell River and somewhat difficult to categorize.  He describes himself as a “community animator”,  with a focus on “people, plants and place”. Actually, I think that sums it up pretty well!

In any event Ioni, or more accurately Ionatan Waisgluss, led us on a fascinating exploration of plant diseases and their influence on humans, society, and history.

It was truly one of those rare talks that one attends without having any idea what it might be about, and which winds up occupying your mind for days afterwords.  Or at least that was my experience.

Welcome to Powell River Ioni – and thank you for the nice note, detailed image notes, and links to further reading, which can be found here!

4th Christmas Bird Count for Kids

Welcome to the FOURTH Annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids! …did you remember to bring your umbrella? – A. Bryant
We didn’t have a huge turn-out, but the smiles were big and the hot chocolate was greatly appreciated! – A.Bryant
A scene seldom photographed: This is Wys Creek in full flood – A.Bryant
Hmmm…not a lot of birds about…but put young Henry in charge of the spotting scope, and another smile is guaranteed and less to carry, he he – A.Bryant
When that email reminder says “dress for the weather”… we mean it! – A. Bryant
Brrrrr….– A.Bryant
We saw just one solitary, but rather cooperative, Black Turnstone – A.Bryant
There were several Varied Thrush skulking about, like this guy tucked away in the undergrowth – A.Bryant
A few Glaucus-winged gulls were airborne…– A.Bryant
…but most seemed to prefer taking some “down” time…– A.Bryant
Harlequin ducks weren’t plentiful on the water, so we made full use of Clyde’s secret stash… – A.Bryant
Perhaps we should rename this event: “Christmas Bird Count for Kids and the truly young-at-heart”? I suspect John’s already looking forward to it… – A. Bryant

4th Christmas Bird Count for Kids

by Andrew Bryant, 6 December 2015.

It was a dark and stormy morning, with sideways rain and gale-force winds.

Attendance was perhaps the lowest ever recorded for a Young Naturalist event, but I like to think that young Henry and his dad (our two guests) appreciated the day.  I know that I did!

Our species list was also pretty short:  Glaucus-winged Gull, Mew Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Bald Eagle, Crow, Black Turnstone, Varied Thrush and Dark-eyed Junco.

Many thanks to Janet, who put all the pieces together to make it happen, and to Heather, Clyde, and John, who make any day in the field worthwhile.

 

Mike Moore – “Antarctica”

King Penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia – M. Moore
A couple of aptly-named Macaroni Penguins, South Georgia – M. Moore
The magnificent Northern Giant Petrel – M. Moore
Fur seals, South Georgia – M. Moore
Elephant seals, South Georgia – M. Moore
A young bull fur seal, South Georgia. He’s not yet a “beach-master”…but give him time! – M. Moore
What’s not to love about King Penguins? – M. Moore
But Adelie Penguins are really nice too….note the chicks – M. Moore
These are Gentoo Penguins…with another chick – M. Moore
King Penguins. You can often see several age-classes in a single photo because the breeding cycle is about 14 months long! – M. Moore
Bronze bust of Capt Luis Pardo, who rescued the 22 remaining survivors from Earnest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition in 1916. Point Wild, Elephant Island – M. Moore
Neko Harbor, on the west coast of Graham Land. 64°50′S 62°33′W is pretty far south! – M. Moore
Entering Lemaire Channel at 65.13°S 64.00°W – M. Moore
The impressive “Una’s Tits”in Lemaire Channel. As Mike invariably put it, “y’know, there’s a pretty good story behind that…”– M. Moore
blue – M. Moore
Black-browed Albatross with chick – M. Moore
Foyn Harbor. This is the whaling tanker Guvernøren, which was lost with 16,614 barrels of whale oil after catching fire in 1915. – M. Moore
Antarctic Tern aboard the Guvernøren – M. Moore
Leopard Seals, with the Sea Adventurer and ice-covered mountains beyond – M. Moore
Crab-eater seals…which is an interesting name for them, because there ARE NO crabs in Antarctica…these guys are krill specialists – M. Moore
Leopard seal (note the red krill poo)… – M. Moore
lovely ice – M. Moore
Playing with a humpback – M. Moore
Just a man in his element – M. Moore

Mike Moore – “Antarctica”
by Andrew Bryant, 19 November 2015.

Our dear friend Captain Mike Moore took time off from skippering the ever-faithful Misty Isles and driving naturalists hither and fro in his zodiac, to show us what he does in the “off-season”…

…which is driving naturalists hither and fro…in a zodiac…in Antarctica!

The photos were breathtaking, and some of the stories behind them are incredible.  Mike is a wonderful raconteur.  I knew that krill was important, but had no idea of the pervasive prominence of pink poo!

Nor did I know about the recently successful rat eradication program on South Georgia, or the historical significance of the wrecked factory whaling ship Guvernøren, or why there would be a bronze statue of a particular Chilean tug captain  on Elephant Island, or why one can see easily see different age-classes of penguins in a single photograph, or what some of the cascading impacts of climate change may be upon King Penguins and other creatures.

Incredible stuff.  I wanna go!

Susan MacKay – “Whales”

Breaching humpback. It’s hard to believe that such large, impressive creatures as whales depend on tiny ones…
– victoriawhalewatching.com
…such as the lovely northern krill Meganyctipanes norvegica…
– Wikipedia Commons
LOTS of krill…
– Adventure Associates
Everything eats krill. Groupers, salmon, jellyfish, birds…name it. And anything that eats any of those depends on krill
– earthbuzz.com
Like the iconic orca
– greatpacificadventures.com
A few species of whales are relatively common in British Columbia
– U. Gorter
A few others are rarely seen, like this Fin whale
– J. Towers
Cumulatively, quite of few of the world’s whale species have been seen here
– U. Gorter
Which is why every sighting report is valuable
– bcwhalewatchingtours.com
By mapping observations, we can learn a lot about whale behavior
– Whales and Dolphins BC
Out latest undertaking is a “heat map”, which shows, for the first time, the “hot spots” for whales in our local waters!
– Whales and Dolphins BC
Cumulatively we will begin to answer many questions…like “why do breaching humpbacks always seem to land on their head?
– sidneywhalewatching.com
So keep your eyes pealed and your camera handy!
– grizzlybearwatching.com

Susan MacKay – “Whales”
by Andrew Bryant, 22 Oct 2015.

Susan Mackay is a long-time club member, founder of Whales and Dolphins BC and President of the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs).  She’s also a member of the Marine Mammal Response Network, a group that responds to reports of injured, distressed or dead marine mammals.

Susan spoke to us about the various species of whales that frequent our local waters, and included some fascinating videos and hydrophone recordings. She brought things clearly into focus by describing the incredible krill-based food chain, the basis of much of our marine ecosystem.  She also emphasized the value in reporting whale observations, which allow both researchers and the public to better understand whales and their hunting behaviors.

As always, Susan spoke with an in-depth knowledge that only comes from spending many, many hours on the water with these fantastic leviathons!

Forest Ecosystems

Nancy giving us an introduction to the 1st (lowest) site in the Coastal Western Hemlock forest – T. Koleszar
Rapt attention as we look at forest soils and plants at the 1st site – T. Koleszar
Getting an overview of the very different plant life in the Mountain Hemlock zone (1100m) – T. Koleszar
Janet May coring a Mountain Hemlock to check its age (~150 years!) – T. Koleszar
A small soil pit showing the layers present: ~5cm of organic matter; a thin, light coloured leached layer; and the mineral soil underneath) – T. Koleszar
Comparing the Mountain Hemlock and Yellow Cedar of the top site to the Western Hemlock and Red Cedar from the lower sites – T. Koleszar
Our tailgate party (i.e., lunch break) near the top site – T. Koleszar
The group in the forest at the 3rd site: hard hats were necessary due to the condition of many of the trees – T. Koleszar

Forest Ecosystems
by Tom Koleszar, 17 October 2015.

Twelve Naturalists participated in the forest ecosystems field trip.  The goal of this trip was to examine forest soils and plants at different elevations near Powell River.

Lead by our guide, Nancy Pezel of Western Forest Products, we looked at 4 sites along A Branch between 500 and 1100m elevation.  At each site Nancy described the forest soils, the climate/moisture conditions, and the resulting plant assemblages. (At the 1st 2 sites she was ably assisted by Rod Tysdal and our own Janet May.)  The lower 3 sites (between 500 and 900 m elevation) were varying examples of Coastal Western Hemlock forests, while the topmost site was in the Mountain Hemlock zone.

Some great discussions took place at each stop, and I think we all learned many new things about the forests we thought we new so well! We also had a great spot for lunch at the top, which would have had a wonderful view if only the clouds had gone away (at least it didn’t rain!).

Special thanks to Nancy not only for guiding us through the trip, but for all her advance preparation and for answering all our many, many questions so well.

 

Salmon at Sliammon

A few onlookers – D. Bedry
Exploring the hatchery – D. Bedry
The fish channel and reconstructed weir– D. Bedry
A few more onlookers – D. Bedry
Lee explaining some of the finer points – D. Bedry
Wet naturalists! – T. Koleszar

Salmon at Sliammon
by David Bedry, 10 October 2015.

Ten hardy people braved the miserable weather to see the Sliammon hatchery.

Lee George, the hatchery manager, talked to us about the returning salmon, the harvesting of eggs, rearing the fish and their final release back into the river. We also saw the rebuilt weir over the stream. Besides seeing chum salmon in the water we were treated to a mother bear and her cub.

Lee also talked about community involvement with the hatchery. There is a smoke house the community uses, as well as school groups coming and spending a day at the facility-usually the beginning of November.  Water quality is also a major concern for rearing the salmon.

 

Orford River grizzlies

Doin’ what bears do! – B. Rogers
The Homolka I awaits – B. Rogers
Travelling up Bute Inlet – B. Rogers
Our ex-club-president Barbara grooving in the stern – B. Rogers
Arriving – B. Rogers
Orford River – B. Rogers
A model of collaborative resource management – B. Rogers
Our transport up-river – B. Rogers
The gang’s all here – B. Rogers
This is starting to look like bear habitat…– B. Rogers
Yippee! – B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
– B. Rogers
En route home– B. Rogers
What a great day! – B. Rogers
And now to start thinking about upcoming trips! – B. Rogers

Orford River grizzlies
by Barbara Sherriff, 26 September 2015. 

Seven Malaspina Naturalists met with 3 other intrepid adventurers and boatman John at Lund. We had a fast 2 hour boat trip on Homolka 1 to Bute Inlet.  We just missed seeing a humpback whale as it headed up the Hole in the Wall channel just before we arrived there.

Our Homolka guides were waiting for us with a bus to take us to their beautiful tourist centre for a picnic lunch before heading off to find grizzlies. Our first siting of a grizzly was one walking along the road in front of the bus. We then enjoyed a couple of hours watching groups a grizzlies cavorting in a river. Young cubs were trying to catch their own salmon but kept sneaking back to eat Mum’s.

After another pit stop at the centre we had another exhilarating trip back to Lund.

 

Luc Simard – “From backyard astronomy to Extremely Large Telescopes”

The universe is vast, busy and colorful, as this image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows
– NASA
Hubble was an extraordinary technological achievement, but in many ways it is just the beginning…
– NASA
Four centuries ago, Galilao described the moons of Jupiter, using just a tiny telescope. But even that wasn’t the beginning…
The beginning starts in your own backyard, just as it did in mine. See how the Big Dipper points to the North Star?
– L. Simard
Did you know stars are time machines? They are. The light you see was created years, or centuries, or even thousands of years before you were born. Pretty cool.
As you learn the stars, you quickly learn that they often point to other, even more interesting things. So if you can find Orion’s Belt, you can find the Pleiades…
– L. Simard
…and the Pleiades star cluster are definitely worth finding!
– NASA
You don’t need fancy equipment to take decent star pictures; this image of the Great Orion Nebula was made with a 135mm lens
– J. Gonzales
Although with telescopes, size does matter…
– J. Gonzales
The are limits to how big a piece of glass you can polish into a lens. On the left is the 200 inch Hale Telescope from Palomar Observatory. The 10 m Keck is currently the world’s largest. The solution to larger telescopes is to create multi-faceted ones, like an insect’s eye. The one on the right is the one we’re building…
– TMT.org
Look at the human drawn on the left to provide scale…this will be pretty big… – TMT.org
EVERYTHING about it is big…and we’re building parts of it right here in Victoria
– TMT.org
Here’s part of it parked next to the Empress in the inner harbour…
– TMT.org
Why do we need such a big telescope? Well, it will take even nicer images of the Pleiades…
– NASA
But mostly, because the questions we are going to be able answer with it are as big as the universe…
– NASA
It’s all about resolution, you see. The 30 meter telescope, combined with new processing methods, will dwarf that of Hubble
– M. Bolte
Effectively, we would be able to read a Loonie held up by a friend of yours…standing in Calgary!
– L. Simard
Fundamentally, we’ll broaden our knowledge or our place in the universe
– NASA
…and further probe the complexities of space-time
– NASA
…and maybe find another Earth-like plant…and LIFE?
– L. Simard
…and, of course, continue to answer mundane questions, like “why is Pluto no longer a planet?”
– L. Simard
This is what it will look like when installed…
– TMT.org
The Thirty Metre Telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii…the best place in the world for astronomy!
-TMT.org
Until then…
– NASA

Luc Simard – “From backyard astronomy to Extremely Large Telescopes”
by Andrew Bryant, 22 Sept 2015

Dr. Luc Simard wears several hats.  He’s an astronomer with the Herzberg Astrophysics group of the National Research Council of Canada, an Adjunct Professor of Physics and Astronomy  at the University of Victoria, and a key member of the Thirty Metre Telescope Project.

He took time out from his research to visit Powell River, where he shared his lively wit, passion and expansive knowledge of all things astronomical.

Like many talented speakers, Luc provided a marvellous mixture of humor, detail, and surprising tidbits.  I liked the way he introduced the universe as an endless series of “pointers”, with Ursa major (the Big Dipper) helpfully pointing out Polaris (the North Star), or Orion’s Belt pointing out the wondrous Seven Sisters (Pleiades Star Cluster).

I was amused to learn that Galileo’s telescope was not constructed with astronomy in mind.  Rather, telescopes were in common usage by Venetian merchants who used them to estimate the volume of incoming cargo-laden ships!  Wow.

The “stars are time machines” metaphor was wonderful, and I was equally impressed to learn that modern telescope designers enjoy roller-coasters as much as I do!  There’s lots more to learn about this ambitious international scientific endeavor at the project’s webpages at TMT.org  …make sure you check out the wonderful videos on the “animations” page!

What’s in the water?

What’s in the water? – J. May
Adding to the growing collection of weird and wonderful stream-creatures – J. May
All of which were released safe and sound! – J. May

What’s in the water?
by Janet May, 1 August 2015

What’s in the water?

Young Naturalists’ families investigated the invertebrates of McGuffie Creek and found mayfly, caddis larvae, and other tiny creatures.

Alan Hobson directed the dip-nets and magnification of our watery friends and then they were all returned to the cool riffles.

 

Cortes Island geology

Our mission…to circumnavigate Cortes Island…and watch for rocks! – T. Siddall
Our vessel, the lovely Misty Isles – T. Siddall
A stunning dyke on Twin Island – T. Siddall
Pictograph – T. Siddall
Buchia fossil– T. Siddall
– T. Siddall
What rock hammers are for…isn’t it cute? – T. Siddall
A buck watches our mysterious ways – T. Siddall
Stranded moon – T. Siddall
We stayed overnight at Coast Mounatin Expedition Lodge– T. Siddall
Lanny, Ralph and Cedar-the-dog – our hosts for the night – T. Siddall
View from the lodge…the setting was wonderful! – T. Siddall
The mysterious “Lucey” grave on West Redonda Island – T. Siddall
Captain Mike and the Misty. Too soon it was time to re-embark for the voyage home – T. Siddall
Xenoliths and more! With our brains full of geological insights…and puns…and packs heavier with samples! – T. Siddall

Cortes Island geology
by Tammy Siddall, 22 July 2015. 

It was a perfect July day in Lund when 12 naturalists boarded the Misty Isles in search of rocks. Captain Mike and crewmate Amy had planned an exciting two-day circumnavigation of Cortes Island for us.  From Lund Harbour we first headed north towards the Twin Islands.

As we travelled, co-leaders Barbara Sherriff & Tom Kolezar spoke about the geological formations and what we hoped to find.  We were on the lookout for dykes, which are sheets of igneous rock that form in fractures of existing rock.  We hit the mother lode arriving on Twin, where we hopped into the zodiac to head ashore.  The dykes did not disappoint!

From there we headed farther northwest around Cortes as Mike spoke to the group about Buchia, which are bivalve fossils.  His enthusiasm for Buchia was infectious and we followed a tip he had on a new specimen. It was a treasure hunt. We headed ashore and found the Buchia fossil. This was a hunt 140 million years in the making!

After a lovely lunch and some of the best cookies going, we travelled further around Cortes, learning the history of the region and spotting more dykes. With the informative rock lessons from our great leaders, no one on this trip will ever look at the shoreline the same way again.

An impromptu stop at Quartz Bay revealed a stunning dyke of quartz crystals. Tom and Barbara worked out that the existing rock setting in which the crystals formed was a sandstone while a foraging deer looked on. We even spotted a ‘cute’ dyke!

For the evening we headed to Read Island to stay at the Coast Mountain Expedition lodge. As we anchored in a bloom of moon jellyfish we knew we were in for something magical. The setting was serene and the hosts were marvelous.  As usual, the meal was awesome.  The next morning we had a lovely breakfast made by Lannie and Ralph, our lodge hosts and we were off in search of a copper and molybdenite deposit.

We travelled to the location of a stream that drains below a claim site on West Redonda Island.  Here we came ashore and we found assorted interesting cobbles including magnetite, basalt, diorite, granodiorite, and a rich sulphide. (You know the rocks are interesting when the geologists take back samples for themselves!)   Another treat at this location was the mysterious albeit beautiful gravestone belonging to two small children named Lucey.  The grave is still a mystery more than 100 years later.  The setting of the stream was idyllic and the water so clear that many of the group took time out to have a quick dip in the ocean.

Refreshed and renewed, we headed off in search of more ancestral pictographs. Mike once again regaled us with the history of the area, peppered like shiny mica, with the mystical stories as told by the area’s aboriginal communities.  After lunch, which included more of those great cookies (thanks Samantha!) we headed south towards geological formations known as xenoliths.  The xenoliths created wild patterns where they contrasted the host rock.  On our way to the xenoliths, we rounded a small island, which Mike calls Mini-Mittlenatch where we spotted many sea birds along-side seals nursing their young.

When we came into the Lund Harbour after an incredible day at sea, most of us realized our bags were much heavier than when we started.  Various rock samples of our treasure hunts were stuffed into our luggage.

For many of us on this trip the unfolding world of rocks was a new and tuff one, but after a fantastic two days we all agreed it was a blast!