Turtles of Turtle Lake by Heather Harbord, 22 June 2010. Nine of us gathered at the Lucky Dollar Store in Van Anda on Tuesday to meet with Vanessa Kilburn, South Coast Western Painted Turtle Recovery Project Leader.  She led us along the mossy trail to Emily Lake, also known as Turtle Lake.  There we watched as one of … Continue reading Texada turtles

by Heather Harbord, 10 April 2010. Ten of us stalked the old golf course at the Townsite with Pierre listening for birds.  It was “briskly cold” but warmed up later. Many of the migrants had flown north after the storm three days ago but there were enough singing for our purposes. The most conspicuous were Song Sparrows, Purple … Continue reading Birding by ear Part II

by Heather Harbord, 3 April 2010. Led by Shirley Cole and Clyde Burton, six people enjoyed the sunshine after the previous day’s big storm. Rod Innes took us to see the white fawn lilies at Sliammon and we then proceeded on to Dinner Rock where we picked up Walter Kubany and looked at shooting stars, blue-eyed … Continue reading Wildflowers

by Heather Harbord, 28 March 2010. Twenty-two people travelled up the Goat Main as far as Mile 34. Through spotting scopes, we had a clear view of five mountain goats on the bluffs on the other side of Goat Lake.  We continued on to Eldred Falls which was just beginning to flood from spring runoff.  A pair of Dippers exhibited their … Continue reading Goats, rushing river and a portage

by Heather Harbord, 20 February 2010 Three of us attended this birding field trip.  On the ferry to Comox, numerous long-tailed ducks and murres were sighted. At Little River, we stopped to see the shorebirds just outside the terminal. A large flock of dunlin were interspersed with black-bellied plover, mew gulls and glaucous-winged gulls. By the airport, we … Continue reading Swans of Comox

by Heather Harbord, 30 January 2010 The Lichen trip was so popular that those who couldn’t attend asked for it to be repeated.  This we did at Ann and Paul Clements’ house, followed by a field trip to Haslam Lake. Five people attended.

by Ann and Paul Clements, 9 January 2010. Seven members attended.  The trip started at Community Living Place at 10am with a review of the biology of Lichens.   As a framework for identification in the field, we then reviewed the seven Lichen classifications described in Pojar and MacKinnon’s Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. The group viewed examples … Continue reading Lichens

by Heather Harbord, 14 November 2009. On Saturday, nine members carpooled from the Liquor Store parking lot and drove out to the Sliammon Hatchery, picking up a north-of-town member on the way.  The person Clyde had arranged to show us around wasn’t there. Instead, he and Susan did the honors assisted later by a gentleman who was … Continue reading Salmon, Eagles and Waterfowl

by Michael Stewart, 1 October 2009. Twelve members met at the Lang Creek Hatchery and enjoyed a tour given by Salmon Society staff member, Phil Nakatsu. He showed us the facility and how the fish enter the tanks and are sorted and counted. Then he showed us the salmon in the spawning channel and explained further what … Continue reading Lang Bay Hatchery