by Tom Koleszar, 12 August 2017. Twenty members of the Malaspina Naturalist Club recently enjoyed an alpine adventure, travelling by helicopter to an area near Skwim Lake. While some were able to fly in directly from the airport, most of us flew from a staging area near Freda Lake. Pilot Ben made sure all the … Continue reading Alpine Adventure – by helicopter!
by Marg Reckenberg, 29 June 2017. What a warm, sunny, calm day as the twelve of us set out for Mitlenatch Island aboard the Misty Isles with Captain Mike Moore and assistant Amy. We left Lund Harbor at 10 am after a quick stop at Nancy’s Bakery. Then we were on our way, for the … Continue reading A Mitlenatch day-trip
by Nancy Pezel, 24 June 2017. Walter Kubany and his wife Sally led an enthusiastic group of 14 naturalists on a hunt for saprophytes along the trails of Valentine Mountain on this beautiful summer day. We learned that many of these plants live on dead and decaying vegetation, but some like the Indian-pipes and Groundcones … Continue reading In search of saprophytes
by Rose Marie Williams, 8 June 2017. After filling up with coffee and cinnamon buns from Nancy’s bakery in Lund, our skipper, Mike welcomes 12 of us aboard his schooner, Misty Isles. We leave the harbor and turn north, through Thulin Passage. All stretch their memories to match names to faces. Not easy for some, … Continue reading Bute Inlet Epic
by David Bedry, 27 May 2017. Ten of us were blessed with a cloudless sky as we toured the amazing Rhododendron garden that David Smith has carved out of his property off Crowther Road, on the way to Okeover Inlet. David’s is a year round labor of love as he plants not only rhododendrons from … Continue reading Rhododendron gardens
by Tom Koleszar, 23 May 2017. Twelve of us boarded the Misty Isles at Lund for a 2 day trip with Captain Mike Moore and naturalist leader George Sirk. We sailed south around Savary Island and Mystery Reef, finding hundreds of Pacific Loons and Common Murres, along with many other sea birds. From Savary we continued … Continue reading Return to Mitlenatch and Twin Islands
by Pierre Geoffray, 16 May 2017. Fifteen of us met at the Italian Hall for “Birding by Ear”. The weather decided to give us a break and we enjoyed the dry and cloudy spell (the best we can wish for this year!) as we toured the Wildwood Bluffs. Right around the Italian Hall, we had some … Continue reading Birding by Ear – Part VII !
by Andrew Bryant, 30 April 2017. Some of the Purple Martin nest boxes at the Myrtle Rocks colony suffered a bit at the hands of winter storms – and needed some attention. After an aborted attempt on a dangerously gusty and rainy Saturday, Sunday saw fair skies. David Bedry, John Treen, Bill Whyard and myself … Continue reading The “it’s not a field trip” Purple Martin field-trip
by Joan Treen, 19 April 2017. The morning was spent at the Texada Museum, which was quite a surprise for most of us who did not know it existed. It’s an amazing place, housing information about the development of mining on the island and the pioneers who settled there, many of whose descendants remain to this … Continue reading Texada Gold Rush
by Nancy Pezel, 25 February 2017. A small but enthusiastic group of our members spent a couple of hours enjoying a walk along some of the trails off McLeod Road. There the group learned how to identify western yew and western hemlock, how to differentiate between alder and cherry, that true firs have needles with … Continue reading Winter Twigs and Greens
by Heather Harbord, 14 January 2017. Eight members joined Clyde at 8am on Saturday for the Tiny Brown Birds trip. After carpooling from town, we drove to the Lang Creek Hatchery, crossed the road and walked among the prime TBB habitat. At the start, Clyde explained how carefully and quietly we should move to avoid … Continue reading Tiny Brown Birds
by Cindy Dalcourt, 5 November 2016. While rushing to catch a ferry to the peninsula, have you ever noticed the sign for the Iris Griffith Centre and wondered what is was? Well, this Saturday 17 of us found out. After carpooling to Saltery Bay and walking on the ferry, we were picked up by Lee-Ann Ennis … Continue reading Iris Griffith Centre
by Heather Harbord, 29 September 2016. Nine out of ten members enjoyed our trip up Princess Louisa Inlet. The tenth was too sick to come, and the only person on the waiting list was also unable to fill in. Bryce Christy’s boat, the B-Line, was very comfortable. Everyone could be inside in the well-heated cabin. John … Continue reading Princess Louisa Inlet
by Heather Harbord, 21 October 2016. Seven members dripped their way around the forest with Rick Page, the previous night’s speaker. We started out near the former Artaban Centre and walked through to the pole line and back along McFall Creek, which was in full flood. Rick pointed out various examples of foliage which had been … Continue reading Oh deer me
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 … Continue reading A Walk in the woods with Frank Ritcey and Hugh Marshall
