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Field trip reports

Category: Field Trip reports

Field trip reports

Lang Creek Hatchery

Malaspina Naturalists at Lang Creek Hatchery #3 30 Sept 2017 - L. Bridger

by David Bedry, 30 Sept 2017.  About a dozen people met at Lang Creek to see the returning salmon and learn about the Lang Creek egg collection facility run by the Powell River Salmon Society.  With only two paid staff the PRESS relies on alot of volunteer help, especially at this time of year. With … Continue reading Lang Creek Hatchery

Alpine Adventure – by helicopter!

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!

A Mitlenatch day-trip

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

In search of saprophytes

One to watch for. Pine Sap (Hypopithys monotropa) at Lang Creek, 15 July 2012. - D. Bedry

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

Bute Inlet Epic

Teakerne Arm Falls

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

Rhododendron gardens

Rhododendron in David Smith's botanical garden, May 30 2017

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

Return to Mitlenatch and Twin Islands

Murres off Savary Island

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

Birding by Ear – Part VII !

Birding by ear

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 !

The “it’s not a field trip” Purple Martin field-trip

An adult male Purple Martin , Myrtle Rocks, Powell River - A. Bryant

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

Texada Gold Rush

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

Winter Twigs and Greens

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

Tiny Brown Birds

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

Iris Griffith Centre

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

Princess Louisa Inlet

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

Oh deer me

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

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 … Continue reading A Walk in the woods with Frank Ritcey and Hugh Marshall

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 … Continue reading Rock Art with Judith Williams

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 … Continue reading East Thurlow Island

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.   … Continue reading Marmots at Mount Washington

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 … Continue reading Mitlenatch Island

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 … Continue reading Plant Walk with Ioni Wais

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 … Continue reading Hernando Reef with Rick Harbo

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 … Continue reading Twin Islands and Mitlenatch

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 … Continue reading Birding by Ear Part VI

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 … Continue reading Clam Gardens with Judith Williams

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 … Continue reading Gulls with Art Martell

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 … Continue reading Trail-busting with ORUG

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 … Continue reading Early Logging Practices

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. … Continue reading Forest Ecosystems

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 … Continue reading Salmon at Sliammon