By Janet Alred, 10 March 2011.  On Thursday, six people dripped their way around the Lang Bay Fish Hatchery where there were no dippers to be seen as they have all gone up to the mountains to breed in the fast water.  We crossed the road to look at the mouth of Lang Creek and on … Continue reading Rambling with Clyde

by Janet Alred, 5 February 2011. On Saturday Wendy Cocksedge, who spoke to us last year about the forest greens used in the floristry industry, escorted four of us along the Willingdon Trail where we identified Scouring rush, Salal, Trailing blackberry, an early Skunk cabbage, small leaves of Sweet Cecily (we think), new Salmonberry shoots, Oregon-beaked … Continue reading Forest Greens

Winter twigs with Shirley Cole by Heidi Rohard 7 November 2010 On a surprisingly sunny Sunday morning, Nov. 7th, 2010, nine of us met Shirley Cole in the North mall parking lot. While waiting for departure time she showed us and explained various twigs, some with leaves still attached, as well as a beautiful collection … Continue reading Winter twigs

by Janet Alred, 16 October 2010.  Thirty-three people turned out for the mushroom workshop with Brigid Weiler of Cortes Island.  Brigid’s picture appears on page 145 of David Arora’s All that the Rain Promises and More… This eclectically illustrated handbook is available locally from Breakwater Books along with his larger reference book Mushrooms Demystified. Brigid brought … Continue reading Mushroom workshop

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

by Heather Harbord, 31 August – 1 September 2009. There are only certain tides in the summer that will allow Captain Mike Moore and the Misty Isles to do this circumnavigation.   We were picked us up in Lund, and we sailed through Baker’s Pass and up the west side of Cortes after stopping to admire our sails from … Continue reading Maurelle Island

by Sherri Wretham, 23 June 2009.  Long-time Club member and local naturalist John Dove led a group of us around to experience the sights and history of lovely Texada Island.

by Heather Harbord, 17 June 2009. We were fortunate to repeat our 2007 journey to Toba Inlet, courtesy of Captain Mike and the ever trusty Misty Isles. Again we stopped to admire the pictographs, and got wet when Mike poked the bow of our craft under the big waterfall at the entrance to Toba Inlet. Then spectacular … Continue reading Return to Toba Inlet

by Sherri Wretham, 6 June 2009. Long-time club member Heather led a leisurely ramble along the beach to watch birds, explore the seashore life, and enjoy the sunshine!

by Heather Harbord, 31 May 2009. In what has become somewhat of a Club tradition, Captain Mike Moore took us aboard the Misty Isles and we set our for Mitlenatch Island. We followed our usual routine, with half of the group going ashore to see the nesting areas through the newly-constructed bird blind, and the other half … Continue reading Mitlenatch with Mike Moore and the Misty Isles

by Sherri Wretham, 20 May 2009. Long-standing Club member and flower-passionate Shirley Cole took us out for a walk to see what was in bloom. As it turns out, rather a lot of things were!

by Sherri Wretham, 27 March 2009. As a follow-up to his fascinating talk the previous evening, Dr. Graham Gillespie of the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo took us out for a hike along the seashore to hunt to for invaders…and we were surprised to learn that they’re everywhere! Fortunately for us, we learned that our shores … Continue reading Marine invasive species

by Sherri Wretham, 15 March 2009. The day after our day of “ear-birding”, Pierre again led us, this time traveling by ferry to see the herring spawn at Comox, and the incredible birding results!

by Sherri Wretham, 14 March 2009. Master birder Pierre took a group of members out to hone their “ear-birding” skills with the early spring migrants.

by Sherri Wretham, 28 October 2008. Long-time Club member Christine Woolcott again showed off her prowess with finding mushrooms, and knowing the difference between those that are edible…and most importantly, those that are not!  

by Heather Harbord, 27-29 September 2008. Bute Inlet BearTour.  This was our second tour to see the Grizzly Bears.  Aboard Misty Isles, we departed Lund at 9:00am and sailed up to Orford River in Bute Inlet.  We dropped our gear at the Homalco logging camp and hopped on their bus for a wild ride to where … Continue reading Bute Inlet grizzly tour

by Heather Harbord, 17 May 2008. Botany BC, the annual meeting of botanists and plant enthusiasts of British Columbia was held in Powell River from 15-18 May.   As part of this event, John Dove and Terry Ludwar led a field trip to Texada Island on the second day, the 17th. You can read the original … Continue reading Botany BC and Texada

by Heather Harbord, 9 April 2008. Dr. Wilf Schofield of the UBC Botany Department led a field trip to the trail on the north side of the Shingle Mill bridge. Everything was so interesting that the group could only progress about a hundred meters or so along the lake. He not only knew the names of … Continue reading Bryophytes with Wilf Schofield

by Heather Harbord, 16 March 2008.  A group of Comox Valley Naturalists walked on the first ferry to Powell River (arriving here 7.50am) clutching their lunches, water and birding paraphernalia. We met them and drove them around before putting them on the 5.15 ferry back. This was a fun way to get to know people from … Continue reading Showing off to the Comox Naturalists

by Heather Harbord, 3 November 2007. Several members joined Heather Harbord and John Treen to view waterfowl and transients.  We visited bird-rich places like Kye Bay beach, Point Holmes and Goose Spit!

by Heather Harbord, 28 September 2007. We explored the woods behind Penticton Street with the previous night’s speaker, Terry Taylor.  Yes we found some mushrooms!

by Heather Harbord, 30 June – 1 July 2007. To reach Toba Inlet you have to sail through Desolation Sound, so the trip is a two for one. The Misty Isles is a wonderful vessel as long as you are able to negotiate steep stairs and obstacles on deck.  Some adventurous souls on our trip … Continue reading Toba Inlet