Lazo Marsh, Comox, British Columbia

Early this summer my wife and I moved from our 14 year residence in the Royston area to North East Comox. The two homes are only a half an hour apart by road and we remain in the Comox Valley where we have lived for over 30 years. Long enough to have a good general knowledge of the area.

From a photographing point of view, I am discovering many opportunities in the area close to our new home. To the west there are extensive of trails in the Northeast Woods and into the adjacent Lazo Marsh. To the east we have the Straits of Georgia and Cape Lazo and to the south the Town and Harbour of Comox.

Woodland Stream

I started my discoveries by wandering around, exploring new walking trails and revisiting areas I already knew. Friends who live in this area freely shared their knowledge of interesting trails and views. On these first explorations I did not plan to photograph but get some idea of the possibilities.

I soon had a mental list of possible photo opportunities.

Woodland Creek

A small secluded stream in the NE woods. Lazo Marsh and Yellow Iris. A friend showed me an old deserted sawmill. A walk along the shore between Point Holmes and Goose Spit revealed some interesting wreckage and a fine viewpoint above Goose Spit overlooked the Cadet Camp with views of the Beaufort Mountains and Comox Glacier in the background. Boats have always interested me and Comox Harbor is full of them!

Indian Pipe

Over the next two months I set out to photograph these sites as opportunities presented themselves in late spring and early summer. 

Now I had to work on the details to obtain some decent images. Planning and timing became important. The stream had to be photographed on a dull overcast day and before the water level dropped. Lazo Marsh was going to look best with the Yellow Iris in full bloom and before the Bullrushes grew too high. The old sawmill turned out to be a disappointment, so far. The beach walk was best in morning light. Unexpectedly the Goose Spit overlook turned out to photograph best in sunny, midday light after trying dawn shoots, spoiled by lingering clouds and mist on the mountains. And of course the unexpected opportunities that happen just because I was there! The dawn shoot that failed to get a mountain shot succeeded when I drove down and wandered around on Goose Spit and caught the driftwood breakwaters in beautiful warm, dawn light. A social evening walk around Comox Harbor and finding compositions  with the floats on moored fish boats.

Floats at the Comox Marina, Comox, British Columbia

I am encouraged by the few images taken so far. My list of future opportunities and timing is growing. How about Lazo Marsh on a winter morning? Misty, snowy, with wild fowl? What will cloud formations look like at Point Lazo and Goose Spit in winter storms … these new “Points of View” are full of possibilities and future photo projects.

About the Contributor:

Chris Carter is a photographer based in the Comox Valley, British Columbia. His current work can be viewed in galleries on Vancouver Island and on his web site.

Early spring water sampling at the old Mount Washington copper mine site.

The Mount Washington Mine Remediation program has begun again for the season. Signs have been placed at all road and trail accesses to the site reminding everyone that this is an Active Mine Work Area and is off limits to visitors.

For their safety, all road and trail users keep well away from the Active Mine Work Area until such time as the project has been completed. The contractors working at the site have the authority to charge violators under the Mines Act. Should anyone be found trespassing on the site, they will be prosecuted.

The geomembrane over the contaminated site will be covered with till and soil before the area is revegetated.

Work this year will see the project mostly completed. The remainder of the till cover will be spread over the geomembrane to fully protect it from the elements and then organic soils will be placed on that to provide a growing medium so the site can be revegetated. Planting and seeding will take place this year so all that will remain to do over the next few years is maintain the plantings, add as required and monitor the water quality results.

The copper mine at Mount Washington was abandoned nearly 40 years ago and leaching from the site contaminated and severely impacted most aquatic species in the Tsolum River including pink salmon in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Restoration work has been ongoing to reduce the amount of leachate runoff into the Tsolum River.

Preliminary results are very encouraging with all concentrations measured since the cover was completed to the outcome target of under 11 parts per billion! This is great news and is indicating so far a successful outcome.

Submitted by the Tsolum River Restoration Society

For more information and progress updates visit the Tsolum River Restoration Society web site at www.tsolumriver.org.

Summer flowers and insects in Paradise Meadows, Strathcona Provincial Park.

Summer is in full bloom at Paradise Meadows, and the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre has a full schedule of guided nature walks and hikes to enhance your appreciation of the natural splendor of Strathcona Park – BC’s first provincial park.

The Wilderness Centre building located at the Paradise Meadows trailhead, adjacent to the Raven Lodge, is open to Sept. 12, 2010, on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays from 9 am to 4 pm.

Strathcona Wilderness Centre at Paradise Meadows

The Centre is operated by the Strathcona Wilderness Institute (SWI), a non-profit Society, which is continuing to offer guided summer programs for all ages and abilities during August & September.

Nature Walks are about 2 hours for all ages, with a guest expert on a nature theme. Level 1 Hikes are 3-4 hours with a guide, for all ages. Level 2 Hikes are 4-8 hours with a guide, for intermediate hikers. Level 3 Hikes are multi-day trips in partnership with Island Alpine Guides.

Sat. July 31, 10 am
Level 1 Hike: Lake Helen Mackenzie

3-4 hour hike with Catherine Watson of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society (no pets please)

Sun. Aug. 1, 10 am
Level 1 Hike: Lake Helen Mackenzie

3-4 hour hike with Mandy Vaughan of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society (dogs on leash o.k.)

Mon. Aug. 2, 9 am
Level 2 Hike: Mount Elma

5-6 hour hike with Heather & Rolf Kellerhals of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society (no pets please)

Sun. Aug. 8, 1-3 pm
Nature Walk: Mid-Summer Flowers

Experience the beauty of a sub-alpine meadow with botanist Fred Constabel

Paradise Meadows Pond

Sun. Aug. 15, 9 am
Level 2 Hike:  Croteau Lake

5-6 hour hike with Robin & Jennifer Harrison of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society (no pets please)

Sun. Aug. 22, 8 am
Level 2 Hike:  Lake Beautiful & Cruickshank Canyon Lookout

8-9 hour hike with Evan Loveless of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute

Sun. Aug. 22, 1-3 pm
Nature Walk: “I the Tree- We the Forest”

Explore the working of an individual tree & the collective energy of the forest with forester Harold Macy

Paradise Meadows Boardwalk

Sun. Aug. 29, 9 am
Level 2 Hike:  Divers Lake

4-5 hour hike with Steve & Marlene Smith of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute (dogs on leash o.k.)

Sun. Aug. 29, 10 am
Level 1 Hike:  Lake Helen Mackenzie

3-4 hour hike with Evan Loveless of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute

Sat. Sept. 4 – Mon. Sept. 6
Level 3 Hike: Castlecrag Circuit

With Island Alpine Guides in partnership with Strathcona Wilderness Institute. $375/ per person. Register by Aug. 14. Contact IAG: 250-400-2870  info@islandalpineguides.com

Sun. Sept. 5, 1-4 pm
Art & Nature Walk: Image Hunting with Pencils & Brushes

Bring the media of your choice for an excursion into the meadows with Cumberland watercolour artist Clive Powsey

Sun. Sept. 12, 1-3 pm
Art & Nature Walk: Great Photo-Ops in Paradise Meadows

Look for interesting subjects & compositions (no camera needed) with nature photographer Chris Carter

Mount Washington from Paradise Meadows

For all activities: dress for the weather, wear proper footwear, bring lunch or snacks, water, bug spray and sun protection. Guided nature walks and day hikes are free, although a donation of $5 –10 is appreciated to help with the Institute’s ongoing activities. All walks and day hikes start at the Wilderness Centre. 

For more information and the full summer program schedule, visit the SWI website at www.strathconapark.org or contact SPWC 2010 Summer Coordinator Krista Kaptein at 250-338-9962.

For up-to-date information on activities & conditions, visit the blog at http://strathconapark.blogspot.com

The new Strathcona Wilderness Institute centre at Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park.

Summer will officially begin in July in Paradise Meadows, when the new Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre opens for the summer season.

The beautiful new building located at the Paradise Meadows trailhead, adjacent to the Raven Lodge, will be open weekends from July 3 to Sept. 12, 2010. The Centre will be staffed on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays (including July 5) from 9 am to 4 pm.

Summer hiking on the trail to Hairtrigger Lake.

The Centre is operated by the Strathcona Wilderness Institute (SWI), a non-profit Society, which has organized a full schedule of summer programs for all ages and abilities.

Nature Walks will be about 2 hours for all ages, with a guest expert on a nature theme. Level 1 Hikes are 3-4 hours with a guide, for all ages. Level 2 Hikes are 4-8 hours with a guide, for intermediate hikers. Level 3 Hikes are multi-day trips in partnership with Island Alpine Guides. 

Sun. July 4, 10 am:

Level 1 Hike: Paradise Meadows loop or Lake Helen Mackenzie:
2-3 hour hike with Kate Pierce of the Comox District Mountaineering Club

Sun. July 4, 1-3 pm:

Nature Walk: Lichen it!:
Explore lichens around the meadows with Registered Professional Forester Margaret Symon

Sun. July 11, 10 am:

Level 1 Hike: Lake Helen Mackenzie or Battleship Lake:
3-4 hour hike with Pam & Don Munroe of the Comox District Mountaineering Club

Sun. July 11, 1-3 pm:

Nature Walk: Spring Flora & Fauna: 
Early plants & birds of Paradise Meadows with expert naturalist Betty Brooks

Sat. July 17 :

Parks Day:
Celebrate Strathcona Park at the newly completed Wilderness Centre. More details TBA at http://strathconapark.blogspot.com 

Sun. July 18, 1-3 pm:

Nature Walk: Ethnobotany: 
Interesting and useful plants of Paradise Meadows with local ethnobotanist Gwyn Sproule.

Sun. July 25, 9 am:

Level 2 Hike:  Croteau Lake:
5-6 hr. hike with John Waters of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute.

Mt. Albert Edward from Croteau Lake.

Sun. July 25, 1-3 pm:

Nature Walk: Insects: 
Identify & explore sub-alpine ecology with naturalist Tyler Johns

Fri. July 30 – Mon. Aug. 2:

Level 3 Hike: Mount Albert Edward to Augerpoint Traverse: 
with Island Alpine Guides in partnership with Strathcona Wilderness Institute. $500/ per person. Register by July 9. Contact IAG: 250-400-2870  info@islandalpineguides.com

For all activities: dress for the weather, wear proper footwear, bring lunch or snacks, water, bug spray and sun protection. Nature walks and day hikes are free, although a donation of $5 –10 is appreciated to help with the Institute’s ongoing activities. All walks and day hikes start at the Wilderness Centre. 

Strolling the boardwalk in Paradise Meadows.

For more information and the full summer program schedule, visit the SWI website at www.strathconapark.org.  For up-to-date information on activities & conditions, visit the blog at http://strathconapark.blogspot.com.

FMI: Contact Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre Summer Coordinator Krista Kaptein at 250-338-9962.

Early blooms of Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) stand out against green leaves.

For those interested in botany and unusual plants it is often necessary to get off the beaten path and explore areas that are sometimes a little less accessible. Rhododendron Lake, just south of Parksville on Vancouver Island, British Columbia is one such destination.

At the end of a 13 km stretch of sometimes-rough gravel logging road is an isolated grove of Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum). While this shrub is common in Washington State and further south there aren’t many places in British Columbia where one can see Pacific Rhododendron. On Vancouver Island, Rhododendron Lake is one of only two locations where it can be found. On the mainland, Rhododendron Flats in Manning Park is an easily accessible place to see this gorgeous native shrub.

A moody sky at Rhododendron Lake south of Parksville on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Rhododendron Lake is somewhat challenging to get to. Just south of Parksville look for the entrance to Island Timberlands. Check in at the gate for a visitor’s permit and directions to the lake. Road conditions are fairly good for the first 9 kilometers but become rougher once you leave the main logging road. While the last 3 kilometers are doable with a compact car (I was driving a Toyota Corolla) using a vehicle with more clearance would be a lot less stressful. Some strategic driving to negotiate steep rough sections, washouts, deep ruts and rocky road is required and branches reaching out over the narrow road may scratch your vehicle. Better to find a friend with an old truck or SUV that can navigate the difficult road. Your other option is to park your vehicle where the narrow track to Rhododendron Lake leaves the main road and walk in.

Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) in bud in early June.

A short rough trail leaves the parking area at Rhododendron Lake and works its way into the Pacific Rhododendron grove. Much of the land around the lake is wet and boggy. Western Bog-Laurel (Kalmia microphylla) is also in bloom at this time of year and it is worth keeping an eye open for other bog plants. The trail is very muddy in places and overgrown with lush Salal (Gaultheria shallon) but still passable.

The thick leathery leaves of Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) are evergreen.

Pacific Rhododendron is one of two species of native rhododendron that grows on Vancouver Island. It has thick, leathery evergreen leaves that are elliptical in shape. The flowers are showy pink to rose-purple and bell-shaped with some spotting. The petals have a wavy edge to them. A second species of rhododendron can be found on Vancouver Island later in the year at higher elevations like Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park. The more common White-flowering Rhododendron (R. albiflorum) has smaller white flowers and deciduous leaves that are yellowish-green in colour.

A fresh pink Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) flower brightens a dull gray day at Rhododendron Lake.

For those wishing to view the Pacific Rhododendron in bloom now is the time to make one’s way to Rhododendron Lake. This shrub flowers late in the spring and is just coming into full bloom now in mid-June. Many plants are in bud and over the course of the next two weeks will come into spectacular flower. While it takes a bit of effort to get to the lake it is well worth it to experience this unique plant community on Vancouver Island.

Rhododendron Lake under late spring gray skies.

Getting There:

Click on the Google Map below to view a scrollable version.

Rhododendron Lake, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Need to Know:

• Check in at the Island Timberlands gate for an access permit and directions to Rhododendron Lake
• Peak bloom time this year is the second and third week of June
• Keep an eye out for wildlife – both wolves and cougars have been reported in the area.
• The road is fairly rough and a vehicle with good clearance is recommended, especially for the last 3 kilometers

About the Contributor:

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer and writer based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of his images can be seen on Flickr and on Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog.

A pair of Monterey Sea Lemons (Doris montereyensis) meet in a bed of cup corals on the wall at Madrona Point.

On windy days like today when the Mud Bone is grounded, (our converted river boat doesn’t take too well to swells) we pick a shore dive like Madrona Point in Parksville for quick access to a host of sea life. I prefer to dive Madrona Point at high tide due to the slick entry point but if you have good balance in a tank and rubber boots it can be dove at high or low tides.

My partner and I gear up and clamber down the slippery rock shoot. After submerging we find ourselves in a bed of eelgrass, bull kelp and general weedy mayhem. This is the jungle of my ocean. I love to hang out in this stuff because it makes me feel like I’m diving in an aquarium. This is where schools of needlefish and perch swim and spindly little crabs hang onto swaying vegetation to feed on passing invertebrates.

A delicate looking Red Flabellina (Flabellina trophina) munches on a stick of sea grass.

Beautiful sunlight penetrates the shallow water near our entry point and makes me want to linger to make photos. If I stayed here at 10 feet, the deciding factor to end my dive would be from getting cold, not from lack of air (a tank of air can last hours in shallow water!) Alas, scuba diving is a buddy sport for safety reasons and it is hard to convince other divers to spend hours in shallow water, besides, we did come here to visit the wall, so using a compass bearing of 340, we head out over the sand towards it.

Just when I’m thinking I’ve missed the mark, the edge of the wall at Madrona Point begins to materialize out of the gloom. Today’s 15 foot visibility barely allows me to see my partner let alone a drop-off and I’m really hoping that the visibility will improve when I get deeper. It’s a common misconception to think diving is better in summer because of warmer temperatures; here on our coast warm temperatures bring ocean bloom that can be as thick as pea soup. I have been on dives where I could not see my gauges pressed to my mask until I dropped below the bloom at 30 feet and then it was dark.

A tiny version (approx 1 inch) of Leopard Dorid (Diaulula sandiegensis) munching on a kelp leaf.

I can always tell when I am nearing a reef or wall by the increase in the number of fish hanging around. This wall is no different and as my partner and I near it I begin to see lingcod, painted greenling and rockfish lying on the bottom. I swim out over the ledge and let the air out of my BCD (buoyancy compensator device) to “free fly” 40 feet to the bottom. During my decent I imagine I am Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. I slow my fall just before hitting the silty bottom and avoid stirring up a cloud of silt.

The bright yellow mantle adds a dainty frill to Nananimo Nudibranch (Acanthodoris hudsoni).

Happily, visibility improves at depth and I can see part of the wall is covered in orange cup corals and is inhabited by tiny crabs and nudibranch (pronounced nudibrank). The delightfully brilliant splash of eye-candy orange bouncing back from my flashlight beam is only seconded by the sheer quantity of creatures. I spy one of my favorite critters and zoom in on a nudibranch for a better look.

Nudibranch are found all over the world and come in sizes from as tiny as ¼ inch to over a foot long. They are the slugs of the sea and come in an astounding array of colors and shapes. This one is a couple inches long, bright lemon yellow, has bumpy skin and since I have been careful not to frighten it, it’s delicate fan of gills still extends from it’s rear. Their scientific name is Nudibranchia; which actually means “naked gills”.

A lacy nest of nudibranch eggs is nestled among soft corals.

These little guys spend their day munching on sponge and grasses and are usually found at depths less than 100 feet. As hermaphrodites they are both male and female as required and after deciding who is who, their dainty egg sacs are laid in a spiraling ribbon that sort resembles a flower. A few such flowers punctuate this wall and I inspect them all for my viewing pleasure. As my dive time runs low I begin to ascend and come eye level with a stone ridge covered in an army of frilly shawlback nudibranch munching furiously on the vegetation. They look like fuzzy lollipops tossed over the edge of a passing boat embedded in the sea bottom.

When our waters are soupy and the light is low I look more closely for the small stuff and I have never yet been disappointed. There are larger creatures like octopus and wolf eel somewhere along this wall but today I am captivated by the microscopic.

Need to Know:

• Shore Dive
• Experience level – all divers
• At the end of Madrona Drive is the parking lot with room for about four cars (see map below).

Map to Parking area at Madrona Point, Parksville, British Columbia

About the Contributor:

Lisa Graham of Seadance Photography is a freelance photographer who specializes in the underwater realm. Based in the Comox Valley you can visit her website at www.seadance.ca for her full portfolio.

Somass Estuary in the Alberni Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

I recently ran across a couple at Victoria Quay in Port Alberni. They had the tell-tale sign of a birder and a visitor – binoculars hanging from their necks and hanging around the signs by the Somass River. I approached them and they started asking about how to get to the bird sanctuary on the other side.

I’ve written about the sanctuary, that is, the Somass Estuary Project before on my blog (A Birder’s Site Guide for the Somass Estuary, Vancouver Island) but I realized, in talking to them, that there are quite a number of other places to find birds in the Valley. Here are my top five birding locations in the Alberni Valley.

1. The Somass Estuary

This area is an excellent place to look for birds. It is best in the winter when the waterfowl are wintering. However summer birding is also good. For a detailed guide to it you can follow the link provided above.

Trail access into the Somass Estuary, Alberni Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

2. Kitsuksis Dyke

This is the most easily accessible spot where you can find decent birding in the Alberni Valley. Kitsuksis Creek flows into the Somass River just beside the Clutesi Haven Marina which you drive by on Highway 4 on your way to the West Coast. The easiest way to visit is to take the right fork just after the little bridge over the creek and park just past the restaurant on the right.

Kitsuksis Dyke, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

I have created a map from Google to show the route. The entire route is paved and located on a dyke that was created after the tsunami in 1964. I have marked the main route in red. In green are interesting alternatives. The creek is tidal up to the Gertrude Street Bridge. Across from the Marina is a swampy little wood where I suspect the beaver I often see there lives. The entire creek is lined with willow and there are wooded areas mainly on the west side of the walkway and upstream from the Gertrude Street bridge. There are two foot bridges at the top and at the bottom. Recently a trail has been built from the upstream pavement as far as the railway trestle to a little falls where a strong run of Coho now exists thanks to dedicated efforts of a salmon enhancement group.

The entire walkway is very good for warblers like Orange-crowned, Black-throated Grey and Wilson’s in the spring. In the summer, this area is one of the few areas on Vancouver Island where you can find Green Herons. And of course, there are a variety of sparrows, towhees, juncos and a resident Merlin. In the winter, it’s a good idea to walk up to the little pond where you often find Ring-necked ducks among others.

3. Burde Street Ponds

Located on the east edge of Port Alberni, there are two beautiful little ponds that I enjoy visiting at any time of year. To get to them, you need to take the left fork as you arrive in town off the hill. You will pass the Visitor Information Centre on your right. Follow the road past the West Coast General Hospital and take a left on 17th, 16th or if you miss them 15th Avenue and go a couple of blocks to Burde Street. Turn right and drive past to the 4-way stop sign and past the subdivision on your left. Look for a small parking area with a yellow gate on the left. Park here or across the street if it is full. You will be at one access point to the Log Train Trail. About 100 meters in there is a short path up off the rail grade that will take you to a good view of the lower pond. In June, it is a magnificent place when the Yellow Flag Iris is in bloom. It’s very invasive, but beautiful. This pond and the upper one are excellent places to find Wood Ducks, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, and Hooded Mergansers in season. From time to time, you may also see the beaver that make their home in the upper pond. Herons and Belted Kingfishers are also possible here. All along the rail grade, you will encounter a very good variety of forest birds.

Burde Street Ponds, Port Alberni, British Columbia.

After you return to the rail grade, about 100 meters further on look for a trail leading east up off the rail grade. It will take you through the older second-growth forest into a 10-year-old cut block with mostly Red Alder regenerating. The path leads up to the second pond which has a couple of good access points to see what is on the pond. The beaver lodge is easily visible and there is a short side trail to the beaver dam! The path loops back to Burde Street along the logging access road through the young alder and Douglas fir. You’ll find White-crowned Sparrows, MacGillivray’s and Orange-crowned Warblers here as well as Red-breasted Sapsucker in the older fringe of trees along the ponds.

4. McCoy Lake Area

McCoy Lake is a broad shallow lake surrounded by private property and Indian Reserve. The reserve side is undeveloped and consists of swampy bog. The west side is swampy farmland. Bring a spotting scope if you want to see what is on the lake.

McCoy Lake, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

This area is interesting in any season. The lake is one of the few places on Vancouver Island where you can reliably find Ruddy ducks in winter. The winter rains create flooding around the perimeter of the lake and attract a good variety of ducks and raptors as well as Wilson’s Snipe, and Killdeer. The open fields attract thousands of migrating Savannah Sparrows, American Pipits and sometimes interesting shorebirds like Whimbrel and Pectoral Sandpipers in the spring and fall. The summer sees good populations of four species of swallows; Violet-green, Tree, Cliff and Barn. This is partly thanks to Bill Thompson Sr. who built twenty or so swallow boxes around his house when he was alive.

To get there, drive up River Road from Port Alberni along the Somass River to the grey iron bridge. After going over the bridge look for the second left turn onto McCoy Lake Road about 500 meters further on around the bend. The road will take you up past the road to the local landfill and then the view opens up when you get to the agricultural area. The road will bend to the right. There will be a turn off onto Stirling Arm Drive. Don’t take the turn but continue straight. You will go past an old farm, across a small creek and up onto a knoll with a house on it. This is the most productive area. There are a couple of turnout spots in the area. But the whole road is a good area to walk along. You can continue along this road until you meet highway 4 again.

5. Taylor River Estuary

The Taylor River flows into the west end of Sproat Lake. The mouth of it has many side channels and sloughs. The vegetation is dominated by alder and salmonberry. Interestingly, a major part of the estuary contains a patch of deciduous old growth that survived the 1967 fire that burned the entire end of the valley. This is extremely unusual. The riparian character of the area below the river contrasts sharply with the hillsides dominated by second-growth Douglas fir. And the views of the surrounding mountains are wonderful. The bird life here is prolific in the summer months but pretty quiet during the winter.

Taylor River Estuary

Finding this area is easy. Follow Highway 4 westward out of Port Alberni. There is a turnoff to the left 20 km past the West Bay Hotel, the last commercial establishment before you get to the Tourist Info Centre at Pacific Rim. Immediately, you will have to choose between a left or right turn. Right leads to a very popular unofficial camping area. Along the road, there is a view of the mouth of the river where you may see Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and perhaps a Common Loon. The dense shrubbery contains Wilson’s, Yellow, Black-throated Grey, Orange-crowned and MacGillivrays’ warblers as well as Common Yellowthroats, Warbling Vireos and even a Red-eyed Vireo if you are lucky. Going the other way takes a short distance to where the road is ditched, making any further progress by car impossible. Half a kilometer up is an old bridge. From it, you may see a Spotted Sandpiper, or Common Mergansers. A Dipper is also possible here. On the other side is a junction where the road runs back to the lake or west to Highway 4.

Back at the initial turnoff, you can also turn right and follow the road up the mountain side. This road has been deactivated and so don’t try to drive this one. However, a short walk up it leads to a rocky bluff where there is a good view of a little pond you can see from the highway. A longer hike takes you up the side of the valley to some dead trees remaining from the fire I mentioned. This area has become a good place for woodpeckers and for Band-tailed Pigeons.

There are a number of other places to bird in the Alberni Valley. Sproat Lake Provincial Park, Mulcaster Slough or Swamp, McLean Mill, and Turtle Lake are some others. In fact, there are so many lakes, swamps, bluffs, and trails around the area that you are bound to find some other interesting places on your own. These places are offered just to get you started.

About the Contributor:

Long-time Vancouver Island resident, Sandy McRuer, runs Rainbird Excursions, an ecotourism and sightseeing business in the Port Alberni & Qualicum Beach area. He is an ex-forester and avid birder. More of his images can be found on Flickr.

Dramatic skies at Goose Spit, Comox, British Columbia.

Often the reason a destination is popular has little to do with the superb natural features of an area. Such is the case with Goose Spit Park in Comox, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Usually portrayed as “the” place to enjoy the sunset and an evening beach fire, Goose Spit has much more to offer the curious naturalist.

The parking lot at the far end of Hawkins Road just before it enters HMCS Quadra is an excellent starting place for a dune botanical exploration. Walking west along the beach a number of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) can be found above the high tide line and among the driftwood logs.

Seashore Lupin (Lupinus littoralis)

At this time of year, Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus) is in bloom as are two species of lupin – Seashore Lupin (Lupinus littoralis) and Tree Lupin (L. arboreus). The former is a native species, the latter has been introduced from California, possibly in an attempt to stabilize the shoreline. A third pea that is readily visible is the invasive Scotch Broom (Cystisus scoparius).

When the buildings of the base end, the dunes start to open up. A training obstacle course runs through the center of dune habitat and climbing walls and other apparatus are readily visible. This sandy area is spectacular for early and late spring blooms and many of early the plants are still in bloom at this time of year (although many are also going to seed as well).

Be mindful that this is extremely sensitive habitat and very significant since it is only one of four locations in BC where the endangered Sand-verbena moth is known to exist. Fortunately, much of the dunes are within DND lands and access is prohibited. It is still possible to find and enjoy most of the plants in the narrow strip between the high tide line and the DND boundary.

Watch for the leaves of Yellow Sand-verbena (Abronia latifolia). Some of these plants were transplanted as part of the recovery plan for the Sand-verbena Moth.

Gold Star (Crocidium multicaule)

Other typical dune plants include Gold Star (Crocidium multicaule), a beautiful yellow aster that is just finishing blooming at this time of year – both flowers and seed heads can be found.

Pink Microsteris (Microsteris gracilis)

Pink Microsteris (Microsteris gracilis) is another delicate dune plant common at Goose Spit. Its small pink flowers have five petals and while the plant has a weedy look it is actually a native species.

Black Knotweed (Polygonum paronychia)

Black Knotweed (Polygonum paronychia) grows in the dunes as well. It has a prostrate, shrubby look with thick leaves that are rolled under. The flowers of this plant are white to pink and clustered in the upper leaf axils.

These are just a few of the flowers that can be seen at Goose Spit in the spring and early summer. With a little care, this rare and sensitive ecosystem can be explored and the natural beauty of the flora of the dunes, so often missed by the casual beach walker, experienced and appreciated.

About the Contributor:

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer and writer based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of his images can be seen on Flickr and on Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog.

Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park

There is no question that the rich eel-grass beds hold a treasure trove of fish and marine invertebrates for careful searchers to discover. But what to do when the tide is in? Fortunately, Rathtrevor has a wealth of interesting botanical features as well. 5.5 km of easy walking trails wind along the shoreline through old-growth coastal Douglas-fir and around the historic farmland of the Rath family homestead. For those interested in botany, these trails provide an excellent opportunity to find and photograph both native and non-native plants.

Here are a few key areas that are good starting places to begin looking for plants in the spring months of April and May:

Common Stork’s Bill (Erodium circutarium), one of many European introduced weeds.

The leaves of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) can cause a nasty rash.

Poison-hemlock (Conium maculatum) is deadly poisonous.

Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) has a distinctive shield-like leaf.

Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) produces a beautiful display of white flowers in the spring.

Small-flowered Woodland Star (Lithophragma parviflorum) can be found in open forest near the coast..

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) grows in sunny open areas.

Make sure to take a good plant book like Plants of Coastal British Columbia and spend some time discovering these plants and many more as you walk the trails at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. During the summer, stop in at the park’s Nature House and ask a naturalist for information about what is in bloom and where.

Need to Know:

• Located in Parksville, Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park is one of the most popular BC Parks campgrounds on Vancouver Island. With 175 drive-in and 25 walk-in sites, reservations are required during summer months.
• Parking fees are in effect for non campers. The daily rate is $3.00. Alternate free roadside parking is available at Shorewood Drive and Juniper Drive but you’ll have to walk along the forest trails to get to the main beach.
• All plants are protected in this Provincial Park – please do not remove or pick any of the flowers. Leave them there for others to enjoy.

About the Contributor:

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer and writer based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia who worked at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park as a naturalist in the 1990′s. More of his images can be seen on Flickr and on Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog.

A Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) showing off its exotic blue gular patch and white breeding feathers.

If I only had a dollar for every time I’ve seen the confusion in the spelling of Brandt’s and Brant, I might be able to afford my dream birding trip to Ecuador. Right now we are nearing the end of the Brant Goose migration from Baja, Mexico to the Yukon and Alaska. Many of the Brant stage in the Parksville region to replenish their fat reserves on eelgrass and herring roe before they carry on to their nesting grounds. On the other hand, the Brandt’s Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) is a common year-round resident around the west coast and Vancouver Island.

Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) are very social. They often hunt together in flocks and socialize on the rocks.

There are three species of cormorants found around Vancouver Island: Double-crested, Pelagic, and Brandt’s. The Pelagic is the smallest at about 71 cm (28 in) long. The Double-crested is next at 84 cm (33 in) and the Brandt’s is the largest at 86 cm (34 in). As you can see, the Brandt’s and Double-crested are similar in size but can easily be distinguished because the Brandt’s has a dark bill versus the orangey-yellow bill of the Double-crested. Besides being the largest cormorant, the Brandt’s has two other distinguishing features. First, it has pale, buffy feathers on its chin just under the eyes. Second, its breeding plumage features white feathering off the side of the head as well as a remarkable light blue gular patch on its chin. The Brandt’s is now molting into its breeding plumage, and this is a great time to see all three species in their breeding finery. In fact, I made a point of visiting Campbell River last week just to photograph the Brandt’s with its sexy blue gular patch.

A Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) carrying seaweed to its nesting site on the Oregon coast.

It won’t be long now before the breeding hormones kick in and the males start looking for their mates. Just like male humans the male cormorants try to entice the females with gifts. Instead of diamonds or other high-priced trinkets, the cormorants rely on practical earthly goods like seaweed and grass for nesting material. If the female likes her suitor she accepts the gift and starts building the nest while the male gathers more material. The Brandt’s usually nest on the outer coast on steep hillsides or cliffs. A great place to see the nesting activity in action is along the Oregon coast. In late May last year at Maquina Head conservation area, I had a great time photographing the Brandt’s Cormorants as they flew right in front of me mouthfuls of grass, and just below there were many nests in between the thousands of Common Murres. I would love to go back some time later in the summer to see the nestlings.

The Brandt’s is a deep-diving bird. It catches fish at all levels, but it often feeds on fish, shrimp, and crabs on the bottom as far as 150 feet down. Like other cormorants, its feathers are designed to water-log to assist in the diving. After the diving it is not uncommon to see the cormorants on the rocks with their wings hung out to dry.

If you want to see the Brandt’s and other cormorants, don’t wait too long. The best place to look is on the rocks at high tide along the shoreline just south of Campbell River. They’ll soon be heading for their nesting grounds.

About the Contributor:

Mike Yip is a Vancouver Island photographer who has published two very successful books on birds and has just released his third. More of his bird images can be found at his website Vancouver Island Birds.