May and June are peak times to visit Harewood Plains to view wildflowers. In May, common camas (Camassia quamash), sea blush (Plectritis congesta), and yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) fill the open meadows of the plains with a beautiful wash of blue, pink, and yellow. The bloom begins in late April and continues through the month of May and into June. …
Landscapes
Wildflowers in Wickaninnish Beach Dunes
The Wickaninnish beach dunes are a fascinating place to view wildflowers that are unique to dune ecosystems. Parks Canada staff and volunteers at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve have worked in the dunes to remove introduced grass species. As a result, sand movement has improved and native plants are thriving in this dynamic and harsh environment. At this time of …
Hike to Surreal Snag Lake
Snag Lake is a good alternative to some of the more popular hikes on Vancouver Island and a doable stop on the way out to the west coast if you’re trying for a late afternoon road opening. With an early start, it is possible to complete this hike in 5 or 6 hours. Parking is in a large gravel area …
Seashore Lupine at Radar Hill Beach
Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) grows in sandy beaches and dunes along the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. One place where it is found is Radar Hill Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. More than ten years ago, I noticed this lovely lupine when I first hiked down to the beaches. It was good to …
Grenade Fragments in the Dunes at Wickaninnish Beach
Earlier this year my kids and I discovered some grenade fragments in the dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. At first glance, it looked like the rusted remains of a large metal object. Closer examination revealed it was multiple fragments of similar in size and shape. More distinct pieces of metal held clues to identifying what …
Euxoa wilsoni in the Sand Dunes at Wickaninnish Beach
Cutworm moth, dart moth—Euxoa wilsoni doesn’t really have a common name. It took a little detective work to narrow down the options, eliminate possibilities, and come to a tentative identification of this beautiful moth I found in the sand dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Moths are a challenge to observe and identify. They don’t stay …
Pink Sand-verbena at Wickaninnish Dunes
Pink Sand-verbena (Abronia umbellata) in the dunes at Wickaninnish Beach, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The sand dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are home to a number of beautiful and hardy plants. Some of these wildflowers are spectacular and showy, covering the dunes with a colourful display. However, others are less dramatic and require more …
Beautifully Desolate Comber’s Beach
At Comber’s Beach sand flows around driftwood at the mouth of Sandhill Creek in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. There is something beautifully desolate about Comber’s Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The wind constantly moves the sand to form ripples and low dunes. Large pieces of driftwood block sand movement and hollows form in the lee of the …
Rising Tide at Point Holmes
Point Holmes #1 A large boulder is slowly surrounded by the rising tide. Point Holmes in Comox, British Columbia is a fabulous place for landscape photography. The dynamic nature of the rising or falling tide can create very different compositions at the same location. Therefore, the challenge is to quickly adapt to changing water levels and find interesting combinations of …
Re-visting Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve
It has been a while since I’ve visited the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve but this spring I had a chance to return to catch and photograph the early April bloom. It was truly spectacular and well worth the short hike. Wildflowers on the steep mossy slopes above Comox Lake. Approaching the steep slopes of the bluffs of the ecological …