Nicola Naturalist Society – Fall events 2024

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Alan Burger

Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theatre of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members. We have awesome raffles.

Field Outings are usually held in spring, summer and fall and are listed below. Members will receive e-mail notices too. Field trips are restricted to paid-up members (but visitors can sign up as a member for the day for a nominal fee).

We are on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page: NNS Facebook

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Thursday September 19th 2024: AGM and Members’ Photo Night.

We keep the essential business meeting short and have lots of time to enjoy our members’ photos of local wildlife, wildflowers and scenery. An annual favourite.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. Photo by Nicola Naturalist Society member © Murphy Shewchuk

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Thursday October 17th 2024: Megan Blackmore – Rooted in Nature: Cultivating Beauty and Biodiversity with Native Plants

Megan is a certified horticulturalist, avid naturalist and Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardener. She will explain how to integrate native plants into the home landscape. Whether you want to create habitat to support native biodiversity, reduce your water usage, or simply bring the beauty of the surrounding forests and grasslands home, there are native plants for every garden. By choosing the plants that are naturally adapted to our region, gardeners can create attractive, low maintenance green spaces that benefit birds, bees, butterflies and beyond!

A bee pollinates Mountain Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale). Photo: © Megan Blackmore

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Thursday November 21st 2024: Kristi Iverson – Wildfires in BC Interior Forests – Past, Present and Future

Increased severity and frequency of fires, attributed to climate change and accumulating fuel, pose significant threats to our dry-belt Douglas-fir and Ponderosa Pine forest communities. Without interventions, drought and frequent wildfire suggest a trajectory toward a substantially non-forested landscape. Kristi Iverson, a Vegetation Ecologist with the Ministry of Forests, delves into fire history and the historical and present structures of our interior forests. She summarizes climate-change projections, the implications for future wildfires and examples of recent harvesting and restoration work. Together, this information can guide us to more fire-resistant forests in the future.

Terrifying wildfires have become a regular reality in the BC Interior and have profound effects on the forests.
Photo courtesy Kristi Iverson (BC Ministry of Forests)

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Stay tuned for further events this fall and early winter – Merritt Christmas Bird Count and more.

And coming up in 2025 …….

The Nicola Naturalist Society is hosting the 2025 BC Nature Spring Conference & AGM – May 22-25, 2025. The theme of the meeting is Nature in the Rain Shadow – Grasslands, Forests & Wetlands. Planning is underway for a fabulous array of presentations, field trips and social events.

Keep in touch – to join the Nicola Naturalist Society go to our Membership Page – click here.

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Sandhill Crane surveys – 2024

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Alan Burger

In 2024 our club undertook a greatly expanded series of surveys for Sandhill Cranes in the southern portion of the Douglas Lake Plateau. Thousands of cranes stop over in this area on their northward spring migration and the importance of this area for cranes was one of the primary reasons for the establishment of the Douglas Lake Plateau Important Bird & Biodiversity Area (IBA). Cranes are also a key consideration as this area is assessed as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA).

A portion of the flock of Sandhill Cranes on the Douglas Lake Ranch on 15 April 2024. Photo: Opal Charters

In previous years we have made one or a few field outings to view and count the cranes. In 2024, with funding from the BC Nature IBA/KBA program, we did twice-daily surveys (morning and evening) through the migration period. The goals were to get a better information on: the total number of cranes using the area, the chronology of their spring migration and the areas most used by the cranes. The funding allowed us to hire a contractor, who lives in the survey area, to cover the weekday surveys and our club volunteers covered the weekends.

Overall, we counted over 11,500 cranes passing through the area. You can see our full report here: 2024 Sandhill Crane Report

Sandhill Cranes on the Douglas Lake Ranch – 24 April 2024. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley
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Nicola Naturalist Society – Spring Events 2024

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Alan Burger

Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theatre of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members. We have awesome raffles.

Field Outings are usually held in spring, summer and fall and are listed below. Members will receive e-mail notices too. Field trips are restricted to paid-up members (but visitors can sign up as a member for the day for a nominal fee).

We are on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page: NNS Facebook

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Sandhill Crane Project

Our club is undertaking an ambitious project to monitor the migration of Sandhill Cranes at the Douglas Lake Plateau every day through the migration season. We have a paid contractor covering the weekday mornings and evenings but club members will be doing the surveys on weekends. Mileage costs are covered for members who register for these surveys. For more information (members only) email nicolanaturalists@gmail.com

There will also be our usual Sandhill Crane group outings (for club members only):

Sunday April 21st – meet at 07:00 at the Merritt Civic Centre parking lot

Saturday April 27th – meet at 07:00 at the Merritt Civic Centre parking lot

Sandhill Cranes taking off to resume their northward spring migration – April 2023. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley

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Thursday April 18th 2024, NVIT Lecture Theatre at 7 PM: Leanne Cleaveley – Nature in your Backyard; How to Capture it using Macro-photography

Leanne Cleaveley is an elementary school teacher-librarian and photographer here in Merritt. She has combined her skills to write educational photography guides for a variety of topics, often focusing on macro-photography of flowers, insects and other elements of the natural world. Her razor-sharp photos of tiny insects and spiders have entranced our naturalist club in recent years and Leanne has agreed to share her experience and show us more of her amazing photos.

An example of Leanne’s macro-photography – a pollinating wasp. Photo: ©Leanne Cleaveley

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Thursday May 16th 2024: Tom Willms – The Nicola Valley Beaver Project.

NVIT instructor Tom Willms is leading a project to re-introduce beavers to many local areas where they have been extirpated. Beavers are now recognized as a key to water conservation and flood control and are being re-introduced in many areas.

A beaver is released at Howarth Creek near Merritt in May 2023 and inspects its new home. Photos: ©Liz McDonald
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Snow Bunting Shiver – Feb 2024

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalist Society held our traditional winter Snow Bunting Shiver outing on Sunday Feb 18th, 2024. Eleven members ventured up to the Douglas Lake Plateau in search of winter specialties – and maybe even Snow Buntings. The weather was kind – no wind and mild and the roads were freshly plowed.

Our first wildlife encounters were with two herds of Mule Deer and a rapidly disappearing Coyote.

Mule Deer along Pennask Lake Road. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal

Despite the good conditions we encountered very few birds. Our next bit of interest involved another mammal species – Moose on a distant hillside

A female Moose with a yearling calf on the Douglas Lake Plateau. Photo: © Alan Burger
A closer look at mama Moose and her coy calf. Photo: © Alan Burger

After giving us a careful scrutiny, the pair disappeared over the hilltop.

The pair of Moose heading over the hilltop. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal

At the Spax’mn Reserve at Douglas Lake we found many more birds. Douglas Lake was frozen over but the runoff into the Nicola River at the bridge provided open water with lots to see there. The usual Belted Kingfisher was there, but didn’t stay long enough for photos. A family of Trumpeter Swans, however, provided plenty of photo ops.

A pair of Trumpeter Swans and their three offspring in the Nicola River at Douglas Lake. Photo: © Alan Burger
A closer look at the Trumpeter Swans – an adult and two juveniles. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley
The advantage of having such a long neck – an adult Trumpeter Swan preening its wing feathers. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal
Followed by some vigorous wing-flapping. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal
One of the juvenile swans feeding. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley
Meanwhile the rest of the family got in some rest time. But look closely and you can see that the front two swans are keeping an eye on us humans on the bridge. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal
In the same patch of open water as the swans – a pair of Gadwall. Photo: © Alan Burger
The Spax’mn village is always a good place to find Black-billed Magpies – we had 8 there during our visit. Photo: © Alan Burger
The ice in the Nicola River has fascinating patterns. Photo: © Alan Burger
This adult Red-tailed Hawk was patrolling the road north of Spax’mn. Notice the bulging crop – the hawk has evidently just eaten something, likely a vole. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley
The adult Red-tailed Hawk on a power pole. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley
And finally heading off. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley

We had lunch at Prince Philip Point on Douglas Lake – warm enough to stand around in the snow and enjoy the view and some socializing. But we hadn’t seen a Snow Bunting. And the day was still young. So most of us decided to retrace our path back up Minnie Lake Road and down Pennask Lake Road in hopes of finding an elusive bunting.

A black dot on a far hillside turned out to be a Coyote. Or is this a Wolf? At this range it was hard to say. Photo: © Alan Burger
But zooming in we can see that is indeed a Coyote, looking larger with its thick winter coat. Photo: © Alan Burger

Many km later, along Pennask Lake Road, something whitish flits across the road ….

We finally get our Snow Bunting. Just one. But it remains on this post for 10 minutes or so, allowing us to get good views and some photos. Photo: © Alan Burger
Closer views of our Snow Bunting – a male in its winter plumage. Photos: © Loekie van der Wal

Snow Buntings breed in the high arctic tundra but some of them migrate into our area in winter and are most often found in the open snow-swept grasslands of the Douglas Lake Plateau. In our area they are usually in small flocks of 5-20 birds so finding a lone bunting is somewhat unusual.

The birds seen on this outing are listed here on eBird: Feb 18 Trip List

And mammals:

  • Moose 2
  • Mule Deer 15+
  • Coyote 2
  • Small rodent running across the road 1

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Merritt Christmas Bird Count 2023

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Alan Burger

The 25th Merritt Christmas Bird Count was held in unusually mild weather (thanks to El Niño) on 16 December 2023. We had 27 participants in the field (an increase from our pandemic low numbers) and three feeder-watchers. On count day we tallied 67 species (well above our average of 61 species) and added a further two in the count week. Our total count of birds, 5,998, was well above the average of 4,111 birds, but much lower than last year’s record of 9,154 birds.

For a summary of this year’s results click here

For all the data from 1995 to 2023 click here

Once again it was the hordes of Mallards that pushed up our numbers – we tallied 3,315 Mallards on Nicola Lake, on the surrounding agricultural lands and in town.

Some of the hundreds of Mallards on partly-frozen Nicola Lake, 16 December 2023. The white blobs among the ducks are a couple of Tundra Swans. Photo:© Alan Burger

There were several highlights of the 2023 CBC. We added two new species for the Merritt count: Pacific Loon and Common Grackle. In both cases it was only close inspection of photos that allowed us to determine the species.

The Pacific Loon found on Nicola Lake during the Merritt Christmas Bird Count. Photos © Alan Burger
This Common Grackle was at feeders in Merritt – the first recorded in a Christmas count here. Photos © Vic Newton

A third species that was never previously found on a Merritt CBC was present during the count week, but unfortunately was not around on the count day – an American White Pelican. Pelicans are quite common on Nicola Lake and nearby lakes in spring through fall, but having one in winter is exceptional.

This American White Pelican was on Nicola Lake and then preening on a nearby hayfield on 13 December 2023, within the Merritt count week. Photos © Alan Burger

Other unusual species found on the count day included:

  • Tundra Swan – a lone juvenile (a species only recorded on 3 previous counts)
  • Northern Shoveler – 2 on the Merritt settling ponds (on only 2 previous counts)
  • Sharp-tailed Grouse – 2 birds at Quilchena (only the second time on the Merritt count)
  • Peregrine Falcon – at Quilchena (on only 2 previous counts)
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler – at Quilchena (on only 1 previous count in 2002)

Here are some photos of these rarities.

Long-distant photos of a juvenile Tundra Swan present on Nicola Lake during the Merritt Christmas count. Photos Alan Burger
There is no mistaking this species with its impressive snoz – a female Northern Shoveler on the Merritt settling ponds. Photo © Vic Newton
One of the two Sharp-tailed Grouse feeding on buds high in a cottonwood tree at Quilchena. The only other time this species has been on Merritt Christmas count was last year when we tallied 21 birds. Photo © Alan Burger
A warbler in mid-winter is exceptional anywhere in the interior of B.C. This Yellow-rumped Warbler was present on the Merritt count day. The white throat suggests that this is the eastern Myrtle Warbler type. Photos © Alan Burger

Several species occurred in record or near-record high numbers:

  • Barrow’s Goldeneye – a record high count of 104 birds (average is 32 birds)
  • Hooded Merganser – 12 birds (average is 5)
  • Common Merganser – record high of 42 birds (average is 13)
  • Common Loon – 5 birds (average is 2)
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – a record high of 55 birds (average is 18)
  • Song Sparrow – a record high of 50 birds (average is 22)
  • House Sparrow – a record high of 401 birds (average is 89)
A Common Loon on Nicola Lake – one of five found on the Merritt count day. Compare with the Pacific Loon up the page. Photo © Loretta Holmes
Song Sparrows have been recorded on all 25 Merritt Christmas counts but this year we found a record 50 birds. Photo © Loretta Holmes
House Sparrow – this introduced species from Eurasia is very much at home across North America. We tallied a record 401 birds on the Merritt Christmas count. Photo © Loekie van der Wal.

On the down side we failed to find these regulars:

  • Sharp-shinned Hawk (previously found on 17 of the 25 Merritt counts)
  • Rough-legged Hawk (previously on 22 counts)
  • Pileated Woodpecker (previously on 18 counts)

And the strangest of all was the complete absence of blackbirds; we normally record over 100 of both Red-winged Blackbirds (found on 22 previous counts) and Brewer’s Blackbirds (on 21 counts).

Here are more photos from the count day.

One of our birding teams enjoying a Pygmy Nuthatch at a Merritt feeder. We tallied a record high of 55 of these tiny nuthatches on the count day. Photo © Vic Newton
Eurasian Collared Dove, another species that was introduced and has spread across much of North America. These doves were first recorded on a Merritt CBC in 2009 and are now well established and more common than the indigenous Mourning Dove. In 2023 we tallied 186 Collared Doves and only 37 Mourning Doves. Photo © Loekie van der Wal.
A European Starling – yet another introduced species that is now across most of North America and common in Merritt. We counted 225 starlings in the 2023 count. Photo © Loekie van der Wal
Trumpeter Swans are a regular species on the Merritt Christmas count – this year we counted 51. This pair, with three juveniles from the summer breeding season, has migrated from breeding sites well to the north, possibly Alaska or Yukon. Photo © Alan Burger
American Tree Sparrow, another winter visitor to our area from the far northern boreal regions. We counted 18 of these birds. They are never common in our area and occurred on only 11 of our previous Christmas counts. Photos © Alan Burger.
Canada Geese on the icy shores of Nicola Lake. Our count of 337 geese was above the average of 225 birds. Photo © Alan Burger
Another regular customer – a Horned Grebe. We’ve found this species on Nicola Lake in 23 of the 25 Merritt counts. Photo © Alan Burger

And finally one of our regulars and a common visitor to many backyard feeders in Merritt, but always a cheerful sight ……..

Black-capped Chickadees at Quilchena on the Merritt count. Photos © Alan Burger

And for the first time in four years we were able to hold a post-count get-together to share pizza, yummy appies and desserts and stories from the day’s birding.

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Nicola Naturalist Society – Fall and Winter events 2023-24

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Alan Burger

Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theatre of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members. We have awesome raffles.

Field Outings are usually held in spring, summer and fall and are listed below. Members will receive e-mail notices too. Field trips are restricted to paid-up members (but visitors can sign up as a member for the day for a nominal fee).

We are on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page: NNS Facebook

Thursday September 21st, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: AGM and Members’ Photo Night

Saturday October 14, 2023: Mushroom outing with Michael Ebenal

Join local fungus expert Michael Ebenal on a mushroom foray. Meet at 12 noon at the Merritt Civic Centre parking lot to carpool. Outing will last 3-5 hours. Michael is planning to cook up a mushroom snack at the end of the outing. Please note: paid-up members only.

Photo: © Loekie van der Wal

Tuesday October 17th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Alan Burger – Fruits & Berries: how plants manipulate animals for seed dispersal

Note the date change – Tuesday instead of our usual Thursday meeting.

Varied Thrush eating Mountain Ash berry. Photo: © Bob Scafe

Fall is a good time to talk about berries and consider how local plants use animals to distribute their seeds – in many unexpected ways. Alan Burger has been interested in plant-animal interactions for many years and has published research on this topic.

Thursday November 16th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Mike Dedels – Grasslands of the BC Interior

Grasslands on Lundbom Commonage near Merritt. Photo: © Bruce Walter

Mike Dedels is the Executive Director of the Grasslands Conservation Council, and has a lifetime of experience in the grasslands, involving research, range management and
conservation. Grasslands are one of our most cherished and diverse local habitats but also one of the most threatened ecosystems in BC.

Saturday December 16th – Merritt Christmas Bird Count

You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate – the count is done in groups and there are always one or more experienced birders in each group. So this is a great way to learn the winter birds in the Nicola Valley. This will be the 25th Christmas Bird Count in the Merritt count circle.  To register please email:   nicolanaturalists@gmail.com

Two of the highlight birds from the 2022 Merritt Christmas Bird Count: Northern Shrike and Great Horned Owl. Photos: ©Loekie van der Wal (left), @Alan Burger (right)

Thursday January 18th 2024: Frank Ritcey – Wild Wells Gray – Then and Now.

Historical and contemporary videos of naturalists at work in one of BC’s premiere wilderness parks. Frank’s father Ralph Ritcey was a pioneer in wildlife research in Wells Gray Park in the 1950s and 60s (including the original Jerry the Moose). Did they really lasso moose? Frank has edited professional movies of this early work and contrasts that with his own contemporary videos. A fascinating evening to be sure.

Wildlife researchers measuring a captured moose in Wells Gray Park, 1960s. Photo courtesy Frank Ritcey.

Friday January 26th: Creative Playground – 5:30-7:30PM, Merritt Civic Centre

Literacy Merritt is running this family event and the Nicola Naturalist Society will have an interactive display here – ideal for all ages. More information: click here.

Thursday February 15th 2024: Christine Rimmington – Lichens.

Chris is our local guru on lichens – those fascinating and diverse symbionts of fungi and algae. Lichens are often overlooked but play important roles in ecosystems including sequestering carbon, resisting invasive plants and providing winter food for wildlife. Lichens take you to special places – beauty, undiscovered treasure, adventure!

Lichens as an art form. There are several species of lichens growing on this rock creating art, as well as interesting biology. Photo: ©Christine Rimmington

Thursday March 21st 2024: Andrew Klassen – native and invasive freshwater fish of the BC Interior.

Andrew is the provincial fisheries expert based in Kamloops and an excellent speaker.

Kokanee salmon – a landlocked variety of Sockeye Salmon. Photo: US Dept Interior – Wikimedia Commons

Thursday April 18th 2024: Leanne Cleaveley – Nature Macrophotography.

Leanne has astounded us at past meetings with her stunning close-up photos of insects, spiders and more. She will share her knowledge of nature photography – illustrated with more of those incredible photos.

An example of Leanne’s macro-photography – a pollinating wasp. Photo: ©Leanne Cleaveley

Thursday May 16th 2024: Tom Willms – The Nicola Valley Beaver Project.

NVIT instructor Tom Willms is leading a project to re-introduce beavers to many local areas where they have been extirpated. Beavers are now recognized as a key to water conservation and flood control and are being re-introduced in many areas.

A beaver is released at Howarth Creek near Merritt in May 2023 and inspects its new home. Photos: ©Liz McDonald

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Coutlee Bioblitz – 17 May 2023

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalist Society ran our first bioblitz at a property in Coutlee, just outside Merritt, on 17 May 2023. The owner is planning to re-wild much of this property which is currently mainly horse-pasture. So this bioblitz (and others planned there for later this year) will set the baseline to see how things change over time as trees are planted and local nature is allowed to move in. Liam Ragan, BC Nature’s resident expert on bioblitzing and iNaturalist was on hand to help us novices to experience our first mini-bioblitz.

Members of the Nicola Naturalist Society bioblitzing in Coutlee – 17 May 2023. Photo: Alan Burger

The event was held as two sessions – six people participated in a morning session 8AM-12 noon and four in the evening session 5-8 PM. In total the team made 174 iNaturalist observations with 117 species. These included birds, a snake, numerous insects, spiders, plants, lichens and mushrooms. The iNaturalist project page is here: Coutlee Bioblitz 17MAY2023

A few birds were included in the iNaturalist records, but two lists of birds were kept on eBird and those are available here: Coutlee Bioblitz Morning Birds  and here:  Coutlee Bioblitz Evening Birds

Checking out plants and insects in the small creek that borders the property.

Below is a small example of some of the critters that were documented on the bioblitz day.

Poplar-and-Willow Borer (Cryptorhynchus lapathi) – we found several of these cute little weevils. Photos: © Liam Ragan (left), Alan Burger (right).

We found surprising diversity of insects in the horse manure …..

Bioblitzers digging in the horse manure.

One of the numerous dung beetles found in the horse dung at the Coutlee bioblitz, tentatively identified as Phaeaphodius rectus a member of Small Dung Beetles (Subfamily Aphodiinae). Photo: © Alan Burger

Two species of bumblebee nectaring on the dandelion flowers: Nearctic Bumble Bee (Bombus vancouverensis ssp. nearcticus) on the left and Half-black Bumble Bee (Bombus vagans) on the right. Photos: © Alan Burger

Butterflies too were fairly common: Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis) on the left and Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) on the right. Photos: © Alan Burger

Two of the many spiders encountered on 17 May: Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) on the left  and a meshweaver spider (Family Dictynidae – species not yet identified) on the right. Photos: © Alan Burger (left), © Liam Ragan (right).

This big moth created some excitement – most of us had never seen this species before – Rocky Mountain Clearwing (Hemaris thetis). Photo: © Alan Burger

It is rather dull in appearance but this tiny moth created quite a stir among the moth experts on iNaturalist – tentatively identified as Orache Leafminer Moth (Chrysoesthia sexguttella). As you can see on the map, this is the first record of this species in BC with very few recorded in neighbouring provinces or states. It was possibly brought into our region by some human activity. Photo: © Liam Ragan

We did document some vertebrates too ……

Evidence of old occurrences of mammals – droppings from Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) and claw marks made by a Black Bear (Ursus americanus). Photos: © Liam Ragan.

Our only reptile – a large Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans). Photo: © Alan Burger

A female Brown-headed Cowbird foraging around the horses. Photo: © Alan Burger

Two of the three species of hummingbirds that were encountered on the bioblitz: a male Calliope Hummingbird (left) and female Black-chinned Hummingbird (right). Photos: © Alan Burger

And other life forms ……

A couple of mushrooms, still requiring species confirmation. On the left a mottlegill mushroom (Genus Panaeolus) and on the right a Common Gilled Mushroom (Family Psathyrellaceae).  Photos: © Susan Graham (left), © Liam Ragan (right).

Lichens are notoriously difficult to identify from photos, but these lichens growing on fenceposts and old log buildings were tentatively identified as (left to right): Orange Rock Posy (Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca), Green Rock-Posy (Rhizoplaca melanophthalma) and Gold Dust Lichen (Chrysothrix candelaris). Photos: © Alan Burger

Trees and shrubs were flowering (left to right): Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana), Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasi) and Golden Currant (Ribes aureum). Photos: © Alan Burger, © Liam Ragan and © Martin Ince.

The Bioblitzers attracted the attention of the three resident horses. Photo: Alan Burger

And the horses themselves provided added biodiversity – a Dog Tick (genus Dermacentor) and muscoid flies (Superfamily Muscoidea). Photos: © Liam Ragan and Alan Burger

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Sandhill Crane surveys 2023

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalist Society and the Kamloops Naturalist Club are the joint custodians of the Douglas Lake Plateau IBA (Important Bird & Biodiversity Area), which is the largest in British Columbia. The IBA was established primarily because of its importance as a stop-over for migrating Sandhill Cranes. Every spring thousands of cranes stop to feed and rest in the marshes, grasslands and hayfields of the plateau, before resuming their northward migration.

Sandhill Cranes taking off on their northward migration – 17 April 2023. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal

Using public roads, our club organizes outings in late April to monitor the numbers of cranes resting and flying over the Douglas Lake area.  Individual club members also venture up there at this time and our neighbouring naturalist clubs also participate (Kamloops Naturalist Club and the Central Okanagan Naturalists from Kelowna). The number of cranes encountered can vary greatly from day to day but on several occasions in 2023 we encountered flocks of over 1000 cranes on the fields.

A large flock of Sandhill Cranes on the Douglas Lake Ranch lands – 19 April 2023. Photo: © Diana Grimshire.

Getting reliable estimates of the numbers of cranes is sometimes difficult with large flocks. Taking high-resolution photos and then manually counting the cranes works well.

Counting cranes from photos – 21 April 2023. The counts were made from high-resolution photos (these are just low-res copies), dividing up the flocks into sections for easier counting. Photos: © Leanne Cleaveley

This approach can also be applied to flocks of cranes passing by overhead.

Counting Sandhill Cranes in flocks passing overhead. Again, the counts are made from high-resolution photos and this is a low-res copy. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley

Around 10 AM the cranes take off to resume their migration. Having hundreds of calling cranes swirling overhead is a memorable experience, and one of the best wildlife events one can witness in British Columbia.

A flock of over 140 Sandhill Cranes circling overhead – 16 April 2023. Photo: © Alan Burger

Hundreds of Sandhill Cranes circling overhead as they gain height to head north – 21 April 2023. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley

Sandhill Cranes leaving the Douglas Lake grasslands – 16 April 2023. Photo: © Alan Burger

Preliminary results from our 2023 surveys show over 10,000 cranes tallied.Given that we visited the area on only a few of the days during the migration season, it is reasonable to assume that between 20,000 and 30,000 cranes used the Douglas Lake Plateau area for their spring migration in 2023. The ranchers and Upper Nicola Band that manage the land on the Douglas Lake Plateau are commended for maintaining these critical staging grounds for this iconic species.

Sandhill Cranes foraging among the cattle, Douglas Lake Ranch – 16 April 2023. Photo: © Alan Burger

Sandhill Cranes taking off from the Douglas Lake grasslands. Photo: © Leanne Cleaveley

Sandhill Cranes leaving the ranchlands. Photo: Loekie van der Wal

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Merritt Christmas Bird Count 2022

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Alan Burger

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words …….

A Great Blue Heron hunkered down in snowy gloom at Nicola Lake – 17 December 2022. Photo: © Alan Burger

For most of the day on 17th December our field groups experienced the conditions this heron was tolerating – heavy snowfall and -8C temperatures with some wind. Getting useful photographs was a major challenge. Incidentally, this was the only Great Blue Heron to be found on the count day.

But, despite the snowy conditions we had a good count. We had 21 people out in the field and 3 feeder-watchers. We recorded 60 species on the count day (close to the average of 61 across 24 years) and two additional species during the count week. We recorded a record high count of 9,154 birds (more than double the long-term average) thanks mainly to huge flocks of Mallards that were on Nicola Lake and feeding on the hayfields at nearby ranches. We tallied 5,199 Mallards and that included leaving out over 3,000 ducks we saw on Nicola Lake that we assumed had been counted on the hayfields.

The complete count data are available here:   Merritt Xmas Count data 2022

Some of the highlights:

We recorded two species that were new to the Merritt Christmas Bird Counts. The first was Sharp-tailed Grouse seen in the Quilchena area – first a flock of 21, counted accurately as they flew directly overhead after the observers had seen them in the nearby trees and thickets. An hour later a lone bird was found some distance away and clearly not part of the bigger flock. This grouse species inhabits the high grasslands and was likely driven to lower elevations by the deep snow cover we are experiencing this winter.

Three Sharp-tailed Grouse feeding on buds in the thickets near Nicola Lake. These were part of a flock of 21. Photo: © Alan Burger.

A lone Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Quilchena area. © Alan Burger

The second new species to our count history was Snow Bunting – a flock of 15 on the hayfields of the Huber Ranch near Quilchena. This species was a Count Week sighting in 2013, but has never appeared on the count day. No photos were obtained, but this location often supports Snow Buntings in winter.

It was a good year for picking up owls. Northern Pygmy Owl and Great Horned Owl are  fairly regular species for our count (found on 11 and 7 previous counts, respectively), but a Short-eared Owl, seen near Quilchena, is only the second occurrence for a Merritt CBC.

A Great Horned Owl roosting in a willow tree near Nicola Lake, 17 December 2022. Photo: © Alan Burger

It was also a good year for the two Buteo hawks that occur in winter in our area. We recorded 24 Red-tailed Hawks (well above the average of 15) and 15 Rough-legged Hawks (close to the all-time high of 16 birds).

Rough-legged Hawk on the count day, 17 December 2022. This hawk visits us in winter, migrating south from its summer breeding grounds in the arctic tundra. Photo: © Alan Burger

Several other species occurred in high numbers, compared to the previous 23 counts:

  • Pied-billed Grebe – 5 (average is 2)
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk – 5 (equal to the previous record high)
  • Rock Pigeon – 281 (average is 188)
  • Eurasian Collared Dove – 242 (record high count, average is 70)
  • Northern Flicker – 54 (average is 26)
  • Northern Shrike – 7 (average is 4)
  • European Starling – 787 (record high count, average is 285)
  • American Tree Sparrow – 11 (average is 5)
  • Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco – 263 (average is 76)

An immature Pied-billed Grebe among the snowflakes on Nicola Lake. We recorded five of this species on the lake. Photo: © Alan Burger

A Northern Shrike on a typical high perch, looking out for small birds or mice that are its prey. Photo: © Alan Burger

Another Northern Shrike – this one a juvenile bird – on a frosty branch in the Merritt area, 17 December 2022. Photo: © Loekie van der Wal.

On the downside, we missed a few of our regular species:

  • Belted Kingfisher – seen in the Count Week but not on the Count Day (has been recorded in 19 of the previous 23 counts)
  • Mountain Chickadee – recorded in 22 of the previous 23 counts, but not this year.
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – recorded in 17 of the previous counts.

And a few other species were seen in low numbers:

  • Great Blue Heron – 1 (average count is 4)
  • Clark’s Nutcracker – 1 (average is 24)
  • Song Sparrow – 7 (average is 21)

And did we mention that we saw a lot of Mallards on the count day?

One of several huge flocks of Mallards resting on Nicola Lake. These ducks were feeding on the hayfields and feedlots around Nicola village and resting on the lake. Overall we counted 5,199 Mallards. Photo: © Alan Burger

Part of another big flock of Mallards on Nicola Lake, closer to the shore. Photo: © Alan Burger

Another waterbird found in big numbers on Nicola Lake was American Coot.

American Coot on Nicola Lake (they are the little black dots along with a few American Wigeon and Mallards). There were 204 coot in this flock and 48 more were seen elsewhere on the lake. Photo: © Alan Burger

But one lone coot was missing the party ….

This lone American Coot was found in the Merritt sewage settling ponds. Photo: © Vic Newton

It is always a treat to see Trumpeter Swans on Nicola Lake in mid-winter. We had 27 on the lake this Christmas count. Photo: © Alan Burger

Bohemian Waxwings are another northern species that migrates south into our area in winter, to feed on berries and buds. They have been recorded in all 24 Merritt Christmas Bird Counts and in very variable numbers from 1 to over 2,000. This year we found 670 waxwings.

Bohemian Waxwings in a big flock in the Bench area of Merritt, 17 December 2018. Photos © Corinne Pitt

Another regular species that also occurs in variable numbers in the Mourning Dove. This year we recorded 53, below the average count of 96 and well below the record high of 441 doves. Photo: © Vic Newton.

House Finches are common visitors to feeders in Merritt, and have been recorded on all 24 Merritt Christmas counts. This year we found 188, close to the average of 182 birds. Photos: © Corinne Pitt.

A Song Sparrow, puffed up to tolerate the cold.  Notice the bit of ice on the beak tip. These sparrows breed in our area and a few of them remain through the winter. Photo: © Alan Burger

And finally a word of thanks to the folks who braved the snow and searched out birds in eight zones within the count circle.

Diana and Bruce among the snowy Douglas-firs on the Lundbom Commonage. Photo: © Frank Ritcey.

Craig and Loretta scanning for waterbirds on Nicola Lake, before the snowstorm. Photo: © Alan Burger

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Nicola Naturalist Society – Fall, Winter & Spring events 2022-23

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Alan Burger

Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theatre of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members. We have awesome raffles.

Field Outings are usually held in spring, summer and fall and are listed below. Members will receive e-mail notices too. Field trips are restricted to paid-up members (but visitors can sign up as a member for the day for a nominal fee).

We are on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page: NNS Facebook

Thursday September 15th, 2022, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: AGM and Members’ Photo Night

Saturday September 24th, 2022: Mushroom outing with Michael Ebenal

More photos from this outing will be posted soon.

Photo: © Loekie van der Wal

Thursday October 20th, 2022, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Sonya Richardson and Sean Morton – Come Walk With Us

Dr Sonya Richmond is a biologist and researcher who has worked on many ornithological and conservation projects, and received numerous awards and grants for her work. Sean Morton is an award-winning landscape and nature photographer whose work has been published in numerous magazines. Together they have been walking across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail, starting in 2019 at Cape Spear, Newfoundland. While exploring Canada in this unique way they are also promoting awareness of our country’s open spaces and wildlife and the need for local engagement to conserve them.

We are privileged to host this intrepid couple and hear of their experiences and their passion to share and conserve wilderness and nature across Canada.

Thursday November 17th, 2022, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Rory Fogarty: Forestry, fire and fur: Understanding the factors driving the decline of Fishers in central BC.

Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are one of the least known of our native weasels (mustelids). Although they are found across much of British Columbia, they are seldom seen by casual observers. Rory Fogarty is a Registered Professional Biologist and graduate student at Thompson Rivers University who has been studying this secretive critter in central B.C. for the past 5 years. His presentation will focus on research to explain the distribution and decline of Fishers in the BC Interior. The work includes DNA-analysis of fur samples to identify individuals and determine population size and distribution. Come and learn more about one of our most charismatic mammals.

Saturday December 10th, 2022, 10-12 AM at NVIT (Room U011): Winter Bird Identification Workshop

Alan Burger will be leading this workshop covering common winter birds in the Nicola Valley and focusing on waterfowl, woodpeckers and finches. Should be useful for both beginner and experienced birders. Tune up for the Christmas Bird Counts! Open to Nicola Naturalist Society members only.

Quiz time! Can you identify this bird? It is found fairly regularly in the Nicola Valley in winter (in 19 of the past 23 Merritt Christmas Bird Counts). Answer is at the bottom of this web-page. Photo: © Alan Burger

Saturday December 17th, 2022: Merritt Christmas Bird Count

This will be the 24th Christmas Bird Count in the Merritt count circle. You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate – the count is done in groups and there are always one or more experienced birders in each group. So this is a great way to learn the winter birds in the Nicola Valley. To register please email:   nicolanaturalists@gmail.com

A Northern Pygmy Owl. This species has been recorded in 11 of the 23 Merritt Christmas Bird Counts. Photo: © Alan Burger

Thursday January 19th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Loretta Holmes and Dawn Brody: Burrowing Owl Restoration in the Upper Nicola Valley

Loretta Holmes and Dawn Brodie at the Upper Nicola Burrowing Owl Reintroduction Site. Inset Burrowing Owl (Audubon Society).

Burrowing Owls are one of the most charismatic of our local fauna. But this species almost disappeared from British Columbia as a result of loss of nesting habitat in the grasslands. For over a decade a dedicated group of biologists and volunteers has been working diligently to bring back this tiny owl as a local breeder. Loretta Holmes and Dawn Brodie have been working on this conservation project since 2014, in collaboration with the Burrowing Owl Society. They will describe the joys and tribulations of reintroducing Burrowing Owls in the Upper Nicola Reserve.

Sunday January 22, 2023. Field Outing – Tracking with Frank Ritcey

Meet at Lundbom – Guichon Grasslands Interpretive Sign at 10 AM. Bring snowshoes and appropriate winter gear – expect to be out for 2+ hours. Note that all field outings are restricted to paid-up NNS members.

Noted naturalist Frank Ritcey has once again offered to lead a winter tracking outing to look for wildlife signs and much more.

Frank Ritcey leading one of our previous tracking outings at Lundbom Common – December 2021. Photo: © Alan Burger

Sunday February 12, 2023. Field outing – Snow Bunting Shiver Sunday

Meet at the Merritt Civic Centre parking lot at 9 AM. Bring lunch, hot drink, warm clothes, binoculars, camera etc. We will not be doing long walks. High clearance vehicles or 4x4s. Note that all field outings are restricted to paid-up NNS members.

An annual tradition – we trek up to the Douglas Lake Plateau in winter to look for winter specialties like Rough-legged Hawks, Horned Larks, Northern Shrikes and ….. yes in most years we do find Snow Buntings. Also a great opportunity to see wintering mammals like moose, deer, coyotes and more. Plus wonderful winter scenery in the high grasslands.

Snow Buntings and Shiverers on a previous outing. Photos: Alan Burger

Thursday February 16th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Veronica McKelvey – Overwintering behaviour of snakes in the B.C. Interior

Veronica McKelvey is a Master’s of Environmental Science student at Thompson Rivers University studying the overwintering behaviour of the Great Basin Gophersnake, Western Yellow-bellied Racer and Western Rattlesnake under the supervision of Dr. Karl Larsen. This is an opportunity to hear about some of our lesser known but important reptiles and how they survive the seasonal fluctuations in temperature and food availability.

Thursday March 16th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Leona Shepherd – Wildfires and Climate Change

We all have first-hand knowledge of the devastation that wildfires can produce in the BC Interior. So how does the frequency and severity of wildfires relate to climate change, and what is in store for us as the planet heats up? Leona Shepherd is a graduate student at Thompson Rivers University researching these important issues. This topic is highly relevant and important to us all.

Thursday April 20th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: Carol Holmes & Susan Newton  – Bluebird research in the Nicola Valley coordinated by the Vancouver Avian Research Centre.

L to R: Western Bluebird male; Mountain Bluebird male; Mountain Bluebird female in a nest box. Photos: © Vic Newton

Two species of beautiful bluebirds nest in the Nicola Valley – Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) and Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana). Both species suffered precipitous declines in the mid- to late-1900s due to logging of old forest and streamside Cottonwoods that provided nest cavities, and the invasion of the introduced competitor European Starling. Today most of our bluebirds nest in nest-boxes provided on fence-posts in suitable open habitat. The Vancouver Avian Research Centre runs the bluebird nest-box program in the Nicola Valley using local volunteers – monitoring and cleaning the nest-boxes, recording breeding success and banding the chicks for long-term research. Carol Holmes and Susan Newton are local volunteers with this program and will describe the work being done to conserve bluebirds in our area and beyond.

Thursday May 18th, 2023, 7 PM at NVIT Lecture Theatre: David Holden – Moths of the B.C. Interior

Dave Holden is a survey biologist for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency dealing with many agricultural pests. But his interests go well beyond just the pest species – he is building a BC-wide moth reference collection to help understand moth distribution and to aid in education about moths. He loves sampling a wide variety of BC habitats from wetlands to alpine areas in order to document the Lepidoptera (moths & butterfies). With over 2,800 species of Lepidoptera in BC that work keeps him busy. Over 700 moth species have been recorded in the Nicola Valley – many of them interesting and colourful species. Come and learn more about the moths in our area and the differences between butterflies and moths from the leading BC expert.

Bird Quiz: The photo is a Northern Harrier – probably a juvenile male.

 

 

 

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