2024 April 17 – Victoria Natural History Society

2024 April 17

Jeremy Tatum writes: There was a California Tortoiseshell on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 5:00 pm today. It was a different individual from the one photographed there recently by Marie and by Aziza. This was the only butterfly reported to Invert Alert today. I visited Swan Lake today, and Lochside Drive at Blenkinsop Lake yesterday, without seeing any butterflies. It is still appropriate for observers to report any butterfly sightings, even if just singletons of common species.

December 2024

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

December 3, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

See more details

Langford Lake Christmas Bird Count Tune-up
Langford Lake Christmas Bird Count Tune-up

December 7, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2)

Meet at 8:30 a.m. for a chance to tune up your winter bird-spotting identification skills. This trip will cover the area around Langford Lake (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2423287/bird-list). Bring your walking shoes, field guide, and notepad. This is a regular Saturday Birding Group outing but it is also a great opportunity for novice or near-novice Christmas Bird Counters to get some practice.

DIRECTIONS: meet at Langford Lanes parking lot on Langford Parkway.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

December 10, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

See more details

CBC4Kids
CBC4Kids

December 14, 2024

We will again be partnering with Rocky Point Bird Observatory for a Christmas Bird Count for Kids in conjunction with our regular count day. This family-focused event at Beckwith Park, Saanich, is meant to encourage young birders to become engaged with citizen science, and we are delighted to include their observations in our official CBC results. If you are interested in helping out or would like more information, please contact RPBO at cbc4kids@rpbo.org.

See more details
Victoria Christmas Bird Count
Victoria Christmas Bird Count

December 14, 2024
Victoria Region

Everyone is welcome!

The Victoria Christmas Bird Count is on Saturday, December 14 this year. You don’t need to be an expert birder to participate. Novices will be teamed up with more experienced counters as much as possible. Anyone can help out by acting as a tally person or as a spotter. Most teams spend all of the daylight hours out in the field, but there is room for people who can only spend part of the day too. Come out for as long as you can!

See more details

North Salt Spring Island/Galiano Christmas Bird Count and South Salt Spring Island/Sidney Christmas Bird Count
North Salt Spring Island/Galiano Christmas Bird Count and South Salt Spring Island/Sidney Christmas Bird Count

December 15, 2024

South Salt Spring Island/Sidney CBC: Please contact Daniel Donnecke at sidneycbc@naturevictoria.ca.

North Salt Spring Island/Galiano CBC: Please contact Tim Marchant tim@timmarchant.com (North Salt Spring) or Mike Hoebel mhoebel@telus.net (Galiano Island).

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

December 17, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

See more details

Birding at Rithet's Bog
Birding at Rithet's Bog

December 21, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)
Meet at 8:30 a.m. We typically do this loop trail in spring, but it's also good for winter visitors and we can enjoy the year-round residents too (Rithet's Bog). A different set of waterfowl can be found, recently including Trumpeter Swan and Northern Shoveler. Virginia Rail is possible, and Barred Owl is frequently found here. Winter passerines include Varied Thrush and both kinglet species. Please wear waterproof footwear, as parts of the trail may be flooded. DIRECTIONS: Park along Dalewood Lane, just off Chatterton Way at the northwest corner of the Bog.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

December 24, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

See more details

Sooke Christmas Bird Count
Sooke Christmas Bird Count

December 27, 2024

Please contact Robyn Byrne at sookecbc@rpbo.org.

See more details

Birding Summit Reservoir and Park
Birding Summit Reservoir and Park

December 28, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)

Meet at 8:30 a.m. Summit Park and Reservoir (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1105812/bird-list) is a new location for the Saturday birding group. In winter, the steep walls of the reservoir provide waterfowl with protection from the wind and some predators, such as otters. Good numbers of Ring-necked Ducks and Northern Shovelers are often present. Other possibilities Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, and American Wigeon. In Summit Park, the typical resident birds of Garry oak meadows can be found. The park and reservoir are elevated above the surrounding area, offering clear views towards Mount Tolmie and Mount Douglas, providing the possibility of seeing raptors, gulls, ravens and crows, or possibly an over-wintering Turkey Vulture, if the weather is right. DIRECTIONS: From Quadra Street, turn east onto Summit Avenue and drive a short distance past Blackwood Street. Parking is on the right at the end of Summit Avenue.

See more details

Duncan Christmas Bird Count
Duncan Christmas Bird Count

December 29, 2024

Please contact Gail Mitchell and Tania Tripp at cbcbcdu@gmail.com.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

December 31, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

See more details

	December 2024
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1	2	3 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding December 3, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	4	5	6	7 Langford Lake Christmas Bird Count Tune-up Langford Lake Christmas Bird Count Tune-up December 7, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2) Meet at 8:30 a.m. for a chance to tune up your winter bird-spotting identification skills. This trip will cover the area around Langford Lake (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2423287/bird-list). Bring your walking shoes, field guide, and notepad. This is a regular Saturday Birding Group outing but it is also a great opportunity for novice or near-novice Christmas Bird Counters to get some practice. DIRECTIONS: meet at Langford Lanes parking lot on Langford Parkway. See more details •
8	9	10 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding December 10, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	11	12	13	14 CBC4Kids CBC4Kids December 14, 2024 We will again be partnering with Rocky Point Bird Observatory for a Christmas Bird Count for Kids in conjunction with our regular count day. This family-focused event at Beckwith Park, Saanich, is meant to encourage young birders to become engaged with citizen science, and we are delighted to include their observations in our official CBC results. If you are interested in helping out or would like more information, please contact RPBO at cbc4kids@rpbo.org. See more details Victoria Christmas Bird Count Victoria Christmas Bird Count December 14, 2024 Victoria Region Everyone is welcome! The Victoria Christmas Bird Count is on Saturday, December 14 this year. You don’t need to be an expert birder to participate. Novices will be teamed up with more experienced counters as much as possible. Anyone can help out by acting as a tally person or as a spotter. Most teams spend all of the daylight hours out in the field, but there is room for people who can only spend part of the day too. Come out for as long as you can! See more details • •
15 North Salt Spring Island/Galiano Christmas Bird Count and South Salt Spring Island/Sidney Christmas Bird Count North Salt Spring Island/Galiano Christmas Bird Count and South Salt Spring Island/Sidney Christmas Bird Count December 15, 2024 South Salt Spring Island/Sidney CBC: Please contact Daniel Donnecke at sidneycbc@naturevictoria.ca. North Salt Spring Island/Galiano CBC: Please contact Tim Marchant tim@timmarchant.com (North Salt Spring) or Mike Hoebel mhoebel@telus.net (Galiano Island). See more details •	16	17 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding December 17, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	18	19	20	21 Birding at Rithet's Bog Birding at Rithet's Bog December 21, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5) Meet at 8:30 a.m. We typically do this loop trail in spring, but it's also good for winter visitors and we can enjoy the year-round residents too (Rithet's Bog). A different set of waterfowl can be found, recently including Trumpeter Swan and Northern Shoveler. Virginia Rail is possible, and Barred Owl is frequently found here. Winter passerines include Varied Thrush and both kinglet species. Please wear waterproof footwear, as parts of the trail may be flooded. DIRECTIONS: Park along Dalewood Lane, just off Chatterton Way at the northwest corner of the Bog. See more details •
22	23	24 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding December 24, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	25	26	27 Sooke Christmas Bird Count Sooke Christmas Bird Count December 27, 2024 Please contact Robyn Byrne at sookecbc@rpbo.org. See more details •	28 Birding Summit Reservoir and Park Birding Summit Reservoir and Park December 28, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5) Meet at 8:30 a.m. Summit Park and Reservoir (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1105812/bird-list) is a new location for the Saturday birding group. In winter, the steep walls of the reservoir provide waterfowl with protection from the wind and some predators, such as otters. Good numbers of Ring-necked Ducks and Northern Shovelers are often present. Other possibilities Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, and American Wigeon. In Summit Park, the typical resident birds of Garry oak meadows can be found. The park and reservoir are elevated above the surrounding area, offering clear views towards Mount Tolmie and Mount Douglas, providing the possibility of seeing raptors, gulls, ravens and crows, or possibly an over-wintering Turkey Vulture, if the weather is right. DIRECTIONS: From Quadra Street, turn east onto Summit Avenue and drive a short distance past Blackwood Street. Parking is on the right at the end of Summit Avenue. See more details •
29 Duncan Christmas Bird Count Duncan Christmas Bird Count December 29, 2024 Please contact Gail Mitchell and Tania Tripp at cbcbcdu@gmail.com. See more details •	30	31 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding December 31, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •