2024 May 8 – Victoria Natural History Society

2024 May 8

Jeremy Tatum writes: This afternoon, May 8, at 5:30 pm, there were two Painted Ladies flying around the Jeffrey Pine at the top of Mount Tolmie, and a Mourning Cloak basking on the reservoir.

Harvestmen are apparently fierce predators. Recent photographs by Ian Cooper on the site have shown a harvestman apparently feeding on a earthworm, and another feeding on what may be spider. The photograph below shows a harvestman feeding upon what may be an ant. Dr Bragg describes this harvestman as a somewhat “overfed” Protolophus.

Harvestman (Protolophus sp.) feeding on what may be an ant. Ian Cooper

The photograph below shows a harvestman feeding upon what looks like another harvestman!

Harvestman apparently feeding upon another harvestman. Ian Cooper

Ian photographed this colourful beetle in View Royal – confirmed by Scott Gilmore to be Chrysophana placida.

Chrysophana placida (Col.: Buprestidae) Ian Cooper

A colourful beetle is followed by a colourful snail:

Cepaea nemoralis (Pul.: Helicidae) Ian Cooper

Deroceras reticulatum (Pul.: Agriolimacidae) Ian Cooper

Clubiona sp. (Ara.: Clubionidae) Ian Cooper

Woodlouse Hunter Spider – Dysdera crocata (Ara.: Dysderidae) Ian Cooper

January 2025

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Birding Roberts Bay
Birding Roberts Bay

January 4, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1)

Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Surfside Beach Access on Surfside Place. Winter is a good time to visit the Sidney waterfront, as many seabirds and bay ducks can be found in waters near shore. We'll make several stops at accessible beaches. (See Roberts Bay.) DIRECTIONS: In Sidney, drive down Beacon Drive, turn north on 3rd Street, then drive for 1.2 kilometres. Turn right onto Beaufort Road, drive a short distance and then turn right at Surfside Place. Parking is curbside around the cul-de-sac.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

January 7, 2025 @ 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 Royal Roads
Birding Royal Roads

January 11, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2)

Meet at 8:30 a.m.

***NEW: A Parking Permit is required on Saturday for public parking. Rate: $2.25/hr. We'll gather as a group first to agreeing on a time limit for parking (and then purchase a parking pass).

We will start at the lagoon and then head up Charlie’s Trail. (See Royal Roads University.)

DIRECTIONS: Turn off Sooke Road at the Royal Roads University entrance at the intersection of Aldeane and University Drive to go down to the waterfront. Continue on University Drive past the buildings on the right and park as close to the bottom as possible. Meet at the edge of the University Drive near the Blue Heron House on the left.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

January 14, 2025 @ 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 the Victoria Waterfront
Birding the Victoria Waterfront

January 18, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1)
Meet at 8:30 a.m. This week, the Saturday birding group will make several stops along the waterfront, to look at some of the many seabirds (including gulls and ducks) and shorebirds that spend winters in the Victoria area, starting at Clover Point and ending at the Ogden Point breakwater. DIRECTIONS: Clover Point is off Dallas Road, between Moss and Bushby Streets.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

January 21, 2025 @ 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

Birders' Night: The State of Canada’s Birds
Birders' Night: The State of Canada’s Birds

January 22, 2025 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

The rise and fall of bird populations tells us how they, and by extension their habitats, are doing. Birds reflect our impact on the environment, tell us where conservation action is working, and show us where we need to focus more effort. Birds Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada released the latest “State of Canada’s Birds” report in October 2024. It explores the status of Canada’s bird populations today, how they have changed over time, and what we can all do to help the birds that call Canada home.

While the speaker will be joining us on Zoom, members and visitors are welcome to join us in-person at Berwick Royal Oak to watch the presentation together. Register for the Zoom presentation at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84383582567?pwd=P8ipYmYL3F3uJGMD1CorEa510kaoVq.1

See more details

Birding Viaduct Flats
Birding Viaduct Flats

January 25, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2)

Meet at 8:30 a.m. Viaduct Flats has a good viewing platform to highlight the waterbirds that spend fall and winter here, plus many birds in the surrounding woods and fields. DIRECTIONS: The parking lot is at the foot of Viaduct Avenue off Interurban Road.

See more details

Marine Night: Noisy Neighbours: how human noise affects forage fish and community ecosystems
Marine Night: Noisy Neighbours: how human noise affects forage fish and community ecosystems

January 27, 2025 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Behavioural ecologist Nora Carlson will describe anthropogenic noise impacts on forage fish and how these changes will alter their availability as prey to their marine predators. Register for Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckdeyprjsiEtbmiwKjp5cttEUJNOXcCEBF

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

January 28, 2025 @ 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

	January 2025
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
			1	2	3	4 Birding Roberts Bay Birding Roberts Bay January 4, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1) Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Surfside Beach Access on Surfside Place. Winter is a good time to visit the Sidney waterfront, as many seabirds and bay ducks can be found in waters near shore. We'll make several stops at accessible beaches. (See Roberts Bay.) DIRECTIONS: In Sidney, drive down Beacon Drive, turn north on 3rd Street, then drive for 1.2 kilometres. Turn right onto Beaufort Road, drive a short distance and then turn right at Surfside Place. Parking is curbside around the cul-de-sac. See more details •
5	6	7 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding January 7, 2025 @ 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 •	8	9	10	11 Birding Royal Roads Birding Royal Roads January 11, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2) Meet at 8:30 a.m. ***NEW: A Parking Permit is required on Saturday for public parking. Rate: $2.25/hr. We'll gather as a group first to agreeing on a time limit for parking (and then purchase a parking pass). We will start at the lagoon and then head up Charlie’s Trail. (See Royal Roads University.) DIRECTIONS: Turn off Sooke Road at the Royal Roads University entrance at the intersection of Aldeane and University Drive to go down to the waterfront. Continue on University Drive past the buildings on the right and park as close to the bottom as possible. Meet at the edge of the University Drive near the Blue Heron House on the left. See more details •
12	13	14 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding January 14, 2025 @ 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 •	15	16	17	18 Birding the Victoria Waterfront Birding the Victoria Waterfront January 18, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1) Meet at 8:30 a.m. This week, the Saturday birding group will make several stops along the waterfront, to look at some of the many seabirds (including gulls and ducks) and shorebirds that spend winters in the Victoria area, starting at Clover Point and ending at the Ogden Point breakwater. DIRECTIONS: Clover Point is off Dallas Road, between Moss and Bushby Streets. See more details •
19	20	21 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding January 21, 2025 @ 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 •	22 Birders' Night: The State of Canada’s Birds Birders' Night: The State of Canada’s Birds January 22, 2025 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm The rise and fall of bird populations tells us how they, and by extension their habitats, are doing. Birds reflect our impact on the environment, tell us where conservation action is working, and show us where we need to focus more effort. Birds Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada released the latest “State of Canada’s Birds” report in October 2024. It explores the status of Canada’s bird populations today, how they have changed over time, and what we can all do to help the birds that call Canada home. While the speaker will be joining us on Zoom, members and visitors are welcome to join us in-person at Berwick Royal Oak to watch the presentation together. Register for the Zoom presentation at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84383582567?pwd=P8ipYmYL3F3uJGMD1CorEa510kaoVq.1 See more details •	23	24	25 Birding Viaduct Flats Birding Viaduct Flats January 25, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 11:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2) Meet at 8:30 a.m. Viaduct Flats has a good viewing platform to highlight the waterbirds that spend fall and winter here, plus many birds in the surrounding woods and fields. DIRECTIONS: The parking lot is at the foot of Viaduct Avenue off Interurban Road. See more details •
26	27 Marine Night: Noisy Neighbours: how human noise affects forage fish and community ecosystems Marine Night: Noisy Neighbours: how human noise affects forage fish and community ecosystems January 27, 2025 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Behavioural ecologist Nora Carlson will describe anthropogenic noise impacts on forage fish and how these changes will alter their availability as prey to their marine predators. Register for Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckdeyprjsiEtbmiwKjp5cttEUJNOXcCEBF See more details •	28 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding January 28, 2025 @ 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 •	29	30	31