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NEWSLETTER March, 2018
“To know nature and to keep it worth knowing”
www.abbymissionnatureclub.org
Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month (except July and August) at 7:30 p.m.
at the Ravine Park Hatchery, 2395 Crescent Way, Abbotsford by the Abbotsford Arts Centre
Email: haroos12@gmail. com
The objectives of the Abbotsford-Mission Nature Club
• To enjoy and interpret natural history
• To promote an understanding and an appreciation of natural ecosystems
• To promote the concept of stewardship of natural resources
• To participate as naturalists in public consultations related to questions of environment and development in the Abbotsford and Mission area
Executive of the Abbotsford Mission Nature Club
President – Hank Roos – 604-853-4283
Email: [email protected]
Vice-President/Website - Wendy DaDalt – 604-856-2575 Email: [email protected]
Secretary – Herman Venema – 604-826-6872 Email: [email protected] Treasurer – John Engbers-604-768-5470 [email protected] Membership - Rita Bot – 604-309-1263 Email: [email protected] Newsletter Editor – Gail Savard - 604-853-5188
Email: [email protected] Ken Summers – Conservation 604-851-2301
[email protected]
Alice Roos –Refreshments – 604-853-4283
Email: [email protected]
Programs – Vacant
Field Trips-Vacant
Facebook - Rebecca Mc Murray – 604-217-5197
Email – rebeccamurray21.yahoo.ca
Speakers – Vacant
Sheila Flavelle – 604-870-4221
[email protected]
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Field Trip - Willband Creek Park
by Alex Lewinsky - Abbotsford
On January 13th the Abbotsford-Mission Nature
Club (A-M NC) conducted the first fieldtrip of
the year. Early morning, at just above freezing
temperatures, 19 nature enthusiasts braved the
elements and met at the Willband Creek Park
parking lot for a walk. Destination: the recently
completed Wildlife Viewing Platform, a project
conceived and built by Club members. A
reportage of its inauguration and further details
were included in the A-M NC January 2018
Newsletter, and appeared in the local biweekly,
The Abbotsford News, on December 11th, 2017
(see
https://www.abbynews.com/community/otter-
co-op-funds-wetlands-project/).
Photo credit: Herman Venema
The Willband Creek Park is a favourite for the
A-M NC. The Club is also involved in planting
trees, removing invasive species, installing and
monitoring birdhouses, etc.
It is a popular destination for birding (for more
information including an aerial view see
http://www.fraservalleybirding.com/Site%20Gu
ide/Willband%20Creek%20Park/index.htm).
The park includes 3 manmade ponds and it is
part of the Willband Creek Integrated
Stormwater Management System. According to
the City of Abbotsford website, it intends to
"maintain existing watershed health and
achieve no-net-loss on a watershed basis ... to
reduce the chances of flooding and ... improve
drainage within the Willband Creek watershed".
The park was partially flooded. With wet feet
from negotiating puddles, we made it only half
way to the most southern point of the trail.
There the latest excavated pond by Highway 11
and the original South Pond joined over the
gravel preventing further progress. Only Hank
Roos, Herman and Stan ventured walking the
waters to reach the intended destination. For
the rest of us, posing for a group photo on the
Viewing Platform has to wait for drier times. A
lesson: dressing for the weather includes
adequate footwear.
Photo Credit: Judy Braun
Birding: The above-mentioned website lists 139
birds species observed at this location. Some
are obviously seasonal. This time, Stan Olson
reported identifying the following bird species
(24): Cackling Goose, Canada Goose, Wood
Duck, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern
Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck,
Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead,
Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser,
Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron,
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Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Coot,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Shrike, Steller's
Jay, Northwestern Crow, Song Sparrow and
Red-winged Blackbird.
Stan also noticed a Muskrat swimming in one of
the ponds. We are often concerned about the
invasive species affecting our region, but the
phenomenon is universal ... Muskrats, native to
North America, were introduced to parts of
Europe, Asia and South America. Adopting the
world as a Global Village applies also to rodents.
REIFEL Fieldtrip – March 3, 2018
Our annual Fieldtrip to the George C. Reifel
Migratory Bird Sanctuary was enjoyed by
nineteen including 5 children. Our last few trips
to Reifel to see the snow geese we ended up
disappointed as there were none. Well, this
year there were thousands in a field right along
the road. What a sight!
Photo Credits : Alice Van Dyke
As always once you enter the sanctuary you
must watch where you walk to avoid the many
ducks on the trail. The wood ducks seemed
very tame and gave us a very good showing as
they walked on the fence beside us. The night
herons were also very visible at the beginning of
the trail.
The children of course loved to feed the
chickadees and red-winged blackbirds which
would land on their hands or even on their
heads. The sandhill cranes were never far away
looking for a handout.
Lynn would set up his scope at different times
to get a better view at the night herons, bald
eagles, etc. He shared his wealth of knowledge
with us which is always interesting. We
counted 39 species.
Thank you, Lynn!
The weather turned out sunny although a little
chilly. Another good day out in nature! by Alice
Roos
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Students at Willband Creek Park
– February 26, 2018 by Ken Summers
Most Mondays during the school year, if
Willband Creek Park isn’t flooded, Hank,
Herman and occasionally others herd a group of
middle school students and teachers onto the
site to help with various conservation projects.
Photo Credit:
a passerby
Recently, when it appeared the ground might
be too frozen to pound posts for mounting
beaver-protection wire, it was decided to
educate the group on the purpose of their
efforts. So, with binoculars and a couple of
scopes we made the circuit, of course also
stopping to view birds from the vantage of the
new platform.
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As with any group of 12-y-olds, some were
interested while other found other ways to
entertain themselves. The good views from the
parking lot of the Bald Eagle on its nest across
the road was a good start for even the most
distracted boys. We collectively spotted 18
species, including 2 raptors, 4 songbirds, and of
course 12 wetland-associated species. A
budding artist in the group made skilled
sketches of several of the birds. One truly
impressive one was of the Northern Shrike
Herman spotted. With just a quick glance
through the scope and a similarly brief view of
one in a bird book, she produced a remarkably
accurate drawing from memory. Maybe a
Fenwick Lansdown in the making? We never
know how trips like this one to Willband might
influence a new generation.
Photo Credits: Alice Roos
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WHO COOKS FOR YOU?
No owl was cooking when 21 owl
enthusiasts (including 3 children)
gathered in the dark at McDonald
Park on Friday, February 16, 2018 on
an ‘owl prowl’. The weather had been
threatening all day but stayed dry for
us.
Rebecca McMurray and her assistant
Rees, gave us an introduction to owls
complete with visual aids (by
flashlight) and informed us on proper
etiquette, like flashlights with red
light only. With her little device she
demonstrated the different calls for
several owls. We mainly focused on
the barred owl.
We then walked the trail along the
Sumas River and then the dyke trail,
stopping along the way to lure an owl
into answering the call. At one stage
we thought we heard a faint call, but
it may have been a trumpeter swan
instead.
Walking in the dark was a challenge in
itself! Although we were not
successful in attracting an owl, the
experience was great! Afterwards we
were invited to the Bot’s for
refreshments. Because it was dark in
the ‘dark sky park’ there are no
pictures available!
Thanks Rebecca and Rees for an
enjoyable Friday evening! Can we do it
again sometime? By Alice Roos
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PROGRAMS AND FIELDTRIPS March to June 2018
March 14, 2018 Monthly Meeting at 7:30 pm
“Klee Wyck Journal” by Author and Artist, Lou
McKee Lou and her husband Dave are ocean kayakers who, after many
years, claimed a wilderness beach on the west coast of
Vancouver Island. “After being caught in heavy rains with tarps
and tents, we decided we wanted better shelter and built a
cabin, the participants being our family and friends, and it took
about 15 summer vacations to complete”. She will tell stories of
the people and adventures involved in the building of a coastal
wilderness shelter hidden among old rain forest firs and cedars and dense salal
bushes”.
2018 Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair April 4 - 7, 2018
"Celebrating Young Scientists" The winners will present their projects at our May meeting.
1992
April 11, 2018 Celebrating 25 Years as Central Valley
Naturalists/Abbotsford Mission Nature Club at 7:30 pm
Highlights of the 25 years will be
presented with pictures, stories games and food.
Please bring some finger food to share, mug and be ready to enjoy the
evening.
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Saturday, April 14, 2018 Annual Hogan Family Nature
Park work bee and fieldtrip at 9:00 am Come and join in the fun as together equipped with garden tools we do
some tidying up and weeding around the entrance. After the work
party we'll have a pleasant walk and admire the spring flowers. Wear
sturdy footwear. Refreshments will be served. Confirm your attendance to Alice Roos, [email protected] or 604-853-4283 by Friday
evening 8 pm
April 22, Sunday, 1–4 pm at Mill Lake Park-Bevan Road The Abbotsford Mission Nature Club will be participating in the event
with an inter-active display.
Saturday, April 21, 2018 Willband Creek Park Fieldtrip meet in the parking lot on Bateman Road at 9:00 am
We will join the Langley Field Naturalists. This is how
they have described our park in their newsletter.
“Willband Creek park is a marshy wetland located in
Abbotsford. The trails are easy going, level routes
suitable for all ages and fitness levels, circling a
marshy lake. Located on the paths are sightseeing
benches and wooden bridges and a brand-new viewing
platform. We will walk the 2.3 km circle gravel trail to
check out the ducks and birds in this wetland area. Confirm your attendance to Alice Roos, [email protected] or 604-853-4283 by Friday
evening 8 pm
Saturday, May 5, 2018 Fieldtrip - Pepin Brook Trail This loop is 3.5 km in length and takes an average
of 1 hour to complete. The terrain is flat and rolling
with some steep sections. The park is located on
8th Avenue between Lefeuvre Road and 272nd
Street. The entrance is on 8th Ave. meet in the parking lot near the picnic shelter
at 9:00 am Confirm your attendance to Alice Roos, [email protected] or 604-853-4283 by Friday
evening 8 pm
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May 9, 2018 Monthly Meeting at 7:30 pm “Black
Widow Spiders” by Dr. Maxence Salomon of Douglas
College He will speak to us about western black widow spiders. For his
dissertation, he investigated the dynamics of cohabitation among and between
native western black widow spiders and introduced European house spiders.
May 10 – 13, 2018 BC Nature Conference and AGM in
Vancouver “Promoting Health in Nature: Past, Present and Future” Location – UBC Campus
June 13, 2018 Annual Potluck Picnic @ 6:30 pm
(note time)
Rita and Rudy Bot are inviting us to their place in Yarrow.
We will be able to enjoy their unique property and see how
they are capturing solar power.
The address is 41640 Yarrow Central Road, Yarrow.
*To get there take Highway 1 E. take Exit 104 for No. 3 Road. Keep right at the
fork, follow signs for Cultus Lake/Number 3 Road E/Yarrow and merge onto No. 3
Rd. Turn right onto Tolmie Road, turn left onto No. 3Rd., turn right onto Boundary
Rd and left onto Yarrow Central Road. You will see the R & R sign on your right.
Bring a main dish or salad enough to share.
Drinks and a dessert of fruit and ice cream will be provided.
Bring your own cutlery, dishes and chairs.
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Reminder: It’s time to renew your AMNC membership
for 2018.
Note that the dues have increased to $35
for a single membership and to $45 for a family
membership.
Make payment at the next club meeting you attend or drop a
cheque in the mail to: AMNC Membership c/o Rita Bot
41640 Yarrow Central Rd., Chilliwack BC V2R5G4
