Selected Excerpts from the Vancouver Natural History Society “Bulletin”
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- V.N.H.S. Summer Camp 1952
- Bird Trip to Iona Island
- Nature Outing to Keats Island
- Annual Camp – July, August
- The Ash-Throated Flycatcher
| Limnology Hike – Stanley Park
Our members are aware that Stanley Park is a beautiful place and most know in a general way about Beaver Lake’s water lilies and wild ducks. Some have learned to appreciate its quiet beauty and peaceful tranquility. Those who turned out for the hike and limnology lecture last Saturday, August 16th, learned something of the less obvious beauty and interest of that enchanting place. Prof. R.W. Pilsbury conducted the hike. He explained that limnology was the study of the conditions that affect plant and animal life in a lake. Nature was always striving to fill in a lake with mossy growths that accumulate to form habitat for other plants, which upon growing and dying add substance upon which still higher forms can exist. As the process continues each form gives way to its successor until finally, the giant Douglas-fir standing firmly upon dry land, sends its roots down to where once trout had hunted dragon fly nymphs. Mrs. McGinn let us know that the “Limnology Hike” had mystified her. She had embarked upon a hunt for the meaning of the word. Her research had led her to the libraries of the area and an expenditure of sixty cents for bus fares thereto - all for what Professor Pillsbury could make clear in a sentence. We knew at once we were glad we had come. Clear, sparkling, cool water from the Capilano [River] forms the intake for Beaver Lake, as well as the plumbing facilities of our homes. The quality, purity and suitability for our use, as well as for black [northwestern] salamander and fresh water sponges were discussed. It was agreed that little improvement could be made upon the water. Prof. Pilsbury made the expedition interesting, entertaining and instructive. Among things noted were fresh water leeches, fingernail shells, [possibly the oval lake limpet], backswimmers, bladderwort, sundew and sphagnum moss. More than 30 members joined in enthusiastically scooping flora and fauna from the lake bottom with dip nets kindly provided by our leader, and the barrage of questions must have convinced him that everybody was interested. To make sure of that point, however, Mr. Neve voiced the opinion for all present when he thanked Prof. Pilsbury for his efforts and remarked that we had been expecting a hike but this had been far better than we had hoped for. G.R.B. #81 October 1952 Ornithology The annual meeting of the Northwest Bird and Mammal Society will be held at U.B.C. on October 25th at 2 p.m. Rooms 100 and 200 of the Biology Building. Dr. Hatter has invited all members of the Natural History Society to attend this meeting. Those interested in bird banding should also visit Hut M34 at 2 p.m. on October 26th. Bird Recognition Instructions Classes: Ron MacKay, Dominion Wildlife Officer [Canadian Wildlife Service] has offered to give a series of eight lectures starting in December. The lectures will be held in the U.B.C. Museum so that specimens can also be examined. Interested members should phone Mrs. S.F. Bradley at CE2127 so that the final details can be worked out. Three rare visitors to Vancouver have been spotted recently and Mrs. Bradley would be interested to hear from anyone who had had the good fortune of seeing any of the following: house finch or linnet, orange-crowned warbler, and MacGillivray’s warbler. V.N.H.S. Summer Camp 1952 After the decision had been taken to make marine biology the main study of this year’s summer camp, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley sought out a suitable site on Denman Island. All things conspired to make a success of the venture, but the biggest single factor was the energy shown by the Bradleys and the rest of the camp council. They found the ideal site, organized the setting up of camp, saw to it that a good program was devised and carried out, supervised the catering, and waved us cheerily on our way when the week ended. The Bradleys, Mrs. Morgan and Dr. and Mrs. Brink were the advance party and the excellent results of their labours were apparent to all on arrival. The site had once been a farm whose fields and garden terminated in a fine beach and small bay. Opportunities for relaxation or study were continually present. This year’s camp will probably go down in the Society’s history as the ‘sissy camp’. Car owners were able to drive to the very entrance of their tents. The program taxed no one’s strength with tough hikes or strenuous climbs. Long gentle strolls during which members sought agates or shells, or ambling walks to watch birds and collect flowers were the order of the day. Our longest trip, a day spent exploring Hornby Island, was accomplished by boat and car.
The autumn of 1952 will be remembered as the year of warm evenings; except Friday, August 22nd, the night of the Nocturnal Moth Hunt. Instead of being warm and clear, just the kind of night to hunt moths, the evening was cold and foggy. However about 15 hardy souls gathered at Beaver Lake just as dusk was falling. Rachel Biggs did not promise us a fruitful hunt, but we went along the trail daubing a number of trees with a mixture of beer and brown sugar. While we were waiting for the moths to get slightly drunk on the mixture (and therefore easier to catch), Rachel presented some facts on the differences between moths and butterflies. We learned that any scaly-winged insect is either a moth or a butterfly and that butterflies are club-horned whereas moths have either feathered or hairy antennae. Other popular, but not always accurate, means of distinguishing them are that butterflies usually fly by day and moths by night, and the former usually settle its wings flat open or closed upright over the body, while moths rest with wings drawn back, front wing over back wing. A return trip along the trail where we had daubed the trees revealed an almost fruitless catch. Much to the enjoyment of the children present, however, three moths fell prey to the collectors’ bottles. Rachel identified them as (1) Apantosis quonsoti – an attractive little tiger moth belong to the vast family Arctidae [tiger moths] of which there are over two thousand species; and (2) two specimens of Microlepidoptera of the family Yponomeutidae [ermine moths]. The larvae are common on cabbage in the early summer. Another find among the moist roots of an old tree was the weird cave cricket or camel cricket [Gryllacrididae]. It is not a true cricket and had antennae three inches long; legs over two inches long, and was cinnamon brown in colour. After Rachel was thanked for planning this most instructive outing, coffee and cookies prepared by Mary Alice Waugh concluded our enjoyable evening. M.A.K. #82 January 1953 Fungus Foray On October 12th, 1952 the Society’s [annual] fungus foray [again] took place in Stanley Park. Following the practice of previous forays everyone spent about an hour collecting beautifully formed and delicately coloured fungi. Enough specimens were collected to cover three picnic tables. There were some that were good [to eat], some not so good, and some that were deadly poisonous. Mr. Waugh spent half an hour identifying some of the collection for us; several unusual specimens however he carried home for further investigation. Visual methods of placing the different mushroom into their genera were discussed. Stem and gill structure, gill and cap shapes as well as spore colour, presence or absence of a ring or skirt on the stem, each one plays a part in placing the fungus in one of the many genera of Basodopmycetes. One very poisonous Amanita collected was showing its various stages of development, from the button to the mature fruiting body. The last specimen displayed was a table favourite of the Waugh family – the chanterelle. Mr. Waugh suggested that because it was so easily identified it would be a good mushroom for beginners to collect. Mrs. Waugh supplied a welcome cup of tea to wind up the afternoon. Teacups were eagerly set aside to join Mrs. Dave Martin in offering a vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Waugh for a pleasant outing. S.F.B. Colonel Stewart Bradley, Canadian Armed Forces W.W.I., led camps and served as President of the Society (1952-1954). He helped to organize and chaired the Audubon illustrated lecture series sponsored by the V.N.H.S. that was usually held in well-attended high school auditoriums in the Lower Mainland and elsewhere in B.C. He had a general interest in natural history and was a great supporter of the V.N.H.S. UBC Forest at Haney The trip to the University forest at Haney was a great success for the 32 members who turned out. The ideal September day and a pleasant drive first to Haney, then along the winding road to the forestry camp, put everyone in high spirits. The camp itself is situated in a picturesque setting on a promontory extending into Loon Lake and provided an ideal spot for lunch. After lunch Professor Knapp explained the objects and aims of the camp and described the difficulties they had overcome in the early days. He said that they had long desired a suitable place for outdoor study and research, and after careful examination of many areas, this was found to be the most suitable. The 10,000-acre tract of land was once part of Garibaldi Park and was leased by the Provincial Government in 1943 to the University. This Crown land was eventually granted to the University around December 1949, and $120,000 was provided by the logging companies for the construction of camp buildings. The first camp was ready by 1948, and although the buildings were not complete, the first gallant band of students weathered, in tents, one of the wettest Augusts on record. Mr. Ian Schiedel, the resident forester, gave us a lucid and interesting talk on forestry, its laws, its management, and the five steps through which the timber passes before finally reaching the consumer. The first step was the selection of areas suitable for growing timber. The next was the protection and development of the area; then the harvesting of logs, the cost of which, including road building, could be anything from $500 to $1,000 per acre. The fourth step was the manufacturing process which sorts the logs into the many products with which our daily lives are surrounded. Selling new products was the fifth stage. The new types of plywood, specialty boards, and treated wood had to be brought to the commercial market through the highly specialized field of selling. Mr. Schiedel went on to describe the methods of finding the best growths of timber. He illustrated his talk with maps and charts. Professor Knapp then led us on a tour of the camp pointing out the many excellent features such as the students’ log cabins, the dining room, caretaker’s house, and a very fine guesthouse that is nearing completion. We visited one of the several sample plots where the trees are tagged and their histories carefully recorded. Prof. Knapp gave us many points about the research being conducted in six or eight sample plots. Our journey through the area was over a skid road that brought us to Blaney Lake that lay mirror calm on this lovely September day. Returning to our transportation we heartily endorsed Mr. Wooton’s vote of thanks to Prof. Knapp and Mr. Schiedel for their cordial hospitality and untiring effort to make our visit so enjoyable. J.T.G. Ian Schiedel graduated in Forestry from UBC. He was an occasional supporter of the VNHS. #85 September 1953 Bird Trip to Iona Island On Sunday April 12th, the bird trip to Iona Island was again organized, this time under the capable leadership of Mr. Ron MacKay. Some 35 members met at the river some distance west of the wharf and were ferried over in groups in a small launch. Once on the Island we went on to the south shore hoping to catch a glimpse of snow geese. We were disappointed to learn that they had apparently migrated two days before. Some of the other birds seen were song sparrow, scaup, bufflehead, mallard, western grebe, cormorant, great blue heron, red backed [dunlin] sandpiper, black-bellied plover, glaucous-winged and herring gulls, red-winged blackbird, marsh wren and short eared owl. After spending a pleasant lunch seated on the many logs in the area, we began casting apprehensive glances at a black cloud rolling up from the west. Suddenly we saw flocks of snow geese flying in formation, white and clear against the dark cloud mass. It was quite a thrill. Suddenly a rain and sleet squall hit and everyone ran to find shelter. The storm lasted longer than our patience and we soon braved wind and rain to reach our point of embarkation, wet perhaps but happy. Our thanks go out to Ron for the time and trouble he took to organizing our trip and patiently answering our questions. B. Rogers Vancouver’s Geology April 18th, 1953: Whether it was a matter of arrangement or a happy coincidence, it was convenient that our visit to the cliffs of the University lands was made only two days after Dr. Armstrong’s lecture entitled, Do you know Vancouver geologically? In his lecture he had shown the position of the formations in and around Vancouver in the geological time scale, and then referred to the formations in order of age, giving the location of each. On the field trip he showed the party the record of the last chapter of events – the story of the glacial and inter-glacial deposits. We left the cars on Marine Drive and followed the trail leading down to the booming grounds at the mouth of the Fraser River. On this trail is a point where a till sheet is directly imposed on a bed of fairly well stratified clay, which in turn overlies another till sheet. The inference drawn from this is that the glacier had retreated long enough for this clay to be deposited, following which the glacier again advanced and deposited the till. The somewhat remarkable feature is the very definite line of division, indicating a clear change in events but no confusion. After coming up the trail, we crossed the road and entered the bush, where marine stony clay overlies the top till sheet. Here was evidence that the till and the stony clay were deposited in the sea, brought about either by subsidence of the land or encroachment of the sea, and both had been worked over by marine action, impressions of shells being left behind. We proceeded to Wreck Beach and walked half a mile along the shore to see interglacial peat beds. We noted the large erratics on the shore and speculated as to the probable distance these had been carried. Afterwards we drove to Spanish Banks to see a large section of cliff. As evidence of the irregularity of these deposits it was noted that at this point there is no till, the whole cliff being formed of successive layers of sand and clay with five small strata of peat, the top clay again containing shell impressions. No shells are actually found in any of these cliffs, the impressions remaining after the shells had been absorbed. J.J.P. Nature Outing to Keats Island On Saturday, May 23rd, thirty members were fortunate enough to register for the Keats Island trip and all enjoyed both the generous hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gough and the bright sunshine that lasted all day. The sea was not quite as calm as some would have wished, but the trip gave us a complete circuit around Bowen Island and some wonderful views of the mountains in Garibaldi Park. We were taken to the highest point on the Island and to some rocky cliffs. Many common wild plants were seen. Of particular interest was the hairy manzanita that was growing in the same location as the arbutus trees. Two bald eagles were resting on distant trees and later in the afternoon a hair [harbour] seal swam and dived in the water below the cliffs. A [coastal mule] deer was seen briefly but vanished before everyone could enjoy the sight. The grand fir is a common tree on the Island. #86 September 1953 Annual Camp – July, August After considerable discussion it was decided to hold the 1953 camp at Glacier National Park. The decision was a happy one and many factors, including the “weather man” contributed to its success. The area was developed extensively some years ago by the C.P.R. owing to its proximity to the spectacular Illecillewaet Glacier, the Nakimu Caves, the rich flora, gorgeous scenery and the challenge of the ancient Selkirks. Owing to the diversion of the railway through the Connaught Tunnel, all tourist development was abandoned leaving a wealth of clearly defined trails and bridges that have since been maintained by the Ranger Service. The administration of the camp was carried out according to the usual policy of the Society. We accepted the excellent facilities of the government campground that was in a central location for our activities. As there are no roads into the Park, there was no transportation available for personnel, but the Ranger was very cooperative in the handling of our baggage and supplies. All trips taken were of a leisurely nature. The botanists botanized and gathered specimens, while the ornithologists with their “Petersons” in one hand and glasses in the other scanned the trees and bushes. The geologists read in the rocks the activities of a million years; and the area was a veritable paradise for photographers of which there were many. First aid equipment and hands skilled in its use were always available. Owing to the employment of a cook and assistant, camp duties were at a minimum. Forty-six members attended camp at a cost of $40.00 per person, including return railway fare to Glacier. Highlights included hikes to Avalanche Crest, the Asulkan Valley and Lower Cougar Valleys, the Great Glacier Trail, a visit to the alpine meadows at Marion Lake on Mount Abbott, the examination of the Nakimu Caves, and the interesting ascent of the polished rock surface to the lip of the Illecillewaet Glacier. It is difficult to assess the value of the camp to the Society, but it is certain that members had an unparalleled opportunity to study the things of nature that brought them the greatest happiness. S.B. Stanley Park We paid no attention to the staring passers-by on that lovely September (20th) Sunday morning. All 45 of us were intent on Mr. Bill Hughes who was taking us on a bird trip – and we were curious about the black cloth box he carried under his arm. First he explained how to identify birds by their size and shape, markings, habits and habitat. “The proper procedure”, he said, “is to make notes on the spot and verify your identification later.” Then, to give us practice he produced a bird from his box and gently held it for us to observe. Those with bird books whipped them out and after flurries of page turning, everyone correctly identified it as a female golden-crowned sparrow. Out came another bird, this time a russet-backed [Swainson’s] thrush. We had been hoping to watch the migration of warblers on this trip for the town side of the Park is usually a very good place for this in both spring and fall. This year however the warblers were late in going south and we saw only two. Nevertheless, our walk through the Park was rewarding. We saw yellow-shafted [northern] flickers, feeding in a tall, half dead cedar. Loud and clear we could hear their cheerful call, “Pee-ee-eep” and “wake-up-Jacob”. (Note from Mr. Hughes: When you see flickers, always look for the common hybrid of red or yellow-shafted varieties.) [American] robins were feasting in a wild cherry tree and of course hauling long worms from every lawn. On Lost Lagoon we saw a flock of bald-pate [American wigeon] with a few [American] coot, a pied-bill grebe, horned grebe, [northern] pintail, herring gull and short-billed [mew] gull. In the reeds and willows were song and white-crowned sparrows. Nearby was perhaps the prettiest sight of the day – a flock of tiny striped pine siskins feeding on the cones of a small cedar tree. On the north shore of the Lagoon we saw another cedar with several large holes in the trunk gouged out by pileated woodpeckers, the chips still lying below. “These birds”, said Mr. Hughes, “somehow know which trees are sick and insect-ridden; they never attack a healthy tree.” At Beaver Lake we saw a Maryland [common] yellowthroat and a [spotted] towhee. Two great blue herons flapped across the Lake to perch in a tree, and then back again. They can be distinguished from cranes by their way of flying with necks crooked back. They nest in colonies and there is, or was, a nest of them behind the nine-o’clock gun. On the Inlet the cormorants failed us but we did see three types of gull – Bonaparte’s, glaucous-winged and short-billed [mew] as well as a pair of mergansers. Mr. Hughes made the trip doubly interesting by the many extra bits of information he gave us about birds and their habits. Two things particularly stressed was the importance of being quiet while watching the birds, and the proper thing to do if you ever catch a banded bird. You must never remove the band if the bird is alive and well; and you must send full information to the Canadian Wildlife Service people. Miss Enid Lemon moved a graceful vote of thanks to Mr. Hughes and the group dispersed at Lumberman’s Arch around two o’clock. J.M. #87 January 1954 The Ash-Throated Flycatcher On October 7th, 1952 I captured an ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) at Marpole in Vancouver, B.C. The bird, an adult male in delayed molt was taken in a mixed deciduous growth of maple, alder etc. This bird’s normal breeding range is the arid or semi-arid regions of southwest United States and Mexico, occasionally eastern Oregon and Washington. This is the first record of this bird in Canada. It is now specimen No. 38710 in the Kenneth Racey collection at 6542 Lime Street, Vancouver, B.C. Wm. Hughes Newsletter Notes: - Mr. Hughes had other interesting banding news. He caught a [dark-eyed] junco in December that had previously been banded by him on November 20, 1948 and also a song sparrow with a band that he had placed on November 22nd, 1948. [Both birds would have been 5+ years old.] Directory: sites sites -> Answer True False 2 points Question 2 sites -> 587 Return function, r i(X) r i(0) r i(1) r i(2) r i(3) 1 0 2 4 6 Thermal Station, I 2 0 1 5 6 3 0 3 5 6 10 sites -> Glossary for Chapter 1 Algorithm sites -> North Carolina Inclusion Initiative Mapping Where Children with ieps are Being Served Purpose sites -> Northern England’s set-jetting locations sites -> Physical custody of 1033 program property accountibility form statement of Physical Custody: By signing for the below 1033 property I am a Law Enforcement Officer of the aforementioned Law Enforcement Agency sites -> Nstructions for Acquiring Excess Equipment online, through the 1033 Program sites -> Memorandum of agreement Download 2.61 Mb. Share with your friends:
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