Club Email: Nanaimo@naturekidsbc.ca
NatureKids club. I grew up in the
mountainous Kootenays and greatly admired park interpreters who could magically
point out life under logs and in water.
Moving to Vancouver Island in 1994 opened up even more doors of wonder
into coastal temperate rainforests and intertidal ecosystems. I’m a teacher and mother who is happiest
outdoors exploring. I’m looking forward
to getting to know all the NatureKids families and having adventures on Explorer
Days!
Late March stewardship activity (on a Saturday this time) – Amphibian Road Survey
Paine Horticultural Centre, 2324 E Wellington Rd, Nanaimo
Our upcoming explorer day will be with the Nanaimo Astronomy Society at their observatory. Learn about winter constellations, view Venus, Mars and Jupiter in the telescope, and let’s see what else there is to spot in our night sky this February! This explorer day is weather permitting.
Christmas Bird Count at Buttertubs Marsh!
December 28 at 9:00 AM
Buttertubs Marsh (meet at Buttertubs Dr. parking)
Do you know the difference between a Chestnut-backed Chickadee and a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, or a Bufflehead and a Goldeneye? Learn the ropes of Bird identification with biologist and Nature Mentor Tanya Seebacher and her crew of experienced birders as we participate in the biggest wildlife survey in all of Canada! Learn about plumage, calls, and maybe even start your own ‘lifer’ list (this is a list that some enthusiast birders have of the first time they have ever seen and positively identified a bird species).
This is a great opportunity to contribute to local stewardship efforts regarding bird populations, and hopefully we will spot a few rare birds!
BRING: Binoculars, appropriate clothes for the weather and snacks/ warm drinks
Mushroom Hunt
Linley Valley Park (meet at the Burma Road Entrance)
Let’s learn about Mushrooms and their equally interesting cousins Lichens! With Mycologist (a biologist who studies Fungi) and nature mentor Terry Taylor we will explore Linley Valley’s forest and learn about different kinds of fungi.
Sunday October 30th Explorer Day
Englishman River Estuary (with NatureKids Oceanside)
Dave Hutchings is leading our group at the Englishman River Estuary for a ‘Fall walk around the Estuary and then a check to look at the trees we planted there. Bring your binoculars for bird watching and wear boots for the wet weather.
Dave is from the Arrowsmith Naturalists, he and other members go twice a month to help clear the area from invasive species and know the area well, so bring your questions. He also mentioned the river is changing its course and we will be able to see clues to that.
Please let me know if you are able to come, we may even get a dry day as the weather forecast looks promising.
Sunday, October 23rd from 1:30 – 3:00pm
Where: Bowen Park (meet at the playground near the swimming pool)
Let’s learn all about squirrels with Nature Mentor and VIU Biologist Liz Gillis! We’ll put on our scientist hats and see what we can observe. What are the differences between the Eastern Grey Squirrel and the Red Squirrel? Do squirrels hibernate? Where do they live? Do they live in family groups or alone? Do they eat nuts or seeds or other things? Is there are squirrel language?
Amphibian Road Surveys
As you may know, roads near wetlands can be a real threat to amphibian species. Collecting this data can help to determine where amphibian ‘underpasses’ should be placed underneath roads so the little critters are less likely to be squashed by passing cars. Refer to email sent for videos!
June 11th
Stephenson’s Point (map – do not go to this actual house but park along the road. We will meet in this general area to get to the beach)
“Fossil Hunt! — Digging up Nanaimo’s Prehistory with Nature Mentor and geologist Dr. Tim Stokes”
Stephenson’s Point is said to have some of the best fossils in our area. Learn about Nanaimo’s prehistoric landscape and the creatures that made it their home. All tools will be provided.
Stewardship Activities – Streamkeeping
Nanaimo NatureKids is also starting a Stewardship effort with the Whalley Creek Streamkeepers group (of which I am a part). These activities will be in addition to the regular Explorer days. They are a great hands-on learning opportunity about taking care of our environment, and taking action to help restore it to a healthy state.
As part of this, we will be having a Junior Streamkeeper’s Workshop for anyone who is interested on Sunday June 12th from 9am to 11am at Whalley Creek. We will get hands-on training from Biologist Dave Clough about what makes a stream healthy, What to measure to test the ecological health of a stream, and what we can do to restore a stream to its best health. Kids will learn how to test ph, temperature, oxygen levels, etc. and will learn to identify the bugs that indicate stream health (among other things). If you are interested in participating in this please let me know ASAP.
Sunday June 5th
12:00pm – 2:00pm
Neck Point Park
“Intertidal Scavenger Hunt — Exploring Tide Pools with Nature Mentor Charlotte Haley from the Pacific Biological Station”
Learn about Bivalves, Univalves and all the other creatures that make their home in the intertidal zone! See how many creature you can find on our Scavenger Hunt Checklist, and learn about this interesting habitat. This date and time has been choses because of the excellent low tide, so there should be lots to see.
Sunday, May 15th
see them up close!
Sunday, April 10th
Sat. Jan. 23rd, 2016
Geology Walk with Nature Mentor Dr. Steve Earle
1:30 pm
Meet at the Nanaimo Museum, downtown in the Foyer
PLEASE NOTE: The Nanaimo Museum entry fee is $2.00 for Adults and $0.75 for children
Join us for a geology walk right through the heart of our city! Nature Mentor VIU Geology professor, Steve Earle will give us a tour of Nanaimo’s downtown from a geologist’s perspective. Dr. Earle will be showing us all kinds of neat rock exposures and coal seams, and will answer any of those burning geology questions you might have. So bring those interesting rocks you’ve found while at the beach or on a hike, and he will tell you all about them! We will then head to the Nanaimo Museum and get a tour of the exhibit on Nanaimo’s Coal history.
Rabbits and Natural History Museum tour!
Sunday December 13th
1:30 pmVIU campus Building 365 (the log cabin)
With Nature Mentor Vancouver Island University biologist Liz Gillis we will be learning all about the rabbit population that lives on the Vancouver Island University Campus. This is a non-native species of rabbit – actually the population stems from some domesticated rabbits that some Nanaimo resident must have let loose! Liz has done research on this non-native rabbit population so she can tell us all about them.
October 22nd & 29th
Amphibian Road Survey
6:30 pm * Please note special evening time, RSVP
For members 8 years and older only
Meeting at: Hamilton Marsh on the 22nd & Lantzville on Oct. 29th
Our Nature Mentor Elke Wind will teach us how to survey Amphibians Fall migration. These surveys are taking place in different areas in BC with NatureKids clubs. The “surveyors” should be 8 years and over. Videos of the Cowichan Nature Kids who did the survey in their area in the spring are available. * Please let Linda (or Alison, leader of Oceanside) know if you are attending.
Sunday Sept. 27th, 2015
Rivers Day Exploration
1:30 pm
Meeting at Top Bridge at the Englishman River Park (see below)
Join the Oceanside club and meet your new Nanaimo volunteer club leader Linda Brooymans. Take highway 4 turn on to Bellevue Road turn left at Allsbrook go to the end and park at the Englishman River Park where we will meet.
Monday, November 10, 2014
9:15 – 11:15 AM
Nanaimo River Hatchery Tour
Members will take part in:
1. Hatchery Egg Take 2. Stream Walk 3.Salmon dissection.
Thursday, October 9th, 2014
1:30 PM
Qualicum Bay
Saturday October 4th, 2014
6.30pm
Vancouver Island University, Building 315, Room 214
The Night Sky
Greg Arkos and his wife Gail will show us the night sky on the screen and if the weather permits look through the scope.
Sunday, September 28th 2014
Little Qualicum Estuary
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
We will be joining the Arrowsmith Naturalist Club in participating in a Shoreline Cleanup!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Mt. Washington
Snowshoeing & Lunch
Sunday, Febuary 16, 2014
Westwood Lake
Hike to the Lookout.
We will hike to the lookout above Westwood Lake searching for geocaches along the way, birdwatching, and enjoying a “lunch with a view”.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Newcastle Island
Kayaking
We will enjoy a few hours of kayaking along Newcastle Island learning basic paddling skills and about the shore life that we encounter.