Abbotsford Mission Nature Club

Zoom Annual Christmas meeting
2021-10-04 00:00 (America/Vancouver)
Annual Christmas meeting via Zoom.

Zoom Meeting - January 12, 7:30p,
2022-01-11 00:00
Coastal Western Painted Turtle Recovery on the South Coast of BC
Speaker: Aimee Mitchell, Biologist
Hear updates on the conservation of this Species at Risk and local projects underway to create new habitat and assist it’s survival. The Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) is the only remaining freshwater turtle species in BC.

Member meeting (Zoom) Justine Nelson & Lara Volgyesi, Rivershed Society of BC
2022-02-04 00:00
Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program
Details to follow.

March 2022 Monthly Meeting
2022-03-07 00:00
Monthly AMNC Meeting (Via Zoom)

Guest Speaker: Natashia Cox, Program Director for Fraser Valley Watershed Coalition, Importance of Wetlands
Natashia is a Registered Biology Technologist and qualified Environmental Professional. She holds a professional certification in Ecological Restoration from the University of Victoria and has a Bachelor of Arts in physical geography and ecology concentration from the University of the Fraser Valley. She is dedicated to resource management and watershed planning. Her goal is to conserve natural assets and create opportunities for communities to connect with nature. As an experienced project manager, she leads complex projects and programs including designing and implementing habitat restoration projects, sensitive habitat inventory mapping, radio-telemetry, and bio-engineering.

Learn more about the importance of local wetlands and their protection and restoration from Natashia, and enjoy a very engaging presenter.

April 2022 Monthly Meeting
2022-03-29 00:00
Monthly AMNC Meeting (Via Zoom)
Old Growth Forests

Guest Speaker: Ken Woo, Executive Director of Endangered Ecosystems Alliance and Chair of Ancient Forest Alliance.

October 2022 Monthly Meeting
2022-03-29 00:00
Monthly AMNC Meeting

There is a change in the program for October 12 as Rick Skerry is unable to give his presentation due to a family emergency. We look forward to his presentation at a later date.
Speaker: Dr. David Clements, Ph.D. Professor of Biology; Assistant Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences (Research) at Trinity Western University
Topic: “Australia’s mesmerizing mammals, implausible plants and absurd birds”
David Clements will share stories, pictures, and videos of his encounters with some of the world’s most unusual animals and plants from two recent sojourns to Australia, crisscrossing the continent. Many of these Australian creatures and plants symbolize the marvels of the world’s biodiversity, and yet are threatened by the calamity of climate change. We see this in the recent fires that ravaged many Eucalyptus woodlands in 2019 and 2020, and even more recently in record-breaking floods have impacted Australian ecosystems in 2022.
Masking not mandatory. Please stay home if ill or having flu/COVID symptoms.

Feb 8, 2023 Monthly Meeting - Member Slideshow night
2022-12-27 00:00
This is an opportunity for you to share your photos of a favourite park, a recent trip, your backyard, or any other nature related theme.
No photos from Willband please as we will have a different group presenting photos of this area during our March meeting. Please email your photos to Quirien at qmuldertenkate@gmail.com by December 28, 2022. She will sequence them in a power-point presentation. As your set of photos appears on the screen, we would like you to say a few words about them. Please indicate if any text needs to be added to any of the photos. I will add your name to each photo. We would like you to send enough photos so you can present for about five minutes.

Jan 11, 2023 Monthly Meeting - Raingardens to the Rescue
2022-12-27 00:00
Raingardens to the Rescue
A presentation about raingardens presented by Quirien Mulder ten Kate, on behalf of Deborah Jones (Raingarden Coordinator for Delta). This presentation will describe the what, how and why of raingardens in preparation for a possible field trip on March 22.

March 8, 2023 Monthly Meeting - Willband Walkers and Photographers
2022-12-27 00:00
Willband Walkers and Photographers
Willband walkers and photographers will present some of their photos of this area. More information to follow.

April meeting
2023-02-05 00:00
Regular monthly meeting, topic to be determined.

Annual Picnic/Social
2023-02-05 00:00
Annual Picnic and Social. Neilson Regional Park, Mission, BC, 6:30pm
Bring your own picnic food. Dessert will be provided.

May monthly meeting
2023-02-05 00:00
Sandhill Cranes – to be confirmed.

January meeting
2023-12-01 00:00
Bob Dhaliwal from Ocean Wise will be presenting “Marine Mammal Conservation: Non-invasive Research and Community-based Science”

February meeting
2023-12-01 00:00
Derek Matthews (VARC) “For the Love of Birds” (via Zoom)
Email for Zoom meeting credentials.

March meeting
2023-12-01 00:00
Three mini-presentations!
Unfortunately, our March speaker had to cancel for personal reasons.
Quirien will show us how to use the iNaturalist app. in preparation for the City of Abbotsford’s participation in the worldwide City Nature Challenge Bioblitz from April 26 to 29th. Install the iNaturalist app on your phone at home prior to the meeting. It is helpful to have some photos of fungi, animals and plants stored on your phone ahead of time, too. Make sure you have enough data as there is no wifi in the hatchery. We probably will not be able to go outside as, despite the time change, it will still be too dark outside.
In memory of the recent passing of Al Grass, a well known naturalist and activist in B.C., we will share a short presentation to recognize his contributions to our province.
Lastly, we will share a PowerPoint that highlights the arrival of an early spring, the Reiffel Island field trip and the work parties at Willband.

April meeting
2023-12-01 00:00
“Ravine Park Hatchery Presentation and Tour”
by Dale Taylor and Rob Moynahan
They will give a History of the Abbotsford Ravine Park Salmon Enhancement Society (ARPSES),, Hatchery Operations, Stream Walks, Future Directions, and Hatchery Tour.

September meeting - Mosses & Lichens
2024-07-29 00:00
Regular meeting.
Phil Henderson will be speaking.
Mosses and Lichens: Beauty and Beyond
“…mosses, like love, make even the ugliest objects beautiful, for they hid all defects within their own loveliness.” – Day, Helen Evelyn. (fide: Russell (1908) (in Edwards, S.R. 1995. Mosses in English Literature. Supplement Three. Bull. Brit. Bryol. Soc. 65:45-47.)
Imagine a Monet with color; a forest without trees. Imagine a world without mosses. To do this you must appreciate the world without mosses. This talk will attempt to sharpen your focus on these ubiquitous, beautiful and fascinating plants.

October meeting - Identify mushrooms
2024-09-11 00:00
“Learning to Identify Mushrooms” by Willoughby Arevalo, mycologist, artist, kitchen wizard, father, and educator
Fungus enthusiast Willoughby Arevalo will share his principles of mushroom identification based on features visible with the naked eye. This program will help you develop your field ID skills to be able to recognize most mushrooms to form group and learn skills to work towards quickly recognizing important genera and species. Learning the basics of fungal biology and ecology will help you know where and when to look. Learn how to collect specimens for ID and how to harvest honourably and safely. Connect with local, print and online resources for further study. Special attention will be given to some of our most common edible, medicinal and toxic species.

November Meeting - Bats
2024-09-11 00:00
“Bats, Sounds and Sonograms” by Keith Chrystall
Recordings acquired with the Langley Field Naturalist’s Bat Echometer will be presented, along with some details regarding bats and bat species found in the lower mainland. Audio samples of the calls made by several types of bats will be played to illustrate the differences between species and also the use of echolocation for hunting.

February meeting - Wolves in the Yukon
2024-09-11 00:00
Bernie Walter will be speaking on Wolves in the Yukon.
Details to follow.

March meeting - Conservation Collaboration
2024-09-11 00:00
Andrea Gielens – Conservation Collaboration: A Tale of three species
Explore the biology and reintroduction efforts at The Greater Vancouver Zoo to save three small but iconic BC species and the science and advancements that have led to challenges and successes over the past 20 years. Andrea manages the Zoo’s captive breeding and release programs for the Oregon spotted frog, the Coastal Western Painted turtle, and the Taylors Checkerspot butterfly.

Homegrown National Park - Dr. James Scott
2024-09-11 00:00
The Homegrown National Park project encourages people to turn their yards into wildlife-friendly habitats, creating interconnected corridors that are like a park. By planting native species and promoting richness and variety, individuals can support native wildlife and healthy air quality, reduce their water usage, and lessen flood risk. The homegrownnationalpark.org website offers resources and tools to help people get started on their conservation journey. By being part of the HNP movement, the Abbotsford-Mission Nature Club can be a leader in the community, modelling how their neighbours, too, can become better stewards of the earth we all love. The David Suzuki Foundation has partnered with the HNP movement

May meeting - Garter Snakes
2024-09-11 00:00
Carmen Sprang will share her three years of experiences and observations of the garter snakes and the hibernaculum area along a Delta dyke. The Spring emerge this year has been quite a contrast to last year’s. We are going to hear the reasons.

January meeting
2024-09-11 00:00
Zoom meeting with Christine Thuring Pollinators in the City: How urban environments can support native bees.
Pollinator gardens are gradually becoming common features in the urban landscape, which is great for biodiversity, for human well-being and for the biosphere. There is always room for improvement, of course, and this talk offers resources to help enhance pollinator garden design and maintenance. After introducing the diversity of BC’s native bees, this presentation explores a range of tools that can help and guide well-informed plant selections and provisions for healthy forage and safe nesting.

February Meeting - Stories of Arctic Birds, Bernie Walter
2025-12-03 00:00
Bernie was stationed for 10 years in Alert, Nunavut, the most northern military station on planet Earth. While in Alert, Bernie observed and photographed a variety of wildlife, including Arctic birds. Join Bernie as he tells stories of Arctic birds in their unforgettable landscape.

January Meeting - Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia
2025-12-03 00:00
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica
Spectacular scenery, flourishing wildlife and the experience of a lifetime. Join naturalist/photographer John Gordon as he shares his recent trip to the Southern Ocean.
Click here for more information.

Northern Flickers - Dr. Karen Wiebe
2025-12-12 00:00
BEHAVIOR & ECOLOGY OF NORTHERN FLICKERS, A KEYSTONE SPECIES IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Dr. Karen Wiebe, Professor Emeritus, University of Saskatchewan
Northern Flickers are common woodpeckers that many people recognize from their backyards and bird feeders. Dr. Karen Wiebe studied a population of Northern Flickers in central British Columbia from 1997-2014. She will discuss some of the fascinating behaviors of these woodpeckers, including patterns of parental care, as well as the important role they play in maintaining biodiversity on the landscape.
Biography:
Karen grew up in Langley and has enjoyed watching birds from early childhood. She did her BSc. at Simon Fraser University, and then Ph.D. on American Kestrels at the University of Saskatchewan where she was hired as biology faculty in 1996. She has published over 140 peer reviewed journal articles on birds, many on the Northern Flicker. After retiring in 2022, she moved back to Langley to be closer to family and to once again enjoy birding on the west coast.

March meeting - Michael Seear - Bald Eagles
2026-03-04 00:00
Michael Seear will be talking about Bald Eagles and tagging research.

May meeting - Joe Foy, Spotted Owls
2026-03-04 00:00
Joe Foy will be speaking about Spotted Owls and the importance of old growth rainforests.

Winter Songbirds - Dilan Praat
2026-09-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Ravine Park Hatchery, 2395 Crescent Way, Abbotsford, BC
Investigating Winter Songbird Movement and Survival along an Urbanization Gradient – Dilan Praat, M.Sc Candidate, SFU.
Description:
Urbanization involves the modification of natural habitats but also creates novel urban habitats which are full of both opportunities and perils for birds. As global urban landcover is expected to double over the next 30 years, it is critical to learn how birds interact with and survive in these novel habitats. While past research projects have investigated how breeding songbirds navigate city life during the summer, there is very little research into how wintering songbirds are using cities. My ongoing thesis investigates how the survival and movement of Golden-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla) vary across an urbanization gradient in the Vancouver area. During this talk, I will discuss techniques used to study urban songbirds including radio-tagging and colour-banding, findings from my research so far, and share some steps both people and communities can take to make cities safer for our feathered friends.
Biography:
Dilan Praat completed his BSc, with honours at the University of the Fraser Valley. He has also worked as an environmental technician at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve and as a laboratory technician at the University of the Fraser Valley’s Biology Department. He is currently completing his M.Sc. in Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University where he is supervised by Dr. David Green and Dr. Elizabeth Gow.
