Category Archives: Uncategorized

Spring BC Nature Camp in the Nicola Valley – 29 May to 1 June, 2014

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Alan Burger

This camp is fully booked with a waiting list The Nicola Naturalists are hosting a BC Nature Spring Camp from Thursday 29 May to Sunday 1 June, 2014. Come and experience grasslands, wetlands and ranching in the beautiful Nicola Valley … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

From frogs to tadpoles – it’s all happening now. Frogging 2013.

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalists are active in our third year of mapping and monitoring amphibians in the Nicola Valley area around Merritt. Our season started with a visit by our professional herpetologist partners from Biolinx Environmental Research of Victoria. They led … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Projects, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Nicola Naturalists grasslands birding adds data to IBA – 2 June 2013

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalist Society’s outing to the grasslands near Merritt on 2nd June was primarily a fun birding trip, but we also added data to help monitor the Douglas Lakes Plateau Important Bird Area (IBA). We kept a full tally … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Past meetings, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Black-bellied Plover an unexpected visitor to the Douglas Lake Plateau – 2 June 2013

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Alan Burger

On 2 June 2013 a Nicola Naturalist Society outing discovered a Black-bellied Plover in breeding plumage on one of the shallow saline ponds on the Douglas Lake Plateau, next to Minnie Lake Road, west of Merritt. This is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sandhill Cranes migrating through Douglas Lake Plateau grasslands – April 2013

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Alan Burger

On Sunday 21 April members of the Nicola Naturalist Society visited the Douglas Lake area in search of migrating Sandhill Cranes. We were not disappointed and encountered at least 2,300 cranes on the ground, taking off or circling in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Ecology of the Great Basin Spadefoot at its Northern Limit” by Jocelyn Garner. Thursday 18th April 2013, 7PM at NVIT Theatre

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Alan Burger

The Great Basin Spadefoot is a charismatic toad-like frog that is highly specialized for living in the dry grasslands of the western interior. They spend much of the year buried deep under the sandy soil (and have specialized little “spades” … Continue reading →

Posted in Past meetings, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rare and unusual birds in Merritt area – December 2012 (with Feb 2013 update)

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Alan Burger

Some unusual birds showed up in the Nicola Valley area in late November and December 2012. 2013 Update – our rare hummer has disappeared     The Anna’s Hummingbird described below survived for many weeks at a heated feeder in Merritt and … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Photos, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Merritt Christmas Bird Count – Sunday 16th December 2012

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalists will be running the Merritt Christmas Bird Count on Sunday 16 December. Keep reading to see how you can participate. Christmas Bird Counts, run by the Audubon Society and Bird Studies Canada, involve counting all birds within … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Members’ photos and photo contest – September 2012

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalists wrapped up their AGM on 20 September with a members’ photo show and contest. Seven members submitted 29 photos which were judged by the members present at the meeting. The winner is this unusual photo of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Photos, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Another successful season of amphibian monitoring – summer 2012

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Alan Burger

The Nicola Naturalist Society had a busy spring and summer, especially on the amphibian monitoring front. With a second year of funding from the Public Conservation Assistance Fund (PCAF) and in collaboration with professional herpetologists from Biolinx Environmental Research of … Continue reading →

Posted in Features, Projects, Uncategorized | Leave a comment