Upcoming Events:
COMING UP: Thursday, December 5, 2024. 6:30 pm at Smithers Old Church (everyone welcome)
Agenda:
6:30 pm – holiday social with light refreshments
7:15 pm – informal AGM (we are not a registered society)
7:30 pm – Short presentations
- Jamie Bastedo: The magic of snowshoeing – a reading from his book “Falling for Snow: a Naturalist’s Journey into the World of Winter”
- Mel and Evi Coulson: recent birding adventures in Costa Rica
- Daphne Hart: Sensibility and Nature Photography
Suggestions for full-length (1 hour) presentations for the New Year (Jan – April 2025) are welcomed. Please contact Anne at anneehetherington (at symbol) gmail.com
——————————————————————————————————————-Past Events:
Thursday, November 14, 7:30 pm at Coast Mountain College atrium, Smithers Campus (3966 2nd Avenue).
Karine Pigeon entertained us with her description of efforts to find out which of the 3 Asian black bears are present in a region of northern India. There was a quiz, candy was thrown, and we learned how to tell them apart.
Presented by Karine Pigeon
Three potentially competing bear species inhabit tropical Asia. The distribution of each of these species, especially where they converge in and around northeast India, is largely uncertain because these bears are often confused by local people, government authorities, and even in camera trap photos. Confusion in identifying these bears makes reporting of their overlap suspect and challenging to confirm. Because we know relatively little about these bears, we don’t know whether rapidly deteriorating and shrinking habitats in the region will lead to greater competition, reduced co-existence, or even increase the risk of extirpation for one or all three of these species. Dr. Karine Pigeon is the Red List Authority for the IUCN Species Survival Commission Bear Specialist Group (https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-ssc-bear-specialist-group) and this evening, she will introduce you to these three bears (and more) and share stories of searching for them in Asia.
And… in case you were wondering:
Short, glossy fur, Mickey Mouse ears
Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus): prominent Mickey Mouse ears, short glossy fur, short claws, long white nose, black around the eyes
Sloth bear (Melursis ursinus): shaggy, messy fur, rounded back, long claws
Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus): small & climbs trees like a monkey, small ears, pale patches around the eyes.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
How to Bird the Feck in Australia and New Zealand by Ken and Theresa White
Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) – not to be confused with the more famous and widespread Laughing Kookaburra (Ken/Theresa White photo).
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Caribou History and Co-Management in Northern BC/Yukon Southern Lakes
by Ryan Lapointe
Thursday Feb 8, 2024
A Bicycle Journey from home to Tuktoyaktuk
by Deb Wellwood and Lothar Schaefer
January 18, 2024
This timely BVRC, BV Naturalists joint event was very well attended with standing room only in the Old Church, 21 participants online and a particularly lively Q &A session after the talk. The presentation will be available (~2 weeks after the event) on the BVRC YouTube Channel.
December 7, 20203 Members’ Night at the Old Church Smithers
6:30 PM Social Event and Refreshments
7;00 PM informal AGM (we are not a registered society)
7:30 PM Member Presentations
1) Tina Portman (outdoor cats, wildlife and gardens)
2) Jessy Chaplin (Costa Rica)
3) Brian Blanchard (Local Birds)
4) Cindy Verbeek (TBA)
Thursday, March 9 2023 – 7:30 pm Smithers Old Church
Eugen Wittwer
A Journey to Regenerative Agriculture
Eugen and Manfred Wittwer have been practicing
regenerative agriculture on W Diamond Ranch near Telkwa for several years.
A sizeable crowd turned out in person and online to hear Eugen Wittwer share his passion for finding new ways to farm better. Regenerative agriculture is a food production system that nurtures and restores soil health, protects the climate, water resources and biodiversity while enhancing farm productivity and profitability.
Renata Neftin
Sea Life: Photos & stories from along BC’s North Coast
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Renata regaled us with her marvelous photos and personal stories of humpback whales co-operating to make bubble nets, curious sealions, otters & anemones, sea urchins and other tidal creatures, observed along BC’s Coast from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert.
Thursday, December 8, 2022 at the Old Church
Festive Cheer
followed by
Michael Kawerninski
“My Photos of Birds and Beasts of our Northern Area”
Our first post-COVID hybrid (live + Zoom) event was a big success with stunning photography and colourful narration by an accomplished local naturalist and photographer. Thanks Michael.
May 12: I-Naturalist Tutorial Revisited
Cindy Verbeek of aRocha Canada’s Houston BC Nature Centre, and aBV Naturalists Director hosted a repeat presentation of her popular I-Naturalist tutorial to northwest BC Naturalists groups including Kitimat, Terrace and Smithers.
Thursday, March 17, 2022 7 pm
An introduction to the important world of plant pollinators
by Aija White
T
Aija White is an ecologist currently completing a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at UNBC. Her research investigates how environmental factors like resources, predators, and climate influence the behaviour, physiology, and reproductive success of wild animals. Her current work with the BC Climate and Agriculture Initiative aims to inventory pollinator species in areas used for agricultural production in the Bulkley-Nechako and Fraser-Fort George Regional Districts, and to identify environmental factors promoting pollinator biodiversity in these areas.
Check out our blog post for more information on pollinators and their habitats
Thursday, February 17, 2022:”So Much to See, So Little Time”
Attu Island, Aleutian Chain. B. Fuhr photo
Kathleen Yates and Brian Fuhr treated us to their naturalist adventures aboard their sailboat MV Pelorus Jack on their return home from an 8-year sailing odyssey.
Featuring photos, video and stories from Hokkaido, Japan to southeast Alaska via the Aleutian Chain.
Theresa and Ken were able to see, and document, over 180 species of birds in one year in the Bulkley Nechako Regional District.Ken White is a recently retired entomologist who lives in Smithers, and has been a birdwatcher for almost 50 years.
Early 2022:
- Mountain Bluebirds with John Franken and Janine Pittman
- Sailing Adventures in the Aleutian Islands with Kathleen Yates and Brian Fuhr
Dates and details TBA.
- Thursday, April 29 7 pm: Virtual AGM and member’s night.
A fun and varied evening with an INaturalist tutorial by Cindy Verbeek, plenty of great photography, time for chatting and a great DOOR PRIZE.
- Thursday, February 18, 7:30 pm: Part II: South America. Lothar Schaefer and Deb Wellwood shared more tales from their amazing cycling odyssey
- Thursday, January 21, 7:30 pm (by Zoom): Lothar Schaefer and Deb Wellwood shared slides, video and stories tales from their 3-yr odyssey on recumbent bicycles. Part I: North America.
Fall – Winter 2019-2020
February 26, 2020: The Telkwa Caribou Herd: Past, Present and Future
presented by Len Vanderstar
- Thursday, December 5, 2019 7:00 pm Christmas Cheer
Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave
Michael Kawerninski: Winter Birds of the Bulkley Valley
- Wednesday, November 13, 2019: 7:30 pm Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave
Len Vanderstar and Anne Hetherington:
A Raft Trip down the Alsek River
- Thursday, October 17, 2019, 7:30 pm Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave Renata Neftin: Coastal Birds: Travels Along BC’s Coastline
Peregrine Falcon at Triple Rock (R Neftin photo)
Renata Neftin, a Bulkley Valley Naturalist and amateur photographer, has spent many years living,working and travelling along BC’s coast. Her photography captures some of the more interesting birds in action.
Winter – Spring 2019
- Thursday, April 11, 2019, 7:30 pm
Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave
Jim Easterday: Mountain Goats Part 2
- Jim spoke about mountain goats on our local mountains. Both the good news and the bad. He discussed mountain goats that live in valley canyons and other goats that travel through the forest to eat rock dust. Jim has helped form the British Columbia Mountain Goat Society, based in Smithers. The society has been very busy advocating for our local goat herds.
- Thursday, March 28, 2019, 7:30 pm
Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave
Kerrith McKay: Bountiful Birds and Biozones in Equador
- Thursday, March 7, 2019, 7:30 pm
Coast Mountain College, Smithers Campus atrium, 3966 2nd Ave
Ken White and Will Mackenze. Botany of BC Mountains
2018
- Wed., December 5, 2018
Christmas Cheer (7 pm) + Len Vanderstar, Ivvavik National Park by raft & foot along the Firth River (7:30 pm) - Thurs., November 22, 2018
David Hatler and Alison Beal, What about the wildlife? Monitoring wildlife at a working mine in northern BC. - Thurs, November 8, 2018
Jane Hoek, Early days of television with David Attenborough – bringing films of wildlife into our homes. - Thurs, March 22, 2018
Will Mackenzie, Canada to Greenland by kayak - Thurs., February 8, 2018
Dr. Chris Shepherd, The Illegal Global Wildlife Trade - Thurs., January 11, 2018
Meg Humphreys, My Australia