The trails are open!  Thanks to the heavy rain on August 31 it is now safe to allow visitors into the park.  Please note that the risk of fire is still considered high so smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Richmond Nature Park.

Kristine Bauder
Nature Park Coordinator 

Our Richmond Nature Park Society website and blog is finally back in full swing after a brief hiatus!  Thanks everyone for your support and patience. :)

Jenny Chen
Richmond Nature Park Board

Things have been getting busier in the Nature Park since March; the arrival of the Hummingbirds welcoming in spring, the Nature in Your Neighbourhood road shows featuring our road-ready urban taxidermy collection, and other special events. For instance the premier of the movie Furry Vengeance at SilverCity Riverport where we were able to show off our urban animal collection and actively engage the audiences. A Big thanks to everyone who has attended and shown their support so far.

James Greenhalgh
Richmond Nature Park Board

Winter may be a quiet season at Richmond Nature Park but that is about to change with the launch our spring programming.    Check out these upcoming programs and events:

Exotic Reptile Show Saturday and Sunday, March 20/21.  11am – 4 pm.
 This show of exotic reptiles is presented by the West Coast Society for the Protection and Conservation of Reptiles. You’ll see a variety of snakes, reptiles and geckoes while talking to their owners and learning about the animals and the challenges they face around the world.  Admission is by donation. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Spring Break Programs for Children Daily March 22-26.

There is a full week of programs for children during spring break. 
Check these out:
 Insect Investigations on March 22, 9:30 - noon, 6-8 years, $15
 Snakes and Frogs on March 23, 9:30 – noon, 6-8 yrs, $15
 Mammal Mysteries on March 24, 9:30 – noon, 6-8 yrs, $15
 Forensic Nature Science on March 25, 9:30 – noon, 9-12 yrs, $15

From 1:30 – 3:30 each afternoon from March 22 to 26 there will a different version of Sticky Smelly Science.  The cost is $15/session.  March 23 and 24 is for age 6-9 years. March 22, 24 and 26 is for 9-12 year olds.

Space is limited so pre-registration is required for these programs. Call 604.276-4300 to register by phone or go on line at www.richmond.ca/register.

We’ll be doing some spring-cleaning in the Nature House at the end of March so the building will be closed from March 29 – April 1. The park, the picnic shelter and the outside washrooms will remain open.  The Nature House will reopen on Friday April 2.  Would you mind wiping your feet before coming inside? The floors will be freshly refinished and will look lovely.

April 13 is the first day of school programs in the park. Our educational programs have been on hiatus since December so we’re glad to welcome them back to the park.

Another sign of spring is the Richmond Nature Park Society’s Annual General Meeting. The meeting will take place in the Nature House on the evening of Wednesday April 21. Please plan to attend if you’re interested in the Nature Park or would like to get involved with the RNPS.

We’re doing our annual hummingbird watch.  Rufous Hummingbirds love the environment of the Richmond Nature Park and return by mid-March every year.  I got a bit excited when I saw a hummingbird on Feb 10, and then again on Feb. 11. I thought we might be seeing an extraordinary early return but, as we haven’t seen any hummingbirds since then, my sighting might have been one of the handful of hummers that overwinters in the lower mainland. In case, we’ve got the feeder up behind the Nature House and are ready to welcome these tiny dynamos back for the nesting season.  On Saturday, April 17, 11am- 3pm, we’ll be doing our official Hummingbird Homecoming – you’re invited to come along and meet the biggest little bird in town.

Posted by Kristine Bauder
Nature Park Coordinator

2009 was an interesting year in the weather department.  Summer was a bit harsh and characterized by a prolonged heat wave that smashed many temperature records. Fall on the other hand was unusually gentle, lacking the severe windstorms we’ve seen in past years.  The days got shorter and we prepared for winter in the usual way.  Some animals migrated to warmer climates while others went into hibernation or put on fat and changed into their winter wear. Deciduous trees and shrubs shed their leaves and became dormant while herbaceous plants died back. Winter arrived on queue with a few frosty mornings and a brief beautiful snowfall at the beginning of December.  But since then? Nothing!  What happened to winter?

The answer is El Nino.  Winter 2010 has been influenced by this periodic phenomenon that sees changes in Pacific currents that result in warm water and temperatures from the southern hemisphere pushing northward up the Pacific coast of North America.  El Nino delivers very mild winter conditions to coastal BC.

In other parts of the country winter is only half over. Yesterday, February 2, was Groundhog Day. Groundhogs all over the country reportedly saw their shadows, thus forecasting another 6 weeks of winter. As we don’t have groundhogs in south coastal BC their prognostications don’t affect us and we can bypass winter and proceed directly into spring.

Hardy early plants are already taking advantage of longer days and increased sunlight. Hazelnut catkins appeared several weeks ago and are heavy with pollen. Take a close look at a hazelnut twig (a hand lens will help) and you’ll see tiny, fuchsia coloured flowers wide open and ready to accept the pollen.  Indian Plum buds have opened and are about to drop their blossoms and buds are appearing on everything else from the ground up. 

Listen to the birds and its obvious they think it’s spring. Chickadees are vocally declaring their territories by pronouncing “cheese burger” to all the other birds. House finches are perched in the tree tops to sing their spring songs while winter wrens are singing their exquisite spring greetings from secluded spots on the forest floor.  

Other animals know its spring, too. The Eastern grey squirrels that have moved into the park are quite excited about spring. At least, the males are excited. The females appear less than impressed with the males’ overtures. Most of our reptiles will remain in hibernation for a few more months but we could expect to hear frogs soon as the males emerge from hibernation and start calling for females. Eggs will appear shortly after the frog chorus begins.

If the longer days encourage you to take a walk,  consider exploring the Nature Park to look for signs of spring.  There is a “Sightings” log in the Nature House where you can note your finds and share them with other visitors.

Posted by Kristine Bauder
Nature Park Coordinator

Sharp-eyed visitors may have noticed that some of the small birds in the Nature Park are sporting shiny new bracelets.  The bracelets are thanks to a professional biologist who is banding the birds for research purposes. Individuals within a species look alike, so a band, imprinted with a unique number code, is the only way to distinguish one bird from another.

The birds are caught in fine mist nets that are temporarily erected near the bird feeding station. The nets are monitored at all times and when a bird flies into the net it is immediately removed.  In a matter of minutes the bird is weighed and measured, its age is assessed by patterns on the surface of the feathers, its health is gauged by the amount of fat on its breastbone, and if possible, it is sexed.  Before it is released a tiny metal band is affixed to its ankle.  The band is light and slightly lose so it doesn’t harm the bird.  Handling a wild bird will frighten it but they soon forget the experience -when released they often fly straight back to the feeder. 

Researchers keep a record of each bird they band. This record will follow the bird through its entire life. Each time the bird is caught, new information will be added to its file.  If another researcher catches the bird they will add their information to the same file.  Over the life of the bird a researcher may learn about its habitat preferences, where it moves throughout the seasons, where it moved throughout it’s life, if it migrated and how long it lived.
 

Environment Canada's Bird Banding Office and the United States Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory have jointly administered the North American Bird Banding Program since 1923.  More than 66 million birds have been banded in North America with close to 4 million encounters for 980 species and subspecies since 1908. Banding and recovery data collected in Canada contribute to ornithological research and the conservation and management of North American migratory birds throughout the Western Hemisphere.

The North American Bird Banding Program relies on the public to report found bird bands. In Canada less than 1% of bands applied to song birds are recovered.

Canadians who find a banded bird or a bird band are asked to note as much information as they can about the bird and its band and report their observations by calling the Bird Banding Office toll-free (1-800-327-BAND), by sending an e-mail message or by writing a letter to:
 
Bird Banding Office
National Wildlife Research Centre
Canadian Wildlife Service
Ottawa, Canada  K1A 0H3

For more information about bird banding or assisting as a volunteer with a banding project, contact one of the many bird observatories across Canada. Volunteering is the best way to learn the challenging skills necessary to become a bird bander. For a list of bird observatories across Canada view the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network website at http://www.bsc-eoc.org/national/cmmn.html.

December 21 was the shortest day of the year, which makes today the first day of winter.  Winter has just begun but life in the park is poised and waiting for spring to arrive.  Winter is a great time to explore the park and look for the ways that plants and animals are adapted to this season.  You may also find early signs of spring.
 
Many of the plants in the park are dormant in winter. There isn’t enough sunlight each day to sustain leaves so they drop them in the fall. The leaves will decay and be recycled as nutrients in the soil.  While there is little activity in these deciduous trees they’re just waiting for spring to arrive.  Buds, for the New Year, have already formed on the ends of the branches and just need enough sun to open and grow.

Evergreen trees, like the pines and hemlocks in the park have specialized leaves called needles.  The thick resinous needles don’t freeze and can keep working to produce energy for the trees even during the short days of winter.   Look at the rings of a tree that has been cut down and you will see the fat rings of summer growth and the narrow rings of the restricted winter growth.  A really fat summer rings represents a year with good growing conditions.
 
Animals have a variety of winter adaptations. Some avoid winter entirely by migrating or hibernating.  Hummingbirds didn’t wait for winter to arrive – they left for sunnier climes in August.  Many spiders and insects can hibernate and will awaken in the spring, while others lay eggs in the fall and then die.  The eggs or larvae survive the cold and emerge when the weather warms up.

Many animals stay active in winter and survive thanks to physical and behavioural adaptations.  A thick layer of fur or feathers enables squirrels and chickadees to remain active.   Both species worked diligently through the fall to find and store food to see them through the lean season. During extremely cold weather they may huddle in groups for warmth and wait until the worst is over before heading out to look for something to eat.

A good place to look for animals in the Nature Park is at the bird feeding station behind the Nature House. You’ll be able to see many small birds like chickadees, towhees, sparrows and finches. Woodpeckers also frequent the feeding station and most commonly seen in cold weather when insects are dormant and difficult to locate. Squirrels are very fond of bird feeders too and you should see both our little native Douglas Squirrel and the larger introduced Eastern Gray Squirrel.  Be prepared for surprises – sometimes hawks come by in search of a tasty little bird for their dinner.  If you visit at dusk, you may also see owls, raccoons and skunks.

The Richmond Nature Park is open daily during the holidays so we hope you will come for a visit. Please note that the Nature House will be closed December 25, 26 and January 1 but is open 9-5 on all other days.

From the staff of the Richmond Nature Park and the members of the Richmond Nature Park Society: Best Wishes for Happy Holidays.

Posted by Kristine Bauder
Nature Park Coordinator

Winter officially begins on December 21 – the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The winter solstice is the day that the north pole tilts as far away from the sun as it will get on earth’s annual journey round our star. On December 22 the pole starts to tilt towards the sun and we’ll gain 2 to 3 minutes of additional light each day until we reach the summer solstice in June.

Technically it’s still autumn, but it feels like winter arrived with the first dust of snow this week. A skiff of new snow is a blank page in the Nature Park journal where animals record their activities. Footprints, wingprints or the remains of a meal show who passed by and what they were up to.

(Squirrel tracks)

Wingprints from an owl that overlap the tracks of a mouse record a close call for the mouse. Is that a drop of blood? Maybe the mouse didn’t get away after all.

A scattered tuft of feathers record the final moments of a small bird that was surprised by a hungry hawk. Or maybe it was a near miss and the bird escaped without its tail.

Coyotes and raccoons are comfortable around people and their winding trail of footprints often come to the door of the Nature House–just to check for an edible tidbit that might have fallen from someone’s pocket.

(Raccoon tracks)

The smallest animals record their presence on a new snowfall, too. Tiny insects and spiders that overwinter in the forest canopy may be blown down by the wind or winkled out of their hiding place by the prying beak of a sharp-eyed bird.

Plants leave a record in the snow, too. Seeds that fall from trees and shrubs can be identified by their unique shapes and structures, like wings that aid their dispersal. Only a few seeds will ever germinate and grow into a new plant–the vast majority provide a nutritious meal for the myriad of small animals that remain awake in winter. Watch for signs of a Douglas squirrels’ dinner–they specialize in getting the seeds out of pine cones and will leave little piles of scales and cone “cobs” wherever they have dined.

The Nature Park is open every day and in all weather. We invite you to dress warmly and explore the park in winter.

Posted by Kristine Bauder
Nature Park Coordinator

...and the sky is grey. In fact, the leaves are yellow and russet and coral. Most of the deciduous trees have lost their leaves now and the trails are vibrant carpets of gold.

The birds are picking the last of the seeds from the shrubs andthe squirrels are filling themselves with whatever they can find. They do not hibernate here, but become more active during the winter, burning calories to warm up.

Posted by Janis

The Wild Things event on Saturday was a lot of fun and we had a beautiful afternoon and evening for it. There were lots of animals and creepy creatures and the reappearance of the bridge troll, played by Rob Taddei. Popcorn was sold by the Nature Park Society, as were glow sticks and pumpkin slime. There was a pumpkin carving competition and a witches' cave. The best Halloween event in the Lower Mainland in our opinion - but then we're biased!

Posted by Janis

Last Thursday, we saw our first dark-eyed Juncos. Yes, they have come down from the mountains to spend the winter here. One more sign for us that Fall is here, just as the Hummingbirds signal Spring for us, so the Juncos signal Fall.

(Dark-eyed Junco)

Posted by Janis

You can tell the sex of spiders by whether they 'wear boxing gloves' or not. If you look at their heads, it seems as though they have two feelers attached. These are the pedipalps and they use them to hold prey. The male spiders use theirs to transfer sperm to the female. They put sperm onto the web, then dab their pedipalps into it. Female pedipalps are long and slender, whereas male ones are quite rounded at the ends - the 'boxing gloves'. This difference is quite distinct and easy to see even on very small spiders - if you can see the spider, you can probably see its pedipalps.

And the reason I mention this? There really are a lot of these big, orb-weaver spiders around at the moment, and I often look to see whether they are male or female. Most of the ones I am seeing are female. One possible explanation for this is that food will be less plentiful in the winter and they still need to use their body's resources to lay eggs and spin a substantial cocoon to protect them. Some species of orb-weavers die as winter approaches, but the eggs must survive and hatch in the spring.

Posted by Janis

Fall is in the air, and although a walk along the trails didn't immediately reveal any amanita mushrooms, I decided to go searching for them. Sure enough, in the part of the bog which has mostly succeeded to forest, there they were, poking through the forest floor under the hemlock trees.

For me, the amanitas are as much an early sign of autumn as the  salmonberry flowers are of the spring.

There are other mushrooms too, ones more difficult to identify than the red and white spotted amanita muscaria.

Some of the blueberry bushes are now starting to blush red, and many are festooned with spiders' webs, with big brown orb-weavers right in the middle. 

But most of all, the park just smells of fall.

Posted by Janis

This year saw our resident pair of Cooper’s Hawks move their nest site from the Time Trail to the Nature Park parking lot.  The sound and rumbles of semi-trucks passing their nest 24 hours a day did not appear to faze them.  In mid July, three healthy young hawks left the nest and took time to explore their new world.  They were seen perching in the trees next to the Nature House acting like security guards checking up on park visitors. The three juveniles seem to have spread their wings and left the park, while the adult female can still be seen regularly perching near the bird feeding station behind the Nature House!

One of our regular photographers Henry Wong took some great shots of the young hawks.





For more information on the Cooper’s Hawk please visit this Wild Birds Unlimited web link: http://whatbird.wbu.com/obj/36/overview/Coopers_Hawk.aspx

Posted by Rich Kenny
Nature Park Assistant