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Category: Nicola Naturalists

Bobcats

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November 2, 2016

Dr Kerridge gives a talk on bats at local college File photo KDG

Dr Kerridge gives a talk on bats at Nicola Naturlists.
File photo KDG

The Nicola Naturalists are having a night on Bobcats and their possible change of range. The meeting is at the local community college ,top of the hill, Belshaw avenue on November 17th, 7:30 PM, in the lecture theater.

T.J. Gooliaff is a graduate student at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna. He is studying Bobcat and Lynx distributions in the BC Interior. Climate change is causing numerous species across the planet to shift their range to higher latitudes and elevations. Using historic harvest records and sightings, T.J. is analyzing whether Bobcats and Lynx are among those species moving northwards. He is also using photographs submitted by the public to map the current provincial distribution of both species. This will be a fascinating presentation on these elusive cats.

The Ware family at the end of Garcia street had trouble with a Bobcat and chickens on their property at the end of Garcia street on the Nicola river last year. The property historically a small farm has an application to the change the zoning from single family residential to agricultural. The Bob cat was destroyed and the noise from the acreages chickens when disturbed is a concern.

Bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects, chickens, geese and other birds and small rodents to deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although with some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.

Source Wikipedia

The group is getting ready for its participation in their Christmas bird count on December 18th. The count is a global effort and monitors birds health and numbers for various conservation or interdiction reasons.

You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate in our Christmas Bird Count. It is a great way to get to learn the local winter birds – each birding group has at least one experienced birder. Followed by a festive potluck for participants. If you are interested in participating and not already on the contact list send us an e-mail nicolanaturalists@gmail.com

Nicola Naturalist Society – Fall Events 2016

On this Day: November 2nd 1960
Penguin books is acquitted in an obscenity action.

Editors note: Freedom of expression is a right, civility ( not at the expense of truth) a choice…

Good authors too who once knew better words, now only use four-letter words. Writing prose, anything goes.

— Cole Porter, “Anything Goes” (1934)

Tags: Nicola Naturalists

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Ants-Dr. Bob Higgins, October 20th…

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September 21, 2016

The Nicola Naturalists have had heir AGM and are onto the fall program with monthly speakers and activities. A big one is the Christmas bird count likely to be in the weekend of the 17 th of December any one keen on taking on a supporting or another role in the count would do well to start thinking for this annual event.
The October meeting will be on ants with speaker Dr. Bob Higgins of Thompson Rivers University. The talk is titled Ants of British Columbia ecological giants; the meeting will begin at 7 pm on the third Thursday as usual.

Ants are one of the most successful groups of animals on the planet. About 15,000 species have been described and they contribute more biomass to most ecosystems than any other animal group. Dr. Rob Higgins is an entomologist at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops – a keen naturalist and an enthusiastic speaker. He will describe this diversity of ants and the ecological roles that ants play in British Columbia. He will also talk about new arrivals – the fire ants – that are overshadowing our native species.

The Christmas bird count for members goes beyond the local count to compilation and a reading of the health of the ecosystem in respect to how the critters are doing.

You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate in our Christmas Bird Count. It is a great way to get to learn the local winter birds – each birding group has at least one experienced birder. Followed by a festive potluck for participants. If you are interested in participating and not already on the contact list send us an e-mail

Nicola Naturalist Society – Fall Events 2016

On this day: September 21st 1897

The yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus editorial make s it around New York.

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Hiking trails

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March 23, 2016

The Nicola Naturalists are having two more regular meetings in the winter, spring season. On April 21 the presentation will be on the use and restoration of hiking trails in the southern part of the province. Characterized as Heritage Trails, Kelley Cook will present on what he has been doing to preserve these venues. Some of the trails have easy access from Merritt.

Kelley Cook is an active member of a group publicizing, maintaining and restoring some of the historic Hudson’s Bay Company trading routes across the mountains of SE British Columbia. Many of these trails are within easy access from Merritt. Kelley’s presentation will cover both the human history and the nature to be seen on these scenic trails. A talk to get us fired up for the spring hiking and naturalizing season! source: http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/2015/12/17/winterspring-programs-january-to-may-2016/

The May meeting will feature the Merritt Green Energy project as a season capper.

All meetings are at 7:PM at the NVIT lecture theater, no food or drinks in the theater, free parking. Membership or donation in the Naturalist society is requested.

On this day: March 23 1094

A Russian airliner, Aeroflot flight 593 crashes in Siberia after a teen accidentally disengages the planes auto pilot.

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Antarctic visit

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March 1, 2016

Alan Burger has returned to Merritt from a trip to Antarctica. The Nicola Naturalist President will present at the local community college on Thursday March 10th at 7:PM.

NNS President Alan Burger regularly goes to the Antarctic as a naturalist/lecturer on small adventure-tourism vessels. In 2015 he completed a 31-day voyage from New Zealand to the Ross Sea – the deep south – and along the West Antarctic coast. He visited many areas where people seldom go. In January-February 2016 he was in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia. Global climate change is affecting the Antarctic and its wildlife but sometimes in unexpected ways. Enjoy many photos of wildlife and spectacular scenery.

Alan has recently taken on the executive of the Provincial Naturalists organization.
The lecture theater allows no food or drink, There is free parking in the College Parking lot, at 4155 Belshaw avenue at the top of the hill.
Membership or donation requested.

On this Day, March 1st 2002

An Earth Observation Satellite for environmental purposes reaches orbit. Envisat is a the largest environmental satellite put in orbit and is operated by the European Space Agency.

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Butterflies

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February 16, 2016

Bob Scafe is presenting at the monthly meeting of the Nicola Naturalists on Thursday February 18th.

Bob is a director of the Nicola Naturalist Society and one of our most prolific nature photographers. Lately, he and his wife Bev have become interested in butterflies and moths – getting to know and identify the local species. Bob will give us an introduction to the rich butterfly fauna of the BC interior. Later this spring he has promised to lead a few butterfly field trips so this presentation is a valuable primer. We’ll have lots of great photos too!

Bob recently presented on his trip to South East Asia , mostly highlighting people and lifestyle. He has titled this presentation The wonderful world of butterflies. The presentation starts at 7PM in the NVIT lecture theater in Merritt, no food or drink allowed in, free parking, and membership or donation requested.

March will see club president Alan Burger back from a trip to Antarctica. the meeting will be on the 17th titled: Antarctic Wild Life- Life in a changing environment .

Winter/Spring Programs – January to May 2016

Meetings continue through May.

On this day: February 16th 2005

The Kyoto protocol comes in to effect after Russian ratification.

Tags: Butterflies

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Be safe on either side of the glass

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January 12, 2016

The Nicola Naturalists are having their January presentation meeting on the 21st of the month. Frank Ritcey of Wild Safe BC will talk about safety about wildlife and in particular bears.

Frank Ritcey is the Provincial Coordinator for WildSafeBC, based in Kamloops. Run by the BC Conservation Foundation this program focuses on how we can minimize our impact on the wildlife we observe and keep ourselves safe at the same time. Frank was raised in the wilds of Wells Gray Park by his pioneering mother, Clara Ritcey, and Park Biologist father Ralph Ritcey. Frank’s love of nature has been with him his whole life and he still spends much time filming and studying nature. Frank often contributes to CBC’s popular North by Northwest show.

The meeting starts at 7PM and is open to the public (membership or donation requested) , no food or drinks allowed in the NVIT lecture theater, however there is free parking. NVIT is a local community college founded in part by Grand Chief Gordon Antoine ( deceased) , Gordon was a member of the Coldwater Indian Band and promoted education for his people, he is survived by his wife Janice a principal of the Coldwater Indian Band K -12 school.

The Nicola Naturalists use the lecture theater at NVIT as a non profit and provide a bursary to natural resource students as a matter of consideration for its use.

On this day: January 12th 1959

The Caves of Nerja are rediscovered.

Tags: Merritt British Columbia

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Nicola Naturalists -Island Conservation

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November 12, 2015

Thursday the 19th will see Chris Gill present Guns, Traps, and Poisons to the regular monthly meeting held at the lecture theater at the local community college on Belshaw avenue in Merritt.

Islands support fragile ecosystems and are the nesting sites for huge numbers of seabirds. Invasive alien species, such as rats, are one of the greatest threats to these sensitive locations. Chris Gill is a wildlife biologist from Salmon Arm and the founder of Coastal Conservation. He has been working for 15 years on island restoration in Haida Gwaii, BC where invasive rats, raccoon s and deer are a major threat. In 2014 Chris received the prestigious Parks Canada CEO Award of Excellence for the Night Birds Returning program – recognizing his excellent work in restoring breeding populations of birds on these islands. An important conservation success story.

Presentations start at &:PM membership or donation requested, no food or drinks in the theater.