Join Dave Ingram for an audio podcast exploring the Courtenay Exhibition Grounds on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This episode of Discovering Nature is a short loop walk along the Tsolum River to experience the spectacular Pink Fawn Lily bloom.

Highlights of the walk include carpets of Pink Fawn Lily (Erythronium revolutum), Western Trilium (Trillium ovatum), and Stream Violet (Viola glabella).

Since this podcast was recorded almost two weeks ago the plants that are blooming have changed. While there are still a few fawn lilies in bloom for the most part they are done. The Western Trillium is still fairly showy but many flowers are starting to change from fresh white to old pink/purple. Western Meadowrue (Thalictrum occidentale) is starting to bloom as is False Lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum dilatatum) and Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa).

My post Pink Fawn Lilies Down by the Tsolum River has more information about the lilies and photographs. I’ll try to update this post with additional images this evening.

Join Dave Ingram for an audio podcast exploring Miracle Beach Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This episode of Discovering Nature is a relaxing loop walk along the beach at Miracle Beach followed by a stroll up into the forest along Black Creek, returning to the parking area through the campsite.

It was a windy wet day at Miracle Beach. Highlights on this walk include Surf Scoters, Western Gull, Pine Siskin, the fungus Speckled Tar Spot, and plants like lichen, and Licorice Fern. A complete list of birds seen during the podcast is available at Miracle Beach Birding.

Join Dave Ingram for an audio podcast featuring winter birdwatching at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, British Columbia. This episode of Discovering Nature takes place at a great spot for both birds of the thicket and birds of the marsh. Buttertubs is surround on all sides by suburbs so the marsh is a natural refuge for all sorts of bird life. The open water is normally busy with ducks and the blackberry and hawthorn thickets are productive for sparrows.

Highlight birds on this walk include several Marsh Wrens, an Anna’s Hummingbird, and a whole host of sparrows. Ducks were few in number due to the recent cold weather which has meant that much of the water has been frozen over. However, there were several beautiful Hooded Mergansers, a Common Merganser, a couple of Bufflehead and a handful of Mallards. A complete list of birds seen during the podcast is available at Birding at Buttertubs.

Join Dave Ingram at the mouth of the Oyster River to look for gulls, shorebirds and ducks. This episode of Discovering Nature takes place at a fantastic place for winter birds. Beach access is possible at Pacific Playgrounds campground and marina and a short walk along the beach and out on the gravel bar provides excellent views of wintering ducks and thousands of gulls. On Sunday, many of the shorebirds and ducks were pushed in close to the shore by the high tide. A small group of mostly Thayer’s Gulls occupied what remained of the gravel bar that is well exposed at low tide.

The following birds were seen (and sometimes heard) during this podcast:

• Mallard
• American Wigeon
• Eurasian Wigeon (2)
• Common Goldeneye
• Bufflehead
• Harlequin Duck
• Belted Kingfisher
• Great Blue Heron
• Thayer’s Gull
• Mew Gull
• Glaucous-winged Gull
• Canada Goose
• Dunlin
• Black-bellied Plover
• Black Turnstone
• Scaup sp.

Interested in birding at Oyster River? Use the Google Map below to find your way there.

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http://daveingram.ca/feed/podcast

Older episodes are also now located at this URL or by clicking on the podcast rss feed link on the top right of this page.  The iTunes feed for this podcast should be updated and changed by the end of this week.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the last three episodes and are being patient with me as I learn to better use the audio equipment and software that I have to work with. It has been a challenge, particularly on windy days in the field! Episode 3 – Woodhus Slough was actually a second attempt at recording because the sound levels on the original varied too much between loud and quiet and the wind created too much background noise. Rest assured that the quality will get better with time!

I’m trying to publish these podcasts biweekly but with two young children sometimes family commitments prevent me from being able to do so – again, I appreciate your understanding.

Finally, if you have any suggestions for topics for future episodes or ways to improve the podcast I’d appreciate hearing them. My main goal is to get you thinking about going out and discovering nature in your own backyard by sharing some of my own discoveries and experiences with you.