Comox Valley Nature

Guest Speaker: David Fraser, Bird Observation on Vancouver Island, 20. October 2019

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Botany

CVN invites the public to learn about bird observation on Vancouver Island

Comox Valley Nature is pleased to host a public lecture. Join David Fraser for a talk entitled: “Things I Learned Birding for 31 Years with Tom Briggs: – a man I never met.” The lecture is on Sunday Oct. 20, 2019 and will start after introductions at 7pm in the Rotary Room of the Filberg Seniors Centre 411 Anderton Ave, Courtenay.

Skylark sketch by David Fraser

Tom Briggs

In 1995 a trio of notebooks with nearly daily bird observations from Vancouver Island appeared on David Fraser’s desk with no indication of where they came from. A happy accident 20 years later led to the note taker’s identity and enabled David to enter the records into eBird. Tom Brigg’s observations reveal some interesting changes in Vancouver Island birds, their distribution, behaviour and status. A talk illustrated with David’s sketches, paintings, photos and video clips.

David Fraser is a naturalist, artist and biologist. Until 2018 he was the Unit Head of Species Conservation Science for the BC Ministry of Environment. David has been a member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada for over 20 years. He is a keen birder and eBirder.

David’s Blog: https://leaningoaks.ca/index.html

eBird Profile for David Fraser: https://ebird.org/profile/MTAxMTQ0/world

eBird Profile for Tom Briggs: https://ebird.org/profile/NjU5ODIy/CA-BC-CP

This is an excellent opportunity for the public to learn more about the some interesting changes in Vancouver Island birds

Comox Valley Nature is a non-profit society affiliated with BC Nature, consisting only of unpaid volunteers. CVN fulfills its educational mandate by hosting monthly lectures, organizing free weekly guided hikes for members, and a free monthly walk open to the public. Comox Valley Nature also supports specialized groups (Birding, Botany, Marine & Shoreline, Conservation, Garry Oak Restoration, Wetland Restoration, Photography and Young Naturalists Club) which have separate monthly activities. Membership in BC Nature and Comox Valley Nature is $30 per adult or for a family.

Founded in 1966, it is one of the oldest environmental societies on the North Island. Meetings and lectures of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave., Courtenay. Meetings and guided walks are open to the public, including children and youth. Lecture is free, though a $4 contribution from non-members is appreciated. New memberships are always welcomed.

Anyone interested in this lecture or participating in CVNS activities can also contact us at the website http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/

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Program Schedule Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities Conference 26. October 2019 Courtenay

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Botany

Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities Conference Program Schedule

The Conference is October 26^th, from 9 am to 6 pm, at the Filberg Center 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay. The goal of this conference is to have an open forum for discussions and recommendations based on current knowledge of urban design and ecology. We are asking that all interested parties pre-register at . The cost is $30 per person, cash or cheque (payable to Comox Valley Nature) at the door on October 26^th. A light lunch is included.

The program schedule is as follows.

8:00 Doors open for sign in and payment, cash or cheque only, (no cards)

9:00 Welcome from CVN and thank you to attendees (Jim Boulter)

9:05 Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells; Welcome from City of Courtenay and CVRD

9:15 Nancy Gothard “Courtenay Urban Forest Plan”

Nancy Gothard has been with the City of Courtenay since 2010, hired as the organization’s first Environmental Planner in which she worked on development applications and monitoring. Her current title of Policy Planner is within the newly formed Community and Sustainability Planning Division at the City and includes longer range policy work including the review of the City’s Official Community Plan.

10:10 Loys Maingon “A New Understanding of Forest Ecology”

Loys Maingon (MA, PhD, MSc) is registered professional Biologist, webinar host for the Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists and Secretary for the Association of Professional Biologists of BC. He currently serves as Research Director for the Strathcona Wilderness Institute.

11:05 Will Marsh “Adaptive Design”

William M. Marsh is University of Michigan professor emeritus of physical geography and Adjunct Professor of Landscape Architecture, UBC. He is author of several books on environment and land planning, including Landscape Planning: Environmental Applications (2010. John Wiley, NY).

12:00 to 12:45 Light lunch of Soup and sandwiches included in registration fee

12:45 Thomas Dishlevoy: “The Comox Valley Living City Challenge”.

Tom is a registered architect and urbanist with over 20 years of practice in the Comox Valley. He is a LEED certified professional and the Ambassador for the Living Building Challenge on Vancouver Island.

1:40 Alison Mewett: “Urban Trees”

Alison M. Mewett is a BC Landscape Architect who lives in the Comox Valley. She has practiced landscape planning and design in the private and public sectors for 35 years, including a stint with the CVRD as manager of parks and environment.

2: 35 Royann Petrell: “Urban Avian Ecology”

Royann Petrell (PhD, MSc) is a professor emerita from UBC, and has developed research tools to
monitor wild aquatic species, establish a better understanding of sustainable aquaculture as well as remove heavy metals from storm water using waste materials. She considers herself to be an ecological engineer, and always begins an engineering design with needs of the organism within its environment.

3: 30 Round table and discussions with Q&A

4:30 to 6:00 Informal social and discussion time

6:00 Conference closes.

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Invitation to the “Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities” Conference, October 26th, 2019

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Botany

Comox Valley Nature
(Comox Valley Naturalists Society)
PO Box 3222, Courtenay BC, V9N 5N4,

Invitation to the “Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities” Conference, October 26^th, 2019

Hello;

Comox Valley Nature is hosting a one day conference on the importance of urban forests to our cities, and the best science to support a sustainable forest within them. We hope that, by bringing together a wide range of knowledge and experience in urban design and ecology, the presentations and discussions planned will help to inform Courtenay Staff when they amend the municipality’s Official Community Plan in 2020.

The goal of this conference is to have an open forum for discussions and recommendations based on current knowledge, not on past standards. We enter a new world daily and need to look to 2100, and beyond, in the months and years ahead. CVN believes the expansion of urban forests is a step in the right direction. Although the focus is Courtenay, the topics and information provided will be of wide interest to all with concerns about the space they live, and can be widely applied.

Careful urban design will be more important in the future, and we must learn from past errors and provide our cities, and our citizens, with a healthy living environment. To do this we need to understand that the trees we plant today will live for decades or longer and bring nature to our cities and our citizens. They do more than grace our doorsteps and downtowns.

Trees absorb carbon and emit oxygen, but that is just the tip of service to us. City trees can remove certain types of environmental pollutants and toxins, helping keep our lungs clean and healthy. Trees keep the space around them cooler, not just by shading the sun but through the evaporation of water from their leaves. A mature tree can cool as much as 10 air-condition units running 20 hours a day. Their roots channel rain and run-off below ground, helping to reduce flooding due to storms: their crowns provide shade for us and a roost for the birds. And much more we are just learning about.

We hope that you will take away a greater appreciation and concern for urban trees, their benefits to us and our futures. Trees grow where their seed falls unless we provide them with suitable conditions and locations beneficial to both us and the trees, and that too is part of the broader topic likely to be spoken too.

The day’s program has yet to be finalized, but we are pleased to announce the following six speakers have agreed to make presentations to us, and may participate in a round table Q&A that closes the conference:

Tom Dishlevoy Architect, Comox “Urban Design”

Nancy Gothard Planner, Courtenay “Courtenay Urban Forest Plan”

Loys Maingon Ecologist, Comox Valley “A New Understanding of Forest Ecology”

Will Marsh Geomorphologist, Comox “Adaptive Design”

Alison Mewett Landscape Architect, Comox “Urban Trees”

Royann Petrell Ecological Engineer, Comox Valley “Urban Avian Ecology”

The conference will run from 09:00 to 18:00 October 26^th in Courtenay, at the Evergreen Lounge in the Filberg Centre in Courtenay. Registration cost is yet to be determined, but will not exceed $30. RSVP is appreciated. If you would like to be kept appraised of developments, my email address is below. Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Jim Boulter, President Comox Valley Nature

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Shoreline Outing: Trent River Estuary, Sept 26th 2019

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Botany

The next shoreline outing will be our first estuarine outing.

When: 9:30-11:30 am, Thursday, September 26th. (3.5 foot low tide is 10:15)

Where: Meet at the the end of Carey Place in Royston

What: Surveying the algae, plants and invertebrates around the Trent River Estuary.

Carpool: if looking to carpool, we’ll leave at 9:15 from the old thrifty’s parking lot in downtown Courtenay

Prereading: If interested, shoreline member Betty Brooks and co. put together a marvelous report on life in the Trent river delta and estuary for the Canadian Wildlife Service. This is comprehensive in terms of Birds, Invertebrates, Algae and Plants. I’ll try and repurpose portions into a checklist before we go. Perhaps there has been changes in the intervening 32 years.

Safety Precautions: Boots are advised. Access is via a relatively level trail. Shoreline is level with small pebbles and sand.

See you soon,

Randal

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Botany Outing Report: Seal Bay Sept 9th 2019

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Botany

At our last gathering at Seal Bay on September 9^th we were not disappointed in the array of botanical forms : flowers in still bloom, including the musk-flower- Erythranthre moschata ( yellow monkey flower with slimy leaves) and the abhorred purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria!; many plants with their seedheads; a variety of fungi including the dying Russula nigricans parasitized by Asterophoros lycoperdoides, then colonized by a blue mold. The highlight was Randal’s pointing out baby ferns – the tiny heart-shaped new sporophytes on the shaded underside of logs beside the trail (which of course challenged the focus settings of my camera).

Our next gathering will be on Monday October 7^th, at Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Park to see all the vaccinia and other shrubs in their splendid fall colours. We will also in the course of touring the meadows collect the SWI Plant signs in advance of the winter snows. Confirmation of the time for carpooling from the foot of the mountain will be circulated later.

Alison

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Shorline Outing: Seal Bay Park August 28th 2019

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Botany

The last good tide of summer hits next week. Ian and Dianna suggested Seal Bay sensu stricto as a summer destination, so lets give that a try.

Where: Seal Bay Park, Seabank Road Entrance (link to google map). Meet at entrance.

When: August 28th, 9:30am.

What: Intertidal life, starfish wasting survey

Packlist: rubber boots or footwear you can get wet, field guide, bucket, trowel, camera, pencil, clipboard. Sun protection– hat, sunglasses & sunblock.

Warnings: Shoreline can be rocky, uneven and slippery in places. Path walk down in a little steep near the end.

See you soon,

Randal

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Shoreline Outing Summary: Willow Point Reef, June 17th, 2019

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Botany

We had a great outing yesterday at the Willow Point Reef just south of Campbell River. Endless thanks to Sandra Milligan from NIC for leading the group and knowing this shoreline inside and out. We got to see an octopus den and a diversity of life (82 species) greater than any encountered thus far since the inception of the shoreline group. A species list follows at the end, varying little from what Sandra provided the group. My photo observations have been posted to CVN Shoreline iNaturalist Page. Please add your photos and observations if you feel so inclined. Pictures, comments and meandering notes follow below.

Keystone to Barestone: The Visible Consequence of Starfish Wasting Disease

One of the things that Sandra showed us was the direct consequences to shore life when a keystone species is suffering. In this case, the keystone species was the Purple Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus), a prominent predatory echinoderm. The wasting disease that we have seen in action has reduced numbers of this species as well as other asteroids (yes, that is a technical name for sea stars and their relatives). At the Willow Point Reef, this has led to a population boom in a species that they prey on. We saw thickets of purple and green sea urchins (pictured above) occupying relatively bald sandstone bedrock. Sandra pointed out that these regions were formerly covered in the large kelp Alaria. Graceful as this winged kelp is to us, it is tasty to the urchins who are free to prey on the kelp as their population explodes absent the controlling presence of the sea stars. Sandra mentioned the voids left by Alaria and the rich kelp beds in the area are being filled by Sargassum, that bulby invasive brown seaweed.

Gumboot Chitons Everywhere

Despite its presence on Sandra’s species list, few of us expected to see so many big gumboot chitons filling the cracks and hugging the sandstone. The largest was somewhere north of 12 inches. This is a species that is hard to see on the shoreline. They spend most of the year in under the lowest tide line, moving up to exposed shore only to breed. This species, like most intertidal chitons is a “cow” (Sandra’s term for herbivorous grazers), consuming algae big (kelps) and small (diatomaceous crusts). Their enormous size does not happen overnight. Encased within the stubbly encompassing girdle are the same plates common to all chitons. These plates mineralize during regular, annual growth phases. Scientists can count the rings of growth in the plates much like the rings in of a tree to determine their age. It turns out they can live up to 40 years.

Colourful corals of Campbell River

Betty had mentioned being able to see corals on the shoreline in places on the island, but the point in front of the Panago seemed an unlikely place to find them. Happy little orange scleractinian corals (Balanophyllia elegans) ridged with calcite were spotting the ledges on the underside of the sandstone. Unlike most corals, it lacks symbiotic dinoflagellates/algae in its tissues, so it relies exclusively on indiscriminately stinging and capturing small creatures and floatsum that passes by its many tentacles.

Dead Man’s Fingers- The best common name

The deep forest green of Codium fragilis (above) was a surprise to see in our region. This large, three-dimensional and dichotomizing green algae is one of a number of vastly different species that go by the common name “dead man’s fingers”. I’m beginning to think that different cultures have different ideas about the look of a dead man’s finger. These ones come straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, The flavourful shrub Decaisnea seems to dwell in a purplish hue on the spectrum, whilst those of those of the fungus Xylaria polymorha must represent advanced decomposition. This is an introduced species.

Clionid Sponges and Giant Rock Scallops

Sandra showed us two really good examples of shell degradation by the activity of a tiny little sponge, Cliona. On the surface of both the Giant Rock Scallop (pictured above left) and the Hornmouth Snail (above right), we could see that the original mineral surface of these molluscs has been bored and thinned by the activity of Cliona. Excavating mineralized shell surfaces micrometers at a time by secreting enzymes to dissolve and loosen particles, this species is responsible for a lot of breakdown in the intertidal. While the pace might be slow, the product is voluminous. Carbonate mud (tiny particles of calcite) is produced by this activity. In the fossil record, we can see beds meters and meters thick composed almost exclusively of particles loosed by the activity of the “boring” sponges. Sandra mentioned the sponge as a pest from the perspective of aquaculture operations as it degrades the quality of oysters.

Honeycomb weathering or Bioeroders?

A number of shoreline members commented on the similarity of large cylindrical-to-hemispherical excavations at in the sandstones if Willow Point to patterns seen in shoreline sandstones on Hornby, Saltspring, Galiano and any number of other places where these rocks are found in proximity to the sea. There was mumblings of the word _Tafoni_, a term used to describe a type of honeycomb weathering in our area. To clarify: Honeycomb weathering happens above the hightide line to sandstones that are exposed to salt spray from the sea. The excavations that we were seeing in the sandstones at Willow Point were subtidal and were produced by the activity of invertebrates, most likely the sea urchins.

Species list. Modified barely from Sandra’s list based on what was seen and a few taxonomy changes. Please email me with corrections, additions and deletions. These are the things I remember seeing but between the 20 of us, there was likely more.

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Shoreline Outing Summary: Comox Peninsula Tip, June 5th. 2019

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Botany

Hey Everyone,

We had 19 members and a little assistant show up at the very tip of the Comox peninsula. Some observations, follow ups and a species list can be found below.

A sluggish leopard

The spotted leopard dorid, Dialula odonoghuei was found affixed to the underside of a cobble. This distinctive nudibranch feeds on the sponges that encrust rocks in the middle-to-lower intertidal. How? Nudibranchs like their brethren the chitons and the gastropods have a specialized apparatus, the radula that can be used to rasp and file at their prey. In places, we saw extensive mats of a reddish-range encrusting sponge. The nudibranchs, chitons and snails are the ones hoovering up the algae and sponges that typically encrust these rocks. How can anyone determine what exactly is being eaten by the spotted leopard dorid? Patient observation by SCUBA-equipped biologists is one option, but another is to collect their fecal pellets and look at the collection of spicules, frustules, tests and the like to determine diet. This has been done for a southern relative of our local species, but never for Dialula odonoghuei. Any takers?

Chitons lined & mossy grazing with a furor that is insistent and bossy

There were a number of different chitons out along the shore. A number of them were members of the genus Mopalia, the mossy chitons, which has a fleshy girdle that encases a large portion of the mineralized valves or plates that are the distinguishing feature of the order Polyplacophora (many-plate-bearer). In Mopalia, the fleshy girdle, in addition to being extensive, is ornamented with large hairs and other odd bumps and spines. Locally, there are a number of species within this genus which vary from very hairy (Mopalia muscosa, the mossy chiton) to just vaguely so (Mopalia hindsii, Hinds’ chiton). Like most chitons, these species are deathly afraid of exposure in the light, thus their daytime hiding spots under the rocks. At night, they come out to graze. Tom Carefoot has put together a wonderful summary of research on the feeding behaviour of the genus Mopalia in our region. I pasted above a pie chart taken from his website (in-turn repurposed from a paper from the 1960s) that shows the gut contents on the Mossy Chiton, Mopalia muscosa.

We saw a lovely juvenile lined chiton of the Genus Tonicella. This genus diverse in our area, but easy to recognize by its dramatic, bright colors and linear patterns. We saw an example of one of these small juvenile chiton rolling up such that its vulnerable undersides were abutting one another, with the plated surrounding the entire enrolled individual. This is presumably a protective response. The main predators of chitons in the intertidal are purple sea stars (Pisaster ochreus) and a potpouri or birds, fishes and otters. Hard to imagine this defense being of any help to the smaller individuals, though the birds might appreciate the more streamlined bolus it provides.

Northern Kelp Crab Fashion

Group member Barbara could not help but marvel over the giant living kelp crab that had a significant population of living barnacles on its carapace. So symmetrical was the arrangement that it could be mistaken for a thicket of regal hair. This kelp crab, Pugettia producta, is part of a grouping of crabs that includes a bunch of species known as “decorator crabs”. These crabs have a veritable menagerie of algae and invertebrates affixed to their carapace as a means of camouflage for themselves. The kelp crab is not known to decorate itself, but perhaps tolerates this kind of taxing load for the same reasons.

A good online guide to local-ish species

Kathleen was trying to make sense of some seaweeds and asked that this Central Coast Biodiversity website be sent out. The guide is good and visual and pretty comprehensive if not entirely specific to the central island. It makes a good reference Start with the species guide if you are trying to figure out the identification or something. You can usually follow it through and learn a little about the biology, ecology and distribution.

Species List

As mentioned, observations are now being kept in iNaturalist. You can see pictures and IDs (at varying levels of confidence and resolution) here. I am also pasting a species list below, though I was not able to keep track of everything yesterday on account of so much being seen and so many people seeing it. If you have additions, corrections or deletions from the list, let me know.

Name		Common Name
Seaweeds
Sarcodiotheca gaudichaudii		Succulent Seaweed
Lithothamnion		Encrusting Coralline Algae
Hildenbrandia		Encrusting Red Algae
Sargassum muticum		Japanese Wireweed
Family Ceramiaceae		Filemntous Red Algae
Chondrus		Irish Moss
Ulva		Sea Lettuces
Fucus distichus		Rockweed
Leathesia marina		Sea Cauliflower
Neorhodomela larix		Black sea pine
Sponges
Homaxinella amphispicula		Dead Man’s Fingers
Ophlitaspongia pennata		Red Rock Sponge
Urchins
Strongylocentrotus		Purple/Green Sea Urchin
Sea cucumbers
Cucumaria miniata		Orange Sea Cucumber
Eupentacta quinquesemita		Stiff-footed Sea Cucumber
Sea stars
Dermasterias imbricata		Leather Star
Pisaster ochraceus		Ochre Sea Star
Order Ophiurida		Brittle Star (Daisy?)
Bivalves
Tresus		Gaper
Chlamys		Scallop
Nudibranchs
Diaulula odonoghuei		Spotted Leopard Dorid
Aeolidia		Shaggy Mouse Nudibranch
Anemones
Anthopleura elegantissima		Aggregating Anemone
Metridium		Plumose anemone
Urticina		Red Anemone
Chitons
Mopalia ciliata		Hairy Chiton
Mopalia muscosa		Mossy Chiton
Tonicella		Lined Chiton
“Worms”
Serpula columbiana		Tube worm
Order polycladida		Flatworm
Family Terebellidae		Spaghetti Worms
Nereis sp.		Clam worm
Family Polynoidae		Scale worm
Bryozoans
Schizoporella		No common name
Bugula californica		Spiral bryozoan
Crabs
Cancer productus		Red Rock Crab
Petrolisthes eriomerus		Porcelain crab
Lophopanopeus bellus		Black claw crab
Pagarus grainosimanus		Grainy Hermit Crab
Hemigrapsus nudus		Purple Shore Crab
Hemigrapsus oregonensis		Green Shore Crab
Pugettia producta		Northern Kelp Crab
Fish
Oligocottus maculosus		Tidepool Sculpin
Gobiesox maeandricus		Northern Clingfish
Anoplarchus purpurescens		High Cockscomb
Porichthys notatus		Plainfin Midshipmen
Family Cottidae		Green Tidepool Sculpin
Plants
Galium aparine		Catchweed Bedstraw
Spiraea		Spiraea
Ambrosia chamissonis		Silver Beachweed
Zostera marina		Eelgrass

See you soon,

Randal

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Outing: Botany, Harewood Plain, May 7th 2019

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Botany

Greetings all,

On May 27^th eight of us were treated to a brilliant display of later spring flowers at Harewood Plains in Nanaimo. Our target was to see the red-listed Hosackia pinnata ( formerly Lotus pinnatus) – bog bird’s foot trefoil – and we were not disappointed. The clumps growing in seeps on the rock appear to have been thriving, no doubt largely the result of the work of the “Friends of Harewood Plains” and others. The substantial fine of $50,000 for being caught with an ATV or the like in the area appears to be successful as a deterrent . (The deep gouges made by ATVs and dirt bikes were clearly old.) Apart from the Hosackia there was a splendid array of plants flourishing in the seeps and shaded areas (whatever was exposed on the rock in the open was already tinder dry). Outstanding were the banks of interspersed monkey-flower, sea blush, Menzies larkspur and montia, as well as carpets of Scouler’s popcorn flower, springbank and tomcat clovers, sedums and saxifrages. There was still some lingering camas ( both species) as well as death-camas, native buttercups and the list goes on. So timing was good – the Hosackia was in full bloom, with just a few seed heads starting to form.

On the way north we turned onto the Nanoose peninsula to Moorecroft Park which was pleasantly cool among the large fir, cedar and arbutus. The park includes seashore Garry Oak habitat, which was cordoned off for restoration. The open headlands are supposed to have the native cactus ( Opuntia fragilis) but it eluded us.

As I indicated before I am now fully occupied with the Strathcona Wilderness Institute’s summer programs. There will soon be lots of subalpine spring plants in Paradise Meadows. The marsh-marigolds and kalmia are already in bloom, along with a few shooting stars and the delicate gold thread (Coptis asplenifolia). There will be the SWI “season opener “ walk at Paradise Meadows on Sunday June 16^th , exact time TBA. And for the energetic, on July 8^th there will be a long day- hike (20 k round trip, with some wet snow) up to Croteau and Circlet Lakes on the Plateau to see the Avalanche lilies (Erythronium grandiflorum) . The first of them are just coming into bloom at Croteau (see photo taken on May 29^th).

Since many of you are very familiar with the range of flowering plants up at Paradise Meadows, please consider leading a walk for SWI in July or August. The tradition of interpretive Nature walks in Strathcona Park has been associated with CVN members since SWI was founded in 1996; there are a few of us already involved, but SWI always welcomes more botanists, birders etc to help visitors appreciate the natural beauty of Strathcona Park.

Finally, if any of you want to organize an outing, let me know and I can circulate the specifics to the group.

Have a good summer, Alison

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Shoreline Outing Reports: Oyster Bay, May 8th, 2019

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Botany

Hey Everyone,

Betty Brooks led a great outing around Oyster Bay Shoreline Park last Wednesday. We got a bit of history, a bit of botany and a lot of interesting invertebrates, including an octopus. Species list to the best of my recollection and notes follow below. Thanks again to Betty for leading and sharing all her knowledge about the park and its biota.

Death of an Octopus

The group was surprised to see a giant octopus withering on the sand flat. There were hints of an active nervous system so we attempted to take it to cooler, open water. Lest this was a particularly slovenly octopus that practiced self-desiccation, it seems we caught it at the end of it’s life as there was no reviving it. This species can grow to more than 50 kg and up to 6 m wide. We saw what was presumably a juvenile octopus, weighing maybe 5kgs and measuring maybe 1m across in life.

Nudibranchs on Parade

The sea slugs are perhaps the most tropical element of our local shorelines. Their dramatic forms, colours and patterns can stand out. We saw three different nudibranchs: (1) The hum-drum Barnacle nudibranch, laying thousands of eggs on the bottom of a wood piling. (2) The colourful Taylor’s Sea Hare (right image), which grazes the eel grass. (3) Ian G. put in the extra time to identify the spectacular 3″ long Dendronotus iris (left image). He sent a great photo and noted that this nudibranch likes to graze on the green burrowing anenome (Anthopleura artemesia), which we also saw.

Species Seen (please email with corrections and additions)

Species List- Oyster Bay Shoreline Park, May 7th, 2019
Plants
Deltoid Balsamroot		Balsamorhiza deltoidea
Strawberry		Fragaria sp.
Biscuitroot		Lomatium nudicaule
Red-stemmed spring beauty		Claytonia rubra
Eelgrass		Zostera marina

Seaweeds
Ribbon Kelp		Alaria marginata
Bull kelp (growing off piling)		Nereocystis lutkeana
Sea Lettuce		Ulva sp.
Porphyra		Pophyra sp.
Rockweed		Fucus distichus
Polysiphonia		Polysiphonia sp.
Smithora		Smithora naiadum

Worms
Tubeworm		Serpula columbiana
Clamworm		Nereis sp.
Jointed Tube Worm		???
Spaghetti worm		Thelapis sp.

Anemones
Burrowing Anemone		Anthopleura artemesia
Plumose Anemone		Metridium sp.

Crabs
Graceful rock crab		Metacarcinus gracilis
Northern Kelp Crab		Pugetta producta

Echinoderms
Brittle star		Amphiodia sp.
Eccentric Sand Dollars		Dendraster excentricus

Molluscs
Barnacle Nudibranch		Onchidoris bilamellata
Taylor’s Sea Hare		Phyllaplysia taylori
Dendronotus		Dendronotus iris
Moonsnail		Neverita lewisii
Olive Snail		Olivella biplicata
Bubble Snail		?
Sand clam		Macoma sp.
Gaper		Tressus sp.
Eel grass limpet		Lottia alveus

Fish
Tidepool Sculpin		Oligocottus maculosus
Sanddab		Citharichthys sordidus

Posted in Field Trips, Shoreline and Marine | Comments Off

Comox Valley Nature

Guest Speaker: David Fraser, Bird Observation on Vancouver Island, 20. October 2019

Program Schedule Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities Conference 26. October 2019 Courtenay

Invitation to the “Urban Forests and Sustainable Cities” Conference, October 26th, 2019

Shoreline Outing: Trent River Estuary, Sept 26th 2019

Botany Outing Report: Seal Bay Sept 9th 2019

Shorline Outing: Seal Bay Park August 28th 2019

Shoreline Outing Summary: Willow Point Reef, June 17th, 2019

Shoreline Outing Summary: Comox Peninsula Tip, June 5th. 2019

Outing: Botany, Harewood Plain, May 7th 2019

Shoreline Outing Reports: Oyster Bay, May 8th, 2019

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