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Recent Posts
- Learn about coho and Brooklyn Creek stewardship at our September general meeting
- Enjoy an afternoon of storytelling with author Caroll Simpson
- SWI workshop: Subalpine mycology 2026
- Entomology and botany at Mt. Washington, July 2026
- Smartphone photography for iNaturalist
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- Learn about the proposed New Forest Act, June 15
- SWI plant diversity workshop, June 28
- Sophia Priestman, CVN Bursary recipient, 2026
- Bruce Moffat’s nature photography talk materials
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CVN Facebook Posts
Comox Valley Nature is attending an event.7 days ago
Join the Comox Valley Conservation Community for a day long celebration of the watersheds and waterways that connect us all in the Comox Valley!Learn about restoration and habitat enhancement projects, salmon cycles, drinking water, forests, creeks, wetlands and estuaries – and so much more. Art projects, kids activities, volunteer engagement opportunities, hands on learning and guided walks – all looking out over the beautiful Puntledge River.
Comox Valley Nature will be there with our new outreach tent. Come by and say hello, and try our bird identification game. We can also show you why native plants are best for your garden, and how to spot invasive species.
Pack a picnic and stay for the day!
Saturday Sept 19th from 9 am – 3 pm
in Puntledge Park 1111 1st , Courtenay ...
1 week ago
In her memoir, Pacific Northwest author Caroll Simpson recounts the highs and lows of running a remote fishing lodge on her own following the untimely death of her husband, and of falling in love with the natural world.Simpson tells stories of living in the remote wilderness and managing the lodge, becoming an accidental environmental activist, fending off wild animals, working as an angling guide and finally, fighting off a proposed mining operation and participating in the development of a government land management plan as a spokesperson for the wilderness tourism industry.
While Simpson welcomed paying guests at Ookpik Lodge, unwanted house guests included a woodchuck, a pack rat, and martens. Simpson constantly had to watch out for grizzlies, moose, and cougars. Storms and extreme weather also provided fodder for hair-raising tales. All this makes for wonderful storytelling.
Caroll’s story is essentially a love story. In an essay for Sierra Club, Simpson wrote: “I developed an immense passion for flora and fauna. Just walking back and forth on the 300’ dock several times a day, I was exposed to the unbelievable beauty of the northern spectrum of water life: the golden eagle soaring above, the osprey and kingfisher diving and coming up with fish for their hatchlings, the muskrats and otters looking for an easy meal, the tireless beaver working into the late evening sunsets. All of these creatures and more expressed their generational ownership of this small piece of the world. In return each was given my utmost respect and admiration…As I listened to the loons at the end of each day and the owl and the wolf in the night, I felt blessed to be witnessing such beauty. “
On September 20th, join Comox Valley Nature and Save Our Forests Team for an afternoon of storytelling about this remarkable time spent living on a remote British Columbia lake.
The event is being held at the Comox United Church Hall. (250 Beach Drive, Comox) Admission is by donation. Doors open at 2:30; the event begins at 3:00 p.m. There will be time for Q&A after the presentation, as well as books available for purchase. Tea/coffee and cookies - including forest-themed cupcakes - will be available for a donation.
Join us, and prepare to fall in love. ...
1 week ago
🎟️ Get your tickets to the Project Watershed 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/Every ticket holder makes a difference. 💙🎟️ Get your tickets to our 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/
When community and local businesses invest in conservation, our entire ecosystem benefits.
Ticket sales directly support habitat restoration, scientific research, and environmental education, while the generosity of our sponsors helps offset event costs, ensuring that more of the funds raised can go directly toward this important work.
Thank you to our incredible sponsors and dinner attendees for believing in the power of community-led conservation. Odlum Brown Community and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, 40 Knots Winery, CNB
Together, we're keeping our watersheds living.
🌿 Hope to see you September 12, 5 - 8 pm at 40 KNOTS Winery
#KeepingItLiving #ProjectWatershed #CommunitySupport #Conservation #ComoxValley ...
2 weeks ago
The City of Courtenay is developing a long-term vision for Bill Moore Park and Dogwood Park to guide future improvements. To help guide these decisions, three initial concepts have been developed, and there is an opportunity for you to offer your input.The latest survey on the City website engagecomoxvalley.ca/bill-moore-and-dogwood-park asks for feedback on three concept plans and specifically which concept you prefer. The three concepts present a range of recreation possibilities and there is room on the survey for your comments.
Dogwood Park is a 2.32‑hectare nature park featuring mature forested areas, natural habitat and a small wetland.
Only Concept A will maintain the intact forest areas in Dogwood Park. Concepts B and C propose increased recreation in the park including an off leash dog park, disc golf course, pump track (a purpose built track for children’s cycling) and nature play areas. While the planners may say that no trees or few trees will be taken down to accommodate this, the under-story will not survive this level of trampling and fragmentation. The trees as well as all the wildlife who now call that area home will disappear over time.
For those of us who value this forest, Concept A is the only option that makes sense.
Dogwood Park is one of the few islands of green for many, many blocks. It provides habitat for wildlife, shade, retains water and acts as a carbon sink. On the architect's base plan of current conditions it is now characterized as an "underutilized space".
The City has heard from sports enthusiasts but not nature lovers. Let them know why you value an intact forest and your connection to it. The survey is open until Sept 15. ...
2 weeks ago
The Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation (CCIPR) wants the federal government to establish a regulatory body for the horticultural industry and create a national database identifying invasive plants and their risks in different regions."Even if we don't prohibit them, we need to let the public know when there is potential harm," said CCIPR co-founder Cathy Kavassalis. "We do this on other products, and we should do it on plants too. It's just common sense."
In July, Nanaimo council passed a motion to pursue a bylaw amendment restricting the sale of plants on a list maintained by the Invasive Species Council of B.C. A week later, Surrey moved to ban sales by businesses including nurseries, large retail chains and florists.
Kavassalis said a problem that could be addressed at higher levels of government is being pushed down to municipalities."These are all patchwork solutions that, in some ways, just waste a lot of resources," she said.
The CCIPR says a national database could give provinces, territories, retailers and gardeners a shared source of information about which plants pose risks in different regions. Kavassalis also wants invasive plants removed from shelves or clearly labelled.
For more on this story visit www.cbc.ca/news/science/invasive-plants-sale-federal-regulation-9.7312362 or see our link in bio ...
Upcoming Botany Walk: 9 km. Bog, June 15th 2015
This coming Monday, June 15th, Terry Thormin will lead a field trip to 9 km. Bog. We will meet at Harmston at 10:00 and will have a second meeting place at the first parking lot on the Strathcona Parkway at 10: 20. Everyone should bring rubber boots and a lunch.
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Bird Outing Report: Hawk Greenway, June 11,2015
Today at Hawk Greenway and Mallard Creek Headwaters, 12 birders found 32 species. Highlights were nice looks at Willow Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and Evening Grosbeak.
Mallard
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
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Upcoming Botany Walk: Miracle Beach, June 1st 2015
Botany walk – June 1 – 10:0O am – Miracle Beach – Leader, Betty Brooks
Betty will lead an easy walk in Miracle Beach Park – Meet at the main Beach Parking Lot at 10:00 am or car pool from Harmston at 9:40 am. Karin
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Bird Outing Report: Simpson Farm, May 28,2015
Yesterday at Simpson Farm, 9 birders found 35 species. Highlights were a Sandhill Crane, an Anna’s Hummingbird, a Greater Yellowlegs and an unusually high number of 14 Blue-winged Teal.
I have attached a photo of the Sandhill Crane that flew over us that Kathryn took and asked me to share with everyone…..thank you Kathryn.
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Marsh Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
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Botany Outing Report: along the Puntledge, May 25th 2015
On Monday 6 botany group members went on a beautiful walk along the dry open area of the water pipes, then veered off towards the Puntledge river. After a windy path we had a short lunch break at the beach. We documented a total of 95 species.
Below is Joel’s List and a link to our Plant List in excel format
Plant List for Comox Valley with walks 2015
| HERBACEOUS PLANTS, SHRUBS AND TREES ON Puntledge Walk | |||
| Excluding grasses, sedges and rushes | |||
| Submitted by Joel Kositsky 25/05/2015 | |||
| Non-native plants are indicated with * | |||
| MONOCOTS | |||
| ARACEAE (now includes LEMNACEAE) | |||
| Lysichiton americanus | skunk cabbage | ||
| ASPARAGACEAE (formerly part of LILIACEAE) | |||
| Maianthemum dilatatum | false lily-of-the-valley | ||
| COLCHICACEAE (formerly part of LILIACEAE) | |||
| Prosartes hookeri | Hooker’s fairybells | ||
| Streptopus amplexifolius | clasping twisted stalk | ||
| LILIACEAE | |||
| Erythronium oregonum | white fawn lily | ||
| Lilium columbianum | tiger lily | ||
| MELANTHIACEAE (formerly part of LILIACEAE) | |||
| Trillium ovatum | western trillium | ||
| ORCHIDACEAE | |||
| Goodyera oblongifolia | rattlesnake-plantain | ||
| DICOTS | |||
| ADOXACEAE (formerly CAPRIFOLIACEAE) | |||
| Sambucus racemosa | red elderberry | ||
| APIACEAE | |||
| Heracleum maximum | cow-parsnip | ||
| Osmorhiza berteroi | mountain sweet cicely | ||
| Sanicula crassicaulis | Pacific sanicle | ||
| ARALIACEAE | |||
| Oplopanax horridus | devil’s club | ||
| ARISTOLOCHIACEAE | |||
| Asarum caudatum | wild ginger | ||
| ASTERACEAE | |||
| Adenocaulon bicolor | pathfinder | ||
| Anaphalis margaritacea | pearly everlasting | ||
| Arctium minus | common burdock * | ||
| Arnica latifolia | mountain arnica ? | ||
| Cirsium sp. | Thistle * | ||
| Lactuca muralis | wall lettuce * | ||
| Leucanthemum vulgare | oxeye daisy * | ||
| Tanacetum vulgare | common tansy * | ||
| Taraxacum officinale | common dandelion * | ||
| BERBERIDACEAE | |||
| Achlys triphylla | vanilla-leaf | ||
| Mahonia aquifolium | tall Oregon-grape | ||
| Mahonia nervosa | dull Oregon-grape | ||
| BORAGINACEAE (Includes HYDROPHYLLACEAE) | |||
| Myosotis discolor | common forget-me-not * | ||
| Nemophila parviflora | small-flowered nemophila | ||
| BRASSICACEAE | |||
| Lepidium heterophyllum | Smith’s pepper-grass * | ||
| CAPRIFOLIACEAE | |||
| Lonicera ciliosa | western trumpet, | ||
| Lonicera involucrata | black twinberry | ||
| Symphoricarpos albus | common snowberry | ||
| CARYOPHYLLACEAE | |||
| Cerastium/Stellaria sp | chickweed | ||
| CELASTRACEAE | |||
| Paxistima myrsinites | falsebox | ||
| CLUSIACEAE | |||
| Hypericum sp. | St. John’s-wort | ||
| CORNACEAE | |||
| Cornus stolonifera | red-osier dogwood | ||
| ERICACEAE (now includes MONOTROPACEAE, PYROLACEAE AND EMPETRACEAE) | |||
| Chimaphila umbellata | prince’s pine | ||
| Gaultheria shallon | salal | ||
| Pyrola asarifolia | pink wintergreen | ||
| Vaccinium parvifolium | red huckleberry | ||
| FABACEAE | |||
| Cytisus scoparius | Scotch broom * | ||
| Lathyrus nevadensis | purple peavine | ||
| GERANIACEAE | |||
| Geranium robertianum | Robert’s geranium * | ||
| GROSSULARIACEAE | |||
| Ribes lacustre | black gooseberry | ||
| Ribes sanguineum | red-flowering currant | ||
| LAMIACEAE | |||
| Stachys chamissonis | Cooley’s hedge nettle | ||
| LINNAEACEAE | |||
| Linnaea borealis | twinflower | ||
| ONAGRACEAE | |||
| Epilobium angustifolia | fireweed | ||
| PAPAVERACEAE (includes FUMERACEAE) | |||
| Dicentra formosa | Pacific bleeding heart | ||
| PLANTAGINACEAE (includes many from SCROPHULARIACEAE) | |||
| Collinsia parviflora | small-flowered blue-eyed Mary | ||
| Plantago major | common plaintain * | ||
| POLYGONACEAE | |||
| Rumex sp. | lemon grass | ||
| PORTULACACEAE | |||
| Claytonia rubra | redstem springbeauty | ||
| Claytonia sibirica | Siberian miner’s-lettuce | ||
| PRIMULACEAE | |||
| Trientalis borealis | broad-leaved starflower | ||
| RANUNCULACEAE | |||
| Anemone lyalli | Lyall’s anemone | ||
| Aquilegia formosa | Sitka columbine | ||
| Ranunculus sp. (occidentalis?) | buttercup | ||
| Thalictrum occidentale | western meadowrue | ||
| Trautvetteria caroliniensis | false bugbane | ||
| ROSACEAE | |||
| Amelanchier alnifolia | Saskatoon | ||
| Aruncus dioicus | goat’s-beard | ||
| Fragaria sp. (chiloensis) | strawberry sp. | ||
| Geum macrophyllum | large-leaved avens | ||
| Holodiscus discolor | oceanspray | ||
| Rosa gymnocarpa | baldhip rose | ||
| Rosa nutkana | Nootka rose | ||
| Rubus armeniacus | Himalayan blackberry * | ||
| Rubus parviflorus | thimbleberry | ||
| Rubus spectabilis | salmonberry | ||
| Rubus ursinus | trailing blackberry | ||
| Spiraea douglasii | hardhack | ||
| RUBIACEAE | |||
| Galium aparine | cleavers | ||
| Galium trifidum | small bedstraw | ||
| SAXIFRAGACEAE | |||
| Tellima grandiflora | fringecup | ||
| Tiarella trifoliata | foamflower | ||
| VIOLACEAE | |||
| Viola glabella | stream violet | ||
| TREES (GYMNOSPERMS) | |||
| CUPRESSACEAE | |||
| Thuja plicata | western red cedar | ||
| PINACEAE | |||
| Abies grandis | grand fir | ||
| Pinus monticola | western white pine | ||
| Pseudotsuga menziesii | Douglas-fir | ||
| Tsuga heterophylla | western hemlock | ||
| TAXACEAE | |||
| Taxus brevifolia | western yew | ||
| TREES (ANGIOSPERMS) | |||
| BETULACEAE | |||
| Alnus rubra | red alder | ||
| RHAMNACEAE | |||
| Rhamnus purshiana | cascara | ||
| ROSACEAE | |||
| Prunus emarginata | bitter cherry | ||
| SALICACEAE | |||
| Populus trichocarpa | black cottonwood | ||
| Salix sp. (scouleriana?) | Willow sp. (Scouler’s?) | ||
| SAPINDACEAE (formerly ACERACEAE) | |||
| Acer glabrum | Douglas maple | ||
| Acer macrophyllum | bigleaf maple | ||
| PTERIDOPHYTES (FERNS AND ALLIES) | |||
| DENNSTAEDTIACEAE | |||
| Pteridium aquilinum | bracken fern | ||
| DRYOPTERIDACEAE | |||
| Athyrium filix-femina | lady fern | ||
| Dryopteris expansa | spiny wood fern | ||
| Polystichum munitum | sword fern | ||
| EQUISETACEAE | |||
| Equisetum sp. (arvense?) | horsetail sp. (common?) | ||
| POLYPODIACEAE | |||
| Polypodium glycyrrhiza | licorice fern | ||
| PTERIDACEAE | |||
| Adiantum aleuticum | western maiden-hair fern | ||
| Pentagramma triangularis | goldenback fern | ||
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Upcoming Botany Walk: along the Puntledge, May 25th 2015
I’ll lead a walk along the Puntledge next Monday (May 25th). We can meet at 10:15, at the North end of Powerhouse Rd, at the yellow barrier just before the pipeline. Lots of parking there.
We’ll walk along the pipeline a bit and then head down to the river, along the river bank trail; and then return by clambering up the trail (not too steep) up the bank. I saw about 60 plants this week when I went for a walk. Joel
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Bird Outing Report: Moorecroft Park, May 21,2015
Thursday 9 birders had 28 species at Moorecroft Regional Park, Nanoose Bay, and 8 birders had 20 species at the Englishman Estuary, Plummer Road side, for a total of 39 species for the morning. Highlights included the Whimbrel and other shorebirds on the mudflats at the Englishman Estuary.
Moorecroft Regional Park, Nanoose Bay
Turkey Vulture
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Pileated Woodpecker
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Tanager
Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side
Canada Goose
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Whimbrel
Dunlin
Long-billed/Short-billed Dowitcher
Rufous Hummingbird
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Violet-green Swallow
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
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Botany Outing Report: K’omoks Estuary, May 18, 2015
Special Plants seen: Henderson’s Checker Mallow (rare, not yet in bloom), Seaside plantain, Indian paint brush, Pretty shooting star, Meadow and straight beaked buttercup, Northern rice root, and western St. Johns wort
Trees: huge Sitka spruce, alder, Red Cedar, Crabapple, Mountain Ash, Black Hawthorne, Bitter Cherry
Shrubs: Sweet gale, Thimble Berry, Salmon Berry, Pacific Nine Bark, Twin Berry, Snowberry, Gooseberry
Other Plants: Sword and bracken fern, False lily of the valley, Dock, Trailing and Himalayan Blackberry, coltsfoot, Skunk Cabbage, Bald Hip Rose, Cow Parsnip, Horsetail, Bullrush, camas , Silverweed, Siberian miners lettuce, Ribwort Plantain, Seaside Arrow grass, Queen Ann’s Lace, Twisted stalk
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Botany Outing Report: Harewood Plains, May 11, 2015
Plants seen on the Harewood Plains outing on May 11:
Indian Plum, bitter cherry, Saskatoon berry , sea blush, ocean spray, salal, orange honeysuckle, vetch – common and hairy, common forget me not, arbutus, creeping blackberry, big leaf maple, rose – Nootka and bald hip, dull and tall Oregon grape, snowberry, small flower nenophilla, western buttercup, chocolate lily, Pacific sanicle, spring gold, pink twink, death camas, short and tall blue camas (with some white as well), hop clover, dove foot geranium, wild strawberry, small blue violet, birds nest fungus, Sitka columbine, lupin, cascara , flowering currant, alum root, small leafed montia, bedstraw, star flower, red huckleberry, kinnikinnick, Garry oak, yellow monkey flower, small flowered lotus, Alaska saxifrage, sword fern, herb Robert, cottonwood, thimble berry, salmonberry, pearly everlasting, tansy, nine bark.
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Bird Outing Report: Bear Creek Park, May 14, 2015
This Thursday May 14 16 birders went to Bear Creek Nature Park where we heard or saw 38 species.
Highlights include good looks at Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Swainson’s Thrush, and Black-throated Gray Warbler, as well as nesting Red-breasted Sapsuckers.
Canada Goose
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Cassin’s Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller’s Jay
Tree/Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
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