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21 June

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Although the weather persists as cool and cloudy, the Forest and Wetlands display summer abundant summer growth.  After too long a time away, we returned to explore the loop to the south of the forest.  We expected that the paths would be drier and easier.  We weren't disappointed. Apparently the Forest Gnomes have been very active, maintaining trails and laying down boardwalks. Step mosses are flourishing and producing abundant sporophytes. Red huckleberries are ripening. We watched a red-breasted sapsucker who appeared to be focusing on the hemlocks on the loop trail  He spent a lot of time dodging behind the trees, but cooperated briefly. Sapsuckers have worked over the hemlock for years.   In addition to the typical small holes, they have excavated nest cavities, which in turn look as though they have hosted slime molds. There was also a very active pair of hairy woodpeckers but they were consistently out of range. The Forest is rich in biodiversity....
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4 June 2025

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  4 June --By way of a Guest Blog: At the Christmas Potluck last December, Genevieve Singleton and I agreed to join together to lead an ANats walk in the Hamilton Wetlands and Forest at some time this year.  We had worked together leading walks there for the BC Nature Annual General Meeting last May, and enjoyed our collaboration.  Genevieve's qualifications and training in botany are very strong.   In addition, she has a true gift for leading and teaching visitors to natural environments.   My claims to qualification are much more limited, arising from the not quite weekly frequency of visits to the area, and from the generosity of knowledgeable informants.   Meanwhile, I missed our walk yesterday due to a nasty bout of 'flu, but folks were nice enough to send lots of photos and accounts of their time together.  Hence the Guest Blog.   Genevieve (also known as Jenny), began with a review of wildlife, including a formidable rac...
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30 May

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  After some weeks away from the Hamilton Forest, a summer visit. Salmon berries are maturing, some even beginnin to ripen. Baldhip roses are coming into bloom. Along the Marsh, twinberries are ripening. A damselfly  Arrowsmith is retaining snow. An egg mass from spotted salamanders.  There seem to have been a lot of them this season.  This is at least the fourth mass I've seen in the Marsh. The eggs are joined by algae (the green stuff) which provides oxygen to the developing embryo.   The Forest and Wetlands continues to present new sights to visitors as summer advances.
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May 4th and 11th

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  In addition to the seasonal changes within the Forest and Wetlands, there have been some new, human-associated developments, somewhat mysterious in their origin.  Culturally modified cedars have been present for many years, but in the past week, some new bark-stripping has occured. Three small cedars near the entrance of the Forest now show signs of stripping.  On consulting a Qualicum knowledge keeper who visited the area recently, it is not likely that this is the work of someone who is aware of how best to gather bark--the trees are shaded, and rather small to be a good source of bark.  That said, she reassured me that they are unlikely to be damaged by this harvest.  Notwithstanding, I hope that the bark stripping will not be widespread in the area.  Although the land is unceded to the Qualicum Nation, I'm not sure how the Mosaic Forest Management company, who nominally have the care of the area, would regard this practice.   In addition to ...
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