Our activities include Hiking, Nature Walks, Birding, Bat Monitoring, Botanizing, Education and Outreach, Conservation and Monthly Meetings featuring informative guest speakers.
Non-members are welcome to participate in these activities as a way to preview our club and meet our friendly members prior to joining our group.
Burke Mountain Naturalists (BMN) was formed in 1989 by local residents interested in enjoying nature, encouraging nature awareness, and conserving local green spaces.
We are a club based in Coquitlam, BC, with a focus on the enjoyment and awareness of nature through activities and education.
Whether you are starting your exploration of nature in the Tri-Cities area (Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam) or are an experienced naturalist, we invite you to join us. Meet people who share your interests such as hiking, walking, birding, nature appreciation, and conservation.
Come as a guest and drop in to one of our monthly meetings, or participate in an scheduled activity,to learn more about us.
Researchers are looking for people to pitch in tracking gulls
On the South Coast, Environment Canada is asking for help tracking glaucous-winged gulls.
are grey and white seagulls found abundantly along the Salish Sea coastline. Scientists have tagged over 180 of them with coloured leg bands to better understand how the birds are faring and are asking anyone who spots a gull that has been tagged to report back.
“We want to get a better idea of their survival rates, which, of course, is a key demographic trait that determines how healthy the populations are,” said Environment Canada research scientist Mark Hipfner, speaking Monday to On The Island.
Hipfner said a tagged gull will have many different coloured bands on it and the exact combination is important for researchers.
The best way to help, he said, is to snap a picture of the accessorized bird and send that, along with the date and location of the sighting to this link, so researchers can then compile and study the submitted data.
Hipfner said gull health can be an indicator of human health because their habitat and diets — gulls eat seafood — have some overlap.
When scientists were baiting the birds to catch and tag them in the first place, there was also some snack food overlap.
“We tried a range of natural foods, things like salmon scraps, but we actually found that the most effective bait was Cheezies,” said Hipfner with a chuckle.
He said Birds Canada is compiling the data for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife, which is an independent advisory panel to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Interested volunteers can contact Birds Canada online and the non-profit will provide route information and other details. The Birds Canada B.C. office can also be reached toll free at 1-877-349-2473.
Come out and enjoy a morning of exercise while helping the environment. We will be cutting the invasive plant Japanese knotweed to control it. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear as we will be working on the side of the dikes. Don’t forget water and, if it’s hot and sunny, the sunscreen. The Friends of DeBoville Slough work with the City of Coquitlam and we will supply tools but if you have a favourite pair of clippers or lopers feel free to bring along.
To celebrate the twenty-seventh anniversary of the creation of Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, we will do an easy to moderate hike along the Woodland Walk Trail. On this outing we will travel through a lovely mature second-growth forest and view Saw Blade Falls. You should be prepared to cross a few small creeks by easy boulder-hopping, though there will be help in crossing safely. Roundtrip distance is 11.5 km with an elevation gain of 300 m. Meet at 8:00 am. Return 1:00 pm. Please contact Ian (604. 939. 4039) for more info.
Find out about the latest research on the problems presented by microplastics in salt and freshwater. Dr. Garth Covernton studied microplastics in the marine waters off the west coast before joining a University of Toronto research team working at northern Ontario’s Experimental Lakes Area.
All BMN members who have provided their email address will receive their Zoom invitation a few days prior to the presentation. If you do not receive it, if you have questions or need help with Zoom, or if you are a non-member who is interested in this presentation, please send an email to BurkeMtnNats@gmail.com.
