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.
Visit our calendar of events for a list of scheduled activities.
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.
Documentary Film titled “Returning”, presented by Dr. Rob Butler
The film “Returning” is described as, “From a sailing journey around the Salish Sea, emerges a new vision of a Nature Culture to inspire and transform how we interact with the world.” The film was directed by Mike McKinlay and was co-produced by Dr. Rob Butler of the Pacific Wildlife Foundation and the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Dr. Butler will give a ‘birding tour’ of the 10 winning photos from the Vancouver International Bird Festival photo contest starting at 6:45, after which, he will present the film. Following the film, there will be a Q&A session. There will also be a silent auction.
The event is free of charge and will be held at the Inlet Theatre, 100 Newport Drive, Port Moody,
Join Larry Cowan and members of the Vancouver Naturalists for a half-day birding field trip along Port Coquitlam’s Pitt River Dyke, north from the east end of Nicola Place back to the parking lot at DeBoville Slough. This route covers excellent dyke-side habitats. The group will be on the hunt for visiting winter and resident species. Meet in the main parking lot adjacent to the public washrooms at Cedar & Victoria Drives (west end of DeBoville Slough) in Port Coquitlam at 9am. From there, carpools will be arranged the start point at Nicola Place. For more info, contact the leader, Larry Cowan.
BMN’s annual nest box cleaning season has arrived! Volunteers will be divvied into two teams and we will head out for a morning of work with the boxes at Minnekhada Farm and DeBoville Slough. Please join us, especially if you are good at climbing ladders and lifting nest boxes down for inspection and cleaning. We also need recorders and people who can carry supplies. Sign up at the January or February club meeting or contact Victoria Otton. We will meet in the large parking lot at the entrance to DeBoville Slough (at the intersection of Victoria and Cedar Drives). Dress for the weather, bring work gloves and wear rubber boots.
Two BMN members will be our presenters at this special puffin-themed meeting. Diane Kizik-MacDonald will describe her recent travels to the rugged coasts of Shetland where she followed her family’s footsteps around a series of lighthouses and nature reserves. Paul Steeves will begin the evening by showing his short photographic slideshow-set-to-music on puffins on the coast of Iceland.
This meeting will be held at
King of Life Lutheran Church
1198 Falcon Dr (SW corner of Falcon and Guildford)
Coquitlam BC
There is parking in the church parking lot, off the Falcon Drive entrance.
Here’s a chance to participate in an online bird census of wintering birds in your backyard (or anywhere else). For at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count simply tally the numbers and kinds of birds you see. Submit each days’ checklist online. To register and for information, see gbbc.birdcount.org. The GBBC is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with Canadian partner, Bird Studies Canada.
Nest box cleaning at Colony Farm Regional Park. Meet in the parking lot at the end of Colony Farm Road (near the community gardens). Contact Victoria Otton or sign up at the February club meeting. Dress for the weather, wear waterproof boots if the ground is not frozen and bring work gloves
This event offers a rare opportunity to visit a regional-park-in-waiting. We often see swans out on the Pitt River and a sunny day will provide breathtaking views of Golden Ears and the Widgeon area. We will meet in the Quarry Road parking lot for Minnekhada Regional Park and carpool from there. Because access is through a locked gate, we must all enter and leave together. It is a good idea to bring a snack and drink as we usually work until at least 1:30 pm. While no washrooms are available, there is an abundance of bushes. Contact Victoria Otton or sign up at the February club meeting. Dress for the weather and bring work gloves.
Our last half-day of cleaning and maintaining nest boxes. Meet in the Quarry Road parking lot. Please contact Victoria (votton@sfu.ca) to sign up. Dress for the weather and bring work gloves
Join Larry Cowan and members of the Vancouver Naturalists for a half-day birding trip to Coquitlam’s DeBoville Slough and Minnekhada Regional Park. Osprey, hummingbirds and swallows should be back on their breeding grounds. Spring migrants will also be moving through the area. With luck there will be a glimpse of Sandhill Crane, Red Crossbill, Band-tailed Pigeon and Western Meadowlark. Meet in the main parking lot adjacent to the public washrooms at Cedar & Victoria Drives in Port Coquitlam at 9am. Some vehicles will be positioned in the parking lot off Quarry Road in Minnekhada Park for our return trip. For more info, contact the leader, Larry Cowan.
