The Dawn Chorus
Spring is here! The days are getting longer, the grass is greener, and the air feels fresher than ever. Walking around Nanaimo, I can’t help but notice the plethora of melodies singing in the trees and appreciate all the lovely notes that songbirds have to offer this time of year. Why do songbirds sing? Singing … Continued
Get thee to nature
It’s often said that getting out into nature is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Take a break from studying, relax, and recharge in one of these beautiful locations: Westwood Lake An eight minute bus ride from VIU, this beautiful lake boasts a 5.5 km trail, as well as a public beach. Walk … Continued
A stroll through Bowen Park
Above: A view of the Millstone River Side Channel. Photo by Cole Schisler. By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler The best time to explore Nanaimo’s nature is after a good rain. Bowen Park is a perfect place to start. Feel the soggy squish of fallen foliage underfoot as you walk alongside the Millstone River … Continued
Museum news: Coastal waters teem with herring
By contributor James Mackinnon. Read more from the Museum News series. As you read this, one of the ocean’s great feeding frenzies is occurring just off our shores. Eventually, it will extend up the entire BC coast. The annual spawn of the Pacific herring, which brings millions of fish to near-coastal waters to lay their … Continued
Museum news: The gray whale
Surface feeding gray whale. Photo courtesy Jay Feaver. By contributors James Mackinnon & Iona Kearns Perhaps it’s the sheer size of the ocean that makes it so alluring to most people, or the fact that, while it makes up more than three quarters of the surface of our planet, we know so little about what’s living … Continued
Museum news: Garry Oak ecosystems
Quercus Garryana aka Garry Oak. Photo Maleea Acker By contributor James Mackinnon Sitting in the lee of the Vancouver Island mountain range, much of the south-east shores of our island are graced by mild climates and relatively low precipitation—a rain shadow effect. These conditions have given rise to different types of forests than the damp, … Continued
Overgrowth
Photos by Chantelle Spicer [slideshow_deploy id=’6400′]