Calendar

Note that while evening presentations are open to the public, field trips are for members only. Click here for our Field Trip Guidelines for participants and leaders.

If space allows, guests may join for up to three trips, after which they are expected to join the Society.

Codes for Field Trip Difficulty Levels:
LEVEL 1—Easy walking, mostly level paths.
LEVEL 2—Paths can be narrow with uneven terrain.
LEVEL 3—Obstacles in paths or steeper grades, requiring agility.
LEVEL 4—Very steep, insecure footing, or longer hikes requiring good physical condition.
Please—no pets on VNHS field trips.

If you would like to do a talk or know someone who might, please contact one of the presentation night coordinators. If you have an idea for a field trip or wish to volunteer as a leader, please contact the Field Trip Coordinator. Many of you do interesting things either for fun or for work, and it would be great to share! See Contact page for email addresses and phone numbers.

TUESDAY MORNING BIRDING – Meets every Tuesday one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 a.m. or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 a.m. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.

SATURDAY MORNING BIRDING – Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. Check on the Calendar on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. For more details, contact Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634.

SWAN LAKE GUIDED BIRD WALKS – Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Jointly sponsored by Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and Victoria Natural History Society. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk.

Note: Some presentations can also be viewed on the VNHS’ Youtube Channel

	May 2023
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
	1	2 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding May 2, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	3 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 3, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	4	5	6 Dawn Chorus at Viaduct Flats Dawn Chorus at Viaduct Flats May 6, 2023 @ 5:30 am - 7:00 am FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1) The Dawn Chorus at Viaduct Flats At this time of year, songbirds sing persistently, vigorously, and loudly around sunrise -- a phenomenon called the dawn chorus. By this point in spring, most of the usual breeding songbird species have arrived and are singing their hearts out. Morning twilight is extended at this time of year and the chorus begins well before sunrise. We'll meet shortly before dawn at Viaduct Flats to take in this splendid event. Most of our time will be spent at or near the observation stand, but we'll also take short walks on the nearby trails. At the intersection of different types of habitat, including forest, the marshy edges of the pond, fields, and some residential properties nearby, we should hear a nice variety of passerines. Early morning is a magical time, with little traffic or other sounds except for the bird song. To experience the auditory event fully, we'll try to keep talking to whispers. Sunrise will be at 5:46 a.m., so we'll meet at 5:30 and wrap up in time for the 7:30 event, a short drive away. The parking lot is near the intersection of Interurban and Viaduct. For more details or to find out time & location if it is not described here, contact Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634.  Organiser: Victoria Natural History Society See more details Birding Calvert and Logan Park Birding Calvert and Logan Park May 6, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am Trevlac Place, Trevlac Pl, Saanich, BC V9E, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2/3) Birding Calvert and Logan Park We will be birding in the area around Trevlac Pond and part of Prospect Lake, then back through Logan Park. Meet on Trevlac Place which is off Hector Road at 7:30 a.m. We will also explore Goy Park, which has a small pond. Maybe we’ll hear young Barred Owls hissing in the woods on the final part through Logan Park. Look for the brown park hiking post on Trevlac Place as our starting point. Park along one side of Trevlac but please don’t block the end of the cul-de-sac. Contact Agnes at thelynns at shaw.ca or (250) 721- 0634 for more information. See more details • •
7 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 7, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	8 Macaulay Point intertidal walk Macaulay Point intertidal walk May 8, 2023 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Lampson Street & Munro Street, Lampson St & Munro St, Esquimalt, BC V9A 5X9, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 4) We will meet at the Fleming Beach boat launch parking lot at the foot of Lampson St. in Esquimalt at 11:00 a.m. and walk out to the rocky intertidal zone on the point. The footing can be slippery and wet so please wear appropriate shoes or rubber boots. The 0.6 ft tide should expose many of the common critters and hopefully, some rarer species. For more information contact Phil Lambert 250-477-5922 See more details •	9 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding May 9, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	10 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 10, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	11	12	13 World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Bird Walk World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Bird Walk May 13, 2023 @ 7:00 am - 9:00 am Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, 5267 Patricia Bay Hwy, Victoria, BC, Canada Early Birding Walk at Elk/Beaver Lake Field Trip (LEVEL 2) As the first event of World Migratory Bird Day, the VNHS Saturday Birding Group will be doing their Saturday walk at Elk/Beaver Lake Park. (Other events for the special day will continue later.) On our walk, we will check out some of the trails and the lakeshore to see what migrants have joined the resident birds in this productive area. Meet at 7:00 am at the main parking lot at Beaver Lake. To reach this parking lot, turn on to Beaver Lake Road off Elk Lake Drive (parallels the Pat Bay Highway). There is a large Park sign at this intersection. For more information, contact Agnes at thelynns at shaw.ca or call (250) 721-0634 if you do not have access to email. See more details World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Special Events World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Special Events May 13, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, 5267 Patricia Bay Hwy, Victoria, BC, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1) World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Special Events Join us at Beaver Lake in Saanich to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). Every year for WMBD, there is a theme highlighting an important conservation issue. Last year, the theme was light pollution and the slogan “Dim the Lights for Birds at Night”. This year’s theme is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life”. A crucial part of life is water: fresh, salt, deep, shallow, flowing or standing. Water connects our world, and every single organism from birds to humans depend on the quality and abundance of water. Meet at Beaver Lake Park at 9:00 am in the main parking lot. A day full of fun, fresh air and learning! Events include early morning birding walks, banding demonstrations from our trained volunteers, booths from community partners and beautiful birds of prey from the Pacific Northwest Raptors Sanctuary. See more details • •
14 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 14, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	15	16 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding May 16, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	17 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 17, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	18	19	20 Birding Newton Heights Birding Newton Heights May 20, 2023 @ 7:00 am - 10:00 am Mount Newton, North Saanich, BC V8L 5E1, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2) Birding Newton Heights Join us on this leisurely loop on the south side of Mount Newton looking for spring migrants in this area of mixed forest and large rural lots. This is a great area to see Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Black-throated Gray Warblers and Mourning Doves. Take East Saanich Road to Haldon Road. Meet at the corner of Haldon Road and Newton Heights at 7:00 a.m. Contact Agnes at thelynns at shaw.ca or (250) 721-0634 for more information. For more details or to find out time & location if it is not described here, contact Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634.  Organiser: Victoria Natural History Society See more details •
21 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 21, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	22 Natural History Cycling Tour of the Galloping Goose Trail from Sooke Potholes to Leechtown Natural History Cycling Tour of the Galloping Goose Trail from Sooke Potholes to Leechtown May 22, 2023 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 3) Natural History Cycling Tour of the Galloping Goose Trail from Sooke Potholes to Leechtown Join Daniel Dönnecke on a cycling tour into the Sooke Hills. We will enjoy the birds and scenery along the way. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Galloping Goose parking lot 2.3 km along Sooke River Road (off Sooke Road). Bring a lunch. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE WITH AGNES IF YOU PLAN TO COME ON THIS TRIP. Contact Agnes at thelynns at shaw. ca or (250) 721-0634 to register and for more information. See more details •	23 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding May 23, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	24 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 24, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	25	26	27 Birding the Power Lines & the Ponds at the Hydro Substation near Francis King Park Birding the Power Lines & the Ponds at the Hydro Substation near Francis King Park May 27, 2023 @ 7:00 am - 11:00 am Francis King Regional Park - Main Parking Lot, Munn Rd, Saanich, BC V9E 1J2, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 4) Birding the Power Lines & the Ponds at the Hydro Substation near Francis King Park Join us for a walk along the power lines that border Francis King Park and the area around the Hydro substation. This is a great place to hear or see most of our warblers, vireos and flycatchers, and is the most reliable spot for Black-throated Gray Warbler. This is a four- to five-hour walk. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Francis King Park Nature House on Munn Road. Bring a drink and a snack if you wish. Contact Agnes at thelynns at shaw.ca or (250) 721-0634 for more information.  Organiser: Victoria Natural History Society See more details •
28 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 28, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •	29	30 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding May 30, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria TUESDAY BIRDING. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. See more details •	31 Swan Lake Bird Walks Swan Lake Bird Walks May 31, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd, Victoria, BC, Canada Every Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We ask that participants be double vaccinated, keep physical distance but if unable, put on a mask. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are generally led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street. Note that the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Store in Shelbourne Plaza posts the bird reports from the Sunday walk. See more details •

Note that while evening presentations are open to the public, field trips are for members only. Click here for our Field Trip Guidelines for participants and leaders.

May 2023