2024 October 11 – Victoria Natural History Society

2024 October 11

Aziza Cooper writes: On October 10 at about 2 pm, there were two Cabbage Whites along McKenzie Road east of Borden Street, seen from my car. Jeremy Tatum writes: That’s exactly where I saw two, also from my car, the day before. I wonder if they were the same two.

Are these going to be the last butterflies of the year? Or are there more to come?

Aziza writes: On October 7 at the Hawk Lookout near Beechey Head, this beetle flew into a pine bush at the summit.

We thank Scott Gilmore for identifying the beetle as Monochamus clamator, and Aziza for identifying the hand as belonging to Liam Ragan.

Spotted Pine Sawyer Monochamus clamator (Col.: Cerambycidae) Aziza Cooper

August 2025

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Island View Beach Birding
Island View Beach Birding

August 2, 2025 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am
Victoria Region

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)

Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north end of the parking lot. At this time of year, we may find some interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration, and we will still see a few beach flowers in the dunes as we walk along. We’ll walk back on the inland trail to check for interesting land birds. DIRECTIONS: To reach Island View Beach, go north on the Pat Bay Highway, turn right at the lights at Island View Road (Michell’s Market) and follow that to a left on Homathko Road, which leads to the parking lot.

See more details

Monthly Butterfly Walk
Monthly Butterfly Walk

August 3, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Field trip (Level 2)

Join us on our monthly Butterfly Walk. Each outing is intended to help us learn more about local butterflies. This field trip is weather-dependent as it needs to be sunny and warm to make it worthwhile. We start at the top of Mount Tolmie (off Cedar Hill X Road). Meet at 1 p.m. in the lot by the reservoir where we will have an initial look for butterflies and then decide where to go from there. Car-pooling is encouraged. We try to return by 4 p.m. Cancellations or special instructions will be posted on the calendar (https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?page_id=1518 ) closer to the date. Contact Gordon Hart at 250-721-1264 or butterflies@vicnhs.bc.ca for more information.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

August 5, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

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.

Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!

For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273.

See more details

Fall Migration Birding at the RPBO Pedder Bay Banding Station
Fall Migration Birding at the RPBO Pedder Bay Banding Station

August 9, 2025 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am
Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina, 925 Pedder Bay Drive, Victoria, BC V9C 4G9, Canada

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 3, OR 1.5 IF YOU SKIP THE HILL LOOP)

Meet: 7:30 a.m. at Pedder Bay Marina, parking in the grass lot beside the RV Kiosk.

Join us at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory banding location at Pedder Bay. We will start the morning birding the Pedder Bay census route and contribute our sightings to Pedder Bay’s day list. The location should be busy with passerine migrants, so there should be many birds around. Mid-morning, we will visit the banding station to see the fall bird monitoring program in operation, maybe watch a bird being banded, and meet the RPBO banders and crew there that day.

DIRECTIONS: Drive time from Victoria is approximately 30 minutes. The most enjoyable drive to Pedder Bay is following Metchosin Road, turn right on Happy Valley Road, then left on Rocky Point Road. Follow Rocky Point Road until Pedder Bay RV Resort and Marina. Turn left on Pedder Bay Drive. PARKING: Please check the online calendar for parking location updates. (Usually, the grass parking lot is available, and car parking stalls are available at the Marina.)

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

August 12, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

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.

Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!

For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273.

See more details

Birding Esquimalt Lagoon
Birding Esquimalt Lagoon

August 16, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Victoria Region

Meet at 8:00 a.m. near the bridge at the outlet of the lagoon. This trip will cover the ocean birds along the lagoon and may go into the fields behind the lagoon to provide a variety of birds. This is a good location for shorebirds during the fall migration, which is well underway. DIRECTIONS: Esquimalt Lagoon is in Colwood on Ocean Boulevard, off the Old Island Highway. Meet and park near the bridge.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

August 19, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

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.

Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!

For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273.

See more details

Sidney Spit Birding
Sidney Spit Birding

August 22, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sidney Spit Ferry, 9835 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC V8L 4X3, Canada

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)

Please purchase ferry tickets as soon as possible, before they sell out.

Meet: 9:00 a.m. -- Each year, around this time, we take the ferry to Sidney Spit to look for interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration. Possibilities include Baird’s Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe the elusive Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We will also check out the Purple Martins at their nest boxes on the dock and enjoy other passerines migrating through.

The group will take the 9:30 a.m. ferry from Port Sidney Marina. We will have lunch on the island. Bring food and water as there is no drinking water within the park. N.B., Purchase your ticket online at SidneySpitFerry.com to reserve your spot (remember to book your return time as well). The cost is $25 for adults ($21 for seniors and children). The return ferry leaves the island at 1:00, 3:00, and 4:00 p.m., so you can choose how long you wish to stay.

DIRECTIONS: Port Sidney Marina is at the end of Seaport Place in Sidney. Parking can be found a short distance away in the residential areas.

See more details

Saturday Birding
Saturday Birding

August 23, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Victoria Region

Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. We ask that participants have both vaccines completed, to come on this walk. Check here on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s time and location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. Non-members can participate up to three times, after which they are expected to join the Society.

See more details

Tuesday Birding
Tuesday Birding

August 26, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria

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.

Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!

For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273.

See more details

Saturday Birding
Saturday Birding

August 30, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Victoria Region

Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. We ask that participants have both vaccines completed, to come on this walk. Check here on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s time and location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. Non-members can participate up to three times, after which they are expected to join the Society.

See more details

	August 2025
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
					1	2 Island View Beach Birding Island View Beach Birding August 2, 2025 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am Victoria Region FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5) Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north end of the parking lot. At this time of year, we may find some interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration, and we will still see a few beach flowers in the dunes as we walk along. We’ll walk back on the inland trail to check for interesting land birds. DIRECTIONS: To reach Island View Beach, go north on the Pat Bay Highway, turn right at the lights at Island View Road (Michell’s Market) and follow that to a left on Homathko Road, which leads to the parking lot. See more details •
3 Monthly Butterfly Walk Monthly Butterfly Walk August 3, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Field trip (Level 2) Join us on our monthly Butterfly Walk. Each outing is intended to help us learn more about local butterflies. This field trip is weather-dependent as it needs to be sunny and warm to make it worthwhile. We start at the top of Mount Tolmie (off Cedar Hill X Road). Meet at 1 p.m. in the lot by the reservoir where we will have an initial look for butterflies and then decide where to go from there. Car-pooling is encouraged. We try to return by 4 p.m. Cancellations or special instructions will be posted on the calendar (https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?page_id=1518 ) closer to the date. Contact Gordon Hart at 250-721-1264 or butterflies@vicnhs.bc.ca for more information. See more details •	4	5 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding August 5, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria 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. Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome! For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. See more details •	6	7	8	9 Fall Migration Birding at the RPBO Pedder Bay Banding Station Fall Migration Birding at the RPBO Pedder Bay Banding Station August 9, 2025 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina, 925 Pedder Bay Drive, Victoria, BC V9C 4G9, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 3, OR 1.5 IF YOU SKIP THE HILL LOOP) Meet: 7:30 a.m. at Pedder Bay Marina, parking in the grass lot beside the RV Kiosk. Join us at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory banding location at Pedder Bay. We will start the morning birding the Pedder Bay census route and contribute our sightings to Pedder Bay’s day list. The location should be busy with passerine migrants, so there should be many birds around. Mid-morning, we will visit the banding station to see the fall bird monitoring program in operation, maybe watch a bird being banded, and meet the RPBO banders and crew there that day. DIRECTIONS: Drive time from Victoria is approximately 30 minutes. The most enjoyable drive to Pedder Bay is following Metchosin Road, turn right on Happy Valley Road, then left on Rocky Point Road. Follow Rocky Point Road until Pedder Bay RV Resort and Marina. Turn left on Pedder Bay Drive. PARKING: Please check the online calendar for parking location updates. (Usually, the grass parking lot is available, and car parking stalls are available at the Marina.) See more details •
10	11	12 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding August 12, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria 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. Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome! For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. See more details •	13	14	15	16 Birding Esquimalt Lagoon Birding Esquimalt Lagoon August 16, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am Victoria Region Meet at 8:00 a.m. near the bridge at the outlet of the lagoon. This trip will cover the ocean birds along the lagoon and may go into the fields behind the lagoon to provide a variety of birds. This is a good location for shorebirds during the fall migration, which is well underway. DIRECTIONS: Esquimalt Lagoon is in Colwood on Ocean Boulevard, off the Old Island Highway. Meet and park near the bridge. See more details •
17	18	19 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding August 19, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria 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. Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome! For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. See more details •	20	21	22 Sidney Spit Birding Sidney Spit Birding August 22, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Sidney Spit Ferry, 9835 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC V8L 4X3, Canada FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5) Please purchase ferry tickets as soon as possible, before they sell out. Meet: 9:00 a.m. -- Each year, around this time, we take the ferry to Sidney Spit to look for interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration. Possibilities include Baird’s Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe the elusive Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We will also check out the Purple Martins at their nest boxes on the dock and enjoy other passerines migrating through. The group will take the 9:30 a.m. ferry from Port Sidney Marina. We will have lunch on the island. Bring food and water as there is no drinking water within the park. N.B., Purchase your ticket online at SidneySpitFerry.com to reserve your spot (remember to book your return time as well). The cost is $25 for adults ($21 for seniors and children). The return ferry leaves the island at 1:00, 3:00, and 4:00 p.m., so you can choose how long you wish to stay. DIRECTIONS: Port Sidney Marina is at the end of Seaport Place in Sidney. Parking can be found a short distance away in the residential areas. See more details •	23 Saturday Birding Saturday Birding August 23, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am Victoria Region Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. We ask that participants have both vaccines completed, to come on this walk. Check here on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s time and location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. Non-members can participate up to three times, after which they are expected to join the Society. See more details •
24	25	26 Tuesday Birding Tuesday Birding August 26, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria 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. Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome! For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. See more details •	27	28	29	30 Saturday Birding Saturday Birding August 30, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am Victoria Region Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. We ask that participants have both vaccines completed, to come on this walk. Check here on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s time and location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. Non-members can participate up to three times, after which they are expected to join the Society. See more details •
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