Nature Notes
In the mood for some nature reading? Below you’ll find our ever-growing library of articles posted in the Delta Optimist and/or the Delta Optimist Online by members of DNS and our partner organizations. (Check out our beautiful Nature Resources page for more specific information on the diversity of birds, animals, plants, insects, and more you can expect to find in the Fraser River Delta!)
The following are links to recent articles posted in the Delta Optimist, and/or the Delta Optimist Online, by members of DNS, or Partner Organizations:
Nature Notes 2025
| OptimistOnline | DNS or Partner | Author | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25 | DNS | Joni Wright | A garden that works with the rain |
| Oct 28 | Birds Canada | David Bradley | Marvelous migrants to the Lower Mainland – a look at Long-billed Curlews |
| Sep 22 | George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary | Evan Gogal | Understanding Hummingbirds around the Lower Mainland |
| Aug 26 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Patricia Kulikowski | Hedgerows and unexpected pollinators |
| Jul 29 | Ducks Unlimited Canada | Chantelle Abma | Thousands of new plants added to Living Dike |
| Jun 28 | DNS/Cascade Bird Box Team | Peter Ward | The sound of summer, the aerial insectivores |
| May 28 | DNS | Nicki Brockamp | Understanding the pesky Chafer Beetle |
| Apr 21 | DNS | Terry Carr | Join the City Nature Challenge from April 25 to 28 |
| Mar 25 | DNS | Joni Wright | Connecting to our community through hands-on nature displays |
| Mar 4 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Connor Hawey | Hedgerows provide year-round benefits for wildlife and farmland |
| Jan 28 | Birds Canada | Rémi Torrenta | Birders flocked out in numbers for two important bird counts |
Nature Notes 2024
| OptimistOnline | DNS or Partner | Author | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25 | Reifel Bird Sanctuary | Kathleen Fry | Waiting for collared Snow Geese to check in |
| Oct 29 | Birds Canada | David Bradley | Insects and aerial insectivore decline in Canada |
| Sep 25 | Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) | Martina Versteeg | The Mothering Instinct |
| Aug 27 | DNS | Claire Gooding | Light pollution impacts on insects |
| Jul 22 | DNS | Valerie Fuller | WhatsApp to the rescue of Chickadee |
| Jun 27 | Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust | Patricia Kulikowskic | The magic of Sunflowers |
| May 22 | DNS | Nicki Brockamp | Light pollution and migrating birds |
| Apr 26 | DNS | Terry Carr | Join the City Nature Challenge |
| Mar 27 | Ducks Unlimited Canada | Chantelle Abma | Innovative tidal marsh restoration at Sturgeon Bank |
| Feb 28 | DNS | David Hoar | Biodiversity conservation |
| Jan 23 | Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society | Marg Cuthbert | Something fishy going on here. What are forage fish? |
Nature Notes 2023
| OptimistOnline | DNS or Partner | Author | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17 | Cougar Creek Streamkeepers | Deborah Jones | SPLASH! 300 and counting… |
| Nov 28 | Reifel Bird Sanctuary | Evan Gogal | Beaver ‘tales’ |
| Oct 24 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Connor Hawey | Delta farmland refuge for at-risk bats |
| Sep 27 | OWL | Martina Versteeg | OWL saves eagle |
| Aug 28 | Birds Canada | David Bradley | The fatal consequences of bird-window collisions |
| Jul 25 | Ducks Unlimited | Eric Balke | Pilot project helping restore estuary marsh habitat |
| Jun 27 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Connor Hawey | On the hunt for bats in Delta farmland |
| May 23 | DNS | Pam Swanigan | The amazing humming bumble bee |
| Apr 25 | Birds Canada | Lindsay Lalach | The mysterious Black Swift |
| Mar 28 | DNS | Debbi Hlady | Sounds of spring migration |
| Feb 21 | DNS | Debbi Hlady | Coffee with winter birds |
| Jan 25 | Reifel Bird Sanctuary | Kathleen Fry | The winter courtship of Hooded Mergansers |
Nature Notes 2022
| OptimistOnline | DNS or Partner | Author | Topic |
| Dec 14 | DNS | Elizabeth Perrin | Helping Hummingbirds in winter |
| Nov 30 | Ducks Unlimited Canada | Eric Balke | Restoring Fraser River estuary marsh habitat |
| Oct 25 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Connor Hawey | Grassland set-asides provides much-needed habitat for Delta’s breeding birds |
| Sep 27 | Birds Canada | James Casey | Return of wintering birds |
| Aug 23 | DNS | Terry Carr | Why Do We Need Bugs? |
| Jul 26 | FOSB | Marg Cuthbert | Invasive European Green Crab in Boundary Bay |
| Jul 2 | DNS | Peter Ward | The Joy of Listening – Bird ID |
| May 28 | OWL | Martina Versteeg | Avian Flu’s Impact on Owls |
| Apr 27 | Birds Canada | James Casey | City Nature Challenge across the Fraser Delta |
| Mar 30 | DNS | Nicki Brockamp | Fascinating, misunderstood bats |
| Feb 21 | Dani Penalize | Bursary honouring beloved South Delta birder receives over $60,000 in donations | |
| Jan 25 | DNS | Anne Murray | A fascinating look at owls |
Nature Notes 2021
| OptimistOnline | DNS or Partner | Author | Topic |
| Mar 22 | DNS | Valerie Fuller | Life on the Slough |
| Apr 8 | Ducks Unlimited | Sarah Nathan | Cooperation the key to Conservation |
| Apr 22 | Cascade Bird Box Team | Peter Ward | Helping Barn Owls in Our Area |
| Apr 17 | DNS | Elizabeth Perrin | Letter: Wildlife harassment: now it’s the Garter Snakes |
| May 11 | Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust | Drew Bondar | Grassland Set-Asides – a practical solution |
| June 8 | DNS | Nicki Brockamp | The Ups and Downs of Backyard Beekeeping |
| June 22 | Boundary Bay Park Association | Kim Houghton | Regional Parks Snap & Share |
| July 5 | DNS | Anne Murray | Exploring Delta’s Biodiversity |
| July 21 | DNS | Anita DenDikken | The Barn Swallows of Tsawwassen |
| Aug 3 | DNS | Pam Swanigan | Gardening for Butterflies |
| Aug 17 | DNS | Joe Stephenson | Help Nature Come Home |
| Aug 31 | DNS | David Hoar | A Silent Invasion |
| Sept 14 | DNS | Nicki Brockamp | The Magic of Mushrooms |
| Oct 6 | Cascade Bird Box Team | Peter Ward | Tree Swallow Boxes |
| Oct 27 | Reifel Bird Sanctuary | Kathleen Fry | The Return of our wintering birds |
| Nov 8 | DNS | Staff Reporter | New nature brochures for Delta |
| Nov 9 | Birds Canada | James Casey | Bird Monitoring in the Fraser River Delta |
| Nov 24 | Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust | Morgan Powell | Supporting the Pollinator’s Path |
| Dec 7 | Reifel Bird Sanctuary | Kathleen Fry | Puddle Ducks, Pondweeds & Piracy |
Even more articles of interest…
Written by or about activities or events featuring DNS and DNCB members.
| Date of Publication | Title of Article | Synopsis or extract | Author of article |
| Nov 2, 2022 | More good news for birds of prey in Delta, province | Individuals and businesses will continue to have to focus on other methods of pest control, such as traps, less toxic rodenticide alternatives and removing food sources. | Sandor Gyarmati |
| Oct 28, 2022 | B.C. permanently bans use of rat poison | The province of B.C. has decided to make a temporary ban on the use of rat poison permanent. Last July, the government imposed an 18-month ban on the use of rodenticides over concerns the poison is inadvertently killing owls, among other wildlife. | CBC News |
| Oct 30, 2022 | Delta’s bats of Burvilla | As Bat Week wraps up Monday, Oct. 31, what some Delta residents may not realize is that a local historic house is home to the largest nursery colony of bats in B.C… | Sandor Gyarmati |
| May 20, 2016 | First-ever online B.C. Breeding Bird Atlas finds many bird species are on the move | …The B.C. Breeding Bird Atlas is based on an unprecedented five-year field survey carried out by an army of enthusiastic volunteers and coordinated by the nonprofit group Bird Studies Canada (BSC). Its completion required more than 56,000 hours of fieldwork that collected more than 630,000 records… | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Apr 29, 2016 | Delta Naturalists’ Program helping birds find a place to nest at Kings Links | Birds are getting some human help when it comes to finding a place to nest at Kings Links Golf Course. There are 50 tree swallow nest boxes set up of the East Ladner course as part of a Delta Naturalists Society program. The most recent ones were installed last week…Kings Links is also home to boxes designed for barn owls and bats… | Dave Willis Delta Optimist |
| Apr 22, 2016 | “Peep-In” showcases shorebird migration on Roberts Bank | On April 30, two Delta community groups, APE (Against Port Expansion) and CAPE (Citizens Against Port Expansion), are hosting their third annual “Peep-In”, a celebration of the shorebird migration at Roberts Bank, near the mouth of the Fraser River in Delta. This event will showcase the spring migratory passage of millions of small sandpipers, known colloquially as “peeps”, and explain the threats facing them because of the Port of Vancouver’s plans to industrialize the area. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Mar 31, 2016 | Plans for new Fraser River bridge ignore agricultural and environmental concerns | …Building a 10-lane highway across the Fraser will only increase the pressure to develop remaining Delta farmland, in the same way that Richmond was developed in the 1970s… …Important ecological areas lie close to, or right under, the proposed bridge, including Metro Vancouver’s Deas Island Park, Deas Slough, and the South Arm Marshes, a provincial wildlife management area (WMA). The Fraser River’s South Arm brings more than three-quarters of the total river flow to the sea. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Mar 1, 2016 | Who is looking after the Fraser River’s estuary? | …It is high time to form a new multi-agency coordinating body to take over responsibility for the environmental protection of all habitats and wildlife in the Fraser River Delta, estuary, and adjacent waters. The Fraser is the world’s greatest salmon river, and it is in the top 50 heritage rivers globally. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Feb 19, 2016 | Celebrating Delta: Our home and native plants | The common dandelion… is only one of hundreds of non-native flowering plants that were introduced into the Lower Mainland, intentionally or accidentally, over the last 150 years. Such invasives now dominate the landscape, squeezing out the many beautiful native plants that once graced local forests, prairies and wetlands. Local species that survive should be cherished as heritage plants. | Anne Murray Surrey Now-Leader |
| Jan 25, 2016 | More eagles flocking to Fraser delta for winter | For a bird that was once on the U.S. endangered-species list, the bald eagle has made a remarkable comeback. … the number of bald eagles wintering in the Fraser River delta has increased dramatically, with winter counts averaging between 600 to 1,300 birds. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Nov 15, 2015 | Much to be learned about iconic loon | …loon pairs faithfully return each spring to the same traditional lake they used in previous years… The common loon’s close connection to such specific winter habitat highlights Delta’s importance for these special Canadian birds. Many loons spend the winter on Boundary Bay and Roberts Bank. | Anne Murray Delta Optimist |
| Aug 28, 2015 | New pamphlet sheds light on bird species | … children today can recognize hundreds of corporate brand logos but very few common birds, flowers, or trees… … the Delta Naturalists’ Society has … produced a handy pamphlet, Birds in Delta, featuring members’ photographs of 56 of Delta’s common and not-so common bird species, with a short description for each one. | Anne Murray Delta Optimist |
| June 12, 2015 | We benefit from trees in multitude of ways | In the eagerness to maximize house sizes and profits, many new and infill developments occupy the whole extent of a lot, leaving no room for trees or landscaping. This disregards the many studies that show suburbs with natural landscaping have higher property values. Trees make a neighbourhood a more desirable place to live. | Anne Murray |
| May 7, 2015 | For International Migratory Bird Day, a call to action to save the Fraser delta | Over a million shorebirds migrated through the Fraser delta last month. Ducks, swans, and snow geese were also on the move, heading for their breeding grounds further north and east. This month, it is the turn of warblers and flycatchers, small woodland birds that fly north to the boreal forest to build nests and raise young… | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| March 31, 2015 | From snakes to spawn, wildlife congregations show richness of local habitat | This spring has seen two fascinating events on the shores of Boundary Bay in South Delta: an amazing gathering of garter snakes within the dyke, and a massive spawn of herring just offshore. Such phenomena illustrate the importance of the Fraser delta for a wide range of animals… | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| March 2, 2015 Anne Murray Georgia Straight, BC Nature Summer 2015 p. 14 | B.C. wolf kill a misguided effort to save mountain caribou | The (wolf) cull is a provincial government plan to protect endangered mountain caribou by systematically exterminating more than 180 wolves. The wolves have been targeted as the culprits in the caribou’s demise, despite long-standing evidence that changes to the landscape and climate warming are the underlying problems. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight, BC Nature Summer 2015 p. 14 |
| Feb 11, 2015 Feb 24, 2015 | Sphagnum moss: A Delta heritage plant | The moss that’s now many metres deep in Fraser delta bogs began accumulating over 3,000 years ago. …In the wet heart of Burns Bog, the largest and most well known of our local bogs, layers of sphagnum, fed by rainwater, have grown into a dome five metres above the surrounding delta. | Anne Murray Delta Optimist/ Surrey Now-Leader |
| Jan 22, 2015 | Looking back on nature in 2014 | 2014 was a bittersweet year for nature in the Fraser delta. While some species fared well, others struggled desperately for survival. Our wealth of migratory wildlife is unique in Canada and needs proactive attention. Let’s make it a priority for the new year. | Anne Murray Surrey Now-Leader |
| Jan 7, 2015 | Resolve to enjoy a local year of nature | Taking a walk on the wild side is proven to improve mental and physical well-being, and it can be done without going far from home, so your wallet and the planet will not suffer. (with suggestions for each month) | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Dec 9, 2014 | The failure of public consultations in B.C. | The widespread public consultations that led to environmental and agricultural protection in the 1990s have been replaced in the last 20 years by increasingly aggressive tactics. Closed doors and backroom deals are now the norm in transforming our local landscape. Public input carries no weight in final decisions, which are driven by political ideologies far more than a search for best solutions. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Oct 23, 2014 | The not-so-scary world of birdwatching | Birdwatching, birding, or ornithology is a worldwide pastime. Interest in birds and their conservation is the rationale for the world’s largest nature conservation partnership: BirdLife International. This extraordinary global organization has more than 13 million members and supporters in 120 countries, from Andorra to Zimbabwe. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Sep 24, 2014 | There is no Planet B | We have a choice of caring for our home planet and surviving, or trashing it and becoming extinct … climate change is here, it is happening, and adaptation and amelioration must take place now. We only have one planet; there is no Planet B. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| June 4, 2014 | Vancouver is a great place for nature viewing | Black bears, bobcats, coyotes, porpoises, and sea lions, not to mention hundreds of bird species, all share the Lower Mainland with 2.6 million human inhabitants… Visiting the right habitat at the right time of year increases the chance of wildlife viewing success. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Apr 25, 2014 | “Peep in” highlights sandpipers threatened by Port Metro Vancouver development | Biologists estimate 600,000 western sandpipers and 200,000 dunlins pass through Brunswick Point mudflats during northward migration… migratory birds would be affected by the Deltaport Terminal 2 project. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Feb 28, 2014 | Vancouver joins rewilding discusssion | Two hundred years ago, grizzly bears and wolves inhabited the forests and marshes where Vancouver now stands, yet there were no coyotes or raccoons. The majestic condor, far larger than the bald eagle, roamed up the coast searching for whale and sea lion carcasses. Salmon spawned in hundreds of streams that flowed where city streets now lie. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Jan 30, 2014 | Alien species invasion | introduced animals may survive and breed, becoming invasive species. They then start spreading further afield. … Life is tough for native animals … competition with introduced species is yet one more challenge for them. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Dec 17, 2013 | Whales and dolphins stand to lose in Port Metro Vancouver developments | Roberts Bank is exceptional wildlife habitat, supporting a range of animals from juvenile salmon to western sandpipers. The waters are rich in marine mammals, including grey whales; endangered southern resident killer whales, or orcas; harbour and Dall’s porpoises; and two species of sea lion. Humpback whales are once again a regular sight after an absence of nearly a hundred years. There is an existing port here, but do we really need to double it? The environmental risks are enormous and the economic projections are far from convincing. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Oct 16, 2013 | Boundary Bay Dykes, Delta and Surrey, British Columbia | An Important Bird Area well known for owls, raptors, waterfowl, and shorebirds. The 10-mileBoundary Bay dyke trail from Mud Bay to Beach Grove offers great birdwatching and exceptional views of salt marshes, mudflats, distant islands, and snow-capped mountain peaks. | Anne Murray BirdWatching magazine (December 2013 edition) |
| Oct 25, 2013 | The Future of Delta’s Southlands hangs in the balance | Farmland or urban development? That is the issue South Delta residents will be debating when we attend public hearings October 28 to 30 on the future of the Southlands property. | Anne Murray |
| Sep 19, 2013 | Public must be watchdogs for Fraser delta development | …enticing tradeoffs are being planned for the MK Delta Lands Group property on the north Delta side of Burns Bog, the Southlands development (formerly the Spetifore Farm) in South Delta, and Port Metro Vancouver’s latest scheme for yet another container terminal (T2) at Roberts Bank. | Anne Murray Surrey Now-Leader |
| Sep 12, 2013 | The value of marshes and mud flats | The varied wetland habitats in the Fraser delta are a key reason for the number and diversity of birds found here. | Anne Murray Surrey Now-Leader |
| Aug 29, 2013 | 10 ways to Come Alive in Nature | Getting out in nature for health and happiness | Anne Murray |
| Jul 22, 2013 | The creation of the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust | The 20 year history of the DFWT, a model for cooperative conservation — how to keep farms productive while fostering their value as critical wildlife habitat in the Fraser delta. | Anne Murray |
| May 28, 2013 | Moby Doll remembered | The changes in attitude and the deeper understanding we have developed towards “killer whales” in the past 50 years. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| April 22, 2013 | Death and Dandelions: Are cosmetic pesticides worth the risk? | The Canadian Cancer Society considers some herbicides, chemicals that kill unwanted plants, to be a serious risk to children’s health. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| March 22, 2013 | Fresh water is B.C.’s greatest resource | Glacier-fed streams, flowing rivers, beautiful lakes, rainy winters, drinking water from the tap, and hydroelectricity powering our homes… it is easily taken for granted. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | A dark cloud hangs over South Delta | The delta landscape … is changing rapidly, powered by agencies and policies that destroy the environment and ignore community concerns. | Anne Murray Georgia Straight |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | Moles and voles: the hidden life of small mammals | Two native mammals with similar names but which play quite different roles in our local ecosystem. | Anne Murray Surrey Leader |
Delta Naturalists Society 