Vancouver Island Nature Tours

Celebrating the first Matsutake
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird
Masaya is a very persistent fellow! He has been on a mushroom tour with me before, but he didn’t quite get what he was hoping for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure they had a great time. But he was hoping to pick some Matsutake Mushrooms on it. [...]

Salmon at Stamp Falls
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird
I suppose it is time to get on my annual soap box and rave about how great the the spectacle is at Stamp Falls. It is truly the best place on Vancouver Island to see salmon migrating to the spawning grounds.

Any time from early September to late October is [...]

Clutesi Haven Marina

Originally uploaded by TheRainbird

Early fall at the Clutesi Haven Marina. The annual Port Alberni Salmon Festival will be on again this Labour Day weekend. A $10,000 prize for the biggest fish caught. The Alberni Inlet is a frenzy of sport fishing boats vying for position and hoping luck will com their way. Here [...]

Bear on the Somass River
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird

For most of the year bears are not seen on the far bank of the Somass River. But from mid-August to late October this is the best place to see Black Bears on Vancouver Island. They are commonly seen on low tides at the mouth of the river [...]

Freshwater Mussel in the Stamp River

Originally uploaded by TheRainbird

On a recent excursion along the Stamp River Long Trail, or Anglers Trail. I noticed a freshwater mussel in the water near me as I was having lunch. I took this lousy picture. Not knowing much about them, I read up on these guys. This one [...]

Common Witch’s Hair (Alectoria sarmentosa)

Originally uploaded by TheRainbird

This lichen is very common on the trees on the way up the saddle on Mount Arrowsmith. When I’m guiding I’m often asked if this plant is a fungus. The answer is no. Lichens are a symbiotic combination of a fungus and algae. As Jim Pojar puts it [...]

Looking for Crayfish
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird
We’ve had some record breaking hot temperatures in the Alberni Valley lately. Yesterday it hit 34 C (93F). We’re often the hottest place on Vancouver Island in the summer.
And so it’s not surprising that there are lots of places around to beat the heat!
Here’s a quick run down on places [...]

The Alberni Valley is an exceptional place to hike. I’ve said that before. However most of the routes and trails are known only to a few local people. Here’s your chance to join some locals on one of their hikes.
The club has only three rules. This is the third one, “Non-members are welcome to try [...]

The Significance of Culturally Modified Trees
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird

A Culturally Modified Tree is government jargon for trees that have been altered by aboriginal people as part of their traditional use of the forest. Archaeologists survey areas proposed for logging to see if any CMT’s as they are called are present. CMTs which date pror to [...]

Boggy ground at Pacific Rim
Originally uploaded by TheRainbird
One aspect of being in the Pacific temperate rainforest is the boggy ground. Wherever there is flat subdued terrain, there is poor drainage. The vast amount of water that falls on the land can’t be absorbed into the ground fast enough. Added to this is the fact that [...]