http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com Nature Tours, Bird Watching, Rainforest Hikes, and more. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:51:54 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A herring skiff Originally uploaded by TheRainbird Each year herring spawns around Vancouver Island in early March. This year is no exception. Just this morning I heard that the herring were spawning near French Creek between Parksville and Qualicum Beach. this attracts tens of thousands of birds, of all kinds as well ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/herring-on-vancouver-island.php [caption id="attachment_667" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I was surprised when this boy from Britain didn't flinch when he was pinched."][/caption] Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) Originally uploaded by TheRainbird This lobster-like creature is very common in the streams and lakes of the Pacific Northwest. Although its claws are much smaller than it's saltwater cousin they can ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/signal-crayfish-pacifastacus-leniusculus.php ing tide" is a phrase used in Australia and the South Pacific to describe the highest tides of the year. They occur once in the summer and once in the winter. In Australia, they are considered quite dangerous for surfing. They are also becoming recognized as useful indicators of any ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/the-king-tide-project.php How many birds in the flock? Originally uploaded by TheRainbird With Christmas Bird Counts starting all across North America next week it is timely to begin thinking about how good you are at counting birds in a flock. In this case, it is a flock of Starlings congregating in the evening before ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/how-many-birds-in-the-flock.php WeinerFalls Originally uploaded by TheRainbird Last summer, Weiner Falls and Rainbird Excursions were featured in a local cable television production. This magnificent waterfall is completely unknown to most of the people in the the community. And I've been getting calls even now (It's December) asking how to get to it. The waterfall ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/weiner-falls.php Winer Falls in the Rain Originally uploaded by TheRainbird One of the questions I often get asked by guests is, “How much does it rain on Vancouver Island? Good question. After all we live here in a temperate rainforest. And the answer, of course, is “It varies!” I pulled out some precipitation data ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/rainfall-on-vancouver-island.php 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 ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/living-a-dream-picking-matsutake-mushrooms.php 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 ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/salmon-at-stamp-falls.php 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 ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/clutesi-haven-marina.php 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 ... http://vancouverislandnaturetours.com/bear-on-the-somass-river.php