Spring and sunshine call for hiking and birding, which is exactly what twelve Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists did on Saturday, April 12 at Swan Lake.
Amanda Lahaie led us along the trails that circle the wildlife sanctuary, and we spent approximately two and a half hours observing and identifying birds, marveling in the views and enjoying the ambience. An intermittent cool wind kept us on the move, but we did stop at the second bird blind for a time to view the numerous swallows gliding through the air near the water’s edge. Many birds are already at the lake, including Buffleheads, Red-winged blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Mountain bluebirds, and Virginia rails. Most wildflowers are not yet in bloom, but glossy, yellow buttercups littered the landscape, and the fragrant scent of pine permeated the air. We ate our lunch at a picnic table overlooking the lake and marveled in the glory of the day!
Tip Anderson will lead us on an easy, two to three hour walk around Wolfe Lake on Saturday, April 19. Bring a lunch and we’ll sit around the campfire afterwards. Confirm with Tip at 250-295-3369 and we’ll meet at Billy’s at 10 a.m.
Biologist Jess Hobden will give a presentation on “terrestrial and aquatic invasive species” at next month’s meeting, which will be held Tuesday, May 13 at Riverside Centre at 7 p.m.
Meetings and field trips are open to the public, so please join us for an enlightening and enjoyable time.