Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
Thursday, December 13, 2012
A13
THIS WEEK’S PICK OF THE LOT
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While birding is one of the activities the Alouette Field Naturalists do together, there are many other outdoor species they enjoy finding, watching, and researching.
Outdoors
Nature lovers unite The Alouette Field Naturalists are passionate about what the wild world has to offer.
Pitt Lake on Sunday, despite the cold, wet weather. “We had a really good view, almost close enough to touch a downy woodpecker,” noted Vandenberg. “Then, on the way back we came upon what I would call the piece de resistance, a saw-whet by Ronda Payne owl, under a year old.” editorial@mrtimes.com Even an experienced lover of nature like They’ve been at it for 40 years. That’s a Vandenberg didn’t much care for the wet long time for any group to keep meeting, weather. but for one that gets together in the some“[Sighting the owl] made the whole hortimes iffy Lower Mainland weather, it’s rible, nasty, wet walk worthwhile,” she downright amazing. said. What holds the Alouette Field When it comes to her own outdoor pasNaturalists together? sions, Vandenberg relayed a story about “It’s a curiosity about nature, about a type of mushroom she had spotted near local flora and fauna. And her home. She spent sevmushrooms,” said Duanne eral hours poring through “[Sighting the owl] Vandenberg, a 38-year books trying to determine made the whole member of the group. the exact species. The group offers some“It took me seven books. horrible, nasty, wet thing for everyone with It’s the fascination of going walk worthwhile.” planned field trips every through it, it’s like a detecDuanne Vandenberg Sunday, camping in May, tive story,” she noted. and a trip to the Manning The group caters to a Park annual bird count in June. variety of outdoor flora and fauna based “It’s been going on for 30 years,” interests and normally has about 25 or 30 Vandenberg said of the Manning bird members. Couples can join for $32 a year, count. “We’ve been going almost every while singles are $22. year. So you see, we do get about.” Anyone interested in finding out more Members of the club can be any age about the Alouette Field Naturalists can – they simply need an interest in nature. contact Duanne Vandenberg at 604-463“I do mushrooms and wildflowers, we 8743 or visit the group’s web page at have some other general all-rounders like www.bcnature.ca/pages/local_clubs/aloume in the group,” she noted. “One lady ette_field_naturalists.html. • See related story about the naturalists’ had [an interest in] spiders.” annual bird count on page A14… Ten members of the club gathered near
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