Hole In The Wall

Photo: Hole in the Wall
Photo by ?

After an extended period of unpredictable weather, Saturday, July 23rd arrived bringing a perfect temperature for Peter Antonick’s annual fishing trip.
Ten members and a guest were treated to an easy hike through a forest filled with wild flowers. We arrived at the banks of the Similkameen River at a spot Peter calls Hole In the Wall. This area is a scenic beauty lush with wild berries, flowers and Rainbow Trout! As well, the area has very interesting rock formations (churt) and is abundant with fossils and interesting rock lichens.

The fishing was wonderful for those of us that brought our fishing gear. Lisa landed the first fish of the day! After we had caught a few more fish, Peter magically produced frying pans, butter and home grown green onions and garlic.  He proceeded to cook them up with the fish for a tasty shore lunch for everyone.

We did see grouse, a bald eagle and bear scat. As this area is filled with wild raspberries, Saskatoons, Salmon berries and mushrooms, the bear scat was not a surprise.

This was a very interesting day with a leader who is very knowledgeable about the history of the area as well as the local wildlife and flora.

Volcanic Lava Flows

Photo: Volcanic Lava Flows
Photo by ?

Inclement weather, a kind description for the ferocious weather experienced early Saturday morning (July 9th), made the decision for the naturalists to forgo their trip to Palmer Pond and stay near Princeton. The alternate choice was Princeton’s Volcanic Lava Flows located above the old Amber Ski Hill Site. Feasting on plump, juicy Saskatoon berries we made our way to the lava flows. Once there we appreciated the stunning views, especially of the valley and of Baldy in the distance. After the rain everything was a vibrant green. Geologically, this area is very interesting. The lava flows are not the result of a volcanic explosion. At some point in the distant past, possibly five million years ago, molten lava bubbled out of the ground and flowed down the hill, leaving a huge area of rocks. By examining the rocks, we could see the air bubbles (holes). Wandering amongst the lichen-covered rocks, it was easy to visualize the drama that had occurred here. Unlike an area that has been covered in volcanic ash, this site has not recovered from the trauma it experienced. Almost nothing grows here, but we did see some fern that somehow has taken root. Evidence showed that some small animals have also made their home in the rocks. It was a short, delightful hike and the sun even came out!

Swan Lake: Artifacts

Photo: Swan Lake Artifacts
Photo by ?

Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists’ latest field trip took place at Swan Lake Sanctuary, the little jewel situated just north of Princeton that consists of a kettle lake, riparian zone and rolling grasslands. Twelve members and guests spent two hours on the trails circling the lake, searching this culturally significant site and observing the wildlife. We were rewarded with sightings of twenty species of birds, including a Common Nighthawk, Mountain Bluebird, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Eastern Kingbird, many young American Coots, a family of Ruddy Ducks with six babies, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. We spotted a few Mule Deer, some of which appeared to be standing guard over fawns, so we gave them wide berth. The morning was cloudy and mild, thus butterflies were not plentiful, but we did manage to capture the image of a Blue Copper.

This was yet another rewarding outing hosted by VFFN, where we were able to enjoy the beauties of nature as well as the company of like-minded people. Come join us on future field trips for a similar experience!

Seven Half Diamond Ranch

Photo: Seven Half Diamond Ranch
Photo by Cathy Lahaie

We chose one of the hottest days of the season (35 degrees!) to go birding with the Nicola Valley naturalists, but what a success it was!! On Sunday, June 5th, 12 Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists joined 16 members of the Merritt club at Seven Half Diamond Ranch, where we had been given permission by owners Jim & Heather O’Connor to meander. We spent 3 ½ hours roaming the trails and admiring the scenic landscape, where rolling ranchland is dotted with ponds and marshes. Led by ornithologist Alan Burger, we observed 46 species of birds, highlights of which were Kildeer, Sora, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Swainson’s Thrush, Cinnamon Teal and Blue-winged Teal. Goslings and ducklings were prevalent, including Mallard, Bufflehead and Barrow’s Goldeneye babies. We also spotted a couple of Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes in Batstone Lake, a Columbia Spotted Frog, and numerous Western Toad tadpoles and “toadlets” (one-year-olds).

Although the day was warm, we found a shady spot by one of the ponds for our lunch break, where the mosquitoes weren’t too pesky! Halfway along our walk we were entertained by a group of steers who raced towards us as if expecting food, then galloped away at full speed, perhaps realizing their mistake. A few of us were privileged to have a tour of the main house before we left this spectacular site, and we thank the O’Connor’s for their gracious hospitality. It was a splendid day!

Header photo by Janis Wright

Sheep Station

Photo: Starvation Flats
Photo by Mary Masiel

Undeterred by weather, some of us naturalists set out to enjoy nature. Prepared for a wet day, we, instead, experienced a rain-free day, except for a short period of light drizzle. The steep climb to Starvation Flats took 2 hours. On the way there and beyond to Sheep Station, we saw a profusion of wildflowers, at least 17 species, the most notable being the Fairyslipper Orchid. We also saw a Blue Grouse in its full mating display and one specimen of Agaricus Campestris Mushroom, which we left untouched to spore the area. At the open meadow of Starvation Flats, we had lunch. From here we got a clear view of the deep Ashnola Valley, despite the low cloud ceiling.

We continued our hike on a trail visible through the trees, but difficult to follow in the open meadow. We finally reached Sheep Station, an observation station set up by UBC to study the mountain sheep that usually gather in this area in winter. Enjoying a brief interlude of sunshine, we sat on the verandah of the main cabin, had a snack, and looked toward Flatiron Mountain to catch any glimpse of the sheep; alas, none were to be seen.

Leaving Sheep Station, we started our steep descent. Two foot bridges built by volunteer groups allow the crossing of 2 very important creeks, Juniper & Ewart, making possible a round trip. Juniper Creek, normally a small creek, was a dangerous, white-water, torrent due to freshet. Equally impressive was Ewart Creek, now a powerful, roaring, foaming river. We could hear the rumble of Ewart Creek as we hiked along side it on the way to an old hunter’s cabin 4 kms away where we had left another vehicle. This foresight saved us an additional 2.8 km walk! A bridge used to span the creek here, but BC Parks allowed it to fall into disrepair; so we continued farther down to where it was possible to cross the creek again. A well deserved meal at the Hitching Post in Hedley concluded our field trip.

Wolfe Lake with Langley Field Naturalists

Photo: Wolfe Lake
Photo by Janis Wright

Ten Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists were delighted to host 20 birding members of the Langley Field Naturalist Club on an outing to Wolfe Lake, Saturday, May 7th. Led by Tip Anderson, our group was so large we did a head count every half hour! We began our trek after signing a giant thank-you card to Pat Parsons, who graciously hosted us, in absentia, once again. Then we crossed Wolfe Creek, heading east, and hiked along narrow trails through dense deciduous growth and marshy grasses, all the while listening and watching for birds. We were not disappointed, with a count of 30+ species, including Belted Kingfishers, Buffleheads, a Golden Eagle, a Spotted Sandpiper and a Mew Gull. We made our way past a beaver lodge, and spotted several turtles basking on a log in the lake. Beyond the bush, we traveled through older coniferous growth and made our way to more open territory as we circled the lake. The visiting naturalists were charmed by the beauty of the area and entertained by the tall tales told by Tip. It was a hot day, and most of us sought shade when we returned to the picnic area after our 7 km. trek. Despite the 32 degree weather, we roasted a few wieners over a campfire! It was lovely to relax and mingle with our very amiable guests. These visiting birders were in Princeton for the weekend, and were shown other “hot” birding spots by Cathy and Ed Lahaie, our own local experts. We hope to meet with our new friends again soon!

Red Bridge to Pine Park

Photo: Red Bridge to Pine Park
Photo by Mary Masiel

Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists continued our trek along the old VV&E (Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern) railway bed on Saturday, April 16th. We had walked a stretch of it between Princeton and Hedley earlier this month, and on this occasion started at the Red Bridge, west of Keremeos. Six club members cycled a longer route than that of the eleven walkers, but we all started together and were once again blessed with blue skies and warming sunshine. As we headed eastwards we passed through fragrant, new riparian growth along the river, and eventually were surrounded by aromatic, beautiful blossoms of the fruit trees in the many orchards of the area.

It was a lovely morning, and along our route we encountered a sweet alpaca guarding a herd of sheep, a foal frolicking with its mother, thousands of turkeys and an impressive selection of birds. We observed 20+ species, among them Wood Ducks, Cliff Swallows, Eurasian Collared Doves, a Belted Kingfisher and California Quail, while one of our avid birders spotted 3 flocks of Sandhill Cranes flying overhead! Once into Keremeos we walkers continued along the river dyke, and met up with the cyclists at Pine Park (which we had to ourselves), where we relaxed and enjoyed our lunches. Once again we parted as each group headed back, somehow managing to arrive at our vehicles at approximately the same time! The walk was just under 10 km, whereas the cyclists incorporated some of the village’s quiet side roads in their extended “Tour de Keremeos.”

VV&E Walk

Photo: VV&E Walk
Photo by Janis Wright

It was a near crowd that attended VFFN’s most recent field trip on April 2nd! Led by Rika Ruebsaat, nineteen of us, plus the requisite dog, walked along a portion of the old VV&E (Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern) Railway bed, that lies south of the Similkameen River. We began our walk a few kilometers west of Hedley, headed east, and eventually arrived at a large grassy clearing that led to the river, where remnants of the railway bridge still remain. The skies cleared by the time we stopped for a snack break, so that we were able to sit alongside the water, bask in the rays and enjoy the spectacular scenery. We admired newly blooming wildflowers as we ambled, and observed a variety of birds, including Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Downy Woodpeckers, White-throated Swifts and 8 Hooded Mergansers. We took 2 ½ hours to walk 4+ kms, with Rika providing historical commentary along the way. We extended this delightful excursion with lunch at the Hitching Post, as we Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists are nothing if not sociable!

Poland Lake Snowshoe

Photo: Poland Lake Snowshoe
Photo by Mary Masiel

The last VFFN snowshoe hike was a trek to Poland Lake.  Weather wise the day was a good one, with some clouds and bursts of glorious sunshine and a moderate temperature that allowed the snow to remain quite firm. Icicles still hung from trees.  We started our demanding climb from the bottom of the orange chair and took 45 minutes to reach the trailhead.  From there the hike was an up and down affair, but with spectacular views of the twin peaks of Hozomeen Mountain to the south and other intriguing peaks on the horizon.  We followed a well used trail and met three other parties with the same destination, two on snowshoes and the other on skis. Two hours later we arrived at the snow covered Poland Lake and headed across the ice to the opposite bank.  John with his trusty shovel built a sitting platform for us to enjoy our lunch and appreciate the view of the lake and the mountain beyond.  Lunch finished; we went exploring and found the toilet buried under three metres of snow. Some parts were visible, enough to see the weight of the snow destroying it.  A similar fate awaited the shelter but it held strong.  Someone had dug a tunnel to access it, and John and Martin went down to have a look.  Our trip back took two and half hours; in total we travelled 12 km in 5 1/2 hours, with many stops to admire the scenery (and take a breath!). It was an enjoyable excursion.

Snowshoeing at Lightning Lake Loop

Photo: Lightning Lake Snowshoe
Photo by Janis Wright

Seven spirited club members took part in one of this season’s last snowshoe outings on Saturday, March 12th, when Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists trekked the half loop at Lightning Lakes, a distance of 4.5 km. It was snowing heavily as we set off on the trail, which lent a hushed and tranquil quality to our first half hour, especially as there were still several feet of snow on the ground. Soon, however, the sun began to shine brightly on the lake, filtering through the evergreens and onto our path, which cut across steep banks above the water. The diverse shades of green were striking as we hiked through the woods, mosses and lichens combining with an assortment of conifers, and we were enticed to make a number of photo stops. This trail is rated moderate in its level of difficulty, and is an interesting walk. We had numerous large, fallen trees to climb over as well, a tricky maneuver with snowshoes and poles to consider! We crossed at Rainbow Bridge and made our way back to the day use area, where we enjoyed our lunch. The picnic tables were buried in snow, so we stood in the sunshine and watched as Gray Jays boldly attempted to steal our food. This trek took just over 2 hours, and we met a few friendly folk on the trail, mostly people who had traveled from the lower mainland for a day’s outing. We in Princeton are privileged to have Manning Park in our own “backyard” – this scenic spot is a true treasure!