What does it mean to be a naturalist? Naturalists observe nature in its various forms, most often plants or animals, often investing considerable time in communicating the results to a popular audience. In the case of plants, a naturalist will study the location and growing conditions of a plant, and Read more…
Roughskin newts are small amphibians native to the Pacific Northwest – they can be found from California up to Alaska and when crossing the roads of our little island in the spring and autumn. If you’ve ever spotted a live roughskin newt, it was most likely during one of those Read more…
If you stand underneath a large Douglas fir this time of year, it may not be as quiet and still as you’d expect. Chickadees peck at the cones, chittering juncos scavenge fallen seeds, a nuthatch clings upside down on the trunk and regards you curiously, flickers hunt insects in the Read more…
It is autumn and hundreds of gulls are flocking to Active Pass, feeding off the annual flood of plankton. If you stand on the Miners Bay Dock and watch as they twist and turn and plunge into the water, you might notice two bald eagles swooping in amongst them, their Read more…
There is something captivating about large exotic insects, especially ones you can now find in your own backyard and hold in your hand. In 2022, there was an increase in the number of people reporting sightings of European praying mantis on Mayne Island. This exotic insect is a relatively new Read more…
It feels like just yesterday when a video of a writhing bucket of oversized polychaetes marked the first catch of the light trap project at Miners Bay. Whether or not that video was the best marketing choice to attract citizen scientists is up for debate, but despite (or because of?) Read more…
If you’re enjoying the mild fall, you are not alone. Some native plants have evolved to take advantage of the remaining warmth and sun during this normally wetter end to the growing season. There are several annual wildflowers that germinate in the fall and establish leaves before hunkering down for Read more…
The ocean bioluminescence that we see in the waters around Mayne Island are created by dinoflagellates: tiny, single-celled plankton. There are thousands of species of dinoflagellates throughout the oceans of the world, and most of them reproduce asexually. It is assumed that dinoflagellates light up when disturbed to intimidate or escape predators.
After several weeks of blowing winds and blinding sunshine, I was finally tempted to unleash my kayak from its summer parking spot and head out. Time to check on the 2022 seal pups and otter kits, and pick up any garbage from the islets off Bennett Bay, as has become Read more…
The intertidal zone is the area of shore between the lowest and highest tides. From sea stars to tidepool sculpin, an amazing array of different creatures call this harsh environment home.