Mayne Wildlife
Quiet Seas: How a global pandemic provided an opportunity to study whale behaviour in a quieter ocean
This year many of us have lived quieter lives, keeping each other safe by distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions in travel across the globe, a phenomenon occurred during the pandemic lockdowns that is unlikely to happen again anytime soon; a quieter ocean. Over the last few decades, it Read more…
Kelp Bed Monitoring
Bull Kelp Monitoring Program Expands
Something exciting is happening in the world of bull kelp monitoring around the Southern Gulf Islands! Our long-term monitoring program, which previously focused on seven sites off the shores of Mayne Island, has exploded to include 19 sites around the islands of Galiano, Mayne, North Pender, South Pender, and Saturna. Read more…
Beach Cleanup
Tread Lightly – Derelict Docks
In this month’s Tread Lightly article we’re taking a closer look at the issue of derelict docks. This has been a growing problem in the last few years, and we expect more docks will wash up on our shores in the future. Climatologists are predicting an increase in the frequency Read more…
Eelgrass Monitoring
A Day in the Life of An Eelgrass Survey Team
Our day starts off on the dock at Miner’s Bay. As I walk along the pier to start loading the boat, I glance down into the bay to see how clear the water is. The water clarity (turbidity) has a big impact on how much fun my day will be. I can see some perch lazily swimming below the dock, the Read more…
Kelp Bed Monitoring
Bull Kelp 2019
Our annual bull kelp surveys were a huge success this year thanks to community donations, funding from the Federal Habitat Stewardship Program, and a little luck with the weather. Our bull kelp surveys can only be completed during the lowest tides each August, and this year we had perfect low Read more…
Eelgrass Monitoring
Eelgrass Meadows: Out of Sight and Out of Mind
Have you ever found yourself shoving dirty clothes into a closet as your dinner guests walk up the driveway? I have! Out of sight, out of mind, right? It’s a great strategy for early dinner guests, but unfortunately not so great when it comes to natural resource management. While they’re Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
Mayne’s Marine Mammals
Mayne Island Conservancy is excited to be part of a new conservation initiative, in partnership with our neighbouring island conservancies, that focuses on the future of the Strait of Georgia’s whales, dolphins, and porpoises (collectively called cetaceans), and the health of their habitats. In The Beginning You might remember learning Read more…
Beach Cleanup
2019 Beach Cleanup Results
The 2019 Annual Mayne Island Beach Cleanup on Sunday April 7th was a huge success thanks to the record number of community volunteers who contributed their time and resources. We had 137 volunteers participate, and together they removed 1,712 kg of human trash from shorelines around Mayne Island. In addition Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
Gulls of Mayne Island (and beyond)
Living on the coast, gulls are part of our viewscape and soundscape but few people know them beyond ‘seagulls’. They are conspicuous and gregarious and seem equally at home in urban, agricultural and marine areas. Most of the gull species are in one family and all are similar in colour Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
What’s a Grebe?
This is the latest instalment in our series of articles on the remarkable diversity of birds that visit Mayne Island’s shores in winter. Grebes Grebes are similar to loons, superficially, but are smaller, have lobed toes (as opposed to webbed) set far back on their bodies, and have longer, thinner Read more…
