Share your love of nature by giving your Valentine the gift of six hours of birding together at the Valentine Couples Birdathon, Sunday from the Swan Lake and Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.
This is the 22nd year of the annual event, hosted by the Victoria Natural History Society.
At the event, Valentine couples set out to find as many bird species as they can between 6 a.m. and noon.
Some duets do their counting on foot, others by bicycle or by car.
After a busy morning, you and your Valentine can meet other birders at the Swan Lake Nature Centre to celebrate what everybody has collectively found and commiserate about what was missed.
The couple with the biggest tally gets to have their names inscribed on the Anderson Trophy.
There will be other prizes as well.
Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting Victoria Natural History Society conservation efforts.
Registration is $10 per couple. The event runs 6 a.m. to noon Sunday from the Nature House at the Swan Lake and Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd. To register, or for answers to questions, contact Alan MacLeod, bigadore@gmail.com or go to vicnhs.bc.ca.
Achievements of black pioneers celebrated
Discover the history and contributions of pioneer black families at two events during Black History Month, Sunday at Central Saanich United Church and the Church of Truth Centre.
• At a church service on Sunday, you will hear from Karen Hoshal, a director of the B.C. Black History Awareness Society. She is a direct descendant of Charles and Nancy Alexander, who made their first home in Saanichton.
Charles Alexander helped build the original church — and was the first preacher.
The service starts at 10:15 a.m. Sunday at the Central Saanich United Church, 7180 East Saanich Rd. Refreshments are available after the service.
• Everybody is invited to B.C. Black History and Heritage Day later the same day to celebrate the history and achievements of black pioneers.
At the event you can visit displays, hear and talk to experts.
The B.C. Black History Awareness Society will be joined by special guests, including Salt Spring Island Archives, Old Cemeteries Society, Saanich Pioneers, United Empire Loyalists and the Victoria Genealogical Society.
You will be entertained by music by Cuban saxophonist Noedy Hechavarria.
The event runs 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Church of Truth Centre, 111 Superior St.
Both events are free to attend. For more information, go to bcblackhistory.ca.
Going to bat for bats and bat habitat
Learn about bat ecology and conservation at All About Bats, a Natural History Night program hosted by the Victoria Natural History Society, on Tuesday at the University of Victoria.
The guest speaker this month is Paige Erickson-McGee, the stewardship programs co-ordinator at Habitat Acquisition Trust. Her talk will highlight how B.C.’s endangered bat species and the threats they face for their survival.
She will talk about the latest work being done to support bat populations on Vancouver Island and across the country. You will also learn how the Habitat Acquisition Trust is engaging people in citizen science and other programming to support bats.
The Habitat Acquisition Trust is a regional land trust that conserves nature on south Vancouver Island.
The primary objectives of the Victoria Natural History Society is to stimulate active interest in natural history, to study and protect flora and fauna and their habitats and to work with other societies and like bodies having interests in common.
The society’s Natural History Night takes place on the second Tuesday of every month.
The event is free and open to the public. It runs 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Rm. 159, Fraser Building at UVic.
For more information, go to vicnhs.bc.ca.
Network of trails awaits in guided hike of North Saanich’s Horth Hill
Discover a park that offers birds over your head and great views of the Saanich Peninsula and the Gulf Islands at Hike the Hill, a guided adult hike Sunday at Horth Hill Regional Park.
Hosted by CRD Parks, the outdoors program introduces you the North Saanich hilltop park, which boasts a network of trails through a forest rich with native
plants.
Join a CRD Parks naturalist to discover the plants at your feet (wildflowers in the spring and mushrooms in the fall) as you take a relatively easy hike to a viewpoint along the summit trail that rewards you with a panoramic view.
The park encompasses 36 hectares and has a moderate trail rating.
Wear sturdy footwear and bring a lunch.
The program is free to join, but you must pre-register as space is limited. The hike runs 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Horth Hill Regional Park, North Saanich. This program is recommended for adults 18 years and older.
To get to the park from Victoria, take the Pat Bay Highway and exit on Wain Road. Continue west to cross over the highway, then turn right on Tatlow Road, which leads to the park entrance on the right. Allow about 35 minutes driving time from Victoria.
Try to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the program. Please leave pets at home. For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks-events.
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