PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. December 6, 2022
Speaker: Ron Long
Topic: Some Beautiful Birds of Brazil (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Poster by Geof Hacker. See previous posters at DNS Posters Archive
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- Red-and-green Macaw
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- Green-headed Tanager
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- Rufescent Tige4r Heron
Some Beautiful Birds of Brazil
On this trip we take a close look at two regions of Brazil.
The Pantanal is the largest undisturbed wetland in the world. There are only two roads but rivers provide almost unlimited access. Travel by small boat with a local guide reveals a hard to believe diversity of birds and other wildlife all of which, for the most part, ignore the boat and allow unequaled photographic opportunities.
The Atlantic Rain Forest could easily qualify as a last chance destination. Little is left of one of the most historically prolific wildlife regions of Brazil. But with a knowledgable guide a taste of the bird diversity can still be found – and it’s amazing.
Ron Long
Ron Long was the sciences photographer at Simon Fraser university for thirty-six years, during which he picked up a great deal of biology. He also developed a life-long interest in native plants, and making beautiful photographs of wildflowers became his favourite personal activity.
After retirement, Ron expanded his wildflower photography to botanical hotspots around the world. However, on a trip to Costa Rica in 2015, he realized that birds also presented opportunities for beautiful photography – if done right. Since 2015, his travels have concentrated on bird photography.
In Ron’s talks the beautiful photographs are supplemented by little-known facts about the biology of the subjects.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. November 1, 2022
in person, the first since March 2020! (also on Zoom)
Speaker: Kristine Kirkby
Topic: Birds of Prey and Aircraft: Mitigating Collisions (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Poster by Geof Hacker: see previous posters at DNS Posters Archive
Kristine Kirkby is originally from Aurora, Ontario, and relocated to Vancouver, B.C. in 2012. She has a BSc in Wildlife Biology and a MSc in Environmental Practice. She has dedicated most of her career to raptor research and conservation, and is currently managing the raptor trapping and translocation program at Vancouver International Airport. See video at Kristine Kirkby: Raptor Biologist
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- Snowy Owl
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- Harris’s Hawk
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- Barn Owl
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- Bald Eagle
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- Peregrine Falcon
Prtevious DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. October 4, 2022
Speaker: David Hoar
Topic: Amazon Adventures: Cruising among Tree Tops (link to Zoom presentation)
Poster by Geof Hacker – see also DNS Posters Archive
We saw 273 bird species and over 30 primate species. We added 108 new birds to our life list. It is a trip I would happily do again, as it will always be different. It is hard to imagine hacking your way through the tops of trees in canoes and looking directly into woodpecker holes at eye level, but that is what we did as the thousands of Amazon fish species cruised through the flooded forests, some in search of fruit, and others predating on such species. Pink Dolphins, and also grey ones; a most amazing experience.
David Hoar is a retired Molecular Geneticist who served on the faculty of University of Toronto, University of Calgary and University of British Columbia during his working career as a research scientist, teacher and consultant. Research interests were in DNA genetic diagnosis, forensic DNA identification, and most recently as a consultant in tissue matching for the B.C. Transplant Program.
Since retirement in 1991 until recently, David and wife Noreen have spent their summers exploring the B.C. and Alaska Coasts by boat. In the winters they prefer to travel to warmer climates, but have travelled to the extremes of the Arctic and the Antarctic. While on such adventures, their focus has been on underwater life in the past, but is now more about above water wildlife, and particularly, the birds. At home in Tsawwassen they are active members of the Delta Naturalists Casual Birding Group.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. September 6, 2022 (Zoom only)
Speaker: Terry Carr
Topic: Butterflies and Other Bugs in Delta (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Poster by Geof Hacker – see also DNS Posters Archive
Terry Carr will give an illustrated presentation on butterflies and some other bugs found in Delta. While some bugs destroy crops and spread disease, others pollinate flowers and food crops. Bugs provide food for other animals, help control plant and animal populations, and break down dead things. Factors such as climate change, habitat loss and insecticides are causing Earth to lose 1-2% of its insects each year.
Terry Carr obtained a Biology degree at UBC. After travelling extensively in Europe and the Middle East, he returned to UBC to study Ancient History and then Librarianship. Now retired, he worked for 32 years at the Vancouver Public Library, holding several positions including Reference Librarian, Head of the Science Division, and Public Service Manager.
Terry has been coordinating the DNCB Outings for many years. He is a member of the DNS Birds and Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Team which has produced ten outstanding DNS Nature Brochures, including three where Terry was the lead author (Bugs in Delta, Butterflies & Moths in Delta, and Damselflies & Dragonflies in Delta). As well as photographing birds, Terry is also enjoying photographing butterflies, dragonflies and other bugs.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. June 7, 2022
Speaker: Zoom: Ron Long
Topic: Chasing Wild Orchids and other Botanical Adventures in Western Australia (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Western Australia is an enormous and diverse area with a diverse flora to match. The ancient soils and millennia of stable climate have allowed evolution to run wild. Today many genera of plants contain hundreds of species.
The many hundreds of Orchids are perhaps the best known of the plants, but other groups that are less familiar are equally of great interest. In addition to photographs of the plants, this talk includes details of pollination strategies that are hard to believe.
Ron Long was the sciences photographer at Simon Fraser University for 36 years, and as a result has a great deal of biology in his background. Ron became interested in native plants in the early 1970’s, and has photographed approximately half of the flowering plants in BC (1000 sp). The interest in native plants led directly to his efforts to preserve the flora of Pink Mountain.
Now retired, he travels to nature hotspots around the world. Some of these trips have taken him to Southern Africa X6, South America X8, Western Australia, and numerous trips through the Western US and Canada.
Ron is past president of the Native Plant Society and coordinates the annual photography competition for Nature Vancouver.
Website: http://www.pinkmountain.ca/home/ron-long
Previous DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 3 May, 2022
Speaker: Kirstin Hill
Topic: “Bird Friendly” Certified Coffee: Conserving Birds One Cup at a Time (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Did you know that the coffee drink can have an impact on the birds in your backyard? The Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certification does more than any other certification to conserve habitat for birds and other wildlife on coffee farms.
During this talk, Bird Friendly® Program Manager Kirstin Hill will describe the link between
coffee and conservation, share what makes Bird Friendly certification the gold-standard in biodiversity protection, and outline opportunities for the Delta Naturalists Society to get involved in the movement to “Drink Bird Friendly®.” Your coffee is stronger than you think!
Bio: Kirstin Hill is the Program Manager for Smithsonian Bird Friendly®, the gold standard in biodiversity-friendly coffee. She is a conservationist at heart and an educator by training, with over a decade of experience working to engage audiences in the protection of wildlife and wild places. As the Bird Friendly®Program Manager, Kirstin works alongside coffee companies to increase consumer awareness and support for Bird Friendly® certified coffee, building a stronger Bird Friendly community.
A native of Philadelphia, PA, Kirstin now resides in the metro Vancouver area, where she is working to increase the sale and support of Bird Friendly coffee not just for Vancouverites, but for coffee drinkers across Canada and around the world.
Address: 1204-110 Brew Street, Port Moody, BC V3H 0E4
- Bird Friendly Infographic
- Bird Friendly One-pager
- Bird Friendly Request Card
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 19 Apr, 2022
Speaker: Martin Gregus Jr.
Topic: Before They Sink (South Pacific Islands under Threat) (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
“Before they Sink” is a living documentation of one of our most endangered ecosystems. The deep blue waters of our Oceans are dotted by hundreds of thousands of green islands; small pieces of paradise each unique with its own history and natural beauty. Some of these islands rise high up into the sky, while most barely break above the surrounding waves.Unlike our landlocked countries, these island nations are now fast becoming ever more threatened by the very element that made them so unique. As glaciers a world over begin to melt, and the oceans rise, these islands are slowly being swallowed back into the blue.
Martin Gregus Jr.
Martin is the youngest member of the Gregus Creactive Group. Currently living in Vancouver, he was born into a family of artists in Bratislavia, Slovakia.
He is a wildlife photographer, cinematographer, drone pilot and guide. Specializing in documenting polar bears and other wildlife in the Canadian Arctic, his work has helped researchers and documentary film crews gain a new perspective on the secretive lives of the Arctic’s most spectacular animals. His article on living among polar bears was published in Canadian Geographic magazine.
His work has been recognized in some of the world’s most prestigious contests, most recently in 2021 when he won the Rising Star Portfolio Award in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, England.
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PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 01 Mar, 2022 starts 7:30 pm on Zoom (due to COVID-19 concerns)
Speaker: David Hoar
Topic: Micronesian Islands – Chuuk to Pohnpei (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
I was doing DNA studies of peoples from remote populations, and was negotiating with a local physician to obtain blood samples from Pohnpei natives.
We did dives on many WWII wrecks in Truk Lagoon (now known as Chuuk), then travelled east to Oroluk (population of 5!), Atoll of Ant (population zero), and ended up in Phonpei, which has an amazing and fascinating archaeological ruin that should be considered one of the “Wonders of the World”. I plan to show this trip and its amazing sights both beneath the tropical seas and on the islands.
The ship we lived aboard for about 10 days in November of 1988 still operates in Chuuk, and does dive charters, particularly on the wrecks of Truk.
David Hoar is a retired Molecular Geneticist who served on the faculty of University of Toronto, University of Calgary, and University of British Columbia during his working career as a research scientist, teacher and consultant. Research interests were in endogenous viruses, DNA genetic diagnosis, forensic DNA identification and most recently as a consultant in tissue matching for the B.C. Transplant Program.
Since retirement in 1991 until recently, David and wife Noreen have spent their summers exploring the B.C. and Alaska Coasts by boat. In the winters they prefer to travel to warmer climates, but have travelled to the extremes of the Arctic and the Antarctic. While on such adventures, their focus has been on underwater life in the past, but is now more about above water wildlife, and particularly, the birds. At home in Tsawwassen they are active members of the Delta Naturalists Casual Birding Group.
Speaker: James Casey
Topic: Climate Adaptation & Shorebirds (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
James Casey is the Fraser River Estuary Specialist for Birds Canada.
After earning a master’s degree in International Environmental Policy at the University of Northern British Columbia, James had the opportunity to work with WWF-Canada on topics ranging from eelgrass and marine planning to hydropower and the Water Sustainability Act. This experience established a base of knowledge he is now applying to the context of the Fraser Estuary Key Biodiversity Area. On behalf of Birds Canada, James is building support for the development of a Fraser River Estuary Management Plan for this KBA.
Previous DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 04 Jan, 2022
Speaker: Sarah Schreier
Topic: Keeping the Legend Alive: Fraser River White Sturgeon (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Sarah Schreier is Executive Director of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society (FRSCS), a research-based non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the recovery of the Fraser River White Sturgeon population. For over 20 years, Ms. Schreier has provided analysis and advice to a number of organizations and sectors related to healthcare, basic research, and fisheries management issues.
In her presentation: “Keeping the Legend Alive: Fraser River White Sturgeon” Ms. Schreier will share the story of the majestic white sturgeon of the Fraser River; the last truly wild population of this species in the world and its important place in the ecosystem. Although sturgeon are a robust species and hard-wired to survive, there are significant issues impacting long-term survival. Ms. Schreier will share ongoing conservation efforts to restore and protect Fraser River White Sturgeon for generations to come.
Dr. Christian Sasse’s passion encompasses both eagle photography and astrophotography. His academic background as an electrical engineer and physicist, particularly his knowledge of optics and the physical properties of light, has shaped his photography. His photography uniquely captures colors and patterns due to his keen sense of how objects reflect, refract, diffract and transmit light.
Dr. Sasse runs a popular FaceBook and YouTube channel where he uses innovative techniques to bring wildlife and astronomy to his subscribers – an experience that immerses his viewers into an active dialogue during his live events. He is now the astronomer-in-charge for iTelescope.
In 2017 and 2018 Christian’s photography was featured in National Geographic articles on astrophotography and eagles and by NikonUSA
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 02 Nov, 2021
Speaker: Kate Paton
Topic: Wild Vancouver, finding Hope and Joy in Nature (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
Kate Paton – ethical wildlife, nature and scenic photographer, New Zealander living in Vancouver BC Canada.
Wild Vancouver – promoting ethical nature and wildlife behavior and photography through talks, blog and social media posts. I never give out locations of any of the wildlife I watch. I do report some birdlife if I think its in the birds best interest but I never disclose any owl or endangered wildlife species locations. I always respect the environment I’m in – usually a Metro Vancouver regional park, I don’t litter, I take out what I bring in, I stay on all the marked trails, I never disturb, stress or bait any wildlife or birds. I do not wear camouflage or use hides. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube PacificNorthwestKate
Books by Kate Paton:
Previous DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 05 Oct, 2021
Speaker: Diane & David Reesor
Topic: The Islands of Birds and Icebergs: Newfoundland and Iceland (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 01 Jun, 2021
Speaker: Dr. David Bird
Topic: The Canada Jay as Canada’s National Bird (links to YouTube recording of Zoom presentation)
As an Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology and Director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Dr. David Bird has published 200 peer-reviewed papers and supervised 50 graduate students on a wide range of wildlife themes, including endangered species, toxicology, captive propagation of birds of prey, human-wildlife conflicts, and more recently, the application of UAVs (drones) to wildlife research and conservation. Until his retirement in 2012, he taught several university-level courses, including ornithology, wildlife conservation, ethology, and scientific communication.
He has written and/or edited several books, the most recent ones being The Bird Almanac: A Guide to Essential Facts and Figures on the World’s Birds in 2004, Raptor Research and Management Techniques in 2007, Birds of Canada in 2010, and two newer versions, Birds of Eastern Canada and Birds of Western Canada in 2013.
Dr. Bird is a past-president of the Raptor Research Foundation Inc. (an international organization devoted to birds of prey), past-president of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, an elected Fellow of the American Ornithologists Union, a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Birding Association, and an elected member representing Canada on the prestigious International Ornithological Committee. He currently sits on the boards of Unmanned Systems Canada, an organization dedicated to the use of unmanned vehicles, and Bird Studies Canada. Besides his innumerable public lectures and radio and television appearances, Dr. Bird was also a regular columnist on birds for The Gazette of Montreal and continues to write a column for BirdWatcher’s Digest magazine.
For more information on Dr. David Bird, visit his website https://www.askprofessorbird.com/
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 01 Jun, 2021
Speaker: Dale Hjertaas
Topic: On Safari in Kenya and Tanzania (this will be recorded and posted on YouTube)
Dale Hjertaas went on safaris in Kenya and Tanzania to visit some of the famous wildlife reserves as well as less known and out of the way places. A highlight of his trip was time he and his daughter spent with the Hazda, a hunter-gatherer culture in Tanzania. He will speak about the wildlife and the experience, focusing on the Masai Mara, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Hazda people and Lakes Nakura and Naivasha. He will also discuss the safari experience and the social and ecological impacts of the safari.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 04 May, 2021
Speaker: Deborah Jones
Topic: Rain Gardens for Salmon (link to YouTube video of presentation)
What do gardens have to do with salmon?! Learn exactly what rain gardens are, the many benefits they provide, and why they’re essential for healthy ecosystems (especially salmon streams). Enjoy photos of some of North Delta’s 29 school and community rain gardens, then get ideas for quick ’n’ easy ones you can do yourself.
Deborah Jones has a BA in Urban Studies, a Masters of Library Science, and worked for Vancouver Public Library for over 30 years.
She and husband Ib Nielsen joined the volunteer group Cougar Creek Streamkeepers in 2004, after noticing illegal tree-cutting on the banks of the most productive salmon stream in North Delta. They put their gardening experience to work on a restoration planting project along that streambank.
One project led to another, and then another, and another ….
Deb now serves as volunteer Rain Gardens Coordinator for the Streamkeepers, overseeing the maintenance of 29 school and community rain gardens created since 2006 in collaboration with the City of Delta, Delta School District, Pacific Salmon Foundation, Nature Trust of BC and others. She also advises the Nature Trust on their rain garden grant program.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 06 Apr, 2021
Speaker: Martin Gregus Jr.
Topic: Living Amongst Polar Bears (link to YouTube video of presentation)
Join me for a unique story and a once in a lifetime experience as myself and my team set out to explore a remote corner of the Hudson Bay. Camping with the Arctic’s apex predator we got an inside look at the summer lives of 27 polar bears that fed, nursed, and played within feet of our camp.
His article on this experience was recently published in Canadian Geographic. You can find it at: https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/among-bears
Martin Gregus Jr. is the youngest member of the Gregus Creative Group. Currently living in Vancouver, Martin was born into a family of artists in Bratislava, Slovakia.
He can see things and stories far beyond the reality of everyday life; a gift which is reflected in his wildlife photographs which are full of detail and natural dynamics. The creative transformation of nature and the environment into graphic and color symbols are some of the elements that give his work endless visual power. Aside from spending hours crawling in mud; custom made photography equipment, hides and remote cameras often help Martin get the perfect shot.
PREVIOUS DNS Monthly Meeting: Tues. 02 Mar, 2021 on Zoom
Speaker: Dave Doroghy
Topic: Show Me the Honey: Adventures of an Accidental Apiarist (Zoom presentation recorded on YouTube)
Short bio (by Elizabeth Perrin):Dave Doroghy is an international Sports Marketing Executive who has worked on two consecutive winning Olympic Bids – a unique distinction. Altogether he has 25 years of experience in acquiring sponsors for major international sports initiatives and professional teams in Canada and around the world.
He is also the author of a very successful book “Show me the Honey: Adventures of an Accidental Apiarist” and it is his experiences as a beekeeper that he will be sharing in his presentation.
So, how did a Sports Marketing Executive end up keeping bees on a houseboat in Ladner? Dave’s sister is a beekeeper and she recognized that the habitat around Dave’s home provided great foraging for bees so she gave him a beehive and thousands of bees, starting him on the adventures that would ultimately lead to his book. Given the importance of bees in our ecosystem, beekeeping is an excellent hobby to get involved in but not one to be taken lightly as Dave will make clear in his presentation.
The book has a foreword by Rick Hansen with whom Dave travelled across Canada in 1986 as the Sponsorship Coordinator for the Man in Motion World Tour, the beginning of Dave’s career in sponsorship sales.
Longer Bio:
When Dave Doroghy’s sister gave him 15,000 honey bees as a Christmas gift, his practical knowledge of beekeeping would have fit on the proverbial backend of an Apis mellifera.
He spent the next two years learning everything he needed to know to keep that beehive alive and well—he attended a beekeeping conference, joined a bee club, and even went to bee school.
But bad things still happened—he sustained multiple stings, wasps attacked his hive, he fought an ongoing battle with killer varroa mites, and even lost his queen—twice!
In Show Me the Honey, Doroghy recounts his often tension-filled misadventures in beekeeping with self-deprecating humour and lightheartedness. Whether it’s the impending chaos of transferring tens of thousands of insects to an outyard, the horror of discovering bees on the inside of his beekeeping suit, or just wondering if he will end up with even an ounce of honey for all his efforts, Doroghy shares the joy, the surprises, and the less-acknowledged financial sting of keeping bees.
Above all, he relishes in the details of keeping a hive and getting to know the fascinating little creatures that inhabit those mysterious wooden boxes.
Dave Doroghy is an International Sports, Marketing Executive who has worked on two consecutive winning Olympic Bids – a unique distinction.
Altogether, Dave has 25 years of experience in acquiring sponsors for major international sports initiatives and professional teams in Canada and around the world.
Dave was the Director of Sponsorship Sales for London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. (2003—2004). He also helped drive sponsorship sales for Vancouver’s successful bid to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (2002—2003). He then was appointed Director of Sponsorship Sales for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (2005—2010) where he led the team that raised a record breaking $756.2 million in domestic sponsorship revenue.
In spring 2013, Dave wrapped up a 2.5 year sponsorship consulting engagement with the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, where he helped the Organizing Committee to acquire the Games first sponsors, write the Games sponsorship business plan and assist in the hiring the Games sponsorship sales team.
Dave’s rich marketing and sponsorship background includes stints as Vice President of the NBA Vancouver Grizzlies and the NBA Memphis Grizzlies as well as various senior management positions over a six-year period with Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment, owners of the NHL Vancouver Canucks and the General Motors Place (Rogers) Arena.
Dave began his sponsorship sales career in 1986 when he traveled across Canada with the Rick Hansen Man in Motion World Tour as the Sponsorship Coordinator. This led to his engagement as Sponsorship Sales Executive for the 1994 XV Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia for three years.
Prior to his career in Sports Marketing, Dave worked in the advertising agency business and in broadcasting, as a radio announcer.
Delta Naturalists Society 