The Bowen Nature Club has had a wonderful year. Islanders enjoyed a water week scavenger hunt, weekly (f)unschool adventures for families (which are still ongoing), and the ever-popular low-tide sea creatures day in the spring. Summer adventures included the cold but pleasant camping trip to Murray Lake and a boat trip to the Squamish Estuary. Bowfest saw our information booth, and in the autumn we went out for a great tour of the Reifel Bird Sanctuary with biologist and founding BNC member, Michael Dunn.
Now the results are in from this year's Christmas Bird Count, and the AGM is approaching. It will be held on Saturday, January 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. at 602 Collins Lane.
As usual, we have organized a great speaker. Dr. Doug Altshuler, of UBC Department of Zoology, will be discussing the mechanisms of flight. A potluck will be held at 6 p.m., please bring a dish to share. The presentation will start at 7 p.m. This is also the time when memberships are up for renewal. If you are not a member and would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]
Doug Altshuler's Ph.D. research concerned the influence of flight performance on hummingbird evolutionary ecology. He has also worked on the aerodynamics and neurophysiology of flight in hummingbirds, zebra finches, and honeybees.
About his presentation, Altshuler says, "One of the most remarkable adaptations in animals is the ability to fly. Birds, bats and insects are among the most successful of terrestrial organisms, and their colonization of diverse habitats and ecological roles provides a rich context for studies of animal behaviour and ecology. The study of how animals fly is an intrinsically multidisciplinary field that involves aspects of aerodynamics, physiology, and neuroscience."
EMILY VAN LIDTH DE JEUDE
Bowen Nature Club
