Kamloops Naturalist Club

Kamloops Naturalist Club

The Kamloops Naturalist Club, founded in 1981, is one of over 50 local nature clubs in BC.   We are affiliated with the provincial parent organization, BC Nature, the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists. The mission of the club is, “Knowing Nature and Keep It Worth Knowing. Our purpose is to foster an awareness, appreciation, and understanding of our natural environment. We promote the wise and sustainable use of the environment in ways that will maintain it for future generations. Our interests are wide-ranging and include bird and wildlife watching, and … Continue reading →

Ralph Ritcey Big Bird Day 2024 Results

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On Sunday, May 26, 16 birders for Team North and 14 for Team South participated in the annual Ralph Ritcey Big Bird Day. This is a fun and friendly competition beginning at midnight and ending at 4:00 pm. Home birders are welcome to record bird species at their feeders.  At 5:00 we gathered at the home of Anne and Bruce Ritcey for a bring-your-own dinner and to talley the results. There are no prizes, only the bragging rights going to the winning team. The boundaries are a 50 km radius … Continue reading →

Time to Watch for Lightning Mushrooms

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When the arrowleaf balsamroot is blooming, it is time for lightning mushrooms.  When you are out walking in the grasslands and sagebrush areas around Kamloops this spring, be on the lookout for circles of a large, white mushroom. These are lightning mushrooms, one of the few large mushrooms that occur in spring around Kamloops. It’s gone by various genera, including Calocybe, Lepista, and Tricholoma, but the genes have been sequenced and it is now known as Leucocalocybe mongolica in the family Lyophyllaceae. Originally described from East Asia, it is well … Continue reading →