andrew harcombe

Andrew’s Time For Nature

• When I was about 10 years old, I discovered that my neighbour was a retired museum botanist and an old-country Scottish naturalist

• I spent many after-school hours at his house; he was my first mentor who helped steer my way into a long biological career

• For NCC’s fiftieth birthday, I decided to take my grandkids into nature to share my knowledge and passion

Felicity’s tripMy granddaughter has just turned two. I decided to take her, and Alex, her older brother, to the Inglewood Nature Park in Calgary. The trails are wide and safe, and follow along water channels and through riparian forest. Although it was a sunny day, Felicity came dressed for anything.

Felicity loves birdies, but knows to call these birds by their true name, duckies.

Felicity discovers a harvest spider, and watches it react to Grandpa’s finger.

Tired legs

Amazing how much more one can see from an elevated position. Even the Saskatoon berries are riper up here.

Time for a rest to eat popcorn.

Time to reinforce the bird identifications in the Nature House

Alexander

My grandson, Alex, with me at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area outside of Calgary. This site is a combination of grassland and woodland groves that has management assistance from the Nature Conservancy of Canada. We went on a 5 km walk around one of the loop trails.

Always easier to go downhill, although it means you have to climb back up at the end of the hike.

Alex discovered this nest (vireo?), and photographed it with his new smartphone

Birdwatching along the trail

Pair of Tree Swallows near their nest box

Ongoing interpretation

In my early university days, I worked summers in the provincial park system as a park naturalist. Although animals came and went during nature walks, the plants and their ecosystem were always present. That led me to diverge from my intended entomology pathway to one of vegetation and ecological habitats, on which I built a long career. It is amazing how much enjoyment I can get imparting a little of that knowledge to my grandson.

Flowers and insectsWe also saw many species of prairie flowers in various forms of flowering. Of course, flowers attract a variety of insects, including one shown in the next slide.

Female Blue butterfly

I would like to thank my photographer, Gail, for her willingness to accompany her husband and grandchildren into the natural areas around Calgary. Congratulations to the Nature Conservancy of Canada on their fiftieth birthday. Special thanks to the great colleagues I work with on a daily basis.

Andrew Harcombe, R.P. Bio.Special Advisor StewardshipBC RegionJuly 2012