Phyllodoce empetriformis, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Ambystoma gracile, Ambystomatidae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Abies amabilis, Pinaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
July 14, 2013
Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Accipitridae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
July 14, 2013
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
July 14, 2013
Carex pallescens, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Luetkea pectinata, Rosaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Phyllodoce granduliflora, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Lupinus arcticus, Fabaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Elliottia pyroliflora, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Lilium columbianum, Liliaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
July 14, 2013
Penstemon serrulatus, Plantaginaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
July 14, 2013
Nature Vancouver at Eagle Bluffs
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
July 14, 2013
Hieracium albiflorum, Asteraceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Corallorhiza mertensiana, Orchidaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Cryptogramma acrostichoides, Pteridaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Panthea virginarius portlandia, Noctuidae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Rubus pedatus, Rosaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Cassiope mertensiana, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Eriophorum angustifolium, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Menziesia ferruginea, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Bombus vosnesenskii, Apidae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Rhododendron albiflorum, Ericaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Saxifraga ferruginea, Saxifragaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Carex pachystachya, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Carex canescens, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Carex lenticularis, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Nephrophyllidium crista-galli, Menyanthaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Erigeron peregrinus, Asteraceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 105 mm f/2.8
July 14, 2013
Veratrum viride, Melanthiaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Carex mertensii, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Juncus ensifolius, Juncaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Perisoreus canadensis, Corvidae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Tofieldia glutinosa, Tofieldiaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Pinus monticola, Pinaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Nuphar lutea, Nymphaeaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Platanthera stricta, Orchidaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Symphyotrichum foliaceum, Asteraceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Carex echinata, Cyperaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Rhionaeschna multicolor, Aeshnidae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Tanacetum parthenium, Asteraceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Mimulus lewisii, Phrymaceae
Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
August 5, 2013
Over the last month I have taken a couple of trips up to Cypress Mountain. About a month ago I joined a group of Nature Vancouver members for a hike up to Black Mountain Plateau and Eagle Bluffs. The birding was fair with several high elevation specialties like Sooty Grouse and Hermit Thrush. I was also lucky enough to to see a flock of Vaux’s Swifts (Lifer!) just outside the lodge. Even still, I think the birding highlight of the day was seeing a Anna’s Hummingbird mobbing a Juvenile Bald Eagle. Over the course of the day we saw a total of 13 species. For a complete listing see the KMZ file below.
I was hoping to see a bunch of interesting sub-alpine butterflies, so I brought along my butterfly net. Unfortunately for me my net got much more use as a walking stick then it did as a net. Our group did see a few butterflies including a parnassian and a swallowtail when we stopped at Eagle Bluffs for lunch but they were far to energetic to catch or photograph. I was similarly frustrated by the few darners and a damselfly I saw but I did take a halfway decent photo of a dragonfly nymph. I did have some luck with Bumblebees like this Vosnesensky Bumble Bee
I was really impressed with the flora at Cypress Mountain. This was perhaps the first place I’ve visited near Vancouver where I went all day without finding a weed. Some botanical highlights from the day were three species of Mountain-heather including the locally rare Yellow Mountain-heather, my first BC Orchid, and the previously mentioned White Rhododendron.
On my second trip up the mountain, Sara and I walked the Yew Lake Trail, with a side trip up to Bowen Lookout. We didn’t see too many birds but I was able to add Gray Jays to my previous trip’s sightings. I had slightly better luck with dragonflies on this outing. I was able to get this shot of a Blue-eyed Darner but I never got a good look a the Emeralds that were zooming around. The wildflowers seemed to be winding down for the season but I was still able to find some interesting plants including some more orchids.
P.S. – To the botanists, the sedge IDs are tentative and I would welcome feedback.
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