This Weekend, I joined local naturalist Istvan Orosi and members of the Hastings Park Conservancy for a guided walk around the pond at Hastings Park, my local greenspace. While Istvan kept an eye out for birds (he is master of the Audubon Bird Call!) I mainly scanned the foliage for insects and spiders.

This week was big for the Conservancy, as the Vancouver City Council heard arguments for the transfer of governance of the park from the PNE corporation (which is not doing that great a job for the wildlife) to to the Parks Board.  The Council will decide the issue in a special session Aug. 1, but I am not really hopeful the governance will change.

In the meantime, here are the pictures I took on Saturday!

An impressive male Tetragnathid, or Long-jawed Orbweaver, which seem common near bodies of water.

Green Lacewing resting in the shade.

A bird-dropping mimic caterpillar, which I believe is that of a swallowtail butterfly.

We spotted a Golden-rumped Warbler, which was a treat.

A nice Ichneumonid.

A crazy looking nymph, which I believe to be Heterotoma planicornis, an odd member of the Miridae.

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The star of the show, out in the middle of the pond was a Green Heron, a rare bird in the Vancouver region.

Behold the Green Heron!