Heather J Alexander

Day 3- rain, snow and big skies on the way to Sturgis SD.

Via HWY 2. Stunning views and diverse environments

Scenic HWY 1 alternate route

HWY 1 to Anaconda

Somewhere in Montana

Day 2 Spokane to Bozeman on the Interstate.

UBC experimental ponds

Okanogan Wenatchee national forest

Between Orondo and Waterville WA

Heading to Grand Coulee

Road trip coast to coast.
Day 1, BC to Spokane

Seining chinook in the Sarita River for science, brood stock and economic fishery with the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Nitinaht Hatchery (Department of Fisheries & Oceans).

BC Wildfire Service BC Wildfire Service App

We are grateful to the BC Wildfire Service, Huu-ay-aht First Nations, and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District who are working hard on emergency preparedness at all levels to support these isolated communities.

wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/incidents?fi...

Nitinaht, Anacla, and Bamfield are accessible by road via Youbou, Cowichan Main, Carmanah Main,and Bamfield Main. These communities request that only those who are providing essential services travel to these communities at this time.

The road from Port Alberni to the Bamfield Main/Carmanah Main junction is closed, cutting off access to the villages of Bamfield and Anacla from Port Alberni.

Mount Underwood fire from the air

The Mount Underwood wildfire near China Creek on Vancouver Island continues to burn out of control.

Power has been cut off to the communities of Nitinaht, Anacla and Bamfield since Monday, August 11, and there is currently no timeline for restoration.

Wildfire Update: Mount Underwood Important Notice Regarding Travel to and from the Bamfield and Anacla Community With a wildfire called the Mount Underwood located along the Bamfield Main Road above the China Creek area, we respec…

Wildfire at Mount Underwood, near China Creek. Bamfield Main is closed for the for-seeable, and power will also remain out for likely weeks.

huuayaht.org/2025/08/wild...

Changing it up!

After an amazing few days learning a ton about #stickleback, at the #2025stickleback conference, it’s time to get out on the water and sample the big ones!

So much fun had by all!

@halexander.bsky.social 😊

An exceptionally nice location for a poster session at the stickleback 2025 conference at the Banfield Marine science Center on Vancouver Island

Poster session at #stickleback2025 conference presenting “Immune investment and infection across seasons in natural host populations”.

@danielbolnick.bsky.social

Real live Schistocephalus!

A day at Nitinat Lake!
The beautiful Coccolithophore bloom has made it to it into this predominantly marine lake.

Sarita Bay, Huu-at-aht Traditional Territory

Sarita
Huu-ay-aht First Nations traditional territory

Deeply grateful for the last two years of field experiences.
#sticklebackresearch
@danielbolnick.bsky.social lab

There's nothing quite like the call of the loon.
#sticklebackresearch
#westcoastlakes

Common loons

Common loons

Lots of Loon action on the Bamfield-area west coast lakes today!
Loons are a definitive host of Schistocephalus solidus cestode parasite.
#sticklebackresearch
#westcoastlakes
@danielbolnick.bsky.social lab

New paper published by Chloe Fouilloux showing we can detect S.solidus tapeworms in zooplankton from lakes using digital droplet PCR, a handy technique for epidemiology in aquatic systems:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Sampling S. solidus at windy Nimpkish Lake.
@danielbolnick.bsky.social lab

For the #Stickleback researchers out there: For the July Stickleback conference we've put together an informational directory about stickleback populations near the Bamfield Marine Sciences Center, to help promote that station as a platform for stickleback research:
drive.google.com/file/d/1TS12...

I have captured them in minnow traps at Pachena Lake.

Wrapping up a week of dissecting stickleback previously fed copepods infected with S. solidus.
We recovered small worms and observed variation among populations in fibrosis response.
@danielbolnick.bsky.social

Buenos dias!
😎🏝️🌊

Another great day in La Ventana!
😎🪁😊 🏝️🍹☀️
#kiteboarding

End of day run with Selkie at Pachena Bay.

Taking a bit of a break from the @danielbolnick.bsky.social #stickleback lab.