Species Gallery

We are creating an online catalogue of species that can be found in Esquimalt Gorge Park. To find more information on an individual species, its habitat, and identification tips, click on any image below.

Trees

Coastal Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*)

Shore Pine
(*Pinus contorta var. contorta*).

Western (Pacific) Yew
(*Taxus brevifolia*).

Shrubs

Pacific Ninebark
(*Physocarpus capitatus*)

Common Snowberry
(*Symphoricarpos albus*)

Red-Osier Dogwood (*Cornus stolonifera*).

Herbaceous plants

Sweet-Scented Bedstraw
(*Galium triflorum*)

Entire-leaved
Gumweed
(*Grindelia integrifolia*)

Purple salsify
(*Tragopogon porrifolius*)

Queen Anne’s Lace/ Wild Carrot (*Daucus carrot)*

Birds

Songbirds

Golden-crowned Kinglet
(*Regulus satrapa*)

Red-breasted Nuthatch
(*Sitta canadensis*)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
(*Regulus calendula*)

Water Birds

Hooded Merganser
(Lophodytes cucullatus)

Woodpeckers

Red-breasted Sapsucker
(Sphyrapicus ruber)

Birds of Prey

Terrestrial Invertebrates

Lorquin’s Admiral
(*Limenitis lorquini*)

European Paper Wasp
(*Polistes dominula*)

Common Striped Woodlouse
(*Philoscia muscorum)*

Fungi

Witches’ Butter
(*Tremella mesenterica)*

Western Elfin Saddle
(*Helvella vespertina)*

Marine

Invertebrates

Graceful Decorator Crab
(*Oregonia gracilis*)

Pacific Blood Star (*Henricia leviuscula*)

California Sea Cucumber
(*Parastichopus californicus*)

Short Plumose Anemone (*Metridium senile)*

Vertebrates

Tidepool Sculpin
(Oligocottus maculosus)

Plankton

Defining Phytoplankton and Zooplankton

Plankton can be broken up into two subcategories, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are essentially microscopic plants that photosynthesize². Zooplankton on the other hand, are known to feed on phytoplankton and are not always considered plankton for their whole life cycles. Species of fish, bivalves, gastropods, jellyfish and many other marine animals all have a planktonic phase in their life cycles before they mature into adults that we are all able to recognize!

In general, plankton are described as a diverse group of mainly microscopic organisms that are free-floating and thus unable to propel themselves against currents in the water. The exceptions to microscopic plankton are certain species of crustaceans and jellyfish. Plankton are an important part of marine ecosystems for many reasons: mainly because phytoplankton photosynthesize and are responsible for up to half of global primary production¹and plankton are an important food source for other animals higher up the food web such as fish and whales.

¹Creation of new organic matter by animals and plants.

²Convert the sun’s rays into energy to support them, and they take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

Plants

We will be adding to the gallery over time, as we take photos of more species in the park. If you have photos of species that are not in the gallery, we would love to add them! Please email photos to gorgewaterway@gmail.com.