View a list of upcoming Explorer Days and read our Explorer Day Etiquette below!
In response to COVID-19, NatureKids BC is providing online resources and interactions, such as Virtual Explorer Days, to ensure the safety of our members. Please read our COVID-19 Guidelines and Policy for any potential in-person gatherings this summer.
VANCOUVER – Birding survey at UBC Farm // EVENT FULL PLEASE JOIN WAITLIST
- 9:00 am - 11:00 am
This event is now full, but we do keep a waitlist. Please email us at vancouver@naturekidsbc.ca to be added.
Join us for a birding survey at UBC Farm with expert guides from Nature Vancouver. Over 100 species of birds have been seen at this site throughout the seasons, over the past fifteen years of these monthly surveys . On this November survey, we’ll tally from 20 to 25 species of wintering birds. You may want to become familiar with some of them before our tour, such as the Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowed Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhee, House Finch and American Goldfinch. Our approximately 2.0 km walk will take us through farm fields, the children’s garden area, a mature second growth conifer forest, and a young alder forest.
Meeting Location and Time: We’ll meet at 9 AM at the main gate to the UBC Farm, located on South Campus, atl 3461 Ross Drive. The farm gate will be locked, so please aim to be punctual as we will all need to enter together. The walk will be approximately two hours,depending on weather conditions and interest of the group.
Parking: There is paid metered parking at the Farm entrance gate. Some nearby streets (a couple of blocks to walk) do have Sunday free parking as well.
Transit: The #41 and #49 buses take you close to the Farm, about a 10 minute walk. For more accurate transit information from your home, see this link.
What to bring: Binoculars if you have them. We will have some to share. Also, there will be a spotting scope (a small portable high-power telescope) set up at low height to accommodate our young birders.
What to wear: Dress for the weather as bird watching often involves some standing around. We will be walking through some grassy areas so please wear waterproof footwear.
Washrooms: There are 2 portable toilets by the front gates of the farm.
Merlin App. You might want to download the Merlin App on your cell phone. It is a free app that identifies birds by their sound, and shows a sonogram (spectrogram) of its sound. See more details and how to download here. Please note that having the App is not necessary to fully participate in this Explorer Day.