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.
Join WildResearch on a visit to the Iona Island Bird Observatory (IIBO) to see bird banding in action, learn about bird migration, and connect with nature through the lens of community science!
WildResearch is a local charitable organization that builds, educates, and trains the community to contribute to conservation science. Their programs are run by biologists and volunteers who care deeply about conservation, want to contribute meaningfully to science, and educate the public about the importance of community science.
Iona Beach Regional Park is a very special place for birds. It’s part of the Fraser River Estuary, one of the most important stopovers on the Pacific Flyway—a migration route used by millions of birds traveling between their summer and winter homes. Here at the station, WildResearch studies birds through bird banding. This means gently placing a tiny, numbered band on a bird’s leg. Banding helps scientists track where birds go, how long they live, and how healthy their populations are. The information gathered is important for protecting birds and the ecosystems they depend on.
By visiting, you and your children are seeing science in action—and joining a community that helps keep nature thriving!