by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge. Links to all websites cited here are listed at the end of this column)

A SUMMER FULL OF FUN IN STANLEY PARK
Day camps, Bird Watching, Volunteer Opportunities, And More!

SUMMER ECOCAMP FOR THE KIDS: The Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) was created to provide education, conservation and outreach programs. SPES is an organization that is integral to the stewardship of Stanley Park. I admire the organization immensely and feel very grateful for all they do to protect Stanley Park.

I was very excited to hear that SPES is providing summer EcoCamps for children. Tricia Collingham, Executive Director of SPES, provided the following description of the SPES summer EcoCamps:

“As the sun rises over Stanley Park, campers gather at 9 a.m. with smiles and boundless energy. SPES educators kick off the day with warm welcomes and games, such as coyote tag and animal charades, to get everyone excited and ready for the day ahead.

After a morning snack, we head into the lush green forest to meet the trees of the Pacific Northwest, from the towering Douglas fir to the elegant western red cedar. We search high and low for clues left behind by the animals that call the forest home; insects, squirrels, eagles and woodpeckers, to name a few.

After lunch and some playground time, the tide is retreating. We make our way down to the beach to look for crabs, sea stars, and seaweed and learn about their unique habitat. Using what we’ve learned, we build mini crabitats that include all of the things a crab needs to survive: food, shelter, and water. After our fun in the sun, we find a spot in the shade to paint our very own plant pots which we will plant wildflower seeds in later.

With tired but happy hearts, campers bid farewell to their new friends, looking forward to returning for new adventures the next day”

The day camps run weekly through July and August from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

EcoCamp Week Themes:

July 4-7: Trees and Bees (four days).
July 10-14: Wild About Water.
July 17-21: Sunlight Solstice.
July 24-28: Crafty Critters.
July 31-August 4: Earth Ambassadors.
August 8-11: Beach Explorers (four days).
August 14-18: Rainforest Wonders.
August 21-25: Crafty Critters.
August 28-September 1: Feathered Friends.

Cost: $325 per child, or $285 with a $50 family SPES family membership.

SPES EcoStewards *(Andy Ferguson Photo)*

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: How about volunteering with SPES? Exciting opportunities exist.

The volunteer page on the SPES website is a great place to visit to see what roles we’re currently recruiting for, said SPES volunteer coordinator Sarah More.

SPES accepts applications year-round for their hands-on stewardships programs, which focus on removing invasive plant species in order to restore and conserve the ecological integrity of Stanley Park.

EcoStewards takes place on the first and third Saturday of every month between 10am and 1pm
DIRT (Dedicated Invasive Removal Team) meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition, SPES has recently started recruitment for a photography database volunteer. They are looking for a person with an interest in nature and photography, who is also experienced in image editing and database management.

SPES WORKSHOPS: SPES offers a wide variety of workshops through walks, talks and on-line. Use the SPES Events link below to find a wide variety of topics related to Stanley Park and all its flora, birds and wildlife.

Eagle chick checking out the world. *(Marisa Bischoff Photo)*

EAGLES IN STANLEY PARK: I was lucky enough to be invited on a tour of the eagles’ nests in Stanley Park. Huge, impressive structures, the nests generally have the mating pair returning each spring.

Under the guidance of Marisa Bischoff, a conservation technician with SPES, we visited five nests. Marisa monitors the nests to check on occupancy and the number of chicks. She reports that three of the nests have a visible chick at this time. Most pairs produce only one or two chicks. On one trail we were lucky enough to observe a chick peeking over the nest. Marisa told me that chicks hatch approximately 35 days after the eggs are laid, and fly approximately 75 days after hatching. It takes an eagle about four years to reach maturity with the white head and the beautiful tail feathers. Females are slightly larger than their male counterparts. Eagles mate for life.

SPES releases an eagle report at the end of the year. You’ll find a link to a previous report in the list of links at the end of this column. It has very detailed information and makes a fascinating read. It will tell you all you want to know about the Stanley Park eagles, their nests and their past chicks counts.

Marisa turned me on to The Cornell Lab Merlin Bird ID app. It is very user friendly and fascinating. It will help you identify a bird you see, but my favourite part is the Sound ID section. Click on the microphone and it will tell you which birds are singing around you. Try it on your balcony or windowsill in the early morning! The best is using it the deeper you walk into Stanley Park. The app lights up with so many bird names!

LOST LAGOON WATER QUALITY

We have covered the poor water quality in Lost Lagoon before. After last summer’ s disastrous water quality Dacyn Holinda, conservation manager for SPES, contacted Professor Tara Ivanochko at UBC’s Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (DEOAS). Four DEOAS students were recruited to assess Lost Lagoon’s water quality. Pollution from the vehicle traffic on the Causeway causes much pollution, and it seems the filtration systems are not as effective as they should be. The final very detailed report is available below.