Photo: Bald eagles are in Brackendale right now. Source: Gary Broeckling via Tourism Squamish.
Inspired by the Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival which kicks off this Sunday, we wanted to theme this blog post around 5 destinations where you can watch wildlife or interact with animals in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region of BC. Here’s our top 5 picks for the month of January!
1. Bald Eagle Watching in Brackendale
Can you imagine counting so many bald eagles that you lose track after reaching 60? This is what happened to North Vancouver’s Find Family Fun when they ventured to Brackendale – a community 10 minutes north of Squamish. Brackendale is undeniably most famous for their bald eagle gathering which takes place between November and February every year. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of bald eagles gather along the river here to feast on decaying salmon.
This weekend would be an excellent time to see this as it marks the beginning of the 26th Annual Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival. This month-long festival kicks off on Sunday, January 8th with the annual bald eagle count (the world’s oldest, according to Frugalbits), followed by public festivities at the Brackendale Art Gallery at 9am. Join a free guided walking tour at 10am or venture to The Eagle Run viewing site on Government Road (just west of Highway 99) to see these beautiful creatures on your own. Don’t forget your binoculars!
For the full itinerary of festival events, visit the official website at www.brackendaleartgallery.com.
2. Farm Animals in North Vancouver
We may look at the North Shore mountains and think of skiing, but there’s more to North Vancouver than meets the eye. Once upon a time this mountainside community had a rural element complete with working farms. And although it may be hard to believe, tucked away just east of the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge is Maplewood Farm – a legacy of the North Shore’s agricultural heritage.
Maplewood Farm is a popular destination for local families who love animals and petting zoos. Situated on 2.5 hectares, they have over 200 domestic animals including sheep, Shetland ponies, Sicilian miniature donkeys, Hereford cows, miniature horses, Jersey cows, pot-bellied pigs, Belgian draft horses, Icelandic horses, Alpine and LaMancha dairy goats, Silver Duckwing hens and roosters, Pygmy goats, and more!
Miss 604 paid a visit in March of last year and explains, “kids have free-reign (with adult supervision) to explore the property.” While you can’t feed the majority of the animals, you can certainly feed the ducks, chickens and bunnies. Stay and watch a hand-milking demonstation or the running of the goats. Either way, it’ll be a fun-filled day for everyone.
Maplewood Farm is open from 10am until 4pm from Tuesday to Sunday. For more information, visit their official website at www.maplewoodfarm.bc.ca.
3. Salmon on the Sunshine Coast
Salmon are one of the most important species of our local ecosystems, and while we know they’re out there, how often do we get a chance to see them up close and personal (and not on the dinner plate)? Chances are, unless you fish, you probably haven’t. That’s why we’ve got the Chapman Creek Hatchery on our list.
The Sunshine Coast Salmonid Enchancement Society operates the Chapman Creek Hatchery just outside of Sechelt in the community of Wilson Creek. Arcturus Retreat notes in their blog that “Chapman Creek is one of the most important watersheds on the Sunshine Coast. It provides drinking water to about half of the population. It is also the site of the Chapman Creek Hatchery which releases millions of salmon and trout each year.”
Visit the hatchery and learn about its important role in building and maintaining salmon stocks in the Sunshine Coast waterways. You can go on a tour, or walk around and observe the daily activities. Right now is the time when the salmon eggs start hatching and the care of the eggs and fry intensifies.
The Chapman Creek Hatchery is open from Monday to Saturday from 9am until 3:30pm (but closed 12-1pm for lunch). For full details visit their official website at http://scsalmon.org.
4. Birds of Prey in Delta
We’re really lucky to have such a diversity of wildlife in the Lower Mainland, especially when it comes to birds of prey. From bald eagles to barn owls, there’s a good chance you’ve seen them out in the wild not far from your home. But have you ever wondered what happens the birds that get injured and rescued? Where do they go and what happens to them after they’re nursed back to health?
Many of them are fortunate to end up at O.W.L. (also known as the Orphaned Wildlife Rescue Society) right next to the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta. It’s here at O.W.L. where these birds are cared for, nursed back to health, rehabilitated and given a second chance at life.
When the birds are healthy, they are returned back to the wild. However, if the birds are deemed unfit to survive in the wilderness, they’ll then become permanent residents at O.W.L. – birds which can be visited by the general public. This is precisely why we think O.W.L. makes for a fantastic destinations for bird lovers of all ages.
If you’ve ever wanted to see eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons up close, visit O.W.L. on the weekend as this is when they conduct public tours. While these tours don’t include their injured birds in care, it’s a chance to visit with all their permanent birds. It’s an excellent way to see a variety of local wildlife up close and personal in ways you just don’t experience in the wild.
O.W.L. conducts public tours every Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 3pm. For more information visit their official website at www.owlcanada.ca.
5. Furry Creatures in Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a wildlife oasis right in the heart of the city. It’s here where you’ll come face to face with the park’s wildlife: geese, crows, swans, seals, skunks, bats, and sometimes even raccoons! If you visit this Saturday, January 7 from 10am until 12 noon, you can join the Stanley Park Young Naturalist Club for their discovery walk of Stanley Park. The walk begins at the Lost Lagoon Nature Park (the western end of Alberni Street) and the theme this month is “furry creatures”.
As written on their website, “This monthly activity is a chance for children (with their parents) to enjoy two hours of nature exploration and hands-on fun. Activities include hiking, games, wildlife observation, outdoor art, and more! We meet on the first Saturday of every month, at the Lost Lagoon Nature House. To register, please call (604)718-6522, or email ync@stanleyparkecology.ca”.
For more info, visit their website at http://www.ync.ca/2010/09/stanley-park.html.
