Tag Archive | Birding course

Winter Birding Course 2015

Dec12

The Fall session of the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park birding course has now wrapped up for another year, and once the Christmas Bird Count season ends, the Winter course will begin. This is a chance to get out to a local birding hotspot once a week with a group led by knowledgeable birders. Learn how to identify the winter birds of Calgary and, if you’re lucky, spot some rarities too.

Here is a link to all the information you need to join these outings: FFCPP Winter Birding Course

Winter is an ideal time for beginners to learn about the birds. There are no leaves on the trees, and fewer species around than in summer. Some of the winter birds occur in large flocks. Towards the end of the session, many of the spring migrants will be arriving.

 15916808891_d487030258_kGreat Horned Owl. Photo by Dan Arndt

Many of the leaders on these outings can also inform the participants about the history and the geology of our local parks, and can identify many of the plants, mammals, and mammal tracks that we encounter. In warmer weather, we also try to teach about the butterflies and other insects we see.

In the Fall course we collectively saw over 140 species of birds and 15 species of mammals, including Moose and Bobcat, all within the city limits. We hope to find these species and more in the Winter course.

 15492526437_4a233f2f0c_kBoreal Chickadee. Photo by Dan Arndt

Gus Yaki and the Friends of Fish Creek are hoping that more young people will get involved and begin to learn to appreciate nature. If you have a child, grandchild, niece or nephew who you would like to bring with you, they can register for only $5 for the whole session.

If you have any questions about the course please contact Chris at the Friends of Fish Creek, 403-238-3841 or email:  chris(at)friendsoffishcreek.org

Sign Up For the Autumn Birding Course

Aug14

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Once again the Friends of Fish Creek will be offering the autumn birding course, starting the first week of September. This twelve-week course consists of weekly field trips to various parks and natural areas in the city. Each week your group of fifteen participants plus two instructors will meet at the designated spot and learn about the birds you see there. Dan Arndt and I will be leading one of the sessions again.

Field trips usually last between two-and-a-half and three hours (although some of the ones Dan and I led last year went up to four-and-a-half hours, when the participants were willing). There are sessions offered at seven different times during the week, and there may be up to fifteen groups all together, so anyone who interested should be able to find a time that suits them.  (If you occasionally find that you can’t make it out at the designated time due to another commitment, you have the flexibility to join another group that week so you don’t miss out).

A new wrinkle this fall is that we will be allowing any adult participant to also register one youth (sixteen years old or younger) to accompany them for only $5 for the whole course. We really want to encourage more young people to take up birding. We have had several young participants before but we hope the nominal fee will encourage even more youngsters to join us.

See the poster for details on how to register.

Fall 2013 Birding Course Poster (1151x882)

 

Winter Birding Course 2013

Nov8

If you’ve been following Dan’s posts about the Friends of Fish Creek Birding Course outings and want to join in the fun and learn about Calgary’s birds, now is your chance!  Twelve weeks of field trips in a variety of parks in Calgary.  Sign up today as many sessions fill up quickly.

Spring Birding Course 2012

Mar3

The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society is once again offering a spring birding course which will run for twelve weeks, from April until late June.  The course consists of weekly field trips to many parks and natural areas within Calgary.  There are sessions offered on almost every day of the week.

For more information or to register, email chris@friendsoffishcreek.org or phone 403-238-3841.

Winter Birding Course

Nov17

The best way to learn the birds of Calgary is to get out with other birders and explore the natural areas of the city.  Once again, The Friends of Fish Creek Park Society is offering birding courses starting in January 2012 and running through the end of April.  For more information or to register, email chris@friendsoffishcreek.org or phone 403-238-3841.