Brant for Christmas Day!!

What a nice gift on Christmas Day! Donna and Guy Monty spotted 6 Pacific Black Brant on Christmas Day at Parksville Bay (Community Park) There were 5 adults and one juvenille.

"Around 2 pm December 25, 2009 Parksville Bay Community Park.

As I approached the beach where Guy was waiting, the sun appeared and made the gulls sitting on the gravel bar appear to glow like platinum.

Guy hollered 'Hurry up..come and see who came to visit!" Just then six Brant lifted off and began to fly way out into the Strait...but as Brant so often do, they did a 360 and sailed back in to land just out of sight beyond the gravel bar, but not before Guy captured this image of 5 adults and one juvenile. The lowest bird is the baby."

Thanks Whole Show Restorations

Very Special thanks to The Whole Show Restorations in Parksville BC. This is the 2nd year that Lene Klassen has donated $500 toward the Robert Bateman Kids Nature Camps over spring break.

Thanks to Whole Show Restorations the Robert Bateman Kids Camp was a ‘wild’ success in 2009.
Last year over 30 children and 12 volunteers spent 5 days really getting to know about their wild neighbours. In 2010 we would like to expand the program to include more children and run it over the extra long 2 week spring vacation.
This year the art works from the Kids Camps will be taken to an amazing full month exhibit in the Parksville Art Gallery and some of their works will be auctioned at a very special gala event at Pacific Shores called SPLASH.
SPLASH will be a semi-formal evening event to spotlight local, gourmet cuisine from local and organic farms including wines and cheeses. Whole Show would be welcome to participate in SPLASH as well. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM 2009

BRANT ID CHALLENGE

CLICK HERE FOR THE CHALLENGE!

Padilla Bay Brant Flyover

On December 3, 2009 the US Departmentof Fish & Wildlife did a flyover to count Brant numbers.

Total Brant Seen: 6113

Visit the web site for the Internation Brant Monitoring Program to keep updated on Brant overwintering populations in Washington as well as the spring migration.

Click here for the 2009/2010 log

Photo: Padilla Bay Website

Mark Your Calendar- March 6, 2010

FIRST DAY OF EVENTS FOR BWF 2010
Saturday, March 6
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Parksville Bay Community Park
Free

Join the Brant Wildlife Festival volunteers and a cast of ‘thousands’ of migrating seabirds, sea lions, seals, eagles, gulls, and Brant as they congregate in the Strait of Georgia waiting for the amazing spring phenomena of the Pacific Herring Spawn. Spotting scopes will be set up and Arrowsmith Naturalists will be on hand to answer all of your questions about the biodiversity in Parksville Bay and the Strait of Georgia.

Learn about the life history of Brant, how biologists keep track of individuals that have been coming to Parksville & Qualicum for decades and about the biodiversity of species that are make the Strait of Georgia ( the Salish Sea) one of the most fascinating places on earth.

Wear comfortable shoes/boots and be prepared for some wet and muddy conditions. Dress warm in layers to be ready for rapidly changing weather conditions. Beaches can be very cold and windy in spring. Binoculars, camera, and boots will be an asset.

Drop by for a hot cupa' joe and join in the fun.

For more information please contact Robin Rivers at 1-866-288-7878 ext. 226
E-mail rrivers@naturetrust.bc.ca or go to our website at www.brantfestival.bc.ca

2010 Events Taking Shape

The Brant Wildlife Festival is really an all year endeavor. It takes months of planning and batting ideas around to come up with a new and exciting lineup of activities and events to celebrate nature and the return of the Pacific Black Brant.
It's not too late to contact organizors with your Brant Festival Ideas. Perhaps you are an expert and would like to join one of the bi-weekely tours as a guest interpretor? Maybe you have a community event that you would like to link up with the festival. Don't be shy! Let us know what you want to see in OUR community!