spring Archives - Stanley Park Ecology (SPE)

May 2, 2026 @ 02:00 pmEvents

Your Observation Matters: Post-Panel Bird Walk

Come along for our “Your Observation Matters” Bird Walk Series, and meet our panelists in an outdoor setting!

Join Khalid Boudreau, Education Director at Special Bird Service, and Frank Lin, SPE Educator and wildlife photographer, for a special bird walk here in Stanley Park. Explore the birds found in nearby ecosystems during the peak of spring migration, with singing warblers and colourful hummingbirds flying through trees and flower-filled shrubs. No birding knowledge or experience necessary, just bring your curiosity! Participants can borrow binoculars, and there is also a chance to sign up after the main Panel event.

This Bird Walk is associated with our Your Observation Matters: Citizen Science in Birding Panel. Register to attend the panel on May 2nd for a discount code that can be used on this event. The discount code will be automatically sent in your registration email.

two red-breasted sapsuckers facing each other on a ree — Photo: Frank Lin; red-breasted sapsuckers

May 30, 2026 @ 09:30 amEvents

From Whales to Wings: Seawall Wildlife Walk

Take time on your seawall visit to meet the marine mammals and birds of səl̓ilw̓ət. Led by Nature House Educator and wildlife photographer, Frank Lin, join us to view birds along the shoreline like cormorants and gulls, with possible sightings of orcas, grey whales, or harbour porpoises. Harbour seals are a regular sight and a river otter may share the morning with us too. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours and come out for wildlife encounters along the seawall.

view of orca dorsal fin and spout coming out of the water off of the seawall — Photo: Frank Lin; orca dorsal fin (T101A Rush)

May 12, 2026 @ 06:00 pmEvents

Birds in Green Spaces: Beginner Bird Walk [FULL]

Discover the incredible variety and lives of local birds and wildlife in our local greenspaces during the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration. Join a local bird educator for a relaxed introduction to birding for beginners. Learn to identify and appreciate seasonal bird species and participate in community science through apps like eBird, while witnessing the wildlife that call these restored local greenspaces home. No birding experience required, just bring your curiosity and take flight! Participants can borrow binoculars.
This no cost guided walk is presented in collaboration with the City of Vancouver.

a male northern flicker on the ground among grass and rocks — Photo: Josephine Hrynkiw; northern flicker

May 31, 2026 @ 09:30 amEvents

Birds of a Feather: Birding by Ear

Do you hear the chirps, tweets, and melodious songs in the air? The trees, waters, and skies of Stanley Park are filled with the sounds of birds here for the warm season. Join our flock for our monthly birding program, Birds of a Feather! This month, author, naturalist, and Capilano University faculty instructor Roy Jantzen takes us on a multi-sensory birding excursion to listen for the sounds of our late spring and summer resident birds in the Park, with practice birding-by-ear. No birding knowledge or experience necessary, just bring your curiosity and enjoy nature with each other!

a spotted towhee perched with its beak open singing — Photo: Justine Kaseman; Spotted Towhee

May 17, 2026 @ 10:00 amEvents

Birding with Me: Welcoming the Queer Community [FULL]

Join our Birding with Me program! Get to know our local feathered friends during the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration while in community outdoors. Led by local birder Syd Burstein, this program will guide participants through encounters with the birds found in Stanley Park. Keep your eyes and ears tuned for hummingbirds, the first migratory warblers, colourful ducks, and more! No experience necessary, and participants will be able to borrow binoculars.
This event is reserved specifically for LGBTQ2S+ individuals, in order to provide a safe and inclusive space to explore birding and nature.

A female Rufous hummingbird rests on a small branch — Photo by Mark White; female Rufous hummingbird

May 16, 2026 @ 11:00 amEvents

Heron Colony Tour: Hatchling Season [FULL]

Did you know that every spring, Pacific great blue herons take to over 100 nests to raise their young, right here in Stanley Park at the edge of Downtown Vancouver? Join Educator Julia for a special site visit to the heron rookery and learn all about how these beautiful and large birds navigate the canopy, build their nests, and raise their fledglings. You’ll also discover how Stanley Park Ecology supports the heron colony by monitoring their success during regular surveys and installing anti-predation tools. This is part of our annual series of heron programming! This time of year, the first hatchlings can be heard making their chorus of ‘tik-tik-tik’ sounds in the nests above, as other adult herons continue to lay and incubate eggs. This event is part of the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration!

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