Those out early on the Sea Wall this morning were treated to quite the sight as four orcas were spotted in Burrard Inlet. Swimming as far up as Belcarra at the entrance to Indian Arm, and passing back through the inlet under Lions Gate Bridge, the whales made a rare appearance in the waters off English Bay.

Thanks to the VPD Marine Unit, Tessa Danelesko and her colleague Bailey Eagan with the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre were able to get on the water today to gather data on the group of orcas. They first got word of the sighting thanks to a member of the public and Tessa told me that it’s important to reach out to the BC Cetacean Sightings Network (“BCCSN”) if you do spot a whale, dolphin, porpoise, or sea turtle in nearby waters.

What to do When You Spot a Whale or Dolphin

It’s easy to report to the BCCSN and it only takes a few minutes. Once you’ve had a sighting, call 1.866.I.SAW.ONE or visit wildwhales.org to report what was spotted. Helpful information to provide includes the date, time, and location of where the sighting occurred, as well as how many individuals were seen, what type of vessel (land or boat) the animal(s) were seen from, and about how far away they animal(s) were when they were spotted. You can also report any interesting behaviour or activity. It’s helpful to pass along photos and video of the activity as well.

Photo credit: Rikki / Julius Reque on Flickr

According to Tessa, the BCCSN has collected over 82,000 sightings over a 15 year period. “This data can tell us a lot about where and when cetaceans and sea turtles are spending time along the BC coast. Each year this data is shared with a number of conservation-based research projects and initiatives, and it has helped with critical habitat and recovery strategy planning for species listed as “at-risk” under the Species at Risk Act.

One of the best things about the BCCSN is that anyone can participate and directly contribute to meaningful cetacean and sea turtle research. By reporting what you see you are helping to conserve the 23 species and populations of cetaceans and sea turtles that can be found in BC waters.”

Spring has sprung early in Vancouver and the tree branches outside my window in the West End are a hive of activity. Birds in nests, green buds ready to create summer’s canopy, and squirrels leaping from limb to limb, excitedly foraging for the season. One of the creatures I see most often is the fluffy grey squirrel, a creature that’s only been in Vancouver since 1914.

Photo credit: Gerry Thomasen & Thomas Quine on Flickr

Grey Squirrels in Stanley Park

The most common squirrel in the province’s urban centres, the Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) was released into Stanley Park in 1914 and introduced to Vancouver Island in 1966, where it causes a particular threat to Garry Oak trees. According to the BC SPCA:

“Eastern Grey Squirrels are much larger than native squirrels, are either grey or black in colour, and flourish in urban environments. The increasing number of Eastern Grey Squirrels is often blamed for the decrease in native squirrel populations, however given that these squirrels have different food and shelter preferences, its more likely that urban development and the loss of coniferous forests is responsible.”

So how did this squirrel get here just over 100 years ago? Some reports say that the squirrels were a gift from the Mayor of New York City in 1909 but Jolene from Stanley Park History found that in 1909 Vancouver Park Boar Chair, Charles Tisdall, wrote to various American cities in search of purchasing “grey squirrels” for Stanley Park.

“The City of Vancouver Archives holds numerous other letters over several years relating to this quest. There is also a receipt made out to Chas. Tisdall which reads, “2 doz grey squirrels to be shipped as soon as possible – $40″. The receipt is from Wenz & Mackensen, Naturalists, Yardley, Pennsylvania and dated January 3, 1910 […] According to other documents at Archives, it appears there was a problem securing those 2 dozen and the search for replacements promptly continued.”

However it came to be in Stanley Park, the Eastern Grey Squirrel has learned to live (and thrive) alongside two other park squirrels. The Vancouver Park Board says that the Douglas Squirrel, which is reddish brown and half the size of the Eastern Grey, is much less likely to approach people for food, and tends to live in more forested areas. The nocturnal Northern Flying Squirrel is very rare and has the amazing ability to glide from the tree tops with the use of loose skin flaps.

The Eastern Grey Squirrel, while cute, fuzzy, and fun to watch bounce around, is actually listed in by the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) as one of the Top 100 Invasive Species in the world.

The nominees for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards have been announced, with a near record-setting number of remarkable women recognized for their contributions to their workplace, industry, and community.

YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Nominees

Congratulations to all of the nominees in the following categories:

The 2015 awards ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 26th at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Follow the YWCA of Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more information along with the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards @YWVanWODA on Twitter.

YWCA Metro Vancouver is dedicated to achieving women’s equality. Their mission is to touch lives and build better futures for women and their families through advocacy and integrated services that foster economic independence, wellness and equal opportunities.

VIVA Vancouver’s summer campaign that creates vibrant pedestrian spaces around the downtown core is currently hosting their 2015 Robson Redux design competition. Last summer we ate our food truck fare on the Urban Reef, before that we had the Pop Rocks loungers, PICNURBIA, and a cedar plank patio along the 800 block of Robson.

Photo credit: Steve Chou & Steve Chou & Steve Chou on Flickr

The theme of the competition is connection: people’s connection to one another and to urban space and VIVA Vancouver received over 80 local and international entries, some from as far away as Hong Kong, New York, Seoul, and Vienna. People’s choice voting for the 2015 installation is now underway, here are some of my favourite designs that have been put forward so far:

Robson Grove, Gazing Grounds, Touchwood, #icu, Plexus, Robson Reclaimed

All of the designs look pretty great but I chose these because I know that people will congregate, sit, eat lunch, and chill on this installation all summer. It shouldn’t be too high so that people can watch street performers — on both sides — and, based on previous years, they seem to go with minimalist designs with a unique twist. I’m looking for something that’s more than a park bench, will be safe to use, very stylish, comfortable, and striking!

Vote for Robson Redux 2015

Take a look at the entries yourself and vote by visiting the Robson Redux website gallery, clicking on a submission, and rating it using 1 to 5 stars. Voting closes March 15, 2015. Like last year, a jury will select a single winning team to design, build and install a temporary public space installation for summer 2015.

It’s Spring Break at the Vancouver Art Gallery, with family programs being offered now until March 20th. From 12:00pm to 4:00pm daily, families can enjoy exploratory and educational activities while taking in the gallery’s current exhibitions and engaging with Art Agents.

The Making Place
Try a range of hands-on activities directly inspired by the gallery’s exhibitions. In the first week, March 9th to March 14th, the theme will be to look at The Poetics of Space. This includes the exploration of space in within 2D spaces of paintings, how artists use architecture as an inspiration for works, and how artists map space with in their practice.

For the second week, March 15th to March 20th, the theme will look at Cézanne and the Modern: Masterpieces of the European Art from the Pearlman Collection.

The programs and activities are aimed at children age 5 to 12 and their families. Spring Break at the Vancouver Art Gallery is free for members or free with regular admission. Children 12 and under have free admission during this time as well.

Photo credit: Philip Tong on Flickr

Follow the Vancouver Art Gallery on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information and check out the gallery