The edges of Stanley Park have been home to a colony of blue herons for the last 11 years. Perched above the Park Board’s Administrative Offices and the tennis courts, these large wading birds (that stand a meter tall) pepper our beach landscapes.
To protect the herons, which are currently “blue listed” as a species at risk in British Columbia, a fence below the colony has been installed in order to minimize disturbance. According to the Vancouver Park Board, in 2010 the herons occupied 124 nests and produced more than 120 fledglings by the end of the season, which is sometimes as late as September, down from the previous year of 145 nests and 175 fledglings.
The birds have been in the park since the 1920s however this particular colony location has been the same for the last decade or so. Recent reports of predatory bald eagles attacking the nests could potentially prompt a change in location in the future.
The Stanley Park Ecology Society is hosting a tour about “The Great Blue Herons of Stanley Park” on Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 1:30pm until 3:30pm.
“Are we good neighbors to these magnificent avians. The Herons have settled in the park in increasing numbers over the past years. Like any new population they have had their challenges: wind storms, an urban environment and raccoon attacks. On this herony tour we will look at the life cycle of the Great Blue Herons and what the Stanley Park Ecology Society and local residents are doing to be welcoming and helpful neighbours to the Herons.”
Those interested in learning more can meet at the Stanley Park Nature House (at Lost Lagoon) although advance reservations through the Stanley Park Ecology Society are encouraged. Admission for the tour is $5 for SPES members, seniors and children, and $10 for non-members. The Stanley Park Nature House is open every weekend and SPES regularly hosts tours, walks, and information sessions.
EPIC: The Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo, western Canada’s largest lifestyle show for the eco-conscious consumer, returns to Vancouver this weekend.
Mike Holmes at EPIC Expo in 2008
From Friday, May 13th until Sunday, May15th over 300 exhibitors will be showcasing their products and innovations to crowds at the Vancouver Convention Centre. EPIC also has a main stage with featured speakers and this year’s line-up includes Mike McDermid (Program Manager, Ocean Wise), Sean McHugh (Executive Director, Fair Trade Vancouver), and CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos.
Taste and sip food and wine from BC restaurants and wineries, learn from some of the city’s top chefs, sit in on sewing workshops, watch daily fashions shows and find out more about hybrid vehicles. There’s also a KidZone with crafts and activities for the young ones.
General one-day tickets are available for $12 online and $15 at the door. If you plan on attending multiple times throughout the weekend, you can get a multi-day pass for $20 online or $23 at the door.
I have 4 pairs of one-day tickets to give away courtesy of EPIC as well as Vancouver Eco Fashion Week. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment naming your favourite eco-friendly product or business (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw all 4 winners (who will each get a pair of tickets) at 5:00pm tomorrow, Thursday May 12, 2011.
Update The winners are @johnberr, @DilaraLit, Michael Kwan, and kendra.
Canada’s original personal blogging conference, founded in 2005, will be taking place this weekend out at UBC. Northern Voice has been bringing bloggers together to talk about everything from transit and politics to journalism and knitting with a core focus on sharing, collaborating, and blogging your heart out in whatever capacity.
I have been attending Northern Voice since 2007 (it would have been 2006 but we couldn’t afford it back then). What happens when you get a group of over a hundred bloggers, innovators, and social media enthusiasts together is something pretty magical.
I often receive emails asking me if I know of events or workshops about these topics and at the top of my list of recommendations is Northern Voice. It’s not about making money blogging, it’s not about how businesses are using Twitter. It’s about people who create the things that we use, read, share, and love online.
You don’t just meet passionate people from the community, you are instantly a part of it. A few of the topics this year include:
Social Media and Online Defamation: Keeping Out of Court
Naked Truth, Canadian Science Blogging Scene
Your Blog is Boring and Your Photos Suck
Be Rocktacular: Stories from a Music Blogger and Indie Rock Nerd
Sex, Lies, and Wikipedia
Parenting Online, Families, Blogs, and Social Media
… and more
Both Friday and Saturday will also start out with Yoga for Geeks in the morning. They will also have MooseCamp which is an unconference – meaning you show up, pitch a topic, and could be a speaker as the schedule is made on-site.
Tickets are still available for $50 one day, or $90 for both days. Follow @northernvoice or the tag #nv11 for updates and information about the conference.
I will be doing a shift at the WordPress help desk so come by and see me during the day if you have any WordPress questions.
Central Bistro is quickly becoming a favourite neighbourhood watering hole in the West End so when one of our most-loved breweries, Howe Sound, invited us to the brewmaster’s dinner there last night, we were happy to accept.
Chef Robert Erickson, who regularly orchestrates beer pairing dinners, took a selection of five Howe Sound Brewing beers and created last night’s menu.
Spicy heirloom tomato summer gazpacho with Greek pressed olive oil & feta cheese, Belgium endives
Pairing: White Cap Wheat Ale
Royal breakfast & beer with grilled brioche poached quails egg, chorizo sausage, spiced hollandaise
Pairing: Timberline Pale Ale
BC spot prawn ravioli with red curry lemon grass reduction, coconut foam
Pairing: Devils Elbow IPA
(Left) Slow-cooked baby back ribs with grilled herb potato salad, charred corn. Pairing: Hip Hops IPA.
(Right) Banana coconut cream pie. Pairing: King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen.
There’s one more Vancouver Craft Beer Week event at Central this Friday night and tickets are still available for $20. They’ll be celebrating the launch of the new Hip Hops Grapefruit IPA that Central Bistro designed with Howe Sound Brewing.
Miss604.com is a proud sponsor of Vancouver Craft Beer Week 2011. Please enjoy the events responsibly and plan a safe ride home.
I am pleased to announce that the BC Travel Tuesday series, that was originally set to be 10 weeks long, has been extended to 12 weeks thanks to the support of my readers and the partner properties listed on backyardbc.com. We’re now onto our fifth week and so far we’ve given away $2,188 worth of accommodations around BC.
backyardbc is a new travel website designed specifically for residents of British Columbia. Essentially a “be a tourist in your own backyard” program, participating hotels & resorts offer residents of BC exclusive rates and specials, designed to motivate BCers to travel more within the Province. Each offer has its own unique reservation code, and all bookings are done directly with our hotel and resort partners. Visit backyardbc online, on Twitter, or Facebook and see more of BC!
The winner of “BC Travel Tuesday: Week 4 Inn at Laurel Point” is Kristine (and she has been contacted by email). This week’s featured property is located in the sunny South Okanagan, at the tip of BC’s own wine country.
Watermark Beach Resort
Website, Twitter, Facebook, backyardbc listing
Location: 15 Park Place, Osoyoos, BC
About: “Only a few hours drive from Vancouver or just a 40 minute drive through wine country from the Penticton Airport, Watermark Beach Resort Hotel is surrounded by an impressive variety of outdoor recreational activities; from Okanagan golf, wine tasting, water sports, hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, fishing, and swimming to skiing and other winter sports. For food and wine lovers, the Okanagan is rich with lush orchards, gourmet restaurants and award-winning wineries that open their doors for tastings throughout the year.”
Prize: 2 nights in a one-bedroom suite, including a $50 per night food & beverage credit in the Wine Bar.
Value: $700
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post and/or post the following on Twitter:
Winners will be announced every Tuesday on the latest BC Travel Tuesday contest post until the 12 weeks are up. Gift certificates for hotel and resort stays will be sent directly to each weekly winner so they can arrange their visit personally with the property. Some restrictions apply, based on availability. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win.
Update The winner is Michael Florizone – congratulations!
View all posts in the series by following or subscribing to my BCTravelTuesday tag. Open to residents of BC.
