Stanley Park Ecology Society
610 Pipeline Rd V6B 4B2 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Heron Update! On our last rooftop survey we were incredibly excited to see an increase in the number of chicks. We counted 37 adult herons, 32 visible eggs, and 33 chicks in the nests. At this point we estimate that the chicks are approximately 1-2 weeks old. If you walk quietly underneath the colony you can hear the soft chirping of the chicks and we expect them to get a lot louder as the season progresses! ... Check out the Heron Cam hosted by the City of Vancouver to see if you are able to spot one of these small bundles of joy: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/heron-cam.aspx Photo: Frank Lin #HeronTalk #StanleyPark #VancouverWildlife #GreatBlueHeron Vancouver ParkBoard

Counting down 8 birds for 8 weeks till Vancouver Bird Celebration! Ankh ankh ankh - They sound like a toy horn and they’re fast like a (toy) car! If you’re out exploring the forests of Stanley Park, you might be able to catch a Red-breasted Nuthatch zooming tree-to-tree, branch-to-branch in search of food. If you look closely, you might even be able to spot this nimble critter inverting themself while climbing down a tree. This allows them to catch sight of bugs and seeds that other upwards-climbing critters might have missed. How’s that for an acrobat bird? #VANBirdParty Vancouver Bird Celebration Recorded by Thomas Ryder Payne

Coming in for a hug this #NationalHuggingDay : FYL Birding & Photography #StanleyParkWildlife #Neature #BarrowsGoldeneye #StanleyPark

Find this one a runway The beavers at Ceperley Meadow have been quite active lately. There have even been some reports of them munching on invasive Himalayan blackberry stalks. Share your photos below if you've been lucky enough to spot one! #beavers #stanleyparkwildlife

Our Board of Directors is seeking two qualified and interested members with previous Board experience who have knowledge of finances or human resources to fill Board vacancies. Successful individuals will join the Board at its March meeting. If interested, please send your letter of interest and resume to Judith MacPherson at jmacpher50 [at] yahoo.com Photo: Greg Hart

Great article from Miss604 about our upcoming Critter Clubs! Who's excited?

On tomorrow! Check out some shots of one of our marine mammals in action by FYL Birding & Photography Tomorrow we will be discussing the marvelous marine mammals we have right off the coast of BC! Don’t miss this chance to learn about sea lions, sea otters, dolphins, orcas and more, with special attention given to the marine mammals that can be found around Stanley Park. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/marvelous-marine-mammals-online

A coyote who has bitten people in Stanley Park has now been caught by the Conservation Officer Service. However, as long as wildlife feeding occurs where people and coyotes intersect, humans and coyotes both continue to be at great risk from its consequences. Wildlife fed by humans become all things we despair to see in them: unhealthy, dependent, listless, and often aggressive. The rewards of easily-sourced food are greatly outweighed by behavioural changes they undergo, a...nd we end up debilitating a wild animal for the rest of its life. Secondary impacts include compromising their habitats with rotting food, unintentionally feeding other dangerous wildlife, and indirectly causing harm to another person if a fed animal learns to be aggressive. For everyone’s good, please do not feed wildlife in our parks, find supportive ways to enjoy their wildness, and have this conversation with others. If you observe wildlife feeding in Stanley Park, please report this to 311 or the VanConnect app, and help us track coyotes in the Lower Mainland by reporting to: http://stanleyparkecology.ca/coyote-sighting/.

Have you noticed the giant Banana slugs outside of the Nature House? These are reusable water barriers to help protect the Nature House in case of flooding. Each year around this time, we get the highest tides of the year called the king tides. While Lost Lagoon is no longer tidal, the high water levels at sea combined with heavy winter rainfall can lead to flooding over paths and into the Nature House. Hopefully we won't need to test them out

WE'RE HIRING! We're looking for a new Executive Director to lead the strategic mission and vision of our organization. Apply by: January 29, 2021 http://ow.ly/xyAw50D1IDp

Big thanks to everyone who attended our AGM last week! In case you missed it, you can catch it all here: https://youtu.be/g4obg8wdPVA Our Conservation Program Manager, Ariane Comeau, explains the findings from our 10 year study of the ecological integrity of Stanley Park and answers some burning questions about what it all means for the Park.

The fungus among us Over 60 different kinds of mushrooms have been recorded in Stanley Park including chanterelles like these. Often found growing around base of Douglas fir trees, chanterelles can grow up to 15cm tall with yellow and white stocks and fork- like edges. Flickr User Björn S..., Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license, https://bit.ly/34Z57tf

Can you spot a coyote before it spots you? Clock in on how long it takes to find one in this video, and leave a comment with your time stamp! Coyotes are all around us in Metro Vancouver, keeping mostly to themselves and out of our way. Those familiar with their local song dogs will sometimes hear family-packs singing in unison or spot scat left on a sidewalk. It’s unfortunately the sensational coyote stories that we hear most about in the news, when a coyote has learned t...o come close enough to harm someone or snatch a wandering cat. Let’s help keep our coyotes beautifully wild by hazing them upon sight (teaching a healthy fear of people) and admiring them from afar. Chances are they will happily admire you from afar, too! Dannie Piezas/SPES

How big are eagle nests? Why are they bald? And what do they like to eat other than fish? Join in TONIGHT and learn more about this charismatic apex predator and find out the answers to all your eagle questions Register here: http://ow.ly/4rJP50CozRL FYL Birding & Photography

Results are in from our October bird count! This month we spotted Dark-eyed juncos, Mew gulls, and the Wilson's snipe. Click through to see some examples! Dark-eyed junco, Don Enright Mew gull, Don Enright Wilson's Snipe, Mark White

December 1st is Giving Tuesday, an annual day for giving and volunteering for your favourite causes. In the lead up, we will be sharing some of our highlights from the last year and exploring what #GivingTuesday means to us. If you'd like to show your support by donating, you can find our Canada Helps page here: http://ow.ly/BJl050Connt Photo: Greg Hart

Douglas squirrels are some of the chattiest squirrels around, in part because they're quite territorial. Sound on to hear their distinct call! #bcwildlife #stanleypark

Rock scaling work begins today until December 4 between Prospect Point and Third Beach. Have a look at the map below to reroute if you'll be in the area.

Hear what our very own Ariane Comeau, Conservation Programs Manager, has to say about the state of Stanley Park's ecosystems

Lunch time on Lost Lagoon!

The crafty coyote is a relatively new animal neighbour in the Lower Mainland that has now made Vancouver its home. Amidst human expansion, the coyote has found a way to thrive spreading from inland prairies to every major city in North America. Learn about these adaptable creatures in this live webinar and explore coyote behaviour, habitat, and our coexistence with these intelligent canids. What has allowed coyotes to flourish and live in our cities? What is a year in a coyote's life like? How might coyotes see us, and how do we in turn see them? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more with SPES’s Urban Wildlife Program Coordinator Dannie Piezas. Register here: http://ow.ly/gEuU50BSQRJ

Happy National Tree Day Stanley Park is home to the largest recorded bigleaf maple tree in the country. Found near the Hollow Tree between Rawlings Trail and Stanley Park Drive, this aptly named tree spans over 3 metres from one side to the other. If you're out in the park, be sure to check it out! #NationalTreeDay Photo: BC Big Tree Registry, http://ow.ly/Vmha50BzxMF

This week is Science Literacy Week and we're offering a handful of FREE programs highlighting the biodiversity in Stanley Park. Find all of the events on their website: https://www.scienceliteracy.ca/events/ #SciLit

Tree cover in Stanley Park has increased significantly since 2006 windstorm - SPES State of the Park Report Reminder that registration for our AGM and special presentation closes today at 4:00pm! https://bit.ly/3m40TG5

Since 2010, we planted over 8000 native plants like Red-flowering currant and Dull Oregon-grape with the help of volunteers, local organizations, and our community Big thanks to everyone that got down in the dirt with us! There's still time to sign up for our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday! Learn more here: http://ow.ly/EGlr50BST7M

We have a healthy coyote family thriving in Stanley Park, living off mice and squirrels and enjoying the natural cover of the forest. The key to their continued well-being in the Park is good boundaries with human visitors. Our Urban Wildlife Programs Coordinator, Dannie Piezas, explains why these boundaries are so important: "Recent reports suggest that one of this year’s pups is showing signs of habituation, approaching people non-aggressively but without hesitation. Coyote...s that have habituated to people are more likely to develop aggression when they depend on human handouts rather than hunt their own prey. Authorities are forced to destroy coyotes that become aggressive to people, and we absolutely want to prevent any harm to people or animals. We ask anyone who encounters this pup to haze or scare it upon sight by raising your hands and making lots of noise. When done consistently, this teaches a coyote to be wary of people, and this pup will maintain this boundary in its adult life. Please do NOT feed or approach wildlife for their safety and our own!" If you've spotted a coyote, you can report it on our website: http://stanleyparkecology.ca/coyote-sighting/ #coexistingwithcoyotes #bcwildlife #stanleypark #urbanwildlife Photo: Tamsin Silvester

Big thanks to The Peak for reviewing our otter program from August! If this sounds like a good time to you, we're hosting this program again TONIGHT! https://bit.ly/3mrhqFl

Have you taken a chance to share your opinion? The Vancouver Park Board is looking for feedback on how people, cyclists, and cars can best move through Stanley Park.

Our Stewardship Coordinator, Jeannine Johnstone, will be presenting in a free, online webinar geared towards youth. The presentation will focus on her stewardship and restoration work in Stanley Park. Thanks to Catching the Spirit Youth Society for hosting us!

Got plans for the weekend? The Nature House on Lost Lagoon is back to fall hours so swing by and say hello: Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm . . #StanleyPark #LostLagoon #StanleyParkNatureHouse

This rare visitor, the Cassin's Auklet, has been spotted in the park recently! It's pretty special with only a handful of sightings recorded over the past 25 years. Let us know if you've seen it!

Have you been noticing more moths than usual? The District of North Vancouver put out a great notice about the outbreak of Hemlock loopers we're currently experiencing. In this case, "outbreak" describes a natural increase in the number of these native moths.

This curious crew dropped by our stream invertebrate survey at Ceperley Creek. Fingers crossed we passed the inspection #StanleyParkWildlife #Raccoons

Join SPES Environmental Educator Justine Kaseman to explore the bizarre life in Stanley Park’s intertidal zone. Learn about the creatures and algae that call this zone home, the adaptations that help them deal with an ever-changing environment, and what impacts climate change will have on this special ecosystem. Justine will also discuss some of the conservation efforts that take place in the Park, including SPES’s intertidal surveys. Don’t miss the chance to discover this amazing world hiding between the tides! Register here: http://ow.ly/J3rY50BSOCi Katelyn James PNW

Tromping through this short week . . Beavers are crepuscular, so they tend to be most active close to sunrise and sunset. Listen carefully next time you're in the Park during the evening hours and maybe you'll hear this national favourite clambering along. We're hosting a Busy Beaver webinar next week if you're curious to learn more! http://ow.ly/TpvS50BmoKd .... . . #stanleypark #bcwildlife #urbanwildlife #vancouverwildlife See more

It's time to say adiós to one of our favourite fliers, the Barn Swallow. Each year, Barn Swallows nest in the crevices of bridges, sheds, or barns like the Vancouver Police Horse Barns in Stanley Park. You may have spotted them this summer at Lost Lagoon or Beaver Lake making impressive maneuvers to catch insects. With the breeding season done, they will make their way down to Central and South America to spend the winter. As they travel south, they will join together in huge flocks with numbers in the thousands! #FunFactFriday Photo: Frank Lin

With our 10 year update to the State of the Park Report coming out soon, we want to share what we've been up to, including some major progress in the Beaver Lake Bog. In the last 10 years, we restored 500 square meters of important bog habitat, where sphagnum, round-leaved sundew, bog laurel and bog cranberry are now thriving! Learn more about this and the overall health of Stanley Park at our Annual General Meeting in just one week: Wednesday, October 21 from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Register here: http://ow.ly/RXbk50BSMuF Michael Schmidt

Just a couple of little helpers pitching in around the park #StanleyPark Photo: David King

Check out the frequent fliers we've been seeing in Stanley Park from August's monthly bird count! The elusive Virginia rail even made an appearance at Beaver Lake

WE'RE HIRING! We're looking for a new Executive Director to support our mission of collaborative leadership in environmental education, research and conservation. Apply by: September 15 http://ow.ly/DrFv50Bb4X9 Photo: Don Enright

Our eaglets are growing up! Six eaglets from four nests in Stanley Park have successfully fledged (taken their first flight). Two born a little later are expected to do so anytime. Their parents will continue to bring them food wherever they are for 4-12 weeks after fledging, even after they have left the nest. Isn't that amazing? Then out they go into the wild blue yonder, travelling for four years and gaining their signature white head and tail when they're between the age...s of 4-5. #FunFactFriday Photo: Frank Lin

A little Tree Swallow beauty in your feed today. <3

One of our favourite composters. <3

It's time for your weekly Heron Update! Only one nest remains with chicks! These three chicks likely hatched late after eggs from the parents’ first attempt failed, and they're about 2-3 weeks away from fledging. Watch them at Vancouver Park Board's Heron Cam @ vancouver.ca/heroncam.

We just thought you needed to see turtle acro yoga at least once in your life.

We had company while we removed invasive plants. #StanleyPark #raccoonsofinstagram

Hello, hello, hello! It's your weekly Heron Update! Half of our heron parents are now literal empty nesters! Their chicks have fledged and are learning how to live on their own. There are roughly 60 chicks in the colony who aren't quite ready to fly the coop and grow up yet. We get it - adulting is hard! Check them out: http://ow.ly/sE9j50AKBjl Vancouver Park Board ... Photos: Frank Lin

Category is...gorgeous! Location: North Vancouver Photos: Keith Wade

A family who plays together, slays together.

You know what time it is - it's your weekly Heron Update! We’re seeing more flustered fledglings getting used to the outside world and using habitat islands in Lost Lagoon as safe rest spots and vantage points for catching fish and amphibians. After fledging, they disperse to local feeding grounds, like Beaver Lake, Stanley Park's shoreline, Jericho to Wreck Beach, and even the Fraser River and Iona Beach areas, to name a few. Check them out at Vancouver Park Board's Heron ...Cam: http://ow.ly/d1TE50AGAtN. Photos: the always incredible Frank Lin

The latest bird count is in! We spotted groups of Band-tailed pigeons and even a Turkey Vulture at Beaver Lake! We also saw several warblers, including a juvenile Black-throated Gray Warbler and juvenile Yellow-rumped Warblers. #StanleyPark #bcwildlife

The Nature House is opening for the season today from 11-5 and it's looking a little different. Very limited capacity with COVID-19 measures in place. Mask up and come say hi!

For our French-speakers and readers: Ariane Comeau, SPES Conservation Manager, reminds us that coyotes are wild animals and how important it is to keep cats indoors, especially during breeding season.