Leaders: Sue Hemphill, Paula Laita, Mary Forbes
Email: williamslake@naturekidsbc.ca Phone: 250-398-8532
Upcoming 2016 Explorer Days
It's that time of year again. Join us for piles of earth-friendly holiday crafting and gift-making, snacking and caroling, and good times with friendly faces! All FREE of charge, and great for kids and families.
Wednesday August 24
Tuesday June 14
Saturday May 14th
Hummingbird Banding
Soda Creek
Saturday April 30 2016
Hike to see the Golden Eagles
Meet at 9am at SINC
The Golden Eagle Project was started in February 2014 with the main purpose of compiling information about the Golden Eagle in the Cariboo, focusing on the surroundings of the Fraser and Chilcotin Rivers. Since then, a ground survey based on the observation of the strategic areas for the Golden Eagle (such as cliffs and open and mountainous areas) has been carried out in order to determine current occupancy of the territories.
In this trip, we will hike up to the observation point of one of the surveyed territories and hopefully spot the eagles with our scope. They might be sitting on their nest! We will also learn about the ecology of the Golden Eagle and enjoy the beautiful views of the Fraser River.
We will drive for about 15 min to the trailhead and start hiking up for there. This is a medium-level 3 hike (1.5h hike up and 1h hike down). We will be back to town by 1-2pm.
Sunday April 24th
Saturday March 5
12-2pm
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
Join local community astronomers Steve and Lynn Capling at the Scout Island Nature House for stories and stargazing. There will have plenty of stellar stuff to gander at with your naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. If the weather outside is inappropriate for stargazing, the event will be moved indoors with games and activities.
Saturday February 27
12-2pm
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
A fun winter walk meets hide and seek using your smartphone. A great outdoor activity any time of year with the secrets of winter success revealed in a day of play and adventure outside, please dress for any weather. A free event hosted by Mary Forbes, a Scout Island Naturalist. Please bring a GPS or smartphone to this event.
12-2pm
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
The science and the structure behind the cold white stuff, a day of play and adventure outside, please dress for rolling in the snow. A free event for families with children aged 4-12 hosted by Mary Forbes, a Scout Island Naturalist.
Please Bring something to slide on (e.g.crazy carpet).
Sunday Sept. 27th
Saturday Feb 18, 2017
Great Backyard Bird Count at Scout Island
10am-12pm
The annual Great Backyard Count (GBBC) is coming on February 17-20, 2017. On Saturday February 18, 2017 from 10am-12pm local bird expert Cathy Koot and environmental educator Paula Laita will be leading the GBBC at Scout Island. We will be learning how to identify the birds at local feeders and the importance of the GBBC as a citizen science event. We will do a short bird ID introduction and count birds at the feeders. We will also have time for a birding walk and games! Please register by calling 250-398-8532.
If you cannot come to this event, you can still participate by counting birds at your own backyard on February 17-20 and submitting the information on the GBBC website: http://gbbc.birdcount.org/.
Past Explorer Days
The Christmas Bird Count
Sunday December 18, 2016
9am-12
We will be counting birds on Sunday Dec 18 at Scout Island from 9am to 12. You can also participate from home!
Earth Friendly Holiday Event
Earth Friendly Holiday Event
November 25th from 5:30pm - 9pm, and November 26th from 10am-2pm
Central Cariboo Arts Centre
The Earth Friendly Holiday Event is coming up tonight and tomorrow. Stop by for some cool earth friendly crafts! See details below. Let me know if you would like to volunteer at the Scout Island table. We will be making pine cone owls, Christmas tree ornaments and suet feeders! :) If you are interested, let me know what day/times you could help.
It's that time of year again. Join us for piles of earth-friendly holiday crafting and gift-making, snacking and caroling, and good times with friendly faces! All FREE of charge, and great for kids and families.
Saturday Oct 15
Learn how to sail sabot solo on Williams Lake
1-4pm
Scout Island
Have you ever sailed a boat? Would you like to learn? Here is your chance...
On Saturday October 15th from 1 to 4pm at Scout Island boat launch Martin Kruus will lead an introduction to solo sailing for kids. You will learn how to sail a Sabot, a small single-masted vessel. We will look at how sailing works, nautical terminology, how to set-up the boat, how to navigate/steer, and important safety reminders.
Meet at 1pm at Scout Island boat launch. Bring a PFD if you want (we will have a few available), and clothes appropriate for being outside on a cool day. If the weather cooperates, each NatureKid should get a chance to sail that day. Please RVSP Friday, Oct 14. Thanks!
Identifying Bats!
Scout Island Nature House
7.30-9.30pm
NatureKids families have been invited to join Registered Biologist Cathy Koot on Wednesday August 24 to go to Bond Lake caves to identify bats. She will tell us about the bat project she is running in the Williams Lake area and will show us the technology she uses to identify bats. We will meet at 7.30pm at the Nature House and be back by 9.30. Please bring your red flash light and a regular flashlight to walk our way back to the car.
Tuesday June 14
Visit a Tide Pool, Release a fry - Celebrate Rivers to Oceans Week
Scout Island Nature House
6:30pm
There are new live creatures in the Nature House Salt Water tank—Sea Cucumbers, Crabs, Sea Stars, Anemones….Learn about their life styles, see them up
close. Then go to the River Dock and release a Chinook fry to swim to the Fraser River and then the ocean!
Saturday May 14th
Hummingbird Banding
Soda Creek
Meet 9.30am at Scout Island Nature Centre (SINC) and be back after lunch.
Please RVSP by May 6th
Come and learn about Hummingbird banding with accredited banders Nature Mentors Caren Pritchard and Diane Dunaway. Don't forget your lunch, water and weather appropiate clothes.
Thursday May 19th
Please RVSP by May 6th
Come and learn about Hummingbird banding with accredited banders Nature Mentors Caren Pritchard and Diane Dunaway. Don't forget your lunch, water and weather appropiate clothes.
Thursday May 19th
Bluebird House Monitoring
Dog Creek Rd
Meet at 5 pm at Scout Island Nature Centre (SINC) and be back by 7/ 7:30 pm.
Please RVSP by Monday May 16th.
Dog Creek Rd
Meet at 5 pm at Scout Island Nature Centre (SINC) and be back by 7/ 7:30 pm.
Please RVSP by Monday May 16th.
We will be monitoring the Bluebird houses along Dog Creek Road. We might find Bluebirds and Swallows sitting on their nest already! We can do the route driving or biking. This can be discussed once we know who is interested in coming.
Saturday April 30 2016
Hike to see the Golden Eagles
Meet at 9am at SINC
The Golden Eagle Project was started in February 2014 with the main purpose of compiling information about the Golden Eagle in the Cariboo, focusing on the surroundings of the Fraser and Chilcotin Rivers. Since then, a ground survey based on the observation of the strategic areas for the Golden Eagle (such as cliffs and open and mountainous areas) has been carried out in order to determine current occupancy of the territories.
In this trip, we will hike up to the observation point of one of the surveyed territories and hopefully spot the eagles with our scope. They might be sitting on their nest! We will also learn about the ecology of the Golden Eagle and enjoy the beautiful views of the Fraser River.
We will drive for about 15 min to the trailhead and start hiking up for there. This is a medium-level 3 hike (1.5h hike up and 1h hike down). We will be back to town by 1-2pm.
Sunday April 24th
12-2pm
Identifying Ducks, Ducks, and Geese
Scout Island Nature Center
The secrets and science of watching our floating & flapping feathered friends, a day of play and adventure outside. A free event for families with children aged 4-12 hosted by Mary Forbes. Please dress for any weather.
Saturday March 5
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
Join local community astronomers Steve and Lynn Capling at the Scout Island Nature House for stories and stargazing. There will have plenty of stellar stuff to gander at with your naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. If the weather outside is inappropriate for stargazing, the event will be moved indoors with games and activities.
Saturday February 27
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
A fun winter walk meets hide and seek using your smartphone. A great outdoor activity any time of year with the secrets of winter success revealed in a day of play and adventure outside, please dress for any weather. A free event hosted by Mary Forbes, a Scout Island Naturalist. Please bring a GPS or smartphone to this event.
Saturday January 23rd
Snow Fun for Families!
Scout Island Nature Center
The science and the structure behind the cold white stuff, a day of play and adventure outside, please dress for rolling in the snow. A free event for families with children aged 4-12 hosted by Mary Forbes, a Scout Island Naturalist.
Please Bring something to slide on (e.g.crazy carpet).
River Walk at the Salmon Festival
1 pm
On September 26 and 27 from 10am-4pm, the Salmon Festival will be celebrated in Horsefly. This is a celebration of BC's River's Day and the return to Sockeye Salmon to the Horsefly River. It is a free public family event and everybody is welcome!
We don't want to miss this great opportunity to learn more about the ecology of the salmon and we will have a special River Walk and games just for NatureKids members. Come and join us! Meet at the Scout Island Nature Centre table and don't forget your gum boots! :)
Monday, July 20th, 2015
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Scout Island (Dog Creek Road)
Blue Bird Field Trip
We are organizing another Bluebird field trip to check out some of the bluebird nest houses located along Dog Creek Road.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Sunday February 15th, 2015
Saturday, May 30, 2015
9:30 AM - Noon
Dog Creek Rd.
Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring
While checking the houses, we will find eggs and might find some little chicks too! Both Bluebirds and Swallows use these boxes, but we could also have some surprises...squirrels and mice also like this birdhouses for their young! We will be back by 12.00-12.30 to Scout Island.
Sunday April 26th, 2015
1 - 3 PM
Scout Island Nature House
Join local beekeeper Diane Dunaway for a busy day learning all about bees: Honey Bees, Mason Bees, Bumble Bees. It will be the Bees’ Knees! Dress like a bee and play make bee-lieve games. Half the day will be outside observing the local bees and don’t forget the honey bee hive that lives inside the nature house at Scout Island! These amazing insects pollinate so much of the food we eat, if there were no bees half our produce department in the supermarket would be empty! This event is gonna be sweeter than honey.
Dog Creek Rd.
Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring
While checking the houses, we will find eggs and might find some little chicks too! Both Bluebirds and Swallows use these boxes, but we could also have some surprises...squirrels and mice also like this birdhouses for their young! We will be back by 12.00-12.30 to Scout Island.
Sunday April 26th, 2015
1 - 3 PM
Scout Island Nature House
Join local beekeeper Diane Dunaway for a busy day learning all about bees: Honey Bees, Mason Bees, Bumble Bees. It will be the Bees’ Knees! Dress like a bee and play make bee-lieve games. Half the day will be outside observing the local bees and don’t forget the honey bee hive that lives inside the nature house at Scout Island! These amazing insects pollinate so much of the food we eat, if there were no bees half our produce department in the supermarket would be empty! This event is gonna be sweeter than honey.
Saturday March 28th, 2015
1 - 3 PM
Scout Island Nature House
AMAZING RAVENS, CROWS & THEIR COUSINS
Scout Island Nature House
AMAZING RAVENS, CROWS & THEIR COUSINS
Ravens, Crows and their Cousins including Grey Jays (Whiskey Jacks /Camp Robbers), Blue Jays, Magpies and Play “Are you Smarter than a Crow?” and see if you can figure out logic puzzles faster than a crow.
Bring something to share at Crow Show and Tell, where you can tell your story or share an item from home. Half the day will be outside playing games and observing the family of crows that live at Scout Island.
These amazing birds share many family traits with humans, and are among the most intelligent creatures on Earth with a brain-body mass only slightly smaller than humans!
Saturday February 28th, 2015
1 - 3 PM
Scout Island Nature Centre
Family Wolf Day at Scout Island!
Family Wolf Day at Scout Island!
Join us for day packed full of wolf. We will wolf down stories about local wolf research, dress in costumes, play with puppets and look at skulls and teeth. Half the day will be spent outside playing games and sniffing the fresh air and stretching our legs. These amazing animals share many family traits with humans; come and learn lots about how alike we are and how important they are to the forest and to us.
Sunday February 15th, 2015
9:30-11.30 AM
Scout Island Nature Centre
Great Backyard Bird Count!
Cathy Coot, Nature Mentor birding expert will show us how exciting birding can be and teach us how to find birds! We will learn about bird identification and the diversity of shape and form for specializing how they feed and move. We will identify and count birds at the feeders and also go for a bird walk. We will play some outdoor games and maybe even have time for a bird craft!
Great Backyard Bird Count!
Cathy Coot, Nature Mentor birding expert will show us how exciting birding can be and teach us how to find birds! We will learn about bird identification and the diversity of shape and form for specializing how they feed and move. We will identify and count birds at the feeders and also go for a bird walk. We will play some outdoor games and maybe even have time for a bird craft!
Saturday, January 24th, 2015
6 - 8 PM
Scout Island Nature Centre
Astronomy
Join naturalist Mary Forbes and local community astronomers Steve and Lynn Capling for stories and stargazing. There will have plenty of stellar stuff to gander at with your naked eye, binoculars or with a telescope. If the weather outside is inappropriate for stargazing, the event will be moved indoors with games and activities.
Bring: WARM clothes (and gloves!), Binoculars (Scout Island have some available to borrow), Lawn chairs or something to lay down on. Please do not bring a flashlight or headlamp. A very large telescope is provided but you are welcome to bring along your own, more telescopes make this event even better!
