Category Archives: Birds

BLPA Holiday Open House 2024

Drop by the Burnaby Lake Nature House for the BLPA’s Annual Holiday Open House!

This event is free and everyone, of any age, is welcome!

  • Guided outings – see below for descriptions
  • Decorate your own Wood Duck cookie*
  • Check out the birds at Piper Spit – spot late migration visitors, temporary winter and year round residents
  • Discover Santa’s “Naughty and Nice” plant list
  • Crafts and colouring
  • Get involved with Citizen Science and ask one of our App Experts how to use phone apps like iNaturalist, Merlin Bird ID and eBird and share your sightings
  • Visit the BLPA display and find out what we do and how you can get involved
  • Hot apple drink* to warm you up! To be more sustainable, bring your own thermal mug if you have one.

Hope to see you there!
Check the weather forecast and dress for the weather. We’ll be there – rain, shine or snow! ❄

Join us on a winter outing in the park! Free, but registration required. Select either:

  • 11:00 am to 12:30 pm – Guided Bird Outing
    Did you know? Winter is a great time to visit Burnaby Lake and see both migratory birds that visit the lake in the colder months as well as our year-round birds. Our leaders will share their knowledge and passion for birds while wandering through Burnaby Lake trails and at Piper Spit. We’ll listen for calls and songs, enjoy discussion on topics such as bird habitat and plumage, and share tips.
    Register here.
  • 11:30 am to 12:30 pm – Introduction to Forest Bathing
    “Forest bathing” is an art first practiced in Japan but has found new life in our modern world full of concrete, high rises, mental anxiety and a disconnect with nature. A daily dose of less than 30 minutes can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of dementia, restore mental health, and re-energize the body. This prescription is FREE at Burnaby Lake.
    Register here.
  • 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm – Winter Nature Walk
    Burnaby Lake may seem dormant in the winter, but there is still plenty of color and life to explore! Join us for an easy walk on forested trails – take in the crisp air, observe winter wildlife and learn about the plants around the trails.
    Register here.
  • 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm – Wreath Making Workshop – ⚠️NEW ACTIVITY ADDED⚠️
    Come join us for a fun and festive wreath making workshop led by Director Mark. He will guide you through the process, providing all the materials you need to craft a beautiful holiday decoration. No experience is necessary – just bring your creativity and holiday cheer! The decoration of the wreath will involve locally sourced plant materials like conifer trimmings, windall materials, and educate you on the proper use, display and disposal of invasive materials such as English Ivy and Holly.
    Register here.

⚠️**Road Construction notice**  ⚠️
Please take note that there is construction along Winston Street which includes single lane traffic that may add an additional 5 minutes to your trip. Details for the Winston Street Sewer project can be found here.

If the weather is nice, the parking lot can be very busy. You may need to park along Piper Avenue or at Warner Loat Park right off of Winston which is a 450 m/5 minute walk to the Nature House. There is also a railway crossing which may be blocked from time to time.

* While supplies last

World Migratory Bird Day – Fall 2024

Are you interested in birding? Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with the BLPA! With Fall migration in full swing, this is a great time to see both seasonal visitors and local year-round species.

We’re offering guided outings and workshops to show you how to use the top birding apps.

Stop by the BLPA display booths to learn more about migrating birds, how to help birds, the work we do and how to get involved! SFU Masters student Vanessa Hum will be there to educate about bird and window collisions and what you can do to help out at your home, business or school. Our friends from the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC will join us to show you what to do if you find an injured bird and how to keep birds safe.

We welcome everyone, including people with disabilities, people who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), and people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+). We’ll be using Burnaby Lake Regional Park trails which are accessible to wheelchair-users, people who use mobility aids, or child strollers.

This year, the theme for World Migratory Bird Day is Protect Bugs, Protect Birds! Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding seasons but also during their extensive journeys and greatly affect the timing, duration, and overall success of bird migrations. Along their migration routes, birds actively seek out insects in fields, forests, wetlands, and various habitats during stopovers.

The timing of bird migration often coincides with peak insect abundance at stopover locations, supplying nourishment for birds to replenish their energy reserves before continuing their journeys. The loss and disturbance of insect populations at breeding sites and along avian migration routes threaten bird survival and well-being. Natural spaces like forests and grasslands that have been transformed or endangered by intensive agriculture and urban development and its effects such as light pollution can result in a decline in insect populations.

The 2024 WMBD campaign stresses the need for proactive conservation measures. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and where possible, switching to organic farming. Other measures include maintaining and connecting areas of natural vegetation which provide food and shelter for birds and other species, in agricultural landscapes.

Please note that advance registration is required for the outings and workshops as we will have a maximum of 15 participants per outing. These outings are approximately 90 minutes in length, rain or shine.

More information:

MEETING LOCATION: Meet near the kiosk in front of the Burnaby Lake Nature House – look for the BLPA flag.

*Construction notice* – Please take note that there is construction along Winston Street which includes single lane traffic that may add an additional 5 minutes to your trip. Details for the Winston Street Sewer project can be found here.

If you would like detailed driving directions or how to get there by transit, click here.

We look forward to seeing you! Space is limited. If you are no longer able to make it, we ask that you cancel your ticket so that someone else may attend.

Save the Dates!

The BLPA Board has been busy planning events for the rest of the year. Mark your calendars for these BLPA events this Fall

  • Saturday, October 12 – 10 am to 2 pm – World Migratory Bird Day Celebration
  • Sunday, October 27 – 11 am to 2 pm – Salmon Sunday at Cariboo Dam
  • Sunday, November 10 – 12 to 3 pm – Fall Sunday Funday
  • Sunday, December 1 – 11 am to 2 pm – Holiday Open House

More information about activities, guided walks, and registration for each event will be posted soon!