Guided Birdwalks
Every Wednesday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.
Bring your binoculars and walking shoes, and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Binoculars are available for loan at the Nature House office on Wednesdays.  Donations appreciated.

Native Plant Gardening Workshop - Spring, 2013
A joint presentation by the Nature Sanctuary and CRD Environmental Sustainability.

Choose from one of the following dates:

March 17, Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

April 6, Saturday, 9:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

April 18, Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This free 3-hour workshop on gardening with drought-resistant native plants will:
• identify native plants
• review the benefits of native plants
• teach how and where to grow native plants
• offer tips for reducing or eliminating lawns
• inform how to create special natural habitats, meadows, thickets and woodlands
• include an informative tour of the native plant garden

Instructor: Pat Johnston, Native Plant Gardening Consultant. Please pre-register. Classes fill quickly.

Birding Basics: an introduction to song birds

Mondays, May 6, 13, 20, 27, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Field trips, May 18, 25, June 1, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

$80 for Swan Lake members

$95 for non-members

Call 250.479.0211 to register

In this series of four lectures and three field trips, you will learn the basics of birding and how to avoid common frustrations. Learn to identify birds by visual cues such as typical postures, profiles and field marks, and also by their songs, calls and sonations. Learn techniques to differentiate the great variety of calls, what to listen for, and how to narrow the identification to just a few species. The course is taught by local ornithologist and naturalist, James Clowater (naturevictoria.com).