Learning Naturally Kids Bird Camp

Learning Naturally Kids Bird Camp, presented by the Friends of Fish Creek and Nature Calgary

Camp runs Tuesday, July 2 to Friday, July 5, 2019 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Fee – $100.00 per student

By participating in the Learning Naturally Kids Bird Camp program, you are not only providing an amazing learning opportunity for your child, but are also helping Calgary kids to make meaningful and life changing connections with nature. Registration fees for the Learning Naturally Kids Bird Camp will be matched up to 50% by Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink (BFK), and used to support Learning Naturally educational programs in Fish Creek!

This camp is perfect for youth between 9 – 14 years of age, or going-into-grade-4 to going-into-grade-9, who have shown interest in birds and birding.

Youth can practice identifying local birds by size and shape, colour pattern, behaviour and habitat. There will be a full morning of bird watching in Fish Creek Provincial Park each day, and all walks are led by experienced Birding Guides.

The Friends of Fish Creek and Nature Calgary are very excited to offer your children the opportunity to engage in birding, which may lead to something even bigger – a field of study or career in ornithology! If we see a deer or moose, we will pause to talk about them, but our main focus will be about birds and the joy and excitement they can bring to your life, both now and in the future. 

• Program Location: Fish Creek Provincial Park – The Theatre at the Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre will be used as a “home base”, though much of the program will take place outdoors. 
• Group Size: Limited to 24 participants ages 9 – 14. For indoor activities, all participants will be together and for outdoor activities, groups of 6 – 8 participants with adult supervision, will enjoy an outdoor excursion in the morning and one in the afternoon.
• Program Leaders: Bird Camp’s two primary leaders were teachers in the Calgary school system and have had extensive birding experiences, which they want to share with your child. All other volunteers have a great deal of experience as birding guides in the Calgary area and Fish Creek Provincial Park. All volunteers have a current Police Information and Vulnerable Sector Check through the Friends of Fish Creek.
• Participants need to bring: clothes for weather (extra clothing layers, backpack, rain jacket, jacket, hat, bug spray, sun screen, good walking shoes), binoculars (if you have a pair), bird books (if you have one), water bottle, a litter-less lunch and snack, and knapsack.
• Participants will have access to the following during Bird Camp: journal which participants will get to keep. While in the program, participants will have access to binoculars, bird books, pencils, coloured pencils etc. Washrooms and water bottle filling fountain are located in the Visitor Centre.

Please complete the form below, then click register above students for Bird Camp. 

Terms and Conditions of Learning Naturally Bird Camp

Participants will need to bring:

• water bottle, litterless snacks and lunch (picnic-style)
• clothes for Alberta’s changing weather: raincoat, jacket, hat, bug spray, sunscreen, sunglasses, good walking shoes – dress in layers as mornings can be considerably cooler
• knapsack
• pencils, eraser, pencil crayons
• we recommend labeling your child’s belongings
• Optional: bird guidebook and binocular (please label)

Gathering Place:
We will begin and end each day at the Theatre in the Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre.
Volunteers will be available so that children can be dropped off no earlier than 7:45 am, with pick up time no later than 2:30 pm. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in accommodating this schedule. Emergency contact information for Bird Camp Leaders will be provided on the first session.

Parent/Guardian Waiver. As the parent/legal guardian:

I am fully aware of the risks associated with this activity.

I hereby waive any claim that I may have against the Friends of Fish Creek and Nature Calgary and of its directors, staff or volunteers and release them from all liability for any damages, loss of income, costs, expenses, or death or other injuries of any kind whatsoever arising out of injuries or damages sustained by me as a result of my childrens’ participation in this activity.

That the Friends and Nature Calgary have the right, under recommendations from the instructor to remove any person from the program without a refund and without consent if any infractions occur that prevent or hinder the enjoyment of others or cause risks to public safety.

Personal information collected by the Friends of Fish Creek will be used solely for communicating with you for the purposes of the Birding Camp. This information will not be given, sold, or traded to a party not affiliated with the Birding Camp.

Photo courtesy of Sheila Watson

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