2022 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

To Register Click Here!

DETAILS OF FESTIVAL EVENTS:

Friday, May 13th, 2022:

Final Registration at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery

When:          12:00 am to 4:00 pm. 
Where:         Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery, 1140 – 27th Ave S 

BIRD BINGO

Play Bird Bingo during the festival weekend and win some fabulous prizes!!  Return your Bingo card to either

the Red Barn, Discovery Center, or Baillie-Grohman before noon on May 15th.  Get your Bingo cards here:

Bingo – Kids

Bingo – Hyphens

Bingo – Easy

Bingo – Duck Lake

Bingo – Colors#2

Bingo – Colors

Bingo – Colored-parts

Bingo – BIG birds!

Bingo – American

“History Goes to the Birds” Walking Tour of Downtown Creston

How did Creston get to be what it is today – and how does that have to do with the local birds? Join museum manager, Tammy Bradford, for an entertaining look at local history.

https://crestonmuseum.ca/

“Welcome Back!” Social at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery

A chance to meet new and old birding friends to discuss rare bird findings while enjoying locally produced beverages and dinner from the Savour Food Truck.  Photo presentations by Marc-Andre Beaucher (Head of Conservation Programs at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area) and Lyle Grisedale (photographer from Kimberly, BC) featuring birds discovered during our 10 years of festivals.

Dinner served by the Savour Food Truck

Local wine and beer served by Baillie-Grohman Estate winery at their patio prices

“Dim the Lights for Birds at Night” at our Star Gazing Event – SOLD OUT

Come see how a darker sky will  help you see more spring constellations and deep space objects, such as the M13 globular cluster in Hercules and the Beehive cluster in Cancer. Learn how to use the Big Dipper’s handle in order to “arc to Arcturus and spiral on to Spica!” Note the eastern rise of the Summer Triangle, the majesty of Leo, and the brightness of the almost full moon (bright gibbous moon at 94%)!

Note:  Please wear layers and use red light (nightlight) on your cellphones. It takes our eye pupils 10 minutes to acclimatize to darkness! If you have an eye to squint and an arm to point you are good to go!  We will work on our ability to use just our eyes. Binoculars are welcome but not required. Please leave pets at home! 

This event will be cancelled with full refund if the sky is not clear.

Saturday, May 14th, 2022:

6:00 to 6:30 am  Meet your birding tour leader at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery (1140 -27th Ave S.)
Lark Coffee and Muffins/Fruit donated by Pealow’s or Save-On Foods will be available.

Tours will leave exactly at 6:30 am so don’t be late!!

Be aware:  Bears are in the valley.  Please bring Bear Spray!

Breakfast with the Birds at Duck Lake

Bring your lawn chair and join Ulrike with her spotting scopes to view ducks at a distance! Start your morning by relaxing on the dike and wait for the birds to come in!  Your morning coffee will be supplied by Ilana Cameron of Lark Coffee.  A bird-themed breakfast will be served!

Drive to Duck Lake Tour – SOLD OUT

A variety of landscapes means a variety of birds. Join Ed and Hazel for a driving tour looking for birds beside mountain shrubbery, open farmland, a slow-moving channel, marshland, to the wide-open Duck Lake. Possible sightings of Lazuli Buntings, Raptors, Wood Ducks, Say’s Phoebes, Bullock’s Orioles, and Sandhill Cranes.

Birding the Wildlife Area Trails 

Join birder Paul Foth exploring the dikes and trails through the expansive wetlands of Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. These trails are full of riparian-habitat songbirds, marsh birds and waterfowl. Your best chance at seeing a Sora!

Birding-by-Bus Road Tour

Travel the back roads of the Wildlife Management Area in the comfort of a 7 passenger-seat bus with large windows for viewing. Cover several locations and micro-habitats in a short time. Optional short mini-hikes. Great potential for spotting, viewing, and studying Raptors, Waterfowl, Woodpeckers, and Songbirds. And maybe guest appearances of a few shy four-legged friends.

Fox Tree Hill, Tanal Marsh, Mawson Lake Tour – SOLD OUT

Join Lyle Grisedale at Fox Tree Hill, Tanal Marsh, and Vic Mawson Lake as we visit both forest and marsh for possible sightings of common loons, waterfowl, a heron rookery, and wide variety of song birds from Towhees to Chickadees. There will be some easy hiking as we wander through the open forest at Foxtree Hill. For the photographers in the group there will be many great photo opportunities.

Kootenay River Road: Walking/Driving Tour 

Welcome to the Flats—Creston’s wide-open spaces. This prairie-like road takes you to the old Ferry Landing on the Kootenay River. Look for grassland birds, raptors, and surprises, such as the song of a meadowlark.

Leach Lake: Walking/Driving Tour – SOLD OUT

See the birds in their most natural of wetland habitats. With limited access to the public, the birds own it. Sightings expected to include a good variety of waterfowl, pelicans, cormorants, raptors, plus a good selection of marsh, grassland and woodland passerines. This tour will likely go over 4 hours.

Valley Events for Saturday, May 14th 

Discovery Centre Displays and Activities

Join us at the Discovery Centre to learn more about the wetlands and wildlife of the area.   A variety of displays, taxidermy mounts, skeletons, tracks, insect specimens, hands-on activities, kids’ area and more will keep everyone busy and entertained!  Build a bird kite or participate in the family Bird-a-thon!!

https://discovery-centre.ca/

Guided Canoe Tours at the Discovery Centre 

Join a Naturalist for a one-hour guided canoe tour to experience the sights and sounds of this internationally designated wetland.  Paddle the ponds and channels in voyageur canoes in search of wildlife and adventure!  From birds to turtles to bugs…you never know what you might encounter!

Tour of Swan Valley Honey – SOLD OUT

Amanda Goodman Lee and Jeff Lee are pleased to give a tour of their honey farm. The tour includes an observation hive where you can get up close to the bees, honey tasting and education on the life of honey bees. For those who want an added adventure a visit to the bee yard for those not allergic or phobic. Honey can be purchased at their sales office on location.  Bee suits are available on site.

https://honeybeezen.com/

Kootenay Meadows Organic Dairy Farm Tour 

A cheese tasting with an explanation of the cheese-making and bottling process will be followed by a guided tour of the barns and a pasture walk to view the farm’s duck ponds and riparian area.

http://www.kootenaymeadows.com/kac/index.html

Wynndel Craft Distillery Bus Tour

Turning the best local fruit into the best local spirits, since 2017. The Creston Valley is a perfect backdrop, providing a bounty of fresh ingredients for us to work with. We thrive on creating unique one-of-a-kind spirits that speak to the true nature of our surroundings.  Visit this distillery to see how it all works!

Farmlands or Wetlands? Creston’s Great Duck Debate!

Join the Creston Museum for an in-depth look at reclamation in the Creston Valley: reclaiming wetlands for farming, reclaiming farmlands for wildlife, and the controversy over Duck Lake that marked the transition.

https://crestonmuseum.ca/

Exhibit open all day Friday and Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Birding Basic Workshop – SOLD OUT

Do you enjoy birds, but want to learn how to identify what you see?  This two-hour workshop will cover basic bird identification principles to help you become more confident and familiar with bird life in the Creston Valley and beyond.

https://www.gopishing.com/

Botany Hike up Balancing Rock Trail – SOLD OUT

Join Kim for an uphill climb to a little wetland with fantastic views of our valley!  Skunk cabbage, Ferns, and Devil’s Club galore.  Late spring flowers should also be along the trail such as Larkspur, Paintbrush, Shooting Star, Wild Ginger, Trillium, Spring Beauty, and Ragged Robin.  Some feathery friends might show up too!

Botany and Birds for Kids – SOLD OUT

Not just a nature walk!  Carley will show kids how the plants and animals thrive in the Creston Valley Wildlife Management area using games and interactive activities.

Weeds to the Rescue – Medicine from your Backyard

Do you curse the dandelions, chickweed and plantain that grow in your garden? Do you spend hours trying to rid yourself of burdock and thistles? If you do, then you are ridding yourself of valuable healing plants. Join medical herbalist Rachel Beck as she helps you to learn about the nutritional and medicinal value of the weeds and common plants that grow in most backyards and how you can use them to create your own natural medicine chest.

Rachel Beck has been a medical herbalist for over 30 years and has taught herbalism for over 20 years. She is also co-owner of Tilia’s Botanicals, an herbal apothecary and gift shop in Creston BC.

https://www.tiliabotanicals.com/

Magpie Dinner with our “Friends of Kootenay Lake”

Dinner served by Magpie Pastries!

Local wine and beer served by Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery!

Join Friends of Kootenay Lake to learn about their Osprey Monitoring Program! They will be sharing why Ospreys are important in aquatic ecosystems, how to recognize male from female and young from adults, factors affecting Osprey distribution, migration patterns, how they are being monitored on the lake, and ways you can support local Osprey populations. 

https://www.friendsofkootenaylake.ca/

Sunday, May 15th, 2022:

6:00 to 6:30 am  Meet your birding tour leader at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery (1140 -27th Ave S.)
Lark Coffee and Muffins/Fruit donated by Pealow’s or Save-On Foods will be available.

Tours will leave exactly at 6:30 am so don’t be late!!

Be aware:  Bears are in the valley.  Please bring Bear Spray!

Kayak the Channels – SOLD OUT

Please bring your own kayak or canoe. 

Join Ulrike on Frenchman’s Slough for a peaceful paddle on quiet waters lined with tall cottonwoods and thick shrubbery. Ideal habitat for a variety of water and land birds including orioles, kingbirds, kingfishers, raptors, and ducks.

Bird Tour Leader:   Ulrike Sliworsky

Drive to Duck Lake Tour – SOLD OUT

A variety of landscapes means a variety of birds. Join Ed and Hazel for a driving tour looking for birds beside mountain shrubbery, open farmland, a slow-moving channel, marshland, to the wide-open Duck Lake. Possible sightings of Lazuli Buntings, Raptors, Wood Ducks, Say’s Phoebes, Bullock’s Orioles, and Sandhill Cranes.

Birding-by-Bus Road Tour – 3 SPOTS LEFT

Travel the back roads of the Wildlife Management Area in the comfort of a 7 passenger-seat bus with large windows for viewing. Cover several locations and micro-habitats in a short time. Optional short mini-hikes. Great potential for spotting, viewing, and studying Raptors, Waterfowl, Woodpeckers, and Songbirds. And maybe guest appearances of a few shy four-legged friends.

Fox Tree Hill, Tanal Marsh, Mawson Lake Tour – SOLD OUT

Join Lyle Grisedale at Fox Tree Hill, Tanal Marsh, and Vic Mawson Lake as we visit both forest and marsh for possible sightings of common loons, waterfowl, a heron rookery, and wide variety of song birds from Towhees to Chickadees. There will be some easy hiking as we wander through the open forest at Foxtree Hill. For the photographers in the group there will be many great photo opportunities.

Kootenay River Road: Walking/Driving Tour – SOLD OUT

Welcome to the Flats—Creston’s wide-open spaces. This prairie-like road takes you to the old Ferry Landing on the Kootenay River. Look for grassland birds, raptors, and surprises, such as the song of a meadowlark.

Leach Lake: Walking/Driving Tour -SOLD OUT

See the birds in their most natural of wetland habitats. With limited access to the public, the birds own it. Sightings expected to include a good variety of waterfowl, pelicans, cormorants, raptors, plus a good selection of marsh, grassland and woodland passerines. This tour will likely go over 4 hours.

Winery Tour at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery – SOLD OUT

https://www.bailliegrohman.com/

Baillie-Grohman is a small family-owned vineyard that focuses on cool climate varieties such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris & Chardonnay. Grapes of the highest quality are grown to produce elegant handcrafted wines that showcase the unique terroir of the Erickson bench. Suitable for all ages with wine available for ages 19+!

Wine Down at the Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery
** No registration required **

Relax and enjoy a charchuterie platter or bring your own lunch to the patio at B.G. Estate Winery to taste the award-winning wines that are putting this wine-growing region of B.C. on the map.  Possible bird sightings in the vineyard: Western Bluebirds, Lazuli Buntings, Western Meadowlarks, and Ring-necked Pheasants.

Mandala Dot Art Workshop – SOLD OUT

Enjoy a relaxing afternoon with step-by-step instructions to create a beautiful Mandala Dot Art project with your friends!  All supplies are provided for you to complete a Bluebird masterpiece while possibly watching Bluebirds in the vineyard!  No experience necessary.  A glass of wine and a 10-year anniversary wine glass is included!