Volunteer Leaders: Jocie Brooks & Hayley Datoo
Email: comox@naturekidsbc.ca
Email: comox@naturekidsbc.ca
Meet your volunteer leaders!
Jocie Brooks
I'm a local nature-enthusiast and parent. I look forward to exploring nature together with our children, in this rich and diverse area. Hope to see you out at our explorer days!
Hayley Datoo
I have a background in environmental management and am a parent of two children. I value the benefits I get from spending time in nature on my own and with my children. I'm looking forward to exploring the variety of nature experiences available to children and families in the Comox Valley.
I have a background in environmental management and am a parent of two children. I value the benefits I get from spending time in nature on my own and with my children. I'm looking forward to exploring the variety of nature experiences available to children and families in the Comox Valley.
Join our Facebook group! Search for "Comox Valley NatureKids" and request to join.
Upcoming 2017 Explorer Days
2:00-4:00pm
Guided Walk
Woodhus Slough (meeting at Salmon Point)
RSVP needed, and receive directions
Join us for a guided walk lead by Nature Mentor Luisa Richardson, who has a Masters degree in environmental education. Please dress for winter weather with boots, toques, gloves or rain gear as needed. Bring a snack and water bottle.
Note: we usually go ahead rain or shine, however, in the event of heavy rain, strong winds, or snow, we will send out an email the morning of the Explorer Day and post it on our Facebook page.
Past Explorer Days
Gartley Beach Walk & Explore
Saturday, March 4, 2:00pm
Meet at Gartley Beach in Royston
This will be a casual beach walk to look at water birds and creatures of the intertidal. There should be some exposed sand flats to explore. Please RSVP to let us know if you can come. Please dress for the weather and wear gumboots. Pack a snack and a water bottle.
Bird Watching at Lazo Marsh
Sunday, January 29th at 1:00pm
Our next explorer day will be bird watching at Lazo Marsh in Comox on Sunday, January 29th at 1:00pm. Please bring a small snack and water bottle and come prepared for the weather. If you have binoculars bring them along, I also have some pairs that I can lend out.
The birds at Lazo Marsh are very tame (locals feed them) so we will be able to get some close-up looks at some of our common birds. There are also often ducks/swans at the marsh viewing platform. Please RSVP and let us know if you can come.
Kids Christmas Bird Count and potluck lunch
Saturday December 10
10:00am-1:00pm
Our next event is our annual Kids Christmas Bird Count and potluck lunch on Saturday December 10, from 10:00-1:00. Please RSVP to let us know if you can make it! We will meet at the Courtenay airpark cafe at 10:00am. A few expert birders will be coming along with us to help out. This is a great opportunity to learn to identify and count birds!
After about an hour of birding we will go to Craft Room A at the Lewis Centre for our potluck lunch. (Room A is the first door on your left when you come in the main entrance). We will warm up with some hot apple cider. Please come regardless of the weather, if it is terrible we will just head to the potluck early!
What to bring:
Warm clothing and rain gear.
Binoculars if you have them (we also have some we can lend)
One lunch/finger food dish to share at the potluck.
Sunday, November 20 [Cancelled Due to Heavy Rain. Nature Crafts Day held instead]
Kye Beach Cleanup
1:00-3:00pm
Sunday, October 22nd
10:00-12:00
William's Beach Forest
Directions: Drive north on the old island Hwy. Turn right on William's Beach Rd (the next right after the Merville Store). Follow William's Beach Rd for quite a ways, continue past Larkin Road and Halstead Farm. The road straightens out before coming to a sharp bend, and right at the corner is the main parking area for the forest. There is no signage as it is not officially a park.
Sunday, September 18th
1:00-3:00pm
Exploring Morrison Creek
We will play some interactive nature games, then take a walk along Morrison Creek to look at spawning salmon. Bring a snack and water bottle. Meet at the main parking lot of Ecole Puntledge Park Elementary School at 401 Willemar Avenue.
Saturday, August 13
9:00 - 12:00
Courtenay Museum Fossil Tour program
Saturday, June 25th
2:00-3:30 pm
Low Tide Beach Exploration
Miracle Beach Provincial Park, meet at the Nature House (see email for directions)We will be participating in a Jerry's Rangers program at the Nature House!
Sunday, May 29th
1pm
Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society
Our next explorer day will be at the MARS (Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society) facility at 6817 Headquarters Road. Volunteer Rene Jorgenson has offered to introduce us to the MARS education owls and give us a tour of the facility. Afterwards, we may take a short walk on a trail there.
Sunday, April 10th
1pm - 3pm
Tsolum River Walk!
Join us down at the beautiful Tsolum River to explore spring wildflowers. Woodland wildflowers are abundant this season, and we are sure to find white and pink fawn lilies and trilliums. The trail starts at the Courtenay Exhibition Grounds and loops through prime lily habitat. A few wildlife viewing highlights that can be found along the river are bald eagles, kingfishers and herons. Some of the natural features include dense thicket of alder, small remnant forest of Douglas fir, wet areas of alder, salmonberry, and skunk cabbage and some of the largest Sitka spruce that can be found in the Tsolum River floodplain trails.
Meeting Place:
The exhibition grounds parking lot, beside the Comox Valley Curling Club on Headquarters Road, across from Vanier High School.
Woodhus Slough
Sunday, March 6
1pm
The next Explorer Day will be on Sunday, February 28th at 1:00pm at Woodhus Slough (meeting at Salmon Point). Our special guest for this walk is Luisa Richardson, a Campbell River naturalist who is very experienced at teaching children about nature. Luisa completed her Masters degree in environmental education at Simon Fraser University in 2015.
Directions from Courtenay/Comox: Go north on Hwy 19A. Continue north of Black Creek, going over the Oyster River Bridge. Continue on, pass Fosgate Road and take the very next right on Salmon Point Road and drive to the end. We will meet at the parking lot of the Salmon Point Pub. Allow about 35 minutes one way for the drive. You can also take the Inland Hwy, but be sure to take the Hamm Road connector and then continue as above. Please dress for winter weather with boots, toques, gloves or rain gear as needed.
The next Explorer Day will be on Sunday, February 28th at 1:00pm at Woodhus Slough (meeting at Salmon Point). Our special guest for this walk is Luisa Richardson, a Campbell River naturalist who is very experienced at teaching children about nature. Luisa completed her Masters degree in environmental education at Simon Fraser University in 2015.
Directions from Courtenay/Comox: Go north on Hwy 19A. Continue north of Black Creek, going over the Oyster River Bridge. Continue on, pass Fosgate Road and take the very next right on Salmon Point Road and drive to the end. We will meet at the parking lot of the Salmon Point Pub. Allow about 35 minutes one way for the drive. You can also take the Inland Hwy, but be sure to take the Hamm Road connector and then continue as above. Please dress for winter weather with boots, toques, gloves or rain gear as needed.
Millard Creek Trail
Sunday, January 24
1pm - 2:30pm
A gravel path with some boardwalk follows alongside Millard Creek, an important salmon stream. We will also have views of the Comox Estuary, where large numbers of ducks congregate in the winter. Please dress for winter weather with toques, gloves or raingear as needed. You may wish to bring a small snack and water bottle.
Annual Kids Bird Count and Potluck Lunch
Saturday, November 14th
Meet at 10:00 am at the Park Café at the Courtenay Airpark (102 20th Street)
Please RSVP
We will divide into three teams: 1) Courtenay Airpark 2) Lazo Marsh and 3) Mack Laing Park. The birding group from Comox Valley Nature will be assisting with this event and an expert birder will lead each team. We will be out counting birds for an hour to an hour and a half, after which we will all meet at the Tsolum Building at the Lewis Centre for a potluck lunch. You can bring your potluck items to the Tsolum Building after the bird count.
Sunday, October 25th
Oyster River Hatchery, part of Bear Creek Regional Park
Nature Mentor Charlie Vaughn, a long time member of the Oyster River Restoration Society (ORES) has kindly offered to give us a tour. This will be a great opportunity for the children to learn about salmon and explore the rich and varied habitat of the area.
Sunday, September 13th, 2015
1 - 2:00 PM
Miracle Beach Provincial Park
Nature Walk
We hope you are had a wonderful summer, and we are excited to start off a new season of Explorer Days. We will start with a trail walk through a second growth forest, keeping a look out for slugs and snails, and then explore the Black Creek estuary and beach before looping back to the Nature House.Sunday, May 24th, 2015
1 - 2:30 PM
Mack Liang Nature Park
Nature Walk
Mack Laing (1883-1982) was a famous Canadian author, artist and ornithologist, and collector for the National Museum of Canada and the Smithsonian. He moved to Comox in June 1922 where he built his first home, Baybrook. He later built a second home known as Shakesides. Laing donated part of his estate and property to the town of Comox.
We will take a walk on a trail where Mack Laing once roamed... along Brooklyn Creek, which is an active salmon stream, and out to the waterfront at Comox Bay. This lush woodland is a hotspot for birds, and closer to the bay we will see black soil with bits of broken shell, evidence of an extensive First Nations’ midden. At the waterfront, an entirely different habitat exists with salt marsh plants such as the salty tasting pickleweed.
Sunday, April 12th, 2015
1 - 2:30 PM
Tsolum River Walk
Join the NatureKids club down at the beautiful Tsolum River to explore spring wildflowers. Woodland wildflowers are abundant this season, and we are sure to find pink and white fawn lilies (see photo) and trilliums. The trail starts at the Courtenay Exhibition Grounds and loops through prime lily habitat.
A few wildlife viewing highlights that can be found along the river are bald eagles, kingfishers and herons. Some of the natural features include dense thickets of alder, a small remnant forest of douglas fir, and wet areas of salmonberry and skunk cabbage. Some of the largest sitka spruce can be found in the Tsolum River floodplain trails.
Sunday, March 22nd
1 - 3 PM
Kye Bay Beach
Coastal WalkJoin the NatureKids down at sandy Kye Bay to explore the beach at low tide, and walk along the coastline towards Air Force Beach. We will be looking at the sand flats and tide pools, with creatures such as sand dollars, clams, small fishes, crabs and anemones. We will also watch for ducks, gulls, bald eagles and other birds. If time permits, we might check out the sensitive ecosystem of the upper beach zone, with interesting plants like dune grass, sea rocket, silver burweed and large-headed sedge.
Sunday February 22nd, 2015
1 - 3 PM
Seal Bay Park
Nature Walk
Come join the NatureKids for a walk on one of the many trails that leads down to the waterfront. The trail is well maintained and meanders through second growth fir, maple and alder trees, with steep ravines, giant sword ferns and seasonal waterfalls. Once down at the beach, it is not uncommon to spot seals, birds and possibly even a whale! Let's walk together and get to know your new co-leaders, Jocie Ingram and Jarrett Krentzel, while we get to know you. Come rain or shine!
