Family activity for ALL AGES. Limited number of places. (Children under 13 must be accompanied)
RESIDENTS: Adults $25/ – Children free.
NON-RESIDENTS: Adults $35 – Children $15
Saturday, July 10, 2021 (postponed to Sunday, July 11 in case of rain)
Location: Shepard Park in Abercorn Village (map: https://goo.gl/maps/Bi1dnRpYfe9jbuhS6)
Sign-up: info@abercorn.ca
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:
8:30 a.m. —Guided ornithological walk
Departure at the park (duration 45 min.) French-speaking groups and English-speaking groups— Bird-watching consists in listening to birdsong and taking the time to observe them. Your guide will be able to recognize almost any species of birds by their songs, without necessarily seeing them. Usually between 12 and 30 species of birds can be observed. We will follow Government restrictions for group sizes. Please sign up: info@abercorn.ca.
10:00 a.m. —Introduction to minimal cabinetmaking.
Create a birdhouse for Shepard Park: assemble, paint and decorate a birdhouse that will be set up in the forest, on a fence or in another area of the park. Leave your mark on Abercorn Village by adding an artistic contribution and a statement about the importance and joy that nature brings to our village and our lives. Free activity at any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Bring your hammer and brushes, the material (wood and paint) intended for building and decorating a birdhouse will be provided free of charge by the municipality.
12 p.m.—Meal
Bring a lunch to the park or use the village’s Méchoui Summer Canteen. Picnic tables are available in Shepard Park in Abercorn Village.
1:30 p.m. ENGLISH: Bird song workshop (sound & image)
2:45 p.m. FRENCH: Bird song workshop (sound & image)
Identification of local birds by ear (duration 60 min.). Learn to identify local birds by learning their songs. Most birds can easily be identified by their song and it is only possible to distinguish many species that look-alike by ear! We will provide printed notebooks for participants and play recordings to help distinguish species from each other.
All events will take place in Abercorn’s Shepard Park. Participants can continue working on their birdhouses while others participate in the Bird Song Workshop.
ANIMATORS
Jason Campbell — Suttonbirds.com
Jason is a bilingual birder. A resident of Sutton who is out on most mornings in the spring exploring different areas looking and listening for birds. Jason can identify most local birds by their songs and is passionate about sharing his enthusiasm for birds.
See articles that Jason wrote for LE TOUR: My Introduction to Birds and Introduction à l’ornithologie.
Jason also takes trips to good birding spots. In addition to Sutton, Granby and other locations in the Eastern Townships, some favourite birding spots that Jason had visited include Point Pelee Ontario, Cape May NJ, Arenal Costa Rica and Mindo Ecuador.
Jason is a member of the Club des ornithologues de Brome-Missisquoi Inc. (COBM) and uses ebird.org to submit checklists.
Rebecca Soulis
Nature & Wellness Educator, Nature Nerding co-founder
I am a bilingual nature enthusiast who has spent numerous years coordinating and leading activities in outdoor settings. Guiding children through educational experiences revolving around wellness, nature, art and recreation is central to my work. I have a strong background in leading experiential learning activities for young people.
Some recent projects include:
- The Winter Nature Nerding Program at Butler & Farnham Elementary schools in collaboration with the Community Learning Center
- The Wellness & Connection Workshops at Knowlton Academy
- The Fabulous Pumpkin Trail in collaboration with the Townshipper’s Association, Sutton Art School & the Sutton CPE La passerelle des mousses
Experiential learning opportunities give many children who struggle in traditional learning environments a chance to shine. One common positive outcome of Nature Nerding workshops is that children and parents feel more comfortable outdoors and are ready to take on new life challenges with increased confidence and curiosity for the natural environment.