Manning Park Bird Blitz
June 14 – 16, 2019

Full Weekend Birder – $60
Fee covers Friday & Saturday camping fees, barbecue (bring own protein), guest speaker, birding kit and field data information, use of educational displays and materials, and company of friendly, like-minded birders!

Day Birder + Saturday BBQ & Guest Speaker – $50
Fee covers Saturday camping fees, barbecue (bring own protein), guest speaker, birding kit and field data information, use of educational displays and materials, and company of friendly, like-minded birders!

Day Birder – $30
Fee covers Saturday OR Sunday birding with birding kit and field data information, use of educational displays and materials, and company of friendly, like-minded birders!

Young Birder – $0
FREE for youth aged 18 and under, accompanied by an adult.

Fee applies to all birders; those camping and those staying at other fixed roof accommodation.

We ask that participants register and pay online by clicking HERE.  If online payment is not possible for you, please arrange payment by cheque with us well before the event.  This will help us plan for the weekend, purchase food and arrange supplies for support/educational materials!  Please contact us at 604-869-1274 or send us an e-mail at lklassen@hopemountain.org if you have any questions.

For those attending the barbecue, please bring your own protein.  We will provide a choice of salads, buns, coffee/tea, fruit juice and various condiments.  Bringing your own cutlery and plates will help with our cleanup!

Participants should be in reasonably good physical condition, but there will be plenty of opportunities to rest and enjoy the birds and surroundings–you’ll be on your own schedule!  It’s also your choice of birding trails, from flat and easy to steep and strenuous.  Please be prepared for all weather conditions. Snow may be encountered at higher elevations.   Temperatures at camp can range from +20 degrees during the day to -3 degrees celsius at night.

FRIDAY

2:00 PM – Birders arrive and set up camp at Lone Duck 1 or 2 campgrounds beside Lightning Lake. Some birders choose to stay at nearby fixed roof accommodations.

6:00 PM – Check-in and paperwork at the registration tent.  You can avoid the crunch and check in early, 2:00 – 6:00 PM!

7:00 PM – Orientation at campground.  Birders will get an introduction to the park, form birding groups, choose trails and receive their birding kits.

8:00 PM – Evening presentation on “Our Wonderful Canadian Owls” with nature recordist, John Neville.

Note: Late arrivals can register until 10:00 PM Friday, or Saturday morning until 9:00 AM.

SATURDAY

Morning – Starting at various times through the early morning (as arranged Friday evening), birding groups will begin hiking different trails in Manning Park to record species and numbers of birds (by sight or call).  17 birding areas have been identified in the park and birders are welcome to visit as many of these areas as they wish.

9:00 AM – “Introduction to Birding” for beginner birders–Kelly Pearce and Scott Denkers will lead a morning outing along the shores of Lightning Lake and adjacent forest. For those arriving Saturday, please check-in at the group camp well before 9:00 AM.

9:00 AM – “Intermediate Birding” for birders with a little more experience–a knowledgeable birder, Bill Kincaid, will lead an outing exploring forest and lakeside habitat. For those arriving Saturday, please check-in at the group camp well before 9:00 AM.

5:00 PM – Birders gather at Lone Duck 1 campground for an evening barbecue (we will provide buns/dinner rolls, salads, chips, beverages and condiments–bring your own choice of protein!).

6:30 PM – After dinner, birders will meet around the campfire for a quick run-through of the day’s bird and other wildlife sightings, sharing their thrilling moments and exciting debacles!

7:30 PM – Evening presentation. Nature photographer John Gordon will delight us with his spectacular avian imagery and accompanying stories from the field.

SUNDAY

More birding will occur in those areas not covered on Saturday, with people leaving Sunday afternoon.  If you are birding on the way out of the park, please send us your completed checklist as soon as possible.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP

Meet at the registration/resources tent at Lone Duck 1 campground, E.C. Manning Provincial Park.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP

Participants must arrange their own transportation to Manning Provincial Park and to areas chosen for birding within the park.

Camping

Group Camping will be available at Lone Duck 1 & 2 campgrounds with plenty of room for our group.  Come prepared for tenting or RV camping.  There are no electrical or sewage hookups.  Facilities include a pit toilet, drinking water and a group campfire ring.  Bring your own table and chairs if possible, as picnic tables and seating are limited.

Manning Park Lodge

Note: If you are staying at the resort, you should book soon. Rooms go quickly.
If booking by phone, Manning Park Lodge will provide a 10% group discount to Bird Blitz participants over the weekend on regular room rates for Lodge rooms, cabins & chalets.  They recommend providing the code “Bird19” to the booking agent for the discount rate. To book your room, call Manning Park Lodge at 1-800-330-3321 (toll-free) and make sure to mention the bird blitz discount.  Accommodation may also be booked online (discount not available) by clicking HERE.

Lodging outside of Manning Provincial Park is also available within a 30 to 45 minute drive.

Be prepared to camp and provide your own food–an exception is the Saturday night barbecue, when you can just arrive with protein for the grill (the Lodge restaurant is another option for food).

Come prepared to hike in a variety of weather conditions, with temperatures ranging between +20 celsius during the day and -3 at night.  Snow will likely be found at higher elevations.  Gaiters can help to keep snow out of your boots.

Recommended items:

• Sturdy boots and gaiters
• First aid kit
• Water container (at least 1 litre)
• High-energy lunches and snack food
• Warm clothes and rain gear
• Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, chapstick
• Camera, binoculars, spotting scope
• Bird ID guide books
• Day pack for your stuff

Map of Manning Park core area

Manning Park Bird Blitz – 2000 to 2019 (MS Excel spreadsheet)

Liability Waiver Form

Everyone age 19 & over must sign a liability waiver form in order to participate in this program.  Please take the time to read this form because you must understand and agree to it when you sign it.  By signing it you are waiving certain rights, including the right to sue.  These forms will be available to sign when you check in. Please seek legal counsel if you have any questions.

Informed Consent Form

Everyone age 18 & under must have an informed consent form signed by their parent or legal guardian in order to participate.  Please contact us if you need this form prior to arrival at this program.

JOHN NEVILLE BIOGRAPHY

John has had a lifelong interest in birds which began in England. Serious field recording of birds began in 1993 after studying with the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds, Cornell University. As Neville Recording, John has produced eighteen sound guides to bird identification. The 4CD set “Bird Songs of Canada, Chants D’Oiseax du Canada” is a highlight of his career and is a guide to the songs and calls of 435 Canadian bird species. He regularly presents at Birding Festivals such as Brant Festival, Wings over the Rockies, Meadowlark Festival and the Swan Festival. He has published articles in Birds and Blooms and journals for the Ontario Nature (Seasons), Nature Saskatchewan, BC Field Ornithologists (BC Birds), Wildlife Sound Recording Society (Wildlife Sound), and BC Nature (bcnature) of which he is a Past President. He is the current recipient of the BC Nature Elton Anderson Award for outstanding achievement in public conservation. Recently John’s nature recordings have been used by the Canadian Wildlife Service for Training DVD, CBC Television , The Nature of Things and Parks Canada Interpretive Programs. His work is now being exhibited in the new Robert Bateman Centre in Victoria. You can listen to interviews with John and sample his recordings and purchase CD’s and downloads on his web site www.nevillerecording.com.

John records in the wild with great sensitivity and field craft awareness. His major aim is that the production of his art of nature recording will make people more aware of the feathered creatures and their need for a protected habitat.

If a registration is cancelled 7 days or more before a program starts, HMCOL will refund the program fee and equipment rental fees (as applicable) minus an administrative cost of $20 per person.  Program and equipment rental fees will not be refunded if a cancellation is received less than 7 days before the start of a program.  A program may be cancelled at the discretion of HMCOL.  If a program is cancelled, participants will receive a full refund of program and equipment fees.

Please be aware that our programs run regardless of weather conditions, unless we determine that it will affect the safety of participants and/or equipment.