The Festival of Birds and Nature is back this year with a new hybrid formula! We are planning activities for all ages and tastes from August 9-14.
The Festival will kick off with a series of virtual evening seminars and workshops given by amazing speakers and covering a variety of topics. Join us to discover the benefits of rehabilitation and conservation, to learn how you can help wildlife and the environment, and to explore techniques for building a safe nest box. The seminars are virtual and free, thanks to our generous speakers.
A few more virtual seminars are planned for August 14 with some in-person wildlife exploration activities into the nature reserve behind Le Nichoir. We are pleased and lucky to be hosting Montreal artist River June for a watercolor workshop to celebrate the beauty of birds through art.
Plus! Participate in our wild bird photography contest! Send us your pictures. The public and our team will be asked to vote for their favorite photos.
See below for more information about the schedule, the seminars and activities, or register for an event.
Virtual Seminars
We have invited many individuals and organizations to present on a variety of topics in celebration of nature and birds. The seminars are virtual and free, thanks to our generous speakers.
| Geneviève Gervais – Nature-Action Québec (French) Monday, August 9 at 6 p.m.Join Geneviève Gervais from Nature-Action Québec to learn more about the steps needed to protect natural habitats and how to become engaged in the conservation of our environment. |
| Sarah Wylie M.Sc – Life Without Plastic (English) Monday, August 9 at 7:30 p.m.Discover how to motivate yourself and others to take better actions for the environment through self-determination. Explore simple steps to improve your ecological footprint. |
| Claude Cloutier – Nest Box Craftsman (English) Tuesday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m.Join experienced box maker Claude Cloutier in this workshop to discover tips and tricks for building your own bird house. Learn about the characteristics of a safe nest box and how you can use scrap wood to build a place for birds to raise their clutch. |
| Élodie Hamel – Éco-Nature (French) Wednesday, August 11 at 7 p.m.Join Élodie Hamel from Éco-Nature for a behind-the-scenes look at a turtle rehabilitation centre. Learn more about this fascinating animal, the dangers they face and what we can do to help them. |
| Danik Dancause – Walker Glass (French) Thursday, August 12 at 7 p.m.Join Danik Dancause from Walker Glass Company for a seminar on the why and the how of the impact glass structures have on birds. Discover ways to mitigate their effects and the latest developments towards cohabitation with wild birds: from bird-friendly glass to the implementation of legislation throughout North America. |
| Lynn Miller PhD (English) Friday, August 13 at 7 p.m.Le Nichoir’s co-founder Lynn Miller will join us from New Zealand to discuss the work she has been doing there to help wildlife. Come learn about her many years of advocating for wildlife globally and how societies around the world need to change to build a future where humans can cohabit with wildlife. |
In-person Activities – Saturday August 14
A series of in-person activities for the last day of the Festival:
| Bird Walk – 9 a.m. (bilingual)
Join one of Le Nichoir’s biologist for a birding walk into the Clarke Sydenham Nature Reserve located behind Le Nichoir. Discover the avian diversity in our backyard. Space is limited to 12 participants. This activity is free but pre-registration is mandatory. |
| Nature Walk – 10:30 a.m. (bilingual)
Join naturalist Chris Cloutier to explore the nature and wide variety of plants, insects and other organisms that inhabit the Clarke Sydenham Nature Reserve. Limited to 12 participants. This activity is free but pre-registration is mandatory. |
| Watercolor Workshop – 1 p.m. (bilingual)
Le Nichoir is happy to be able to host Montreal artist River June for a watercolor workshop. Using real taxidermies as models, the participants will learn techniques to celebrate the beauty of birds through art. All the material needed are provided. The activity is open to adults and children over 5 years old. The activity will be held outside under tents. Space is limited. Tickets are $13. |
Anyone can participate in the Festival’s photo contest! Simply send us your wild bird picture (one per participant) by email to jo-annie@lenichoir.org before August 6, 11 a.m. Pictures must be of a species found in the area of Montreal. We will post the submissions in a Facebook album where the public will be able to vote for their favorite photo from August 9-14. The winner will be decided by the public and Le Nichoir’s staff, and will be announced at the Festival closure and in our e-newsletter. The winner will receive a feeder from our La Plume Verte store! Please include your full name with your picture for proper credit. You may watermark your picture. Be sure to take a look and vote for your favorite picture, even if you have not submitted a photo! |