Booking Programs With Us
Last updated October 20, 2023.
The British Columbia Waterfowl Society offers programs for those wanting to learn about the Sanctuary's birds and the Sanctuary itself. Tours are provided by staff and senior volunteers..
Arranging for a tour or program:
Try our new on-line request form to start the process
- Phone our office 604-946-6980 at least two weeks ahead of time to discuss the booking of a tour/program. We only accept one morning and one afternoon group per day.
- Group size needs to fit within our size limits and qualifications
- 15 to 30 people
- Birding groups, school and university classes, home school groups, Guides and Scouts, NatureKidsBC groups.
- Your program booking provides your group with a tour guide, access to special use areas such as the Museum and some short general instruction before walking the trails. We also set aside parking for you.
- Admission is payable upon entry. You will need to leave the name of your school or group, the main contact person, the group size, age or grade, and a phone number in case plans need to be modified.
- Budget about 1.5 to 2 hours for a program. For groups that are mainly children, we do not recommend a lengthy lunch break, as there is no playground, facilities need to be shared with other visitors, and children need to be under supervision at all times.
We allow some organizations to use their own leaders on birding and nature tours through the Sanctuary, but it is critical that organizers follow the same procedures as in the category above. Phone at least two weeks ahead of time, keep the group size within the 15 to 30 people range, and let us know what you are planning and what you need in the way of parking. All "self-guided" groups need to be careful about any planned activities to ensure that participants are not breaking rules. We do the parking reservation allocations for you.
If you have a smaller group (less than 15 people):
Most of the time, you as an organizer just need to tell participants that every driver involved needs to book a parking spot through our normal on-line reservation system. The time slots start to be available three days ahead of time. If the group visit involves transportation by bus, please contact our office to let us know. Note that there is high competition sometimes for weekend parking reservations, so we recommend weekdays for this category.
School Programs
Visit our School Programs page for descriptions of program themes and a general outline of the nature tours.
Birding Programs
If you have at least 15 people in your group, you can book our staff for a birding tour of the Sanctuary or can be self-guided. As with the school group arrangements above, please call our office to let us know the date and number in your group. If you are on our official schedule, we can set aside parking for your group so that your participants are guaranteed of a spot.
In addition to the opportunity to book tours, we invite you to explore our Birding page for an overview of birding tips during your visit and links to explore. Every Sunday morning at 10 am, there is also a drop-in birding tour for those interested in touring the Sanctuary with a knowledgeable guide that can show people some of the good spots to see certain species.
Be Prepared
When arranging transportation, please visit our Planning Your Visit page for our location map and contact information so that these can be provided to parent drivers and/or bus drivers. Remember to dress for the weather, as most of the booking time is spent walking outside on the trails. Wear proper walking shoes. Some of our trails are grassy and are muddy after rainy days. Bring a bag lunch or snack if you are staying more than a few hours, and either bottled water or a thermos of something warm to drink, depending upon the weather.
Remember bird books or binoculars if you have them. Note that the Gift Shop has loaner binoculars for visitors if required. Many people enjoy capturing their tour on camera, but remember to pay attention to tour guide instructions about the proximity of cameras to the birds.
