Introducing Joey the Crow!

Joey resting in the shade in his favourite spot - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

Joey is a fledgling crow that apparently fell out of his nest last week. Recently he has been hanging out on the tracks behind the bunkhouses. His parents feed him frequently and he does not seem to be in distress so we have left him undisturbed. Every time the locomotive comes around though, he hops off the tracks at the very last second - giving the engineer quite a scare sometimes when he cuts it a little too close!

Peter has nicknamed him Joey - and so he has been dubbed by the other staff members! Above is a photo of Joey, yesterday morning, resting on the tracks in the shade.

********* UPDATE*********

August 8, 2011

Joey is no longer hanging out on the tracks - which was a rather dangerous place for him to be! Though we don't know for sure that he has learned to fly.... I have lately seen an extra bird in the sky....

~By Marcie Callewaert

Eagle Update!

Juvenile Eagle in a tree overlooking the Somenos Marsh - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

Juvenile Eagle atop a tree at the lower grounds- Photo by Marcie Callewaert

Adult Eagle parent of the three eaglets - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

This year the BC Forest Discovery Centre played host to three eaglets, successfully hatched on the lower grounds. These parent eagles have been building their nest here for many years. This is not their first successful batch - but it is still exciting! Two eaglets are definitely out of the nest and flying, and we believe one is still in the nest. They can be several weeks apart in their development. The two that are flying are mostly past their awkward flying stage, but can still be a bit wobbly at times!

Eaglets are larger than their parents for a while as they rapidly shoot up. They are like humans though, and shrink a little as they age! They will not reach maturity, and grow in their signature white heads and tails, until 5 or 6 years of age.

Stop by the BCFDC for a steam train ride and trip back in history in our reconstructed logging camp, and maybe you will glimpse one of nature's most majestic creatures soaring through the sky!

Samson's Second Day Out - With Peter at the Helm!

Here are a couple of shots I took yesterday while Peter was running #25 on her second day out. There were a few exciting moments - One in particular occurred every trip around! Two fledgling crows reportedly fell out of their nest last week behind the bunkhouses, and yesterday one of them was sitting on the tracks every trip - only leaping to safety at the last second! It can't fly yet and would crash into the bushes in its attempt to escape. The parents are keeping a watchful eye over it and it seems to be getting enough food, but this is just an example of the many things that keep us on our toes here! Now enough talking, here are those photos I promised!

Peter driving Samson up the hill past the bunkhouses! Photo by Marcie Callewaert

Samson making her way over the Somenos Lake Trestle - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

Peter taking in the action at the lower grounds as we stopped for our 10 min break.  -Photo by Marcie Callewaert

~By Marcie Callewaert

Samson is Out and Ready to Go!

Samson approaching the logging camp - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

The long wait is over! Samson - our 101 year old steam locomotive is back in action after a longer than expected break.  Trains are running daily from 11:00-4:00, every half hour. The train crew has their lunch break at 1:00 on a typical day.

Now that we're under steam power again, we hope to see many of you out for another visit to say "hello" to Samson! Number 25 will be happy to see you and take you for a steam driven ride around the site!

~By Marcie Callewaert

BC Day is Kids Day!

Carolyn playing an old fashioned children's game with some kids at the BCFDC - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

BC Day is Kids Day, this year - more than ever, at the BC Forest Discovery Centre! Along with our normal event activites we are also hosting the Children's Performance Series which will be featured on BC Day. Sparkle and Sweezie the clowns will be performing on the newly decorated stage on the lower grounds.

The BC Day itinerary is as follows:

10:00 - Site opens and Bouncy Castle is available

11:00 - Activities begin (Face painting, fish pond, bubble wands, bubble head craft)

11:30 - First Train leaves Alderlea Station

1:30 - Train crew breaks for lunch (No 1:30 train)
        - Sparkle and Sweezie perform at the stage on the lower grounds

3:00 - Activites end

4:00 - Last Train leaves Alderlea Station

4:30 - Site Closes

There will be a  small concession at the lower grounds with candy, chocolate bars, cotton candy, popcorn, pop, juice boxes, gatorade, and water! Train Station Treats at Alderlea station will be featuring its usual assortment of goodies including hot dogs, smokies and udder guys ice cream!

We hope to see you for a fun time on August 1st!

Lily of the Valley Cabin

Lily of the Valley Trappers Cabin on the lower grounds.   ~Photo by Marcie Callewaert

This trappers cabin was brought to the BC Forest Discovery Centre from Wild Deer Lake, about 40 kms southwest of Duncan. It is a simple, one-room home, with a bed frame and meager kitchen area. The small porch would have allowed a lazy evening for the weary trapper after a long days hike on the trap lines. Although the cabin was built for trappers, it was primarily used by timber cruisers. These men traveled into the forests and measured the amount of timber available for logging operations. At the original site where this cabin was located there were also two other cabins, though they were destroyed. The name apparently has no significance, but evokes a nostalgic feeling of the simple days past.

The Lily of the Valley Cabin, is located on the Centre's lower grounds, next to the waterwheel display! It offers a view of the train on the trestle over Somenos Lake as well. You can reach it by the trail behind the playground area, or the road access from the Drinkwater Station area.

~By Marcie Callewaert

Elusive Brown Creeper - Spotted!

Brown Creeper - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

The brown creeper is a well-camouflaged and difficult to spot bird who lives in the woodlands. One was spotted at the museum near the end of May. It was spiraling its way up our 400-year old douglas fir, searching for food in the bark.

Brown creeper nests have two entrances - one serving as an exit and the other as an entrance.The entrances face downwards and exits face upwards. The nests are almost always placed behind a loose flap of bark and are constructed of cocoons and spider egg cases, as well as other pieces of debris. They lay one to eight eggs at a time which are coloured white with reddish or pink spots.

Look carefully as you walk through our old growth forest for the brown creeper or its nest, carefully hidden in the gnarled bark of the trees.

~By Marcie Callewaert

Forest Fire Lookout Tower

Morning light shines on the Forest Fire Lookout Tower - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

"To the left of the train is the forest fire lookout tower. Towers like these were used atop mountains and high elevations. Forest service employees would live in these towers during fire season. You are welcome to climb to the top and enjoy the view."

You have likely heard this speech many times while riding the train at the BCFDC. Forest fire lookout towers were valuable in protecting the trees that were to be logged from the raging fires that were sparked by lighting storms, and more frequently, human caused fires. In the 1900's towers gained popularity and were widely used across Canada, but most frequently in British Columbia.

Last years fawn with its mother having a rest in front of the Forest Fire Lookout Tower - Photo by Marcie Callewaert

 With today's advances in technology we now use satellite imagery, planes and high tech cameras to spot forest fires far earlier than the human eye can detect. This has led to the disuse of fores fire lookout towers. The tower at the BCFDC is a reconstruction of the original and follows the same design. Rangers would live in the tower with their camp cot and small kitchen. An outhouse would be located nearby on the ground. Rangers would live alone for many weeks before the next ranger came to take the next shift.

Feel free to climb the NEWLY PAINTED(!) lookout tower on your next visit and have a look around our site from your new-found perch!

We would like to extend many thanks to the Thunderbird Forest Fire Fighting Crew from Port Alberni who came down and helped us out for three days. They painted the lookout tower and ranger station and even removed a problem stump for us!

~By Marcie Callewaert