Join Ellis Nature Centre on Saturday, May 24 from 8-10am for an introductory birding experience! We will have 3 leaders who will show small groups of 6 people to 3 unique birding areas on our site. You will learn basic birding skills and how to apply them in each area of our site. Whether you’re just starting your birding journey or a seasoned pro wanting to refresh their skills, we’d love to have you. All ages welcome, the ability to walk and stand for the two hours is a must.

Join Ellis Nature Centre staff on Sunday, May 25 from 11am-12pm to learn about how to create a wildlife friendly garden! This workshop will take you around the gardens at Ellis Nature Centre to learn about key features that support wildlife, selecting plants, and overall garden design. If you want to make sure that your garden helps animals, birds, insects, and pollinators, then this is the workshop for you. This event is free, but pre-registration is appreciated as there are only 25 spots available!

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Dip your toes into the world of citizen science by joining Ellis Nature Centre’s BioBlitz on Saturday, May 31! We will be focusing on species found on our site in three broad categories: birds, insects, and plants. Participants will help our leaders discover the species on the Ellis Nature Centre site and help us collect valuable data which will help drive future research. This event is happening all day, with activities around the different species on a rotating schedule. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more details!

Join Ellis Nature Centre as we host Bird Dreams for a 3.5 hour gentle outdoor birding adventure on Sunday, June 1 from 9am-12:30pm! They provide you with a high quality pair of binoculars with a comfy neck strap, and a light snack. You will wind our way through the beautiful grounds and gardens of Ellis Nature Centre birding as you go. We will be on the lookout for avian insectivores including Tree Swallows, Purple Martins, and migratory Warblers! There have been 163 species of birds recorded at Ellis Nature Centre and we will look for as many as we can together in a small close up birding group. There have been 6 different kinds of Woodpeckers identified at Ellis Nature Centre, we will learn together how to look for signs of what kinds of Woodpeckers are around including size and shape of tree holes, behaviour and meaning of different calls and Woodpecker sounds.

We review the keys to ID including habitat, where to look for what kinds of birds, behaviour, colour patterns, shape, and range. We will also review the ethics of birding including how we bird, how we can positively affect birds through birding, and how humans are affected by birds and birding. We will introduce community science apps and demo them in the field together, including iNaturalist, eBird and Merlin . We will use iNaturalist to identify some beneficial native plants and insects for birds and discuss how learning more about native plants and insects benefits our local and migratory birds. We keep our tour groups very small for an up close personal birding experience. Come enjoy the sight and sounds of spring at Ellis Nature Centre and experience the joy of birding. We are proud to be members of Indigenous Tourism Alberta. The fee for this workshop is $65 per person and limited to only 8 people.

Join Ellis Nature Centre as we host Bird Dreams for a 3.5 hour gentle outdoor birding adventure on Sunday, June 1 from 9am-12:30pm! They provide you with a high quality pair of binoculars with a comfy neck strap, and a light snack. You will wind our way through the beautiful grounds and gardens of Ellis Nature Centre birding as you go. We will be on the lookout for avian insectivores including Tree Swallows, Purple Martins, and migratory Warblers! There have been 163 species of birds recorded at Ellis Nature Centre and we will look for as many as we can together in a small close up birding group. There have been 6 different kinds of Woodpeckers identified at Ellis Nature Centre, we will learn together how to look for signs of what kinds of Woodpeckers are around including size and shape of tree holes, behaviour and meaning of different calls and Woodpecker sounds.

We review the keys to ID including habitat, where to look for what kinds of birds, behaviour, colour patterns, shape, and range. We will also review the ethics of birding including how we bird, how we can positively affect birds through birding, and how humans are affected by birds and birding. We will introduce community science apps and demo them in the field together, including iNaturalist, eBird and Merlin . We will use iNaturalist to identify some beneficial native plants and insects for birds and discuss how learning more about native plants and insects benefits our local and migratory birds. We keep our tour groups very small for an up close personal birding experience. Come enjoy the sight and sounds of spring at Ellis Nature Centre and experience the joy of birding. We are proud to be members of Indigenous Tourism Alberta. The fee for this workshop is $65 per person and limited to only 8 people.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Join Ellis Nature Centre & Wilma Oddsson on Saturday, June 7 from 2-3:30pm to make your own Kokedama (Japanese Moss Ball). You can choose to make one or two kokedama to take home with you. All supplies will be provided. Make sure to wear clothes that can get a bit dirty and bring gardening gloves if you’d like! Ages 12+ are welcome to attend. The cost is $45 for 1 plant or $70 for 2 plants.

Join our staff and purple martin experts for an inside look into the purple martin condos on our site! We’ll lower the condos so you can see how they’re laid out inside and the stages of the nesting process. These tours will be first come, first served and have no cost. They will also be dependent on weather and the nesting process, so keep an eye on our social media for the most current updates for these tours.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Join one of Ellis Nature Centre’s gardeners for a tour of our gardens on Saturday, June 14 from 1-2pm! We’ll lead you through our gardens, talking about key features, how they support biodiversity, and the variety of plants within them. If you’ve ever wanted to know the secrets of the Ellis Nature Centre gardens, now is your chance! This tour is free, but pre-registration is encouraged as there are only 15 spots available.

Bring your dad and celebrate with nestbox building on the Ellis Nature Centre site! Our chickadee and bluebird nestbox kits will be for sale, and there will be space to build them on site with your dad. Additionally, we will have duck boxes and northern flicker nestboxes which can be built as well. Pay $15 to take your duck or flicker box home, or you if you leave it for us to put on the ENC site you can build it for free! We’ll also be selling popcorn throughout the day.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

All ages. Pay $7 at the counter and includes one free drink. The third Thursday of every month. Event often runs more than one hour. 

Join our staff and purple martin experts for an inside look into the purple martin condos on our site! We’ll lower the condos so you can see how they’re laid out inside and the stages of the nesting process. These tours will be first come, first served and have no cost. They will also be dependent on weather and the nesting process, so keep an eye on our social media for the most current updates for these tours.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Join our staff and purple martin experts for an inside look into the purple martin condos on our site! We’ll lower the condos so you can see how they’re laid out inside and the stages of the nesting process. These tours will be first come, first served and have no cost. They will also be dependent on weather and the nesting process, so keep an eye on our social media for the most current updates for these tours.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Join our staff and purple martin experts for an inside look into the purple martin condos on our site! We’ll lower the condos so you can see how they’re laid out inside and the stages of the nesting process. These tours will be first come, first served and have no cost. They will also be dependent on weather and the nesting process, so keep an eye on our social media for the most current updates for these tours.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Join our staff and purple martin experts for an inside look into the purple martin condos on our site! We’ll lower the condos so you can see how they’re laid out inside and the stages of the nesting process. These tours will be first come, first served and have no cost. They will also be dependent on weather and the nesting process, so keep an eye on our social media for the most current updates for these tours.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.

Calling all stitchers! We invite you to join Ellis Nature Centre’s new craft group Fibers & Firs, focused on the art of stitching. All fiber art mediums are welcome – embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, etc. We will meet weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm from May 20-August 26 to work on current projects, get tips from other stitchers, and build community. Please note that this is not an instructional workshop, but time for folks who love fiber arts to get together and work on their projects surrounded by the beauty of the Ellis Nature Centre site. If weather permits, we will work outside! Light refreshments (non-alcoholic) and baked goods will be provided for the first few sessions, with the hope that as we build a steady group everyone will be willing to contribute occasionally to the selection of baked goods.