Saw Whet Owl

Sep 18, 2014

(Photo By Sandy Royer) MARS Moment -2014 Saw Whet Owl by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator This year we have enjoyed an early spring and wonderful summer weather as a result M.A.R.S. was very busy taking care of many injured, orphaned or abandoned wildlife....

Here Come the Fawns!

May 22, 2014

Our local Black Tailed Deer are now giving birth! Should you come across a fawn that you think needs help, please call MARS at 250-337-2021 for advice. Unless the fawn is obviously injured, sick, or there is a dead doe nearby, it should be left alone. A doe will leave...

Trumpeter Swans

Dec 1, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator The Comox Valley provides a winter sanctuary for one of wildlife’s most elegant birds, the trumpeter swan. I have lived in the valley for the past 20 years and still get a thrill when I hear the “honking”...

Townsend’s Bat

Oct 27, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator Halloween conjures up everything “spooky” and many creatures are feared when in actual fact they are harmless and really cool. Bats are one species that are often misunderstood and sometimes persecuted....

Fall Migration

Oct 26, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator It has been said that migration is probably the most awe-inspiring natural phenomenon – one that has been studied for many years and continues to reveal amazing feats of endurance. You only have to...

Green Heron

Aug 31, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator One common bird seen along our shorelines, standing ankle deep in water, waiting patiently for its prey to come by is the Great Blue Heron. These large elegant birds are easily identified by their...

Gray Jays

Aug 22, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator One of my favorite pastimes in the summer months is to visit and enjoy the many treasures found in Strathcona Park and Mount Washington. This year the area has provided a retreat from the long hot summer...

Large Animal Awareness

Aug 19, 2013

John Deal Photo MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator Late summer is a time when orchards are full of ripening fruits and when wildlife is beginning to build up their fat reserves for hibernation in the coming winter months. This is also when...

Merlins

Jul 24, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator Aerodynamically designed for speed, Merlins belong to the family of Falcons; the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest flying falcon but the Merlin is a close second, attaining cruising speeds in excess of 70...

Hummingbirds

Jul 23, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator I am always amazed by one of nature’s most spectacular birds; many hummingbirds are named after vibrant colors, amethyst, emerald, ruby and sapphire. There are over 300 species of hummingbirds in the...

Turkey Vultures

Jul 23, 2013

MARS Moment 2013 by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator It is always rewarding when we can successfully rehabilitate wildlife patients, as many of the cases admitted to MARS Wildlife Centre are beyond help by the time they arrive. June saw the return of two...

Japanese Pigeon Crosses Pacific to Canada

Jun 26, 2013

OTTAWA (AFP) A plucky pigeon that flew across the Pacific Ocean from Japan will be bred by a bird lover in Canada hoping its progeny will make top long-distance racers, an animal rescue official said. The pigeon was discovered tired and thin at a Canadian air force...