As the weather continues to warm up, there is lots to do in Wascana! 

If you are in the park over Victoria Day weekend, our Waterfowl Display Ponds Area will be open for the season. Bring your grains and greens and visit the diva herself, Stella the Mute Swan. She loves posing for pictures and eating all of your green goodies. She might even share with the others, like our three Snow Geese. Come by and relax, take in the beautiful space and share a more intimate experience with waterfowl. Just please, don’t bring bread!

Are you planning on paddling on the water once the ice has fully melted? Please do, it’s beautiful and very relaxing. But please stick to the west side as our east lake is a federally protected Migratory Bird Sanctuary. There is no paddling or island access in this area. With the east lake being more natural, it is prime nesting habitat for wildlife. Through our maintenance on healthy shorelines and leaving the islands alone, we have created a protected area for wildlife. So bring your binoculars, take a seat on the grass, listen for wildlife calls and just take it all in!

With the warming temperatures now here we can expect to see some of our Wascana wildlife to come out of hiding. Insects are warming up and wandering around, buds are developing, flowers are sprouting. White-tailed Jackrabbits are shedding their white winter coat in favour of their lighter brown summer coat and Coyotes visit less frequently as they can find their prey outside the park. Bohemian Waxwings, Bald Eagles and Snowy Owls, some of our winter visitors, have headed farther North while we welcome our southern crowd. From early April to June our skies will be filled with migratory birds passing through Wascana, stopping for a break as they continue along, or staying here, calling Regina home for the summer.

Do you find yourself craving a more natural, nature filled walk in Wascana? Take a walk on the wild side – the East lake. Here you will see our beloved American White Pelicans soaring overhead, perched on the posts or fishing in the water. Each year we find Pelicans staying in Wascana while most migrate further north to nest and that is due to their sexual immaturity. Since they aren’t going to pair up and nest, they spend all summer fishing, flying and diving so keep a look out for these white beauties. If you don’t see Pelicans perched on the posts while out, you may see Double-crested Cormorants drying out, Common Terns soaring above and diving into the water or Northern Shovelers, Canvasbacks, Mallards, etc. paddling along in the water.

If you don’t have an eye for birds, then perhaps you will enjoy the Beaver sightings are they start immerging from their lodge in the marsh. Channel your inner detective by looking for beaver clues, be it scat, tracks or chew! While you are looking you may even stumble across our precious Western Painted Turtles. With the ice melting and temperatures warming the turtles will soon start moving about, coming up from the depths of the marsh to bask in the sun. Be on the lookout for shiny moving “rocks” on shorelines, fallen trees or even on top of beave lodges. On a sunny day these areas will be littered with turtles.