Birdathon Count 2015

Thanks again for all your great support and know that the money is all used for bird related research, important natural area land acquisitions and other bird related conservation projects. I like to think that we are helping to make this world a little better, not just for ourselves but for our children, grand children and all future generations. I hate to think of a world without birds, not just for their beauty but for the good they do. Thanks again! Sincerely, George Pond This is a list of birds identified during 2 Birdathons. The left check marks are from May 9, 2015, with Mike McMillan and group. Total: 101 The right check marks are from May 26 and 27, 2015, with George Pond and group. Total: 130 VVCommon Loon VVPied-billed Grebe VDouble-crested Cormorant VVGreat Blue Heron VVGreen Heron VLeast…
continue reading

Great Canadian Birdathon 2015 Report #2

By Michael McMillan Download the PDF of this article, which contains many beautiful photos. On May 9, at 6:30 a.m. I arrived at George Pond's house in Simcoe to join George, Peggy McArthur, Alan McKeown, and Shelia Smith to begin my Birdathon. A couple of minutes after leaving George's we made our first stop at a grassy field on Luscombe Drive just north of Highway 3 at the west end of Simcoe. Immediately I had my first three birds. An insect-like buzz was coming from a Grasshopper Sparrow perched on a long blade of grass. Somewhere in the distance, was the faint buzz of a Clay-colored Sparrow. Above us a Tree Swallow swooped in a circle before stopping to rest on a wire. Just before we turned west on Highway 3 from Luscombe Drive a Wild Turkey exploded into flight…
continue reading

Great Canadian Birdathon 2015 Report #1

By George Pond Download the PDF of this article, which contains many beautiful photos. “Turn down the next road! Yesterday there was a flock of Black-bellied Plovers in a field and a single Golden Plover with them,” Jeremy Hussell said, as we continued to search for birds on our Great Canadian Birdathon. Surprisingly the flock of about 75 of these beautiful tundra nesting shorebirds was still there and Jeremy soon had the Golden Plover, with its completely black underside, in the telescope for us all to see. The lighter head and white belly region of the Black-bellied Plovers were also easy to pick out. These birds were in the same plumage as when I photographed them in the High Arctic last July.   Bruce and Ann Falls, Steve Wilcox, Jeremy Hussell and I, were doing our annual Birdathon to raise…
continue reading

Nature Down-Under: Escape from the February deep-freeze

By: Inga Hinnerichsen We couldn't have picked a better time for our recent trip to New Zealand! The summer is still going strong in February (like our August), but the high tourist season is already tapering off and the local kids are back in school. During the week the beaches are less busy and you'll have a better selection of campsites. On the other hand, this is not a great time to visit Northern Australia! The "Wet" is in full swing, the outback is flooded by torrential rains, devastating cyclones tear at the north and north east parts of the continent. The South is usually hot and dry with plenty of bushfires raging. Roughly 80 million years ago the land mass now known as Zealandia broke away from the supercontinent Gondwana together with Australia. This continent has since eroded away…
continue reading

NFN winter birding field event

By: Cody Rowe There is something about the call of the outdoors that brings birders together, regardless of the weather, and Sunday January 18, 2015 was no exception. A group of 13 birders flocked to the shores of Lake Erie, all were eager to venture forth and find birds a little less common than the handful of Mallards and Ring-Billed Gulls that were gathered around the Port Dover Harbour. Led by the wonderful guides, Audrey Heagy and Dave Okines, our seven-vehicle convoy made their way to Silver Lake. Unfortunately the lake was frozen over, but we did find a pair of American Black Ducks, hundreds of Canada Geese, House Sparrows, and some European Starlings. Leaving Silver Lake we followed the Lakeshore Rd to a beautiful dark morph Rough-legged Hawk (one of many seen that day) and a few American Crows.…
continue reading

CBC Fisherville count results

Compiled by: Linda Thrower The Fisherville Christmas Bird Count was held on December 28th, 2014. For the end of December the weather was amazing. No snow to speak of, nice clear roads, open water, temperatures above freezing and low winds. I could not have asked for better weather. Well, maybe the glare off the lake could have been less, which would have allowed for a few more waterfowl to be counted. You would have thought with the weather like that the birds would have been easier to find, but I guess with the water and the fields being open the birds were spread out rather than all bunching up. I know we had to beat the bushes to get a few species that are usually an easy find in the winter. But thanks to the awesome birders who were nice…
continue reading

CBC Woodhouse count results

Compiled by David Okines Greetings Counters, These are the results of the 28th Woodhouse CBC held on December 14th 2014. The Woodhouse CBC is centred 7 km east of Simcoe, at the crossroads of Highway 3 and Cockshut Road at Renton in Norfolk County and roughly covers from Port Dover to Waterford and just west of Simcoe to east of Jarvis. Weather: The weather this year was certainly different from last year. Last year had a significant snow cover, this year none.There was some drizzle overnight and the day was overcast with occasional light drizzle but this had stopped by mid morning. Most of the standing water was free of ice. Temperatures varied from a low of +2 when owling to a high of +5 during the day. Many thanks to Madaline Wilson for hosting the round-up on short notice.…
continue reading

The Owl’s Nest

By: Linda Thrower One very cold moonlit night in February many years ago my husband, a friend and I hauled a ladder down to a frozen pond to reach the duck box in the middle of it. An Eastern Screech Owl had been living in it for quite a few years. As do many homes, a box requires repairs every so often. The roof had a leak in the middle of it and water would drip on top of the owl's head as it was sunning itself in the early morning. My husband climbed the ladder while our friend held it in place on the ice. As I stood watch the owl came out of its box and flew around twice, then settled in a tree watching what was going on with its home. None of us were sure how…
continue reading

Long Point Butterfly Count

Report by: Adam Timpf This year's Long Point butterfly count was held on July 5th, 2014. We had an uptick in participation this year with 31 observers and had all parts of the circle well covered. Despite this, and nearly ideal weather conditions on the day, most groups commented on the lack of butterflies. With everyone's hard work we still managed to find 3731 individuals of 52 species. If it wasn't for the 2108 Edward's Hairstreaks, our individuals total would be far under the long term average of 2622 individuals. 52 species is slightly above the long term average of ~49. Notable sightings: 2108 Edward's Hairstreak. This will likely be a new North American high count surpassing the 1004 record set by our count last year. 71 Banded hairstreak. New count high. Previous high was 57 in 2006. 1 Meadow…
continue reading

Reptile Trivia

The largest (i.e. longest) snake found in Norfolk County (and Ontario) is the endangered and very rare Gray Ratsnake which can grow to a maximum length of 2.5 metres (8 feet). Also endangered, the Eastern Foxsnake can grow to 1.7 metres in length (over 5 1⁄2 feet). The smallest snake in Norfolk County (and Ontario) is the tiny Red-bellied Snake. This species reaches a maximum length of 40cm (16 inches). The more common DeKay’s Brownsnake can be slightly larger, with a maximum length of 50cm (20 inches). The non-venomous Eastern Foxsnake, Gray Ratsnake and Milksnake (special concern) will all vibrate their tails when threatened. These constrictors are excellent at rodent control. The Eastern Hog-nosed Snake is found in sandy parts of Norfolk County and, despite its theatrics, is also harmless to humans. When threatened, it may puff out and flatten…
continue reading