Currently the only postal strike activity is to refuse overtime. There is still a chance for shipments to get delayed or trapped in transit if other work stoppages occur. Dismiss
On Friday morning, June 10th, a work crew consisting of Montgomery Committee members, other WRN members and a large contingent from rare, descended on the F.H. Montgomery Wildlife Sanctuary. The weather was perfect for a concerted attack on the Garlic Mustard plants at the far end of the property.
After a few hours of pulling, this section had been cleared of the alien invaders, and a truckload of bagged plants was carted away. A good morning’s work was celebrated with snacks and then a group photo. Thanks to all who came out and worked so hard.
WRN members Josh Pickering and David Gascoigne spotted a Prothonotary Warbler on May 4 in a woodlot on the University of Waterloo campus. This discovery is only the second record ever for Waterloo Region, the last being in 1997.
This year’s Birdathon was explicitly decided by the weather forecast; we would run our 19th Birdathon from May 9 to May 10 to make the best of the weather conditions. At 3:00 pm we entered Rondeau Provincial Park to begin. The weather was partly cloudy with light SE winds and a balmy 16 degrees. We had a quick start spotting Scarlet Tanager, Prothonatory Warbler, Carolina Wren and Eastern Bluebird. After an hour and a half, we headed for Erieau. En route, we picked up Cliff Swallow, Short-billed Dowitcher and a late Canvasback.
The Erieau marina was very quiet so we did not stay long but headed for the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. These were productive as there was something new in each of the 4 large cells. We managed to spot quite a number of ducks ( Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, American Wigeon and Gadwall ) and shorebirds including an early White-rumped Sandpiper and a hard to come by Pectoral Sandpiper. The area was quite active with several Bobolinks calling and displaying in the tall grasses. After checking the lagoons we headed to Blenheim to get our supper; pizza and soft drinks.
Snowy Owl
On the road again we headed for Mitchell’s Bay. Eating and travelling kept most of our attention but the birds were what really made us sit up. We had Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon and Northern Harrier all en route. At Mitchell’s Bay we found Common Gallinule, Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron and several Yellow-headed Blackbirds. We still had a little light left so we raced off to the Lake St. Clair NWR. On the way we ran into one of the larger surprises; a Snowy Owl. Reaching the NWR we continued add more species: Sandhill Cranes. While Mike and Ken walked a trail in the refuge, Carol and Jim birded the entrance. We found American Bittern and Sora calling, a silent Trail’s Flycatcher. As dark was descending fast we headed for the cottage making 2 listening stops along the way and heard Vesper Sparrow and American Woodcock.
Black-bellied Plover
On the 10th We were up at 5:00 and off to Pt. Pelee National Park. It was raining lightly, 9 degrees and windy. On the way we spotted Great Horned Owl and Wild Turkey. The Park was not as busy as the 9th, but we still managed to add several species to our list. Starting at the Tip, we managed to pick up some later species including Horned Grebe and Surf Scoter. Heading north into the Park, we found Yellow-throated Vireo, good numbers of Catharsus thrushes (including Gray-cheeked) as well as 15 species of warblers, including Cape May and Northern Parula. We decided to walk some of the seasonal trails in the north section, which paid off with a single calling Fish Crow at Sleepy Hollow. By this time it was closing in on noon and we hadn’t checked the Onion Fields or Hillman Marsh. Heading out of the Park we checked the Onion Fields which was quite productive; we found good numbers of shorebirds including several Long-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers.
Willet
Our final spot was Hillman Marsh. By 2:00 it was very cold and windy but the rain had stopped. We spent our last hour in a shelter adding a few new species to our list. These included Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern and Bonaparte’s Gull. Our final birds were 5 Willets that flew in and landed at our feet; a nice way to finish our 19th family Birdathon.
We had another productive and fun filled 24 hours of birding finishing with 151 species.
Thank you for supporting us in our Great Canadian Birdathon. Monies raised go directly to bird conservation and research. If you have already paid us, thank you. If you pledged support, you can forward a check to Jim Burrell made payable to BSC/ Great CanadianBirdathon or paying online at http://birdscanada.kintera.org/birdathon/jimburrell.
In a brief ceremony on Monday, April 25th, Waterloo Region Nature announced the 2016 recipients of the regional Conservation Award, an award that acknowledges the contribution made by an individual, group, organization or corporation toward the conservation and preservation of the natural environment of Waterloo Region.
One or more Conservation Awards may be presented in any given year.
As part of the monthly gathering of the nature club, which counts over 200 members, two individual awards and one shared award were presented. The recipients each received a plaque and generous ovations for their accomplishments as ambassadors for environmental stewardship and advocacy in Waterloo Region.
WRN President Josh Shea with Thelma Beaubien holding her Conservation Award
One of the recipients, Thelma Beaubien, has created and organized several “Wonders of Nature” events across the Region, which encouraged families and approximately 500 individuals to get in touch with nature, most recently in partnership with the City of Kitchener. In addition, Beaubien has volunteered for butterfly monitoring in the Huron Natural Area, and also converted her yard into a haven for pollinators, creating learning opportunities in the community that feature the importance of butterflies and pollination.
Deb Swidrovich holding her Conservation Award along with nominators Fraser Gibson and Marg Macdonald
Deb Swidrovich was honored for her leadership in various initiatives dealing with issues such as: invasive species, road development, and urban sprawl. In particular she was recognized for her involvement in the concerted effort to protect the Laurel Creek Watershed as an Environmentally Sensitive Landscape (ESL), during which she engaged local residents through open houses, presented at local councils, and liaised with local politicians to ensure informed decision making.
Louise MacCallum and Michael Barnstijn holding their Conservation Award, along with WRN President Josh Shea and WRN Conservation Director Shayne Sangster
Michael Barnstijn and Louise MacCallum received the award for their engagement as founding members of rare Charitable Research Reserve. Their vision to establish rare as a land trust and environmental institute was paramount to ensure that over 900 acres of land could be set aside for conservation, which so far is the largest contribution that has ever been made to land preservation in Waterloo Region by private individuals, for the community to enjoy.
Josh Shea, president of the club, remarked: “We are extremely fortunate to have such strong support for conservation efforts in this Region, and on behalf of all club and community members I am most thankful for your relentless energy and championship.”
The awards are celebrated annually, with nominations being accepted from October to December each year. Previous recipients include community leaders such as Kevin Thomason, who also was instrumental in the achievement of the Laurel Creek Headwaters ESL designation in 2006.
Waterloo Region Nature life member Craig Campbell has been recognized with a Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Trust Lifetime Achievement Award. He was nominated by Region of Waterloo staff, for over 50 years of contributions to conservation. His vast knowledge of the Region’s flora, fauna and natural areas helped identify sites that became Canada’s first municipally designated Environmentally Sensitive Policy Areas (ESPAs), established by the Region of Waterloo in 1976.
Again this year, my sons ( Mike and Ken ) and I will be taking part in the Great Canadian Birdathon, formerly the Baillie Birdathon, to support Bird Studies Canada (BSC) and Waterloo Region Nature.
We have scheduled our Birdathon for May 12 to 16 in the Point Pelee area. We would appreciate support from previous donors as well as those who would like to contribute for the first time.
While donations in any amount will be very much appreciated, you should know that a donation of $35.00 or more will permit you to receive BSC’s newsletter, “Bird Watch Canada”, for 1 year. A portion of what is raised comes back to Waterloo Region Nature. To sponsor us online, please go to our Team Page.
Here are the exciting new outings being offered this spring by our wonderful members! I hope I’ll have summer outings to publicize later as well. Keep an eye on your e-mail for later announcements and for reminders. All outings also appear on this web site as soon as they are planned.
As well, remember to check for an all-member e-mail the day of an outing in case of cancellation for weather or other circumstances.
To offer to lead a future outing or to suggest an outing destination, please contact Marg Paré at outings@waterlooregionnature.ca. For more information on a specific outing, please contact the outing leader.
A series of talks being presented by:
Kitchener’s Natural Areas Program & Waterloo Region Nature.
These programs will inspire you to discover and experience nature in our community.
All programs are free and will be hosted by the Kitchener Public Library.
Registration Details: www.kpl.org/programs
Use ‘View Programs and Events’ button and select month & date for program details
Urban Wildlife
Wednesday March 9, 2016 7-8:30 p.m. (Central Library Branch, 85 Queen St. North, Kitchener)
Learn about turkeys, deer and coyotes as well as other common wildlife that is found living in the City of Kitchener. We will discuss the ecology of these adaptable species and share tips and strategies on how to better coexist and prevent any conflicts. Speaker: Josh Shea
Josh is the Natural Areas Coordinator for the City of Kitchener where he works on environmental engagement, stewardship and ecological restoration projects. As a current part-time Master’s student at the University of Waterloo, he is studying urban ecology and the management of urban novel ecosystems.
Sex and the Single Bird
Wednesday April 13, 2016 7-8:30 p.m. (Central Library Branch, 85 Queen St North, Kitchener)
Come and enjoy an interesting discussion of the mating systems of birds, both familiar and unfamiliar, with stories of fidelity, bigamy, polygamy, polyandry and variations of them all. Whatever indiscretions humans have exhibited, birds can match them all – without the sanction of morality, fortunately.
Speaker: David Gascoigne
David Gascoigne has a degree in business and has been studying and enjoying birds since the age of eight. He has studied ornithology at Trent University in Peterborough, ON and has completed the Seminars in Bird Biology at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He has an ornithological library that would make most universities envious, and travels the world in search of the rare and unusual.
Gardening for Butterflies:
Attracting, rescuing and raising butterflies
Wednesday May 11, 2016 7-8:30 p.m. Central Library Branch, 85 Queen St. North, Kitchener).
Thelma has been an avid gardener and photographer for forty years. Her gardens have evolved over that time. She will be introducing her new book where she writes about establishing a butterfly haven describing the best native and non-native plants that provide nourishment as well as host plants to provide for their cycle of life. You too will soon be gardening through the eyes of a butterfly.
Speaker: Thelma Beaubien
Thelma has received numerous awards for her photography including many national competitions. Her images have been published in several magazines and with a number of organizations including the City of Waterloo and its 150th Anniversary celebration book. The popularity of her audio visual shows had her presenting to many clubs and groups over the years and these shows were also included in the prestigious Burlington Visual Arts Festival. Thelma belongs to a number of clubs including the Waterloo Region Nature club where she initiated and co-ordinates the very successful Wonders of Nature Festival. Having nature at her door step provides an opportunity to share with others her first-hand experience.
The move to our new website is complete and the previous website at http://www.kwfn.ca has been retired. (That URL now brings you here.)
Again this year, my sons ( Mike and Ken ) and I will be taking part in the Great Canadian Birdathon, formerly the Baillie Birdathon, to support Bird Studies Canada (BSC) and Waterloo Region Nature.
