Seven members of the Orillia Naturalists’ joined Geoff Carpenter on June 9th as we visited the Nonquon lagoons in Port Perry. These lagoons are no longer used for sewage, but are kept as a bird sanctuary. All of us had obtained their mandatory access permits before we headed out on our adventure. Geoff Carpenter…
Activities
Chimney Swift night June 5, 2018
Leanore Wiancko and Kay Price have faithfully monitored this chimney for a number of years, and every year some of us have joined them. On a very cold night, with occasional spattering of light rain, a group gathered to observe Chimney Swift activity at our usual site – the chimney at the Opera House. At…
Cowan Trail Birding Hike - May 26
The predicted rain held off for our hike at the Cowan Trail on Saturday which allowed us to enjoy the walk and the 35 bird species we saw and heard. The highlights included a pair of Black-billed cuckoos and an activity singing Brewsters Warbler. Thanks to Donald MacDonald for supplying these great pictures.
AN INTRODUCTION TO MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS PRESENTED BY Dr. Troy McMullin from the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa
On Thursday May 10, 2018 at Grant’s Woods, Couchiching Conservancy’s meeting room, Division Rd, Severn Twp How are things related to each other? Most of us have come to think of DNA as the final answer, but Troy stressed that many DNA analyses are just one tool for classification and identification and should be added…
ONC AGM and Pot Luck Supper May2, 2018
The attendance was larger than usual, so the gourmet feast was amazing! Nobody went hungry. The minutes will be posted on this site, when they are passed (in a year!) Denis Paccagnella was pleased to add Ray Kiff to the Club’s Life Membership. In addition to being Orillia’s first specialist Ophthalmologist and the Hospital’s Chief…
Sights and Sounds of Spring Muriel's field trip 4 on Thursday April 26, 2018
Muriel reports that the evening walk number 4 ….. turned into a pond watching car cruise with 21 people. It is very interesting what turns up in a picture . A Great Blue Heron, a Blue-winged Teal, An American Bittern, and some Mallard Ducks , all in one Great shot ! After checking out the…
Sights and Sounds with Muriel Field Trip 3 April 9 2018
…..After the ICE storm . The round frowning Robin standing on stiff legs on the icy snow, and the shivering Great Blue Heron trying to pull its body inside its fluffy feathers, were begging Mother Nature to please turn up the thermostat. In spite of this the Chorus Frogs are struggling to keep singing even…
Sights and Sounds with Muriel Field Trip 2, on Tuesday April 10, 2018
Muriel writes: As you are now aware , it does not rain every time I lead a walk. It was a lovely evening , but still quite cold. The old swing bridge at the Narrows was free of snow and a good spot for watching the activity in the water and areas around. A pair…
Icebergs, Puffins and Whales, a presentation based on their trip to Newfoundland in 2017 by Arni and Dianne Stinnissen , April 4
The Orillia Naturalists’ Club had tough weather for the 11 people on our first spring nature walk, on Tuesday, April 3. The weather for Arni’s Newfoundland presentation was even worse. Many club members were unable to travel to the meeting because of the freezing rain and high winds. Nevertheless there was a large turnout.…
Sights and sounds with Muriel Sinclair Field Trips: Trip 1 was April 3/2018
As usual, Muriel chose the stormiest night of the year, and she chose it almost a year ago. What a brr-rrrrrr evening. I love Spring because every day holds wonderful, wonderful surprises. When we arrived at Brough’s Creek on Woodland Drive it was snowing and very cold…but what activity! Two rather stout Beavers had been…
Citizen Science Workshop - March 8, 2018
On March 7, 2018 Mike Burrell spoke to the Orillia Naturalists’ Club March meeting at the Orillia Museum of Art and History and challenged those in attendance to become citizen scientists. He shared information about two very useful apps to use as tools for this endeavour. While we were planning this years activities and this…
Using Technology for Citizen Science
On Wed March 7 Mike Burrell spoke to us at OMAH. The challenge is out to become Citizen Scientists and the Orillia Naturalists’ Club recently heard about 2 very useful apps to use as tools for this endeavour. Mike Burrell, a Zoologist for Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough, provided an excellent introduction to these…