Jennifer Doubt from the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa joined us via Zoom on April 6 at 7:00 pm. Her subject was: Some ecological roles of mosses, and some wonders of peatBeing very small, to the human eye, bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve for the many essential…
Category: Meetings
NATURE BOOK OF THE MONTH
The March Nature book of the Month is Nature’s Best Hope, a new approach to conservation that begins in your yard, by Douglas W Tallamy. It is reviewed by Sharon Hancock, long time member of the ONC, and famous for her dinners, (with the help of Ron). The April Nature Book of the Month is Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom and Knowledge…
Christmas Bird Count Recap
Nine teams had a tough job with the weather this year, with cool temperatures and snow almost the entire day. Even in those conditions, there were some new records of note. It was apparent how important bird feeders are to count numbers! 6905 TOTAL BIRDS 264 (Total individuals) Species in Count Week or Unidentified 63 …
2021 Bluebird Update
Leanore Wianko provided an update on the 29 Bluebird boxes that she maintains and monitors along the 12th Concession in Oro Medonte and Bass Lake Sideroad. Number of Fledglings this year: 20 Eastern Bluebirds (worst count ever and not sure why)13 American Robins35 Tree Swallows (a record number)22 House Wrens Leanore noted challenging conditions this…
THE NATURE BOOK OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER IS JUNGLE PEACE BY WILLIAM BEEBE
Nancy Ironside, ONC member, has reviewed Jungle Peace by William Beebe.When Jungle Peace was published in 1918, Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt wrote a Book Review, published in the New York Times.He advised all who love good books, very good books to get this book of Mr. Beebe. And so do I.Mr. Beebe, he says, was a…
Piping Plovers Presentation
Thank you to Andrea Gress from Birds Canada for the very interesting and entertaining presentation on Piping Plovers. You had us laughing while also learning about this species and the challenges they face.
March 3 Zoom -WILD PIG PILOT PROJECT WITH SPEAKER ERICA NEWMAN
Wild Pig Pilot Project & Research UpdateWhat is a wild pig, and are they really in Ontario? Erica will give a brief background on wild pigs in North America, and outline research findings from the ministry’s recent work with this invasive species. She’ll discuss why wild pigs are such a challenge for wildlife managers and…
Trivia Night
Thanks everyone for taking part in Trivia Night! About 40 people took part, and answered ID questions on plants, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. There were even bonus marks for scientific names. A big thank you to Toby Rowland for putting the trivia together and sharing his great photos and videos! There was…
Results of the 2020 Christmas Bird Count
Bald Eagle by Mary Collins Thanks to everyone who took part in the Christmas Bird Count this year!We had nine teams, 53 participants plus many feeders reports. All together, teams counted 8,721 birds and 56 species.In the past five years, here are the count numbers:2019: 3999, 54 species2018: 5250, 58 species2017: 5116, 57 species2016: 7460,…
September Nature Book of the month is Backwoods of Canada by Catharine Parr Trail
BACKWOODS OF CANADA – by Catharine Parr Traill.(A book review) Dear Aunt Catharine, I read with delight your letters home describing your first two-and-a-half years in “the bush” of Upper Canada. I found the account of the trip in 1832, including your bout of cholera at Montreal, and especially the painful “road” trip to your…
Bluebird Box Update
Leanore Wianko provided an update on the 29 Bluebird boxes that she maintains and monitors along the 12th Concession in Oro Medonte and Bass Lake Sideroad. Number of Fledglings this year: 41 Eastern Bluebirds 12 American Robins 18 Tree Swallows 26 Wrens Leanore noted challenging conditions in the later part of the year, with deep…
JUNE NATURE BOOK OF THE MONTH-INHERITORS OF THE EARTH by CHRIS THOMAS
This book is chosen by Mary Mick, Life member of ONC.When you think of The Anthropocene, do you focus on all the damage human beings have wrought on the natural world…pollution, climate change, deforestation and, of course, extinction (sometimes referred to as The Sixth Extinction)? Then, you will find Inheritors of the Earth, “provocative” and…