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…
Category: Meetings
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…
MAY BOOK OF THE MONTH- A DANCE OF CRANES BY STEVE BURROWS
This book was chosen by Marilyn Clark, our Vice President A DANCE OF CRANES: A Birder Murder Mystery By Steve Burrows . This sixth book (published in 2019) in the Birder Murder Mystery series was intriguing from the start. It is set on two continents and there are two intertwined storylines. One features some…
APRIL NATURE BOOK OF THE MONTH - The soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
Heather Ewing, The membership Chair of ONC presented this book: Have you ever wondered if you were smarter than an octopus? Or, have you wondered how these animals interact with their environment, make decisions, solve puzzles, or just live their lives?Sy Montgomery spent time learning about these mysterious creatures by going behind the scenes of…
QUIZ NIGHT MARCH 4, 2020
On March 4 at the Orillia Museum of Art and History, the Orillia Naturalists’ had its second annual Quiz night – again a fun time, lots of laughs and we learned a few things.There were 28 people, divided randomly into 7 teams, (as well as the three organizers).Sue Deadman, Denis Paccagnella and Nancy Ironside organized…